#DantePereiraOlson

[duranduratulsa]

Now showing on DuranDuranTulsa's Drama Filmhouse...Joker (2019) on Netflix #movie #movies #drama #Joker #batman #DC #joaquinphoenix #FrancesConroy #JustinTheroux #brettcullen #dantepereiraolson #2010s #Netflix #durandurantulsa #durandurantulsasdramafilmhouse

[doomonfilm]

Review : Joker (2019)

Cesar Romero transformed the character from an idea on a page to a villain on the screen.  Jack Nicholson made the character cool.  Mark Hamill gave the performance that most fans resonate with to this day.  Heath Ledger pushed the boundaries of method acting, tainting the character with real life tragedy.  Jared Leto made a mockery of the character.  If the early critical and audience reactions mean anything, Joaquin Phoenix may soon be king of the iconic titular character of his latest film, Joker. 

Aspiring comedian Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) spends his days as a clown for hire at Ha-Ha’s, a day-labor company where Fleck floats from gig to gig picking up a fast buck.  After being attacked by a group of kids, Arthur’s co-worker Randall (Glenn Fleshler) gives him a gun so that he can protect himself.  When not working, Arthur cares for his sick mother Penny Fleck (Frances Conroy), who spends her time watching late-night TV host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) and writing mysterious letters to billionaire Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen).  After meeting single mother Sophie (Zazie Beetz) and inviting her to a comedy show, Arthur is soon fired from his job when a gun falls out of his pant leg during a performance at a children’s hospital.  While riding home from his firing, Arthur is accosted by three businessmen on the subway, and in an act of self-defense turned murder, he kills all three.  The killing gives Arthur a sense of purpose and self-understanding that he had yet to experience, sending him on a path of chaos and destruction, all in the name of further self-understanding.

Joker is an incredibly unique approach to an iconic character, and a breath of fresh air in terms of a character study in terms of execution.  Due to the history of the Joker character in terms of his clear actions set against his purposely vague origin, we are presented with what I’ve dubbed a ‘front-loaded backstory’, where we are searching for starting points to understand and connect to the Joker moments we know so well.  Much of that is presented in terms of Arther Fleck’s mental disorder that he shares with his mother, his mother’s deception in regards to her connection with Thomas Wayne and Arthur’s familial origins, and how Arthur views society at large.  His laugh is connected to his disorder, his garb and clown makeup is attributed to his former job and comedic aspirations, and his undying connection to Batman is further enhanced due to a purposefully messy origin story.  His nihilistic nature is really what is focused on and explored in Joker, as Fleck learns that his wiring causes him to find pleasure in what should be pain, while simultaneously inspiring many in similar positions to take to the streets in protest of the same things that scare and sadde Fleck. 

The world that Todd Phillips creates was the most fascinating part of the film, in my opinion.  The classic Warner Brothers logo and titling make the film feel old, as well as the color timing and some of the costuming, but there are many modern day elements present as well, like the Wayne subway system or the graffiti found throughout the city.  Gotham and Arkham Asylum are both mentioned directly, but there are many heavy allusions to New York as well : the sanitation workers strike, the rat epidemic, and Fleck’s bizarro-world Donald Goines style killing all echo New York more so than fictional Gotham.  Wall Street is even mentioned directly in regards to the three Wayne Enterprises workers.  There is also a nice mix of direct and indirect (in my opinion) references to a handful of films... Taxi Driver and You Were Never Really Here need no explanation, nor does The King of Comedy (which works subtly due to the Fleck character, and directly due to Robert De Niro appearing in both films).  Some of the more unique references, however, are found when we take a closer look at Fleck... his connection with his mother and their fascination with TV gave me Requiem for a Dream feels.  His delusional nature and the way he projects his thoughts onto the world felt similar to Jacob’s Ladder at times.  Even Fleck’s self-aggrandizing dances, specifically the one he does in the bathroom after finding his power in the wake of killing the Wayne Enterprises workers, gave me feels of John Cusack’s dance he does for Catherine Keener after bedding her in Being John Malkovich.  All of this texture, combined with the blurring of lines between Gotham and New York, is really what makes this film work.  

On a technical level, this film is an astonishing achievement for Phillips, and one that shows incredible growth as a director.  The dark, reality-based humor from some of his lighter films is present, but the laser focus on it puts it front and center as the driving force that inspires his Fleck character.  The brooding score is offset by unique, upbeat music cues, bringing a manic-depressive feel to the soundtrack of the film.  Phillips uses EXTREMELY subtle touches to differentiate between Joker’s real and delusional moments, but the subtlety is so nuanced that it is not always immediately obvious in regards to the nature of what we’re seeing.  Joker’s wardrobe and makeup dance around the traditional presentation of the iconic comic and film character for the majority of the film, eventually landing on something that is close enough to the standard presentation, while still being unique to the world created by Phillips for Joker.  The textured city, as well as the unclear time/era of the film due to allusions to real moments in New York history, gives the narrative an uncanny valley feel while we search for something distinguishing to hang onto the film in terms of era and location. 

While many have been surprised by the depth of Joaquin Phoenix’s performance, it seems to me that he channeled the best parts of his performances in The Master and You Were Never Really Here in order to hone on in the troubled persona that alludes to the creation of the Joker.  Robert De Niro brings the charm of a late night host and comedian that translates into a sort of fatherly inspiration for the Fleck character, paralleling the characters as diametric opposites, and fueling the fire for their eventual meeting.  Frances Conroy is a living mirror to hold up against Phoenix in terms of the troubled mindstate he portrays, and the possibility/inevitability of his future.  Zazie Beatz is used mostly in an accessory manner, but her presence helps stir the pot of confusion in terms of reality and delusion, based on her demeanor.  Brett Cullen brings a darker, sinister and less humane feel to the Wayne patriarch, symbolizing human greed and power more so than class and admirable qualities.  Glenn Fleshler allows himself to wallow in a swinging, two-face nature that sways from ‘friend’ to ‘foe’, sometimes within the same conversation, towards the Fleck character and his coworkers.  Bill Camp and Shea Whigham get to dive into the old school NYPD detective energy, channeling films like The French Connection despite their small role.  Brief appearances by Marc Maron, Leigh Gill, Josh Pais, Brian Tyree Henry, Douglas Hodge, Bryan Callen and Justin Theroux (uncredited) round things out.

I think due to my personal connection with Heath Ledger’s career (and my personal dislike of it), and the way he won my respect in his portrayal of the Joker, he will always be my choice for the best.  That being said, Joker is a true shining achievement on the level of Logan in terms of how it takes a superhero/comic property and turns it into a gripping, emotional film.  As much as I’d like to see a Joaquin Phoenix-style Joker butt heads with a Robert Pattison-portrayed Batman, I am willing to accept this project as the beautiful one-off that it has been advertised to be.  Definitely worth seeing, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it makes some noise when awards season arrives.

[npwiggins1208]

As I said before this movie might be a great movie, but I am not so excited about the movie. But you know I am probably bum because we won’t see no Batman or this movie will change theMythology of both characters on how they met. Batman (1989), had a similar methods when it was revealed that it was Joker (Jack Nicholson) killed Bruce Wayne parents (Michael Keaton), which made a lot of sense. But with this Joker is a failed comedian turned into The Clown of Prince of Crime that we know him to be will probably be a hard pill to swallow if the movie is not successful. But I think this movie will follow some of the comic myths of the character from the comics and give us a new myth of the character who will be the future antagonist to Batman and the rest of the DC World. #joker #joaquinphoenix #francesconroy #zaziebeetz #robertdeniro #brettcullen #douglashodge #dantepereiraolson #arthurfleck #pennyfleck #sophiedumond #murrayfranklin #thomaswayne #alfredpennyworth #brucewayne #dc #movie #comics #wb #dcblack #toddphillips #billfinger #bobkane #jerryrobinson #film #themanwholaughs #misfitcomics https://www.instagram.com/p/B29yW4_nF9V/?igshid=1vn0w4qld9hc9

[film-book]

‎

Film Review: ADOPTING AUDREY (2021): Jena Malone Delivers a Great Performance in a Movie in Search of a Plot https://film-book.com/film-review-adopting-audrey-2021-jena-malone-delivers-a-great-performance-in-a-movie-in-search-of-a-plot/?feed_id=95383&_unique_id=63101c11ec17a

[thehipsterzombiejointexperience]

#RepostPlus @mostlydc - - - - - - Based on @JokerMovie Instagram clips hidden message ,the trailer for the movie will be released in August 28 ------- Special Thanks to @j_souvgya for the heads-up and the picture @JokerMovie #JokerMovie @JokerMovie #JoaquinPhoenix #Joker #ToddPhillips #MartinScorsese #RobertDeNiro #DCEU #DCComics #DCFilms #Batman #HarleyQuinn #Gotham #DCCinematicUniverse #DCExtendedUniverse #MarcMaron #MargotRobbie #HeathLedger #JackNickolson #DantePereiraOlson #Catwoman #Bane #BryanCallen #Robin #Nightwing #ZazieBeetz #TheKillingJoke #FrancesConroy #ThomasWayne #BruceWayne #DouglasHodge https://www.instagram.com/p/B1mpjoQDAnM/?igshid=3iuwgogpprfd

[doomonfilm]

Review : You Were Never Really Here (2018)

As the 2018 film season comes to a close, I am realizing that I have a little bit of catch-up to do.  As much as I’ve been on top of new releases this year, I have managed to let a few slip by me that deserve a viewing before I start locking in my year end lists.  One of the top films on that list, if not the top one, is You Were Never Really Here. 

Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) is a former soldier and FBI agent haunted by experiences in his past, but attempting to find redemption by rescuing trafficked girls from their captors, often using brutal force.  He takes care of his aging mother (Judith Roberts), with whom he shared a past full of abuse at the hands of her husband and his father.  Due to this lifestyle, Joe often flirts with the idea of suicide.  While meeting Angel (Frank Pando), the messenger between Joe and Joe’s handler, John McCleary (John Doman), Joe is seen by Moises (Vinicius Damasceno), Angel’s son.  Joe is given a new job rescuing Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov), the daughter of New York State Senator Albert Votto (Alex Manette), from McCleary.  Joe lets McCleary know that his address may have been compromised, but McCleary urges him to push forward with the job.  Upon completion of the job, Joe is accosted by NYPD, at which point he realizes that he and everyone he loves may be in grave danger, and that he must do whatever it takes to set things right.

I’ve heard many comparisons to Taxi Driver for this film, but I think that people are not looking past one or two obvious points of comparison (New York, human trafficking, vigilantism).  As much as I love the character of Travis Bickle, Joe is a much more complex specimen, at least in terms of direct information we are given about both his past and his state of mind.  Where Travis was a man pushed to the limits of acceptance by his view of society who was given a chance at redemption via rescuing Iris, Joe is truly a tender killing machine.  The way he cares for his mother, even when she is partially responsible for the abusive situation they both found themselves in, lets you know that he is patient, accepting, and not naturally malicious.  The way that he attempts to shield the girls he rescues from the violence he dishes out further drives those qualities home, not to mention his actions and choices in the now famous kitchen scene.  In Joe, we get a young man with an unfortunate fascination with death due to his bad situation become a savior for those who cannot save themselves as he constantly cheats the death that he is anchored by, yet still embracing.

For a film as violent as You Were Never Really There is at its core, it is far from a glorification of this violence.  The violence portrayed in the film is certainly a means to an end, and for the most part, we are either given only brief flashes of the violence or shown the immediate aftermath of it.  Our antihero is driven by both a sense of regret for past actions and the way he is haunted by his distant past, but despite the immediate validation he receives for his acts, there is not true ceiling for redemption.  He is heroic in a sense, but between the volume of damage he inflicts, and the fact that he will never truly be rewarded for his heroic actions, the toll taken on his soul far outweighs the good it does.  The brief looks into Joe’s thoughts, fears and memories are unnerving, and only further the fact that redemption is not his motivating drive for doing what he does.  In a sense, Joe is a broken man who, with a hammer, is attempting to ‘fix’ something else broken.

The camerawork is astonishing in this film, giving a wonderful sense of claustrophobia that makes the viewer feel both the pain of Joe and the sense of getting your hands dirty by proxy.  The intense, driving, erratic score that often erupts from long periods of being restrained perfectly evokes Joe’s rushes of adrenaline and the subsequent comedowns, all courtesy of Radiohead’s sonic genius Jonny Greenwood.  The film was adapted from a book, and in a weird way, it is easy to tell.  In my opinion, the pacing, characterization, and overall tone of the movie makes it oddly book-like, one of the most book-like film adaptations I can remember, and it definitely has me interested in reading the original source material.

In a career full of standout performances, Joaquin Phoenix has managed another notch on the belt, doing so much with so little (and in such a reserved manner) that you physically feel the struggle within him... I can almost guarantee a Best Actor string of nominations, if not wins, for this performance.  Ekaterina Samsonov is mysterious and intriguing, giving you the impression that she is ‘letting herself’ be saved in order to unleash a much greater vengeance on a much bigger target.  John Doman plays his role with the coolness and assurance it takes to be the man in charge, making the downfall of all around him that much more heartbreaking.  Judith Roberts is charming in her codependency that the role required, both immediately endearing her to audiences, and breaking their heart eventually.  Alex Manette, Alessandro Nivola, Frank Pando and Vinicius Damasceno also stand out.

Due to a limited run, I did not get to see this one on the big screen, and now that I have seen it, I’d be lying if I said that doesn’t bum me out a bit.  While most compare this film to Taxi Driver, I’d say a more apt comparison would be Good Time, by the Safdie brothers, and I will probably pair the two films together for a viewing at some point.  Definitely a high contender for Film of the Year, and one that will make my list that much more difficult to determine. 

[npwiggins1208]

Okay so we come to the end of the blog, so hear me out, I am expecting this film to do well and will probably be the best film of the year. But the reason why i'm not so excited because it is Joker. Joker is that fictional character that everyone in the DC universe is afraid of… and to see this film almost make him human like before he became a criminal is kind of crazy to me. Yes, we sort of got an origin story of the Joker in the book The Killing Joke or even Batman (Jack Nicholson; 1989). But the character to me has remained a mystery to me because he came out of nowhere as Batman enemy and as a Batman fan, I personally don't want to know his origins unless it is canon in the books and they give us a definitive Batman story to talk about how the character came to be The Clown Prince of Crime. #joker #joaquinphoenix #francesconroy #zaziebeetz #robertdeniro #brettcullen #douglashodge #dantepereiraolson #arthurfleck #pennyfleck #sophiedumond #murrayfranklin #thomaswayne #alfredpennyworth #brucewayne #dc #movie #comics #wb #dcblack #toddphillips #billfinger #bobkane #jerryrobinson #film #themanwholaughs #misfitcomics https://www.instagram.com/p/B276r91H5-w/?igshid=16duuo2dcy1xf

[npwiggins1208]

Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) built on the Joker's 1951 origin story, portraying him as a failed comedian pressured into committing crime as the Red Hood to support his pregnant wife. Batman's interference causes him to leap into a chemical vat, which disfigures him. This, combined with the trauma of his wife's earlier accidental death, causes him to go insane and become the Joker. However, the Joker says that this story may not be true, as he prefers his past to be "multiple choice". However, the Joker's unreliable memory has allowed writers to develop other origins for the character. #joker #joaquinphoenix #francesconroy #zaziebeetz #robertdeniro #brettcullen #douglashodge #dantepereiraolson #arthurfleck #pennyfleck #sophiedumond #murrayfranklin #thomaswayne #alfredpennyworth #brucewayne #dc #movie #comics #wb #dcblack #toddphillips #billfinger #bobkane #jerryrobinson #film #themanwholaughs #misfitcomics https://www.instagram.com/p/B25htOJn9gN/?igshid=1uslpnsv6tkok

[npwiggins1208]

"Case Study," a Paul Dini-Alex Ross story, describes the Joker as a sadistic gangster who creates the Red Hood identity to continue the thrill of small-time criminality. He has his fateful first meeting with Batman, which results in his disfigurement. It is suggested that the Joker is sane, and feigns insanity to avoid the death penalty. In Batman Confidential (#7–12), the character, Jack, is a talented criminal who is bored with his work. He encounters (and becomes obsessed with) Batman during a heist, embarking on a crime spree to attract his attention. After Jack injures Batman's girlfriend, Batman scars Jack's face with a permanent grin and betrays him to a group of mobsters, who torture him in a chemical plant. Jack escapes, but falls into an empty vat as gunfire punctures chemical tanks above him. The flood of chemicals (used in anti-psychotic medication) alters his appearance and completes his transformation. The superhero Atom sees the Joker's memory of burning his parents alive (after they find him killing animals) in The Brave and the Bold #31 and Snyder's "Zero Year" (2013) suggests that the pre-disfigured Joker was a criminal mastermind leading a gang of Red Hoods. #joker #joaquinphoenix #francesconroy #zaziebeetz #robertdeniro #brettcullen #douglashodge #dantepereiraolson #arthurfleck #pennyfleck #sophiedumond #murrayfranklin #thomaswayne #alfredpennyworth #brucewayne #dc #movie #comics #wb #dcblack #toddphillips #billfinger #bobkane #jerryrobinson #film #themanwholaughs #misfitcomics https://www.instagram.com/p/B24rOugHLiz/?igshid=319rqhhy1xxx

[npwiggins1208]

Batman creators; Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson are credited with creating the Joker, but their accounts of the character's conception differ, each providing his own version of events. Finger's, Kane's, and Robinson's versions acknowledge that Finger produced an image of actor Conrad Veidt in character as Gwynplaine (a man with a disfigured face, giving him a perpetual grin) in the 1928 film, "The Man Who Laughs" as an inspiration for the Joker's appearance, and Robinson produced a sketch of a joker playing card. The Joker first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman (April 25, 1940), published by DC Comics. Although the Joker was planned to be killed off during his initial appearance, he was spared by editorial intervention, Whitney Ellsworth, allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero Batman. The Joker initially appeared as a remorseless serial killer, modeled after a joker playing card with a mirthless grin, who killed his victims with "Joker Venom," a toxin which left their faces smiling grotesquely. The Joker has undergone many revisions since his 1940 debut. The most common interpretation of the character is that he is disguised as the criminal Red Hood, and pursued by Batman. The Joker falls into a vat of chemicals which bleaches his skin, colors his hair green and his lips red, and drives him insane. The reasons why the Joker was disguised as the Red Hood, and his identity before his transformation have changed over time. #joker #joaquinphoenix #francesconroy #zaziebeetz #robertdeniro #brettcullen #douglashodge #dantepereiraolson #arthurfleck #pennyfleck #sophiedumond #murrayfranklin #thomaswayne #alfredpennyworth #brucewayne #dc #movie #comics #wb #dcblack #toddphillips #billfinger #bobkane #jerryrobinson #film #themanwholaughs #misfitcomics https://www.instagram.com/p/B223vUdHS0m/?igshid=1emrcwwy6b7j0

[npwiggins1208]

JOKER will be released on October 4, 2019; it is directed by Todd Phillips (The Hangover Trilogy, War Dogs, Borat, and produced A Star is Born), which I don’t think it is a bad idea. The premise of the movie is In 1981, a failed stand-up comedian turns to a life of crime and chaos in Gotham City. It stars Academy Nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator, Walk the Line, Her) as Arthur Fleck/ Joker, who plays a  mentally ill, impoverished stand-up comedian disregarded by society, whose lack of success causes him to become a nihilistic criminal. It also stars Frances Conroy as Penny Fleck; Arthur's mother, Zazie Beetz as Sophie Dumond, a cynical single mother and Arthur's love interest; Robert De Niro as Murray Franklin, a talk show host who plays a role in Arthur's downfall; Brett Cullen plays Thomas Wayne, a billionaire philanthropist running for mayor of Gotham; Douglas Hodge plays Alfred Pennyworth, the butler and caretaker of the Wayne family; and Dante Pereira-Olson plays Bruce Wayne, son of Thomas and Martha Wayne, who becomes the Joker's archenemy Batman as an adult. #joker #joaquinphoenix #francesconroy #zaziebeetz #robertdeniro #brettcullen #douglashodge #dantepereiraolson #arthurfleck #pennyfleck #sophiedumond #murrayfranklin #thomaswayne #alfredpennyworth #brucewayne #dc #movie #comics #wb #dcblack #toddphillips #billfinger #bobkane #jerryrobinson #film #themanwholaughs #misfitcomics https://www.instagram.com/p/B22rSI6n9sr/?igshid=15tlhqfket7gl

[npwiggins1208]

Hey guys!!! Sorry I have been gone for a while, I have been pretty busy fighting some virus (nothing serious) and catching up on my Netflix and Amazon Prime shows. And I finally got a chance to watch some Bluray movies I purchased a while back. I will be honest I wasn’t going to write this until after the movie comes out and I go see it with a couple of friends to discuss what the hell did we watch, but since the early reviews came out I guess this might be a good time to start this blog by saying this, I am not so excited to see this movie. Don’t get me wrong, Joker is one of my favorite evil fictional characters of all time. And I believe that Joaquin Phoenix will knock this character right out of the park. But I am a Batman fan and knowing the Joker's origin will kind of ruin the character to me. I will later discuss how I feel about this at the end of this blog. #joker #joaquinphoenix #francesconroy #zaziebeetz #robertdeniro #brettcullen #douglashodge #dantepereiraolson #arthurfleck #pennyfleck #sophiedumond #murrayfranklin #thomaswayne #alfredpennyworth #brucewayne #dc #movie #comics #wb #dcblack #toddphillips #billfinger #bobkane #jerryrobinson #film #themanwholaughs #misfitcomics https://www.instagram.com/p/B20Jch-HNrC/?igshid=1jpnqsactm7jn