Joker

Since the much-awaited Joker movie is coming out in less than three weeks, I'm going to break down everything you need to know about the film and my thoughts on it.

Joker Is NOT A DC Film

Although the film has the same name and many of the same characters as the DC Comic, Todd Phillips, the director of the film, has made it explicitly clear that the Joker film has very few parallels to the actual comic source. Part of what makes Joker such a terrifying villain is the fact that no one truly knows his origins, not even the Dark Knight himself. In fact, the Clown Prince himself stated that he wants to leave his origin story up to the imagination as long as it knows that whatever it thinks, the real truth is 10 times worse. Philip recognized the magic behind Joker and wanted to make his own dark origin story.

Joaquin Phoenix Was Always The First Choice For Joker

When it was first announced that a Joker film was coming out and Joaquin Phoenix was going to be playing Joker, many fans, including myself, were a little wary about this decision. After all, who could beat the masterpiece of a performance the late Heath Ledger gave us. All signs of doubt were wiped from our minds though after the first poster and teaser were released for the film. From the laugh to the looks, it was pretty clear that Todd Philips knew what he was doing when he cast Phoenix. In fact, when asked about the casting decision, Philips responded with, "We wrote the movie for Joaquin." Although he wasn't on board right away, the three timed Oscar nominee was quickly on board after reading the script.

Joker Already Has Oscar Buzz Surrounding It

After being premiered in many fall festivals, critics are all saying the same thing. Joker deserves to win Best Film in the Oscars. Although it hasn't released nationally in theaters, Joker already has hit many film festivals and has captivated every person who has seen it. Critics and casual moviegoers rarely see eye to eye on many films but they can all agree that Joker has not only reinvented the comic book character but also comic book movies.

"The comic book villain as method psycho, a troublemaker so intense in his cuckoo hostility that even as you're gawking at his violence, you still feel his pain." - Owen Gleiberman, Variety

"For the audience, please watch this movie. Joaquin Phoenix performance as Arthur Fleck is amazing and could be an Oscar contender and hopefully win the Academy Award for Best Actor."- Fakhrul Najmi

My Thoughts

Although I haven't seen the movie yet, nor am I allowed to, I think I can say with full confidence that this is going be one of the best movies of the year. Whatever doubt I had in my mind about this movie has been erased after reading many reviews, seeing many trailers, and reading many things about the film's production. It is clear to see that the director knows what he's doing, Phoenix is great as Joker, and the storyline presents something new to the table. Although Philips has said that Phoenix will not appear in any more comic book movies nor will Joker get a sequel, all comic book movies should look at this film as an example on how to make a solid, dark, gritty, movie about a beloved villain.

When this movie comes out, mention in the comments down below how you liked the movie. Are you excited for Joker? What movies or TV shows would you like news or reviews on next? Thank you so much for reading!