Joker

Failed comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) searches for purpose and understanding in Gotham City. (Pardon my inconsistencies, I watched this movie in 2 parts). To me I think this is a great movie, but some people criticize it for not being a great Joker movie because it’s not a true villain origin story (which I totally get). An analysis on reddit that I really liked is, “the film isn’t edgy: it’s existential. It doesn’t beg for your sympathy, it demands your understanding. It’s about the slow, inevitable unraveling of a man society was never willing to catch. It’s about how laughter becomes a defense mechanism when the world insists you’re the punchline.” Besides being 5’8”, which makes the comic fan in me deeply upset, I think Joaquin Phoenix is stellar and really captures what pre-Joker Arthur is like in this universe. His use of subtle facial expressions conveys so much emotion and intent. The run is exactly how’d expect Joker to run, too. Dues L scapula even looks like he shoulder be joker, I mean cmon! I totally see why he won an Oscar for the role. De Niro casting is sick and the discussion between Murray and Joker on TV seems like a funny reference to the attitude of Travis in Taxi Driver. We see a new idea of joker where he’s taken much more seriously and it’s very fresh and welcome from the comic book version we’re used to. Obviously Joker doesn’t have a set origin nor do we ever know his real name, so this is all speculation at best. I do like the origin story of The Killing Joke better just because that is my favorite comic of all time, but this story is great and feels right for a screen real-life adaptation of Joker. How I do miss the idea of Jack Napier just a little bit though. Not a huge fan of the joker makeup, but that’s because it’s not the acid-bleached skin that he traditionally has. I also guess this is explained by the idea that Arthur is devolving into a Joker-like persona and he isn’t actually the one true Joker that we’re used to. I really enjoy that throughout the entirety of Arthur becoming Joker he is constantly dreaming and building up to be on the TV show, very similar to Joker’s elaborate crimes all building up to entice Batman into challenge him: for this version of Joker his Batman/opposition is the world he lives in as a whole. Also him shooting Murray at point blank range and killing him on live TV then laughing about it and shooting him again is the most comic accurate Joker movement of the whole movie I think. The scene where Joker is riding in the back of the cop car as Gotham is burning down with crime is really powerful. I think this ties in that no matter if Arthur is truly Joker or not that Joker as an idea inspires crime in a chaotic yet passionate way. Him being an antihero and not a villain is interesting. Joker being so nihilistic though doesn’t make sense comparing to comic Joker; I don’t think he needs a justification to his actions besides he wanted to or that it was funny. The stairs scene is as good as I thought it would be (playing in the background is Rock and Roll Part 2 by Gary Glitter, so good!). A scene that stuck with me was when Arthur was pretending to be on the talk show; the idiosyncrasies of the devolution of his characters over just a few minutes was very entertaining. Him walking out of the subway smoking a cigarette with a single blue tear dripping down his L cheek is super cinematic: WOW! Thomas Wayne punching Joker in the face is baller. The stacks of TVs feels like a nod to the opening pages of The Dark Knight Rises comic. Martha and Thomas’ death scene is AWESOME; I was so hype as soon as I saw them exit the theater, great touch! It’s also great that this pushes the idea of that being a separate person and not Joker which means that Joe Chill is a separate person in this universe. Another iconic scene with an alternative play through is Joker defining how he got his scars: painted on by bloody fingers. THAT’S LIFE - my spirits have been uplifted. A nod to the Sinatra intro music “I Got You Under My Skin,” in the beginning of the Arkham Knight video game perhaps? I think the cinematography is super interesting and feels art-like. I also really like the way characters are staged in different shots, adds a lot of movement and drama. I really like how the overlaying coloring highlights the vibrancy of the lights and the muddiness of the darks. Here’s a blog that breakdown the lighting in the film: https://strobist.blogspot.com/2019/11/slc-0l-03-joker-cinematographer-on.html. Overall I think this movie is beautifully acted and well-written, but I am ultimately conflicted on whether or not I like this idea of Joker. Quotes: "I haven't been happy one minute in my entire life." “The worst part about having a mental illness is people expect you to behave as if you don’t.” "I don't believe in anything" "In my whole life, I didn’t know if I even really existed. But I do. And people are starting to notice." "You Decide What's Right Or Wrong The Same Way You Decide What's Funny Or Not." "I've Got Nothing Left To Lose. Nothing Can Hurt Me Anymore. My Life Is Nothing But A Comedy." “And as you can see, Gotham is burning”