“Joker” Movie Review

    When “Joker” was first announced, I sort of wondered what the reasoning behind green lighting this film before other DC property was.  After reading that it was separate from the new DCEU and after watching the trailer, I understood “Joker” was envisioned as DC Comic’s prestige picture.  My suspicion was quickly verified when the film premiered at film festivals to praise and awards.  It seemed like critics were all going to love this film upon it’s release.  Things didn’t turn out so clear cut though.  While many critics still praised the film, some decided to take issue with the reflection it takes on society.  You can’t please everyone but with more and more critics (and some audience members) raising this criticism, I wondered how I would feel when I finally watched “Joker”.

    The film revolves around a man named Arthur Fleck who has multiple serious mental illnesses and is struggling to get by in Gotham City.  Arthur lives with his mother and dreams of making it as a standup comic but his crippling laughing disorder makes it impossible for him to succeed.  Arthur slowly descends into madness more and more as he tries to discover the truth about his father and his past in general.  As Arthur is pushed more and more, he is reborn into the iconic Joker we are all aware of.

    I sort of loved this movie far more than I expected I might, especially the third act, and I was pleasantly surprised by how sympathetic the film made the Joker seem.  What makes this film feel different is the realistic approach the filmmakers took in telling the story of a man suffering from a mental breakdown. Arthur Fleck’s descent into madness is both tragic and frightening.  It should also be noted that this film does not follow the comic books, since Joker has no official origin, but draws a lot of inspiration from “The Killing Joke” and “The Dark Knight Returns” graphic novels.

    I enjoyed the many themes of the film including class warfare and the importance of helping those suffering from mental illnesses and how issues like those can become intertwined.  The class warfare aspect seems especially timely in today’s troubled economic times.  I also appreciate how they approached the struggles of mental illness and how seriously they treated the subject matter.

    Of course a lot of the strength of the film came from the amazing performance of Joaquin Phoenix.  Phoenix elevates an already strong script into something akin to high art.  While I personally still feel Heath Ledger was the best Joker, Phoenix plays a different version of the character that is equally strong and definitely gives the late Ledger a run for his money. Phoenix is just fascinating to watch on screen.  I would be completely shocked if Joaquin Phoenix isn’t nominated for an Oscar for this role.

    As good as Phoenix was, he also had some great supporting actors around him.  Robert De Niro actually gave a great performance as Murray Franklin, a Johnny Carson like late night television host who Arthur sees as almost like a father figure.  De Niro’s addition to the cast was also perfect since much of the film was inspired by “Taxi Driver” and “The King of Comedy” which both starred De Niro.  I really liked Frances Conroy as Arthur’s mother Penny.  Conroy gave a more restrained unhinged performance that is getting largely overlooked but I loved it.  I do want to mention that I liked Brett Cullen as Thomas Wayne but I think the original actor cast, Alec Baldwin, would have owned the role a little more.  Baldwin ended up passing on the role because he thought the role was too similar to his Donald Trump character on “Saturday Night Live”.

    I was surprised by how well Todd Phillips managed to craft this movie and I was completely blown away by his directing choices.  I was never a big fan of “The Hangover” films (although I have a soft spot in my heart for his “Starsky & Hutch” remake) so I didn’t expect a lot.  True to the influence, Phillips invokes Martin Scorsese unlike any one else I have seen recently.  I also liked the gritty feel of the film which reminded me of the Christopher Nolan “Dark Knight” trilogy.

    The film itself looked amazing with the cinematography and score being a highlight.  The film was beautifully shot and the string music gave it a slightly off putting feel.  All the foreshadowing and Easter eggs made the film extra special for fans of the Batman comic books.

    As a film lover, I enjoyed that the theater at the end was playing the movies “Excalibur” and “Zorro: The Gay Blade”.  “Zorro: The Gay Blade” is a nod to “The Mark of Zorro” which is the film young Bruce Wayne was watching with his parents the night his parents were killed.  It was also a comedic take on Zorro which seems fitting with this take on the Joker origin.  Lastly, “Excalibur” was the film featured in the opening credits of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”.  It could also be a reference to King Arthur seeing as the main character was Arthur and became the new king of crime by the time the film ends.

    “Joker” is a masterpiece and will likely change the way superhero or super villain films are told for years to come.  I can not recommend this movie more.  This film is the definition of ‘must see’.

Grade: A+

"Wonder Woman" Movie Review

    The DCEU has had a rough time with critics and audiences as a whole since it’s conception with “Man of Steel”.  While I very much enjoy the films of the DCEU and I think critics have been too hard on them compared to the films of Marvel, it’s clear these films are very polarizing and not everyone’s cup of tea.  It seems like the first exception to this came in the form of “Wonder Woman”.

    The adaptation of the popular comic book takes place in World War I as opposed to World War II as often depicted in the comic book character’s origin.  When an American pilot happens to crash off the shores of Themyscira, an island consisting of only women, Princess Diana rescues the young man named Steve Trevor and learns of the troubles going on outside of their island.  After being told to stay out of man’s conflicts, Diana decides she must do something and goes with Steve to help put an end to the war.  Diana ends up becoming the superhero Wonder Woman and kicks a lot of butt along the way.

    I know you are all wondering what my thoughts on the film were, or at least I humor myself thinking you do, and it’s probably what you would guess.  I really enjoyed the movie and felt it showcased a female led superhero movie in a positive and progressive way unlike other attempts before while still being entertaining.  “Elektra” and “Catwoman” weren’t exactly game changers.  Although the MCU has managed to stay one step ahead of DC for the most part on the movie front, “Wonder Woman” is the rare win and manages to beat their “Captain Marvel” movie out the gates in wonderful fashion.

    The film stars Gal Gadot reprising her role of Wonder Woman from “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and she makes her mark on the role.  While Gadot isn’t the first person to play Wonder Woman and she certainly won’t be the last, she manages to take the role down a more serious route than the likes of Lynda Carter.  Chris Pine manages to be among one of the bright spots of the film.  As Steve Trevor, Pine carries many of the film’s more emotional scenes and his arc manages to pull at the heart strings by the end.  The rest of the supporting cast also shine through most of their scenes.

    “Wonder Woman” is beautifully shot and many scenes will remain iconic for years to come.  It’s almost hard to believe the film wasn’t shot during World War I at times because it is so captivating and realistic.  The score for the film is also captivating and serves as a great companion piece to the cinematography.

    With all the praise I have given this film, I will say that I wish the film had a stronger villain.  The villain of the film is revealed to be that of Ares, the God of War.  Ares in the comic book is Wonder Woman’s main arch nemesis but comes off a bit weak in the film as opposed to a serious threat.

    Being the fourth film in the DCEU, “Wonder Woman” certainly proves to be a bit of a course correction and proves DC could be a serious rival to Marvel given some time.  With a strong female lead and a solid story, “Wonder Woman” is an absolute wonder!

Grade: A-

“Aquaman” Movie Review

    I am a big comic book nerd and I make it no secret that I tend to prefer DC over Marvel.  Both DC and Marvel have had great movies adapted from their pages and also some near dumpster fires.  Going into “Aquaman”, I knew there probably wasn’t going to be a middle ground with this film.  I just had to hope for the best.
    Luckily, the film turned out to be a fun popcorn flick.  “Aquaman” is basically an adaptation of Geoff John’s “New 52” origin story.  The story focuses on Arthur Curry having to accept his lineage and fight for the crown of Atlantis in order to save everyone from an all out war.  It’s a simple story with elements of adventure and action thrown in.  I would say that out of all the DC movies, this movie feels more like a Marvel Studios movie.  It serves to be a crowd pleaser even if it means abandoning weightier issues that have had mixed success for Warner Bros. (“The Dark Knight” has themes that connected with audiences while “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” missed the mark with most movie goers).  Making a softer in tone and safer picture was probably the best move for Warner Bros. after how badly they handled “Justice League”.
    “Aquaman” is a visual fest for the eyes and feels part “Raiders of the Lost Ark” meets “Avatar”.  James Wan does an amazing job of delivering an overall fun crowd pleaser.  Wan does initiative things with his action set pieces and scene transitions.
    Jason Momoa and Amber Heard serve their roles but don’t exactly elevate the movie as a whole.  Momoa’s strength as an actor actually seems to be his sense of humor and comedic timing which isn’t showcased a lot (due to it being an action film).  Momoa and Heard don’t share much chemistry together in my opinion.  The pair seem to be cast mainly for their looks.  All that being said, I think Momoa has a lot of promise and will be more comfortable in the role by the time he reprises it next.  Patrick Wilson ended up being the true stand out of the movie performance wise.  Patrick Wilson chews up his scenes while still being reserved enough not to go over the top.  He makes for an interesting villain and one I would like to see more of.

    One major complaint I had about the movie is the music.  Music can elevate a movie to near epic proportions (case in point: Star Wars).  The music in “Aquaman” is just a pain in the ears at times.  Guitar riffs are not needed everytime Jason Momoa looks into the camera.  We get it, Momoa is a bad ass (case in point: he has tattoos and facial hair).
    The movie is about the spectacle and amazing visuals.  In that respect, it doesn’t disappoint.  “Aquaman” is a fun summer movie that comes to us during the cold winter months.  I am excited to see where future adventures lead the hero.

Grade: B+

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” Movie Review

    I don’t think I am the only person to have been extremely excited for seeing “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”.  We were all excited to see a “Man of Steel” sequel, a new Batman film, an adaptation of Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight Returns”, and a prelude film to “Justice League” all rolled into one film and it actually looked liked it would work.  Then the final trailer was released and it became clear that “The Death of Superman” storyline was also going to be included.  That seemed like it might be too much.  It turns out, it was too much.  Which isn’t to say the movie was terrible.  In fact, it was better than it had any right to be.  It is just sad that after watching the movie, you knew there was a masterpiece in there somewhere with a few tweaks and changes.

    “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” starts off extremely strong, showing the destruction of Metropolis during the events of “Man of Steel” from Bruce Wayne’s point of view.  It is extremely effective showing how helpless a regular person would feel watching two super humans slog it out.  It showed the human cost of the destruction which was a complaint a lot of people had in regards to “Man of Steel”.  Nothing that follows this scene is quite as effective as that opening scene.

    Director Zack Snyder made many interesting casting choices for the film and I believe for the most part, they paid off.  Returning star Henry Cavill fits the Superman suit perfectly although he doesn’t completely fill the boots left by the great Christopher Reeve.  I would actually make the argument that Brandon Routh brought a little more of the spirit of his comic book counterpart in "Superman Returns" than Cavill brings to the role in this film.  That being said, Henry Cavill does seem to be growing into the role and he seems more comfortable and confident than he did in "Man of Steel" (which fits the character development of the films perfectly).  Most importantly, Cavill looks like Superman, which is extremely important to such an iconic character.  Amy Adams also returns but isn't given a lot to do which is a shame because she is a very gifted performer.

    Among the many new additions to the cast is Ben Affleck, who shines as the DCEU's new caped crusader, Batman.  Ben Affleck had some big boots to fill himself.  Christian Bale had just come off the highly popular Dark Knight trilogy and it was hard to picture someone else in the role.  Affleck was the perfect choice and played off of Cavill well.  Part of what makes Affleck's performance so great is the fact that he plays both Bruce Wayne and Batman so well.  It's not easier basically playing two different characters yet he pulled it off.  Also joining the cast to great success was Gal Gadot.  Though she wasn't in the film long, her performance as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman was a highlight and made me excited to see her in "Wonder Woman" and "Justice League".
    Now, I will discuss a casting choice which didn't completely work, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor.  Let me start by saying I did not hate his portrayal but I also felt like a different interpretation of the character would have fit the film better.  For the tone of that film, I pictured someone more like the "Superman: The Animated Series" Lex Luthor.  I didn't hate the casting choice but I think another actor would have brought something more interesting to the role.
    I can't talk about the film without going into it's script.  The DCEU decided to go in a darker and more adult direction with this film.  I didn't mind this vision but a lot of fans feel like the character of Superman should be in a lighter film because the character is a beacon of hope.   I don't think the character has to be in a lighter film for him to work but a lot of people disagree and it is important to note that for this review.  I am just one person with one opinion.  The main problem with the script is that it was stuffed way too full.  I love the characters of Batman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, and Doomsday; but they are a lot to cram into a film which is basically acting as "Man of Steel 2".  It just made an already full film overly complex and hard to follow the villain's motivations.
    On a final note, I can't talk about the film without ignoring the "Martha" scene which is now a popular meme and was laughed at when the film was released.  I am in the minority here but I actually liked the concept of the scene.  I like the idea of Superman and Batman boding over something as simple as their shared love of their mother.  That being said, the idea should not have been explored as a way to end a fight scene.  I think that was the main problem with the idea.  If someone is ready to kill you and ignores a ton of other good reasons to spare you, a shared mother's name likely isn't going to do the trick.  I did like the idea of the scene though and I wish it was explored differently.
    I guess it depends on how you want to look at films in general.  There is plenty to love with this film and it is easy to gloss over the negative aspects.  It is also easy to nitpick all the things wrong with the movie and let it sour your overall experience.  I am not one of the people and I very much enjoyed the film even being aware of it's failings.  I just hope it is remembered in a more positive light in the future.  Only time, or possibly someone with x-ray vision, will tell.

Grade: B