Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Joker (2019)

This is topic Joker (2019) in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=002449

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 10-02-2019, 05:46 PM:

As a preliminary warning: If you're looking for a movie to cheer you up, this one isn't the one for you.

There have been quite some mixed reviews regarding Joker (2019), Warner Brothers' latest comic-related big budget release. I think most of the bad ones are based on the fact that they didn't quite like the concept of a movie that essentially sides with the bad guy in town. Given the recent history of all kinds of mad men running around and shooting at everything that moves, I can see where that sentiment is coming from, but I don't think it's fair to judge the movie based on this.

Starting on a basis of low expectations, based on the latest string of DC-based released churned out by Warner Brothers, I was pretty much relieved with this movie.

While the whole story might be as predictable as a remake of Bambi, the way it's being told still keeps it interesting, adding quite some new elements to one of the most overused characters in cinematographic history.

Personally, for example, I was delighted to see a comic-book based movie, where the plot wasn't just a bad excuse to jump from one overblown action scene to the other.

The cinematography in this movie is awesome, the whole thing almost genuinely feels like it was shot in the early 80s. A lot of detail and dedication went into that alone. They also managed to make Gotham look like a true place, ravaged by the enduring effects of a great depression and not some fantasy place outside of the plane of our own existence.

The performance of Joaquin Phoenix is quite remarkable and although both partly comparable and distinctly different in style, at least up to par with, if not even better than Heath Ledger's legendary Oscar winning performance. At the very least, it's the most believable Joker we've yet seen on the big screen.

All in all, a very enjoyable 2 hours and 1 minute, I highly recommend seeing it, as long as you're not in a depressed mood. [Wink]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 11-09-2019, 05:27 PM:

We're playing "Joker" now. Our film booker told me that the movie is 'pretty disturbing' and 'the hardest R he's ever seen' so, naturally, a bunch of 9th graders showed up last night to watch it. And a lady with a 7 year old boy in tow.

Me, I have zero interest in watching it but I have heard from multiple people that Joaquin Phoenix deserves to win the Oscar for his performance.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 11-09-2019, 05:38 PM:

I quite enjoyed it when I had it here a few weeks ago. It's not a superhero movie, and it's a much better movie than I expected it to be.

And it even has Frank Sinatra music in it, so what's not to like?

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 11-09-2019, 06:27 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
the hardest R he's ever seen

I'd say that the average Tarantino flick contains more violence, gore and profanity than this flick. But maybe your booker doesn't watch those. [Wink]

I guess the controversial part of the movie is predominantly that it gives the bad guy such a broad podium. But if somebody would say that it glorifies violence or the actions of "the Joker", then I'd say that's a pretty single-minded interpretation.

quote: Mike Blakesley
Me, I have zero interest in watching it but I have heard from multiple people that Joaquin Phoenix deserves to win the Oscar for his performance.

I can't judge your taste of movies, but I, at first, also had zero interest in seeing this, predominantly because I expected it just to be another lame origin story. But some slightly positive reviews from some otherwise trustworthy sources made me reconsider.

I remember the theater being pretty packed (and it was playing in a relatively big room seating about 400), but it was the opening week around here when I saw it. It will be interesting to see how well it does a few weeks after the break.