Joker

Rated R

2 hours 2 minutes

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro

I wanted to watch this one because I’d heard how good Joaquin Phoenix was in the role of Joker.  “Good” doesn’t even begin to describe it – I thought he was AMAZING.  He completely embodied the character and I felt every emotion he was going through!  I’ve heard critics either saying that the film glorifies killing or that it was a case study of what happens when someone is beaten down by society and forgotten by the world.  It was intense, some parts were disturbing, and it was almost hard to watch at times.  But that’s also why I think it felt so powerful to me.  The movie needed to be like that to have an impact.  You see Arthur Fleck going downhill and finally crossing over to his Joker persona when he can’t handle what life is throwing at him anymore and it seems like this is the only way he is able to deal.  It’s depressing, and in a way, I felt sorry for him.  Everything is based in Gotham City and hasn’t forgotten its roots, but make no mistake – this is definitely about the Joker and can totally stand on its own.  And with some of his “strange” behavior over the years, I truly feel like Joaquin Phoenix was made to play this role!  I don’t think he could have done any better and he’s definitely the best Joker I’ve seen.

Library Link: Joker (DVD)

Joker

Rated R

2 hours 2 minutes

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro

This movie belongs to Joaquin Phoenix.  No one else in this film really matters.  They are all characters who just enhance Joaquin Phoenix’s character as Arthur Fleck and his counterpart, Joker.

I wasn’t sure where all the hype for this movie came from as I was watching it.  It starts out slow.  It shows a crumpled up guy who has nothing going for him, living with his mom in an apartment and playing a clown for money.  Arthur is that type of person that you would cross to the other side of the sidewalk because he was just odd and you wanted nothing to do with him.  But we begin to see glimpses of Joker in-between the layers of Arthur.  We see this man, who is already lost in society, grab hold of the only thing he can find . . .the manic part of him.  As the film ramps up, it becomes an insane journey into the depths of Arthurs mind and we begin to see the internal transformation of Arthur into the bigger than life, Joker.

I’ve read the write-ups about this movie.  Maybe the writer wanted to show the world of mental illness.  Maybe he wanted to make a statement about society and how we treat each other.  Maybe he wanted to make a film about the lack of help for people who wander the streets.  It could be all that but it’s also the best film out there about Batman’s nemesis.  The story takes place in Gotham City with a society that is out of control.  We see Thomas Wayne as the mayor of the city.  We are introduced to his son, Bruce.  And we also see his son, Bruce Wayne, watch his parent’s die at the hands of a clown.

Joaquin Phoenix stole the show.  He is the Joker.  He was a man who didn’t feel like he was anybody.  That didn’t feel like he belonged.  He took the life of 3 men who was beating him up because he had enough of being trampled on.  We see the Joker emerge into Arthur and become someone who finally felt like he was someone.

The Joker lives up to the comics of how we know him so kudos to Joaquin for an Oscar worthy performance.  It was a superb movie.

Library Link: Joker (DVD)

Judy

Rated PG-13

1 hour 58 minutes

Starring: René Zellweger

I enjoy true stories about people and their lives.  This movie intrigued me because it was about one of the classic stars, Judy Garland.  It also got my attention because Renée Zellweger was portraying her.  I’m not a fan of hers but I had read some reviews about her performance, so I was curious to see how it all came across on film.

The movie was very different than what I was expecting.  I thought it would delve into her life as a young girl in the movies and touch on all the different aspects of her life.  But the story was about her last couple of years with a few flashbacks to when she was on the Wizard of Oz set. 

Judy Garland was just a “plain jane” girl from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, who had a beautiful singing voice that captured the attention of people in Hollywood.  The movie starts out when she is about 15/16  years of age.  It shows how those above her who would tell her what she could eat.  What her weight should be.  How long she would work.  Remind her where she came from and she could go back anytime.   They also helped her out along the way with giving her pills to suppress her eating as well as pills to make her sleep and wake up.  This negative lifestyle would stay with her all her life.

The movie then jumps to where she is older, broke in Hollywood with 2 kids without a home.  She takes them to her ex’s house as she goes to London to work so she could have some money to try to get her life and her kids back.  Her life in London was also plagued with bad reviews, drunken stupors and pills to help her make it through the day.

The movie shows us the beauty and talent of Ms. Garland as well as the deep, deep depression that her life was.  Even though she had fans that adored her, she still couldn’t come to grips with the ghosts from her past.  On June 22, 1969 at the age of 47, she was found dead in her room in London by an “accidental” overdose.

I thought Renée Zellweger did a good job as Judy.  She sang the songs herself and she sounded good.  There was a lot of singing of her classic songs so it was more of a musical in that sense.  I would’ve like more  “back story” but it was still entertaining.

Library Link:  Judy (DVD)