Most everyone has heard of the famous villain that goes by the name, ‘Joker.’ What we have never really been told in any film is how the Joker came to be. What caused his downfall? Why was he so obsessed with the Wayne family? Did society create him or was the darkness inside him his whole life? Todd Phillips created such a haunting and visually stunning masterpiece that answers all of the above questions. While the overtone of the film is dark and chaotic, the main theme throughout is one of sadness and heartache.
We meet Arthur Fleck, a clown and wannabe comedian who seems to have drawn the short end of the stick for most of his life. He lives with his elderly mother and suffers from a mental disorder that causes him to laugh uncontrollably during unexpected and inappropriate times. Society shuns him and fails to understand what he is going through. Times are tough in Gotham City and Arthur’s condition doesn’t help. At first, Arthur seems like a rather gentle soul who clearly doesn’t understand social cues or basic human interaction. For some reason his weirdness attracts bullies and we witness him beaten up twice for it. It’s at this moment and through a series of misfortunes that we begin to see the downfall of Arthur Fleck and the rise of Joker.
I will admit there are times where this film is very hard to watch. I wanted to look away but every second kept drawing me closer and closer to the storyline. Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the character is truly mesmerizing and haunting. The physicality of his performance is shocking to look yet adds to the character in a way that no makeup or costume department could do. He contorts his arms and face in a way that captures a man who looks like he is uncomfortable in his own skin. You don’t want to, but Phoenix’s performance makes you feel an emotional attachment to Arthur and sympathy for the pain he is going through.
There was a moment closer to the beginning of the film when Arthur is writing down jokes in his journal. The last thing he writes on the page is, “The worst part of having a mental illness is people expect you to behave as if you don’t.” That line has been engraved in my brain ever since I watched the movie and let me tell you, it disturbs me. The truth behind that one line is tragic and so real that it’s scary.
What is so intriguing about this film is the fact that it brings the subject of mental illness to light. One of the most powerful messages by the end was how society failed Arthur. Society failed him by taking away the government funding he needed. Society failed him by constantly making fun of his disorder. Society failed him by not attempting to understand his condition. In a way, society made him into the villain; Gotham City created the Joker. Without knowing, Arthur made himself into the symbol of the lower class. Because of the crimes he committed the lower class thought they too could commit crimes and riot all over the city. This is one of the leading causes of Gotham City becoming so dark and sinister. The rise of Joker meant the downfall of Gotham City.
While some people argue about the message of the film and what it is trying to portray; it is really is up to the audience to decide. Joaquin Phoenix explained it as, “This movie requires a certain amount of participation from the audience…It’s up to you how you want to interpret it and experience it. It’s less you being kind of presented with the facts than you being presented with the possibilities.” There is no right or wrong way to interpret the film. Is the storyline real or is the entire thing going on in Arthur Fleck’s head? I don’t have the answer to that question, and Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix are staying quiet on that subject.
Joker was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and managed to walk away with two. Hildur Guðnadóttir won for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures and let me tell you that win is well deserved. Her interpretation of the mood and emotions of each scene is impeccable. She brings humanity to the chaos and makes you feel empathetic for Arthur. Through her music we actually feel closer to the emotional depth of Fleck’s character. The second win went to Joaquin Phoenix for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. His haunting and disturbing portrayal of Arthur Fleck turned Joker was compelling, raw, and emotional. The sheer amount of weight he lost for the role is enough reason for him to win in my opinion. Should Joker have won more than just two Academy Awards? For me the answer is yes…but obviously it’s not up to me.
Image credit: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/oct/09/week-in-geek-joaquin-phoenix-joker-must-be-isolated-from-batman-dc-comics
After 11 years we finally have the epic conclusion to the Infinity Saga. And while it may be what everyone has been waiting for one thing is for certain…nothing can prepare you for the endgame.
Now I’m not going to give away too many details out of respect for those who have not seen it yet, #Don’tSpoilTheEndgame. But prepare yourself, the amount of loss in Endgame may not be as high, but it can still be felt to the depths of your core. Right from the get go the film becomes an emotional roller coaster. I have no shame so I’m going to fully admit that I cried several times. Mark Ruffalo was right, bring a box of tissues because you’re going to need them.
Bumblebee begins on Cybertron, a massive technological planet whose civilization of sentient robots are in the middle of a brutal civil war. Sensing their defeat, Optimus Prime, the leader of the Auto-Bots, calls for a retreat and sends soldier B-127 to Earth to prepare the planet to become the Auto-Bots base of operations. B-127 lands on Earth in the middle of a military operation led by Agent Jack Burns (John Cena), who immediately begins an alien robot hunt, leading to B-127 desperately trying to evade capture. Just when it looks like he may be able to reason with the humans, a Decepticon arrives, blowing up the military operation and ripping out B-127’s voicebox and erasing his memory in the process. As a defense mechanism, B-127 disguises himself as a beat-up Volkswagen Beetle and retreats to an old junkyard.
10 years. 10 years of falling in love with these characters and growing with them through every movie. 10 years of emotional attachment and laughter. And finally, 10 years of superb movies. The time has finally come to witness the ending, or beginning, of an epic era. These past 10 years have been leading to this and let me tell you, it was worth the wait.
This wasn’t your typical superhero film. Sure it was filled with action and amazing CGI moments, but the underlying tone of the entire thing was loss. From the moment Thanos shows up on the screen you know that there is no hope. You know that this is a fight the Avengers are not going to win. And you know that some of the most beloved heroes are not going to make it out alive. Right from the get go a major character is killed and it’s at that point you realize this isn’t your typical Marvel movie. At that point your breath catches and you take a step back and imagine what they rest of the film is going to be like. You try and prepare yourself for the ending, but truthfully nothing could have prepared me for how it ended.
The story focuses on Eric Marsh (portrayed by Josh Brolin), a determined yet somewhat harsh supervisor who just wants a chance for his team to do what they are truly meant to do. Amid his training of the Hotshots we see a deeper yet conflicted relationship with his wife, who just wants to ensure the safety and well-being of her husband. Marsh, who is trying to recover from a rough past, is a new take and fascinating version of your typical everyday hero.
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