Joker

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Excellent movie and if Joaquin Phoenix doesn't get an Oscar nomination (and the win) Hollywood needs to burn to the ground. I didn't even care about the movie but I wanted to go to the drive-in and it was either Joker or It 2 (barf).

Joker is dark and disturbing and so well acted it's like Joaquin was born to play this role. Forget Heath, forget Nicholson - Joaquin took it up so many notches that there should be no other Jokers after him. No spoilers, but there was a moment toward the end when he's on the talk show that if we were watching it at home I'd have had Monello replay it several times. :jet:

I'm not sure what all the hubbub was about this movie that had the progs keening in the streets. Maybe because the mindless mob burning down the city hit a little too close to home. The movie has some political undertones, but not really. The stuff portrayed is fairly standard timeless movie fodder and it's no more violent than any other Hollywood production.

You definitely root for Joker. Phoenix plays him as deeply disturbed, yet sympathetic, and pulls it off like a boss. Whoever did the makeup and the lighting needs to get an award as well. In a time of sh*t movies made for teenage wankers, Joker is an incredible character study and a masterpiece for adults. It's hard to believe that the idiot responsible for "The Hangover" garbage and "Old School", not to mention freaking "Borat", directed this amazing movie.
 

Bann

Doris Day meets Lady Gaga
PREMO Member
Excellent movie and if Joaquin Phoenix doesn't get an Oscar nomination (and the win) Hollywood needs to burn to the ground. I didn't even care about the movie but I wanted to go to the drive-in and it was either Joker or It 2 (barf).

Joker is dark and disturbing and so well acted it's like Joaquin was born to play this role. Forget Heath, forget Nicholson - Joaquin took it up so many notches that there should be no other Jokers after him. No spoilers, but there was a moment toward the end when he's on the talk show that if we were watching it at home I'd have had Monello replay it several times. :jet:

I'm not sure what all the hubbub was about this movie that had the progs keening in the streets. Maybe because the mindless mob burning down the city hit a little too close to home. The movie has some political undertones, but not really. The stuff portrayed is fairly standard timeless movie fodder and it's no more violent than any other Hollywood production.

You definitely root for Joker. Phoenix plays him as deeply disturbed, yet sympathetic, and pulls it off like a boss. Whoever did the makeup and the lighting needs to get an award as well. In a time of sh*t movies made for teenage wankers, Joker is an incredible character study and a masterpiece for adults. It's hard to believe that the idiot responsible for "The Hangover" garbage and "Old School", not to mention freaking "Borat", directed this amazing movie.

:yay: :yay: :yay:
I agree with all of your review - I just highlighted some of the parts for emphasis!

...and I :lol: at the last line because I thought the same thing!
 

MiddleGround

Well-Known Member
I agree on all fronts but one. Although Joaquin played a fantastic role and made the Joker his own in this movie, I would be hard pressed to say that he left Heath Ledger in the dust. I always thought that no one would be able to top Ledger's performance as the Joker but, Joaquin definitely rivaled it with his version.

Now, are they going to fold this Joker into the DC storyline???
 

MiddleGround

Well-Known Member
The director said there are no plans for a sequel but I think the ending almost screams for one.

SPOILER









One thing I did not like nor understand was the timeline in the movie. Apparently Joker rises to prominence while Bruce Wayne is like 10 years old? The Joker in the movie is in his what?.... Early 30's? So, when Bruce Wayne becomes Batman the joker would be pushing 60! Didn't make sense.
 

Bann

Doris Day meets Lady Gaga
PREMO Member
I agree on all fronts but one. Although Joaquin played a fantastic role and made the Joker his own in this movie, I would be hard pressed to say that he left Heath Ledger in the dust. I always thought that no one would be able to top Ledger's performance as the Joker but, Joaquin definitely rivaled it with his version.

Now, are they going to fold this Joker into the DC storyline???

I never saw Heath Ledger play Batman, but Foxhound did. He thought Joaquin's performance was better. I somehow missed the Batman version that year with Heath Ledger as Joker, but now I wouldn't want to watch that movie, so I don't taint my impression of Joaquin's performance. :lmao:

There were just SO many ways he made that character, it was just incredible. For example, we were marveling at how THIN he was and wondered if he starved himself to get that lean. That can't be created with makeup or special prosthetics, etc.
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
The movie was borderline a mockery of people with mental illness. Both Arthur & his mom had MH issues. I give them credit for how it was portrayed as in you were never sure if what you saw was actually real or something made up in the character's mind
 

Bann

Doris Day meets Lady Gaga
PREMO Member
The movie was borderline a mockery of people with mental illness. Both Arthur & his mom had MH issues. I give them credit for how it was portrayed as in you were never sure if what you saw was actually real or something made up in the character's mind

I didn't really see the movie as mocking MH issues, although there were characters in the movie who were mocking Arthur 's mental health all the time.

The intriguing way they portrayed Arthur and his "relationship" really made you see how psychotic he was. It was fascinating, and yet, deeply disturbing.
 

warneckutz

Well-Known Member
I never saw Heath Ledger play Batman, but Foxhound did. He thought Joaquin's performance was better. I somehow missed the Batman version that year with Heath Ledger as Joker, but now I wouldn't want to watch that movie, so I don't taint my impression of Joaquin's performance. :lmao:

There were just SO many ways he made that character, it was just incredible. For example, we were marveling at how THIN he was and wondered if he starved himself to get that lean. That can't be created with makeup or special prosthetics, etc.
If you haven't seen Heath's version of Joker then you're missing out... haven't seen the latest one but his version of Joker is amazing.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Heath Ledger's Joker was terrific, as was Jack Nicholson's, but it's like they're playing different characters. Jack's Joker wasn't particularly dark - he was amusing and jovial yet menacing, much like the Caesar Romero Joker of my youth. And while Heath's Joker is a violent psychopath, Joaquin's Joker adds vulnerable and sympathetic into the character mix.

Just like we could debate Batman portrayals (Michael Keaton wins for me), they're all so different it's hard to make a comparison.
 

warneckutz

Well-Known Member
Heath Ledger's Joker was terrific, as was Jack Nicholson's, but it's like they're playing different characters. Jack's Joker wasn't particularly dark - he was amusing and jovial yet menacing, much like the Caesar Romero Joker of my youth. And while Heath's Joker is a violent psychopath, Joaquin's Joker adds vulnerable and sympathetic into the character mix.

Just like we could debate Batman portrayals (Michael Keaton wins for me), they're all so different it's hard to make a comparison.
I have to see the new Joker to weigh in on it...

My favorite Batman is definitely Christian Bale...

I'm curious to see how the Twilight dude will do as Batman but it's DC and if DC is good at anything is putting out a terrific solo film but they can't measure up to Marvel in putting together a universe.
 

This_person

Well-Known Member
SPOILER









One thing I did not like nor understand was the timeline in the movie. Apparently Joker rises to prominence while Bruce Wayne is like 10 years old? The Joker in the movie is in his what?.... Early 30's? So, when Bruce Wayne becomes Batman the joker would be pushing 60! Didn't make sense.
There is a theory that this "joker" is not THE joker, he merely inspires the person who will become joker. The age issue is one of the leading arguments in favor of that theory.

But, if you think back to Michael Keaton's Batman, with Nicholson, there's roughly the same age difference, so who knows?

 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
There is a theory that this "joker" is not THE joker, he merely inspires the person who will become joker.

I mean, it's a comic book so it can really be anything they want it to be. The new Joker movie could have easily been a standalone, Arthur Fleck simply inspired by the Joker per his mental illness as opposed to really being the Joker. Take out the Wayne family and it's American Psycho with makeup.
 

gemma_rae

Well-Known Member
The Tim Burton directed Batman movies were based on the TV Batman, and subsequently garish and cartoon like. Christopher Nolan's Batman is based more on the comic book character who is much darker and brooding.

At first I had no interest in seeing Joker, but the backlash from the media has made it a must see! Going next week.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
At first I had no interest in seeing Joker, but the backlash from the media has made it a must see! Going next week.

I'm not sure why they were bitching and moaning about it. I read some of the "professional" reviews and was like....????
 

gemma_rae

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure why they were bitching and moaning about it. I read some of the "professional" reviews and was like....????
Two words: Guilty conscience.
As I said, I haven't seen it, but from what I've read the media believe it implicates them as being partly responsible for driving the borderline mentally ill to their breaking points.
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Two words: Guilty conscience.
As I said, I haven't seen it, but from what I've read the media believe it implicates them as being partly responsible for driving the borderline mentally ill to their breaking points.
I blame Murray Franklyn.
 
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