JOKER

peacefulpete

I don’t think that the world needs that many brooding psychopathic avengers. I don’t know that we need any........They’ve lost a lot of their original innocence, and they can’t get that back. And, they’re stuck, it seems, in this kind of depressive ghetto of grimness and psychosis. I’m not too proud of being the author of that regrettable trend.

Alan Moore, (the author of The Killing Joke comic which depicted Joker shooting batgirl in the spine then stripping her and (assumed) raping her as she lay in her blood.)

Should James Holmes get a movie deal? If not then why do we have comics and movies that he based his life and actions on. It seems a double standard.

Simon

I just went to see the JOKER movie with one of my kids and wow, what a performance! If Joaquin Phoenix doesn't win an Oscar for that ... well, there should be a clown riot. If he doesn't it's because the hollywood left don't like the subtext to the movie - that the rich elites control everything and the downtrodden are there for their amusement and can't get ahead but don't need to keep being beaten down.

His transformation from bumbling awkward mental case to stylish charming killer and back was portrayed wonderfully. While you sympathize with him for the harrowing horror that is his life and root for him while he stands up for himself, at the same time he loses all control of himself and his life as he sees the world for what it is.

It was sad, moving, funny, stylish, violent and brilliant. So much better than the drivel that has been the last few DC movies.

Oh, and the soundtrack is great too.

https://www.tunefind.com/movie/joker-2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXjeXEI7KHk

Magnum

Can't wait to see it. Just judging from the clips I've seen, Phoenix's performance is brilliant and mesmerizing.

Simon

It really was. The only bit I think they could have really left out was the Bruce Wayne origin-story bit. But it was less about him and more about his father, a bit of a jerk.

Diogenesister

Hi simon may I ask how old your kid is? My boys are 14 and really want to go ( yes I realise it’s a 15 but we all know very few people stick religiously to the censors age range, particularly when it’s not an 18)

Just wondered if anyone thinks it’s ok for 14 year olds.

Personally I’m dying to see “Judy”.

Peaceful Pete I'm guessing “Killing Joke” were named after the comic?

LoveUniHateExams

I don’t think that the world needs that many brooding psychopathic avengers. I don’t know that we need any - yeah, but Joker (2019) is just a film, a fictional story.

I don't think there's any correlation between violent films and violent crimes.

I think Simon might have a point - the film seems to be getting slammed by woke critics ... y'know, the kind of critics who gushed over The Last Jedi (2017) & Captain Marvel (2019).

Simon

Hi simon may I ask how old your kid is? My boys are 14 and really want to go ( yes I realise it’s a 15 but we all know very few people stick religiously to the censors age range, particularly when it’s not an 18)

Just wondered if anyone thinks it’s ok for 14 year olds.

He's past being a teenager. Whether I'd let him see it at 14? Not sure, we let them watch things they wanted like South Park but they never had any inclination to watch anything violent, like Watchmen when that was out.

There are a couple of violent parts but I'm not sure it's really worse than any other mainstream movie releases, part of that is the hype around it by those who don't want people watching it.

The only way for you to decide would be to see it yourself first. You won't miss out if you do, because you'd probably want to see it again anyway, some of the scenes are just so stylish - look out for him dancing down the steps and also the entrance to the chat-show.

jws

Great performance (I brought my 16 year old son). But neither of us came back with a feeling of that was so awesome! I want to see it again.

There were good performances that might receive a lot of awards. But it was just upsetting and depressing. Like the feeling of watching a paraplegic at a run down nursing home for an hour. I suppose that's what a lot of good art can do. And to evoke those feelings means the director did his job.

But you just leave the theater kind of quiet and disturbed. On the other hand, my son and I saw Zombieland Double Tap and came out with smiles, talking about cool things and things we liked.

I HATE what modern cinema has done to the super heroes (and villains). I grew up with reruns of Adam West as Batman and George Reeves as Superman. The good guys were always selfless and good. The bad guys were always bad. Speaking of Jokers, I will compare every Joker to Cesar Romero, BTW. And the good guys always won. And lived.

Absolutely HATED Superman vs. Batman. Where Batman was basically a bad guy. Nowadays the good guys fight against each other. The bad guys have their own movies. I know. Life is complex and life is a scale. Nobody's going to be all good and nobody's all bad. But this is the f'ing comics, not real life, nor need it be like real life.

Plus the fact that each new reboot has to retell it their own way. Different from the way it's always been. Or that the writers can't seem to find any better villains than a bad version of the good guy. Like General Zod vs Superman. Or Black Panther vs. another guy in a Black Panther suit. And lots of other examples I could name.

Simon

I liked the first Zombieland movie, I'll definitely see the new one. Zom-com is an under-appreciated genre - "Shaun of the Dead" was great too.

I think when looking at a performance and a story, whether you like the story and character is secondary to whether it's a great piece of acting or not. Joker makes you think - should you sympathize / empathize with him? Should you hate him? Was it all in his head? (some of it was, obviously). I like movies that kind of 'stick with you' for a while after and it felt like one of those movies that would be different when you watch it again (and not just because of Sixth-Sense type plot twists).

The normal DC movies have tended to be a bit dire, they just don't have the characters that seem likeable or that really have any of their own challenges that they are overcoming, compared to the marvel universe. They are watchable, of course, but just not 'up there'. It's nice to see them taking a different approach and a more gritty, realistic movie without anyone with super-powers is kind of refreshing even if the story was ultimately depressing.

I'm so tired of Batman / Superman origin stories though, they need to just skip those from now on.

RubaDub

Simon ...

Wife and I are not huge movie people but we will see it in the next week or so. Sounds very interesting! Thanks for your reviews.

Rub a Dub

JOKER

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