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Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
Oct 21, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Joker follows Arthur Fleck’s descent from a somewhat mentally troubled comedian to becoming the Joker, arch Batman villain and force for chaos.
Joker is not a superhero film, there are no super powers, no gimmick arrows, no trained fighters like Black Widow and, most defiantly NO batman. Arthur is a normal, if somewhat strange man who is slowly pushed to breaking point by the world around him. He doesn’t even fall into a vat of acid ala Jack Nicholson or Jared Leto’s characters. There is little to link this film to anything DC when it starts except the fact that it is set in Gotham as the film focus mainly on Arthur, the troubles he has working as a clown and the society around him. As the film continues we hear that Thomas Wayne (Bruce’s dad) is running for mayor and we do meet Bruce which helps the viewer know when the film is set although it does cause a slight problem in that the Joker would be around 60+ when he finally fights Batman (Something that doesn’t happen in this film) but the problem may be sorted depending on how you translate the final scene, but that’s something I’ll get to later.
The tone of Joker is dark, probably darker than the latest Batman/Superman films due to the fact that is a lot more ‘real’. As I said there is no ‘falling in acid’ or any other type of super villain/hero origin, just the tale of a man pushed over the edge. The film is, in style part ‘Falling Down’, part ‘Taxi Driver’ and part ‘V for Vendetta’ with a bit of DC (comics) law sprinkled on top and you can see why Jared Leto’s Joker was not used. I have nothing against the Jared Joker, I think It fit the feel ‘Suicide Squad’ but it was cartoony for this gritty version that was based more in reality, this Joker would have fit better as a villain in one of the earlier films like Batman v Superman.
There are Major Spoilers from this point on
There are a couple of odd things in this film, one is who is Arthur’s dad, the film could have worked without this storyline but I think it was added for two reasons; 1 to help tie the movie into the DC universe and 2 to keep a bit of mystery about the Jokers origin.
I have already mentioned that the Jokers age doesn’t seem to fit with the traditional Batman story but the film gives us two ways this could be handled. DC comics have (sometimes) said that there is more than one Joker, this is a way of the comics explaining the number of different origin stories, time lines and other contradiction caused by over 60 years of comics and this could also happen in this movies universe, many citizens of Gotham are seen in clown makeup so it’s would be easy for other people to take on the mantel.
The other solution ties into the last odd thing about the film. The last scene has the Joker in Arkham Hospital (probably Arkham Asylum in the comics), we don’t know how he got there and he is being interviewed by a nurse, he smiles and when asked what’s funny he replies ‘I just thought of a joke’. The nurse asks him tell her the joke and he replies ‘You wouldn’t get it’. I’ve read a lot of people say that this shows that the whole film is just happening in Arthur's imagination but I feel that it’s more likely to be him remembering what happened especially as it’s shown over the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. This means that the events of the film are what led up to the shooting in the ally (not by Arthur), so, if the film is just in Jokers imagination then the shooting wouldn’t have happened so there would be no Batman and we have to remember that this is a DC movie.
Joker is not a superhero film, there are no super powers, no gimmick arrows, no trained fighters like Black Widow and, most defiantly NO batman. Arthur is a normal, if somewhat strange man who is slowly pushed to breaking point by the world around him. He doesn’t even fall into a vat of acid ala Jack Nicholson or Jared Leto’s characters. There is little to link this film to anything DC when it starts except the fact that it is set in Gotham as the film focus mainly on Arthur, the troubles he has working as a clown and the society around him. As the film continues we hear that Thomas Wayne (Bruce’s dad) is running for mayor and we do meet Bruce which helps the viewer know when the film is set although it does cause a slight problem in that the Joker would be around 60+ when he finally fights Batman (Something that doesn’t happen in this film) but the problem may be sorted depending on how you translate the final scene, but that’s something I’ll get to later.
The tone of Joker is dark, probably darker than the latest Batman/Superman films due to the fact that is a lot more ‘real’. As I said there is no ‘falling in acid’ or any other type of super villain/hero origin, just the tale of a man pushed over the edge. The film is, in style part ‘Falling Down’, part ‘Taxi Driver’ and part ‘V for Vendetta’ with a bit of DC (comics) law sprinkled on top and you can see why Jared Leto’s Joker was not used. I have nothing against the Jared Joker, I think It fit the feel ‘Suicide Squad’ but it was cartoony for this gritty version that was based more in reality, this Joker would have fit better as a villain in one of the earlier films like Batman v Superman.
There are Major Spoilers from this point on
There are a couple of odd things in this film, one is who is Arthur’s dad, the film could have worked without this storyline but I think it was added for two reasons; 1 to help tie the movie into the DC universe and 2 to keep a bit of mystery about the Jokers origin.
I have already mentioned that the Jokers age doesn’t seem to fit with the traditional Batman story but the film gives us two ways this could be handled. DC comics have (sometimes) said that there is more than one Joker, this is a way of the comics explaining the number of different origin stories, time lines and other contradiction caused by over 60 years of comics and this could also happen in this movies universe, many citizens of Gotham are seen in clown makeup so it’s would be easy for other people to take on the mantel.
The other solution ties into the last odd thing about the film. The last scene has the Joker in Arkham Hospital (probably Arkham Asylum in the comics), we don’t know how he got there and he is being interviewed by a nurse, he smiles and when asked what’s funny he replies ‘I just thought of a joke’. The nurse asks him tell her the joke and he replies ‘You wouldn’t get it’. I’ve read a lot of people say that this shows that the whole film is just happening in Arthur's imagination but I feel that it’s more likely to be him remembering what happened especially as it’s shown over the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. This means that the events of the film are what led up to the shooting in the ally (not by Arthur), so, if the film is just in Jokers imagination then the shooting wouldn’t have happened so there would be no Batman and we have to remember that this is a DC movie.
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Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated It: Chapter Two (2019) in Movies
Sep 6, 2019 (Updated Sep 6, 2019)
I am the eater of worlds, and of children.
IT Chapter2 feels like a ride you've been sat on all day, immense fun but a tad repetitive & a little tiresome after awhile. Now I can't remember the book much to be honest so im going by the films here alone & I personally think its all one giant metaphor for child suicide with the clown just being one big easy to relate to combined metaphor for fear, grief, guilt, betrayal, depression, negativity, loneliness, abuse, anxiety, torment, worry, instability & stress of growing up in a town thats had a lot of tragic events happen in it & in a world where things such as bullying, paedophilia, murder, arson, death, accidents, incest, mental illness, fear mongering, love and having no friends can also be against you and playing on your mind. Watching it in this way is where the real terror lies & everything had a logical explanation to it too (especially watching both films back to back) making these films that much more powerful, relatable, meaningful & heartwarming. Watching these kids/adults unite together to battle everything life throws at them to conquer & overcome the darkness while still trying to have fun and enjoy youth at the same time is so empowering and uplifting its just a shame this new film retreads to much old ground feeling a tad to repetitious of what we've seen before already. That being said the character drama is great & theres clear love here for the source material/films from the past that have since become cult classic. A genuine nostalgia vibe is present here too with the film feeling very lost boys meets the goonies & theres even elements of evil dead & john carpenters the thing too. Acting is fantastic with a near flawless adult cast & special effects for the most part are creative, creepy, disgusting & good looking with a few seemingly rushed bits here & there. Its a good film dont get me wrong it just feels like it needs a trim as the lulls at times can make your mind float off elsewhere (especially during some side plots). Overall IT 2 has great depth, fun horror elements & well developed characters its just a shame the comedy & repetitive structure spoil it.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated It: Chapter Two (2019) in Movies
Sep 7, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
IT, Chapter two
The Losers are all grown up and living their own lives when they each receive a call to return to Derry, the town they all grew up in. The problem is none of them remember their childhoods or why they need to return.
IT Chapter Two picks up 27 years after the first film, the main cast have all moved on with their lives when Pennywise re-appears in Derry and so they all have to return to try to stop the creature once and for all.
There is a lot going on in the film, first off, it is a lot more like the original mini-series as it predominantly follows the losers as adults but also flashes back to them as children. The flashbacks show each of the young losers having separate meetings with Pennywise and none of these are shown in the first film. We also find out more about where Pennywise came from although the film does give us two possibilities’ (Kind of) although only one is real. There is also details of a group of native Americans who encountered and (Supposedly) defeated Pennywise, although he was not in clown form then. We also get more of a glimpse of Pennywise’s shape changing ability’s which include the spider form that is seen in the original mini-series.
IT Chapter two also plays homage to a lot of other films, the most obvious are the thing, the shining and poltergeist. There is also a recurring theme where it is mentioned by a number of different characters (one played by Stephen King) that Bill does not know how to finish a story, this is a complaint that Stephen King has received more than once, some people found a scene at the end of the IT novel wrong and a lot of people didn’t like the ending of the seventh and final (At the time) ‘Dark Tower’ book.
All of this leads to the film being just under three hours long, but honestly you don’t notice it.
The Losers are all grown up and living their own lives when they each receive a call to return to Derry, the town they all grew up in. The problem is none of them remember their childhoods or why they need to return.
IT Chapter Two picks up 27 years after the first film, the main cast have all moved on with their lives when Pennywise re-appears in Derry and so they all have to return to try to stop the creature once and for all.
There is a lot going on in the film, first off, it is a lot more like the original mini-series as it predominantly follows the losers as adults but also flashes back to them as children. The flashbacks show each of the young losers having separate meetings with Pennywise and none of these are shown in the first film. We also find out more about where Pennywise came from although the film does give us two possibilities’ (Kind of) although only one is real. There is also details of a group of native Americans who encountered and (Supposedly) defeated Pennywise, although he was not in clown form then. We also get more of a glimpse of Pennywise’s shape changing ability’s which include the spider form that is seen in the original mini-series.
IT Chapter two also plays homage to a lot of other films, the most obvious are the thing, the shining and poltergeist. There is also a recurring theme where it is mentioned by a number of different characters (one played by Stephen King) that Bill does not know how to finish a story, this is a complaint that Stephen King has received more than once, some people found a scene at the end of the IT novel wrong and a lot of people didn’t like the ending of the seventh and final (At the time) ‘Dark Tower’ book.
All of this leads to the film being just under three hours long, but honestly you don’t notice it.
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Suicide Squad (2021) in Movies
Aug 5, 2021
James Gunn returns with the sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad. This time, the nefarious company woman Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), returns to Belle Reve to recruit the next iteration of Task Force X. Initially, we are introduced to the new recruits: Savant (Michael Rooker), Blackguard (Pete Davidson), Javelin (Flula Borg), Mongal (Mayling Ng), T.D.K. (Nathan Fillion) and The Weasel (Sean Gunn). We meet our favorites from the first film: Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney). They have signed on to be dropped into a small island nation, Corto Maltese.
This country, just taken over by a military coup has a lab with a 30-year secret weapon. Ms. Waller offers them years off each team member’s sentence to “Save the World”. Or, in this case, infiltrate Corto Maltese to find and destroy the project. Our hapless but highly skilled group lands and takes on heavy fire.
Meanwhile, we have Team B led by Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Polka Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), King Shark (The physical, John Economos with the voice of Sylvester Stallone). As the separate teams go forth and bond in violence, we find out more about their personal childhood traumas that made them the criminals they have become.
This sequel has James Gunn’s DNA all over the film. He raised the bar from the first film by providing bright, visual treats. The action is violent in a cartoonish manner that buffers the impact when one looks at the many ways one can dispatch a human. The story goes from sarcasm, dry wit, demented clown to the stooges’ physical hilarity. As we watch the Squad fight their way across the island, there are points where these characters are skilled killers despite the humor in their murderous madness.
I was laughing throughout the film, it certainly felt like a panacea for these challenging times. Pay attention, there are little moments of snappy comebacks that feel like they’re from old-school Mad Magazine. The pace runs steadily which helps the dissonance become more impactful. The Suicide Squad was not boring, it was very entertaining and such a campy ride. FYI: there are TWO after-credit scenes.
The Soundtrack is so very good from the first shot, to the after credit, shotsThis Summer Blockbuster certainly delivers the entertainment.
4.75 out of 5 Stars
This country, just taken over by a military coup has a lab with a 30-year secret weapon. Ms. Waller offers them years off each team member’s sentence to “Save the World”. Or, in this case, infiltrate Corto Maltese to find and destroy the project. Our hapless but highly skilled group lands and takes on heavy fire.
Meanwhile, we have Team B led by Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Polka Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), King Shark (The physical, John Economos with the voice of Sylvester Stallone). As the separate teams go forth and bond in violence, we find out more about their personal childhood traumas that made them the criminals they have become.
This sequel has James Gunn’s DNA all over the film. He raised the bar from the first film by providing bright, visual treats. The action is violent in a cartoonish manner that buffers the impact when one looks at the many ways one can dispatch a human. The story goes from sarcasm, dry wit, demented clown to the stooges’ physical hilarity. As we watch the Squad fight their way across the island, there are points where these characters are skilled killers despite the humor in their murderous madness.
I was laughing throughout the film, it certainly felt like a panacea for these challenging times. Pay attention, there are little moments of snappy comebacks that feel like they’re from old-school Mad Magazine. The pace runs steadily which helps the dissonance become more impactful. The Suicide Squad was not boring, it was very entertaining and such a campy ride. FYI: there are TWO after-credit scenes.
The Soundtrack is so very good from the first shot, to the after credit, shotsThis Summer Blockbuster certainly delivers the entertainment.
4.75 out of 5 Stars
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
Oct 7, 2019 (Updated Oct 13, 2019)
Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a broken and troubled man. Arthur toils in as demeaning and berated Clown for Hire, and lives with his troubled mother in a dilapidated apartment.
Arthur meets with a Social Worker in an attempt as the seven medications he takes simply are not cutting it and he struggles to cope in a world that has ignored and discarded him.
Arthur dreams of being a comedian but sadly lacks the confidence and ability to pull off his material which is iffy at best. Undaunted he keeps toiling away even when life continues to beat him down mentally and physically.
This all changes when Arthur stops being the victim during and assault and fights back.
Arthur stops taking his medication and becomes more determined and is no longer afraid to confront those who antagonize him.
This leads Arthur to some renewed opportunities such as an appearance on a talk show which he has long idolized.
All of this happens against a smoldering Gotham City where tensions are high and rising even higher due to a Garbage strike and a perception that the elite of the city have abandoned those in need such as eliminating Arthur’s Social Worker due to budget cuts.
With nowhere to go but up; Arthur transforms from a disturbed individual to a violent and deeply disturbed and dangerous individual who is angry and ready for revenge.
Phoenix is fantastic and he is not afraid to let unglamorous scenes of his very thin body or lingering close ups at unflattering angels undermine him. He uses them to illustrate just how disposable Arthur is too many in the film and to also show how little he cares about such matters. The role is deeply dark and disturbing and will no doubt spark much controversy and debate ranging from making a dangerous person a sympathetic figure as well as commentary about class structure and the danger of unstable people inspiring others via a Cult of Personality.
There is a connection to the larger Batman universe even though the film is light on action and FX. This is a character study of a decent into madness and it is deeply disturbing as it is compelling.
4.5 stars out of 5
http://sknr.net/2019/10/02/joker/
Arthur meets with a Social Worker in an attempt as the seven medications he takes simply are not cutting it and he struggles to cope in a world that has ignored and discarded him.
Arthur dreams of being a comedian but sadly lacks the confidence and ability to pull off his material which is iffy at best. Undaunted he keeps toiling away even when life continues to beat him down mentally and physically.
This all changes when Arthur stops being the victim during and assault and fights back.
Arthur stops taking his medication and becomes more determined and is no longer afraid to confront those who antagonize him.
This leads Arthur to some renewed opportunities such as an appearance on a talk show which he has long idolized.
All of this happens against a smoldering Gotham City where tensions are high and rising even higher due to a Garbage strike and a perception that the elite of the city have abandoned those in need such as eliminating Arthur’s Social Worker due to budget cuts.
With nowhere to go but up; Arthur transforms from a disturbed individual to a violent and deeply disturbed and dangerous individual who is angry and ready for revenge.
Phoenix is fantastic and he is not afraid to let unglamorous scenes of his very thin body or lingering close ups at unflattering angels undermine him. He uses them to illustrate just how disposable Arthur is too many in the film and to also show how little he cares about such matters. The role is deeply dark and disturbing and will no doubt spark much controversy and debate ranging from making a dangerous person a sympathetic figure as well as commentary about class structure and the danger of unstable people inspiring others via a Cult of Personality.
There is a connection to the larger Batman universe even though the film is light on action and FX. This is a character study of a decent into madness and it is deeply disturbing as it is compelling.
4.5 stars out of 5
http://sknr.net/2019/10/02/joker/
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