Oscars 2019: Predicting The 10 Best Popular Films Nominees

Let's get this out of the way. No, Solo didn't make as much as previous Star Wars films. Yes, it still made lots of money. Yes, it will meet the Academy's definition of 'popular'. Easily.

And honestly, Solo is great. Despite its production woes, the film is a stellar blockbuster with big stakes, great action, and impeccable performances. Lawrence and Jon Kasdan's script positively soars, crafting a space-set western that manages to deliver big blockbuster action beats while also getting to the core of Han Solo as a character with precision to spare.

Ron Howard's direction is great and more specifically, cinematographer Bradford Young crafted some of the most innovative frames to be seen in a film this year. The cast is great, especially Donald Glover and Alden Ehrenreich as Lando and Han themselves, delivering performances that are at once evocative of their prior incarnations and something innovative and new.

It's one of the best blockbusters of the year and it comes with an Academy-ready pedigree. Ron Howard has long been an Academy darling. But even more crucially, this category was practically invented to honor Star Wars films. For as long as this category exists, Star Wars will have a part in it, so expect the Academy to get that relationship off on the right foot.