Hey everyone, how's it going!?

So then, as you all know, earlier this month Joker released in theaters! This film has been the subject of much discussion and controversy, and honestly, prior to watching it, I didn't know what to expect, except that I knew it'd be an interesting film, having Joaquin Phoenix in the film, after all!

And after four viewings, I have to say, this is a truly unique film that exceeded my expectations and challenged not just what a comic book film could be, but what a good film in general could be! I especially loved the dark tone and the social commentary that this film had on its mind. It's crazy how realistic Todd Phillips, Joaquin Phoenix and the crew made this film. It's a sad statement about how cruel the world is nowadays, and how there are people like Arthur Fleck who are shunned and neglected by society. The crazy part about all this is, that there are people out there who could very well end up like Arthur, or have ended up like him!

I truly believe that films like these should be made more often, to shed light on often overlooked issues regarding mental health and the toxicity of modern society. And honestly, with how good this film was, Todd and Joaquin deserve Oscars! If they don't get any, I'll be angry, for sure!

So as to not spoil anything for those who still haven't watched it, I won't mention anything important, but what I loved about this film is how it was literally two hours of character development. There were only three or so action scenes overall, but that didn't matter to me, because the story was so engaging! Now I'm just wondering what route DC will take after such a successful box office run with the Joker?

So, what did you all think of the film? To me, it was a masterpiece, and Joaquin is the definitive Joker, doing the character justice while respecting the legacy of all the actors that came before! I really hope to see Joaquin reprise the role, cuz honestly, I can't see a future DC film including Joker that doesn't have Joaquin in it!

I agree completely! My BF and I went to see it for our anniversary (very romantic, I know lol) and we both loved it. It completely exceeded my expectations; I knew it was going to be good but not that good!  The entire story was gripping from beginning to end, and it actually surprised me a few times, which is not easy to do. It's one of the best films I've seen that depicts mental illness in an effective and sympathetic way. 

Another thing I loved about it was that it wasn't overly gory. I am very squeamish, and I was nervous going into the film that I would have to watch it through my fingers. But to my great surprise and relief, there was only one scene that I couldn't watch (the second-to-last murder; had to bury my face in my bf's shoulder for that one). 

This is a role that I would love to see Joaquin Phoenix return to because he was absolutely excellent. Holy crap, it's like he was made for this role! I can't wait to watch the film again!

6 hours ago, Allwil13 said:

I agree completely! My BF and I went to see it for our anniversary (very romantic, I know lol) and we both loved it. It completely exceeded my expectations; I knew it was going to be good but not that good!  The entire story was gripping from beginning to end, and it actually surprised me a few times, which is not easy to do. It's one of the best films I've seen that depicts mental illness in an effective and sympathetic way. 

Another thing I loved about it was that it wasn't overly gory. I am very squeamish, and I was nervous going into the film that I would have to watch it through my fingers. But to my great surprise and relief, there was only one scene that I couldn't watch (the second-to-last murder; had to bury my face in my bf's shoulder for that one). 

This is a role that I would love to see Joaquin Phoenix return to because he was absolutely excellent. Holy crap, it's like he was made for this role! I can't wait to watch the film again!

Well hey, that's an awesome anniversary film to go see! Good on you guys! Indeed, the film managed to discuss mental illness in a way that sheds light into it like never before. And it really makes you feel for poor Arthur, and then the mind starts reeling, and one asks: "If I could have done something for him, would he have turned out better?"

Yes, that is also something I noticed! Just because something is dark doesn't mean that it has to be gory. I'm surprised at how minimal violence the film had, and I think that worked to the film's advantage, because it was more psychological than not. Ooh yes, that brutal murder near the end was insane! And the creepy faces that Joaquin made in that scene when his makeup wasn't complete had me squirming! 

Overall, it's a film that, like Shrek, has layers! (See what I did there? XD) It's a film you can appreciate watching it multiple times, because there's always something to pick up on! I really hope DC continues this Joker's story! It'd be great if a trilogy were made!

I just got around to watching this movie a few days ago, and was pretty blown away! I never really put much thought into there being a story and a person behind the Joker character so it was pretty interesting to see that story be told. The movie did a good job of making me sympathize with the character which is something I never thought I'd do, but I genuinely ended up feeling bad for Arthur and everything he had been through and how he was treated by others, often due to circumstances that were beyond his control.

Definitely echo the sentiment that you two brought up above about the movie calling attention to mental illness and also the stark divide between the rich and the poor in this film. One line I particularly enjoyed was when he called out that if it were him that was gunned down in the subway that night no one would care, imo he's not wrong.  

The movie was dark, but yet still so enjoyable, side note I think the score did a pretty good job of setting the tone for that as well. I also have a pretty weak stomach for gore and had to look away during the second to last murder scene.  

All in all a great movie though, I wouldn't go so far to call it a masterpiece but I can understand those who see it that way.

I really want to go see this film but some people are saying that it can get "pretty real". I'd like to think I'm tough enough to handle it but would you recommend it?

8 hours ago, 2 quid is good said:

I really want to go see this film but some people are saying that it can get "pretty real". I'd like to think I'm tough enough to handle it but would you recommend it?

It’s real in the sense that it deals with issues and themes that you could apply to society today. But like Transcendent Key said it’s mostly about character development and how he became the way he is. If you’re worried about it being too graphic that’s kept to a minimum, it’s more real in the sense of how it makes you think about things after you’ve seen it. Hope that helps.  

14 hours ago, WakelessDream said:

It’s real in the sense that it deals with issues and themes that you could apply to society today. But like Transcendent Key said it’s mostly about character development and how he became the way he is. If you’re worried about it being too graphic that’s kept to a minimum, it’s more real in the sense of how it makes you think about things after you’ve seen it. Hope that helps.  

That's actually really helpful, thanks! I'm not really a person who can handle gory stuff but I'm definitely interested in character driven stories like Joker seems to be

On 11/4/2019 at 3:27 PM, WakelessDream said:

I just got around to watching this movie a few days ago, and was pretty blown away! I never really put much thought into there being a story and a person behind the Joker character so it was pretty interesting to see that story be told. The movie did a good job of making me sympathize with the character which is something I never thought I'd do, but I genuinely ended up feeling bad for Arthur and everything he had been through and how he was treated by others, often due to circumstances that were beyond his control.

Definitely echo the sentiment that you two brought up above about the movie calling attention to mental illness and also the stark divide between the rich and the poor in this film. One line I particularly enjoyed was when he called out that if it were him that was gunned down in the subway that night no one would care, imo he's not wrong.  

The movie was dark, but yet still so enjoyable, side note I think the score did a pretty good job of setting the tone for that as well. I also have a pretty weak stomach for gore and had to look away during the second to last murder scene.  

All in all a great movie though, I wouldn't go so far to call it a masterpiece but I can understand those who see it that way.

Yep, I felt genuinely heartbroken for the poor guy, and the sad reality is that people like these exist in our day to day lives. We just don't see what they're going through, ya know?

Oh yeah, that particular line hit hard.

And yes, the soundtrack truly fit the film so well, and the tone it set really complemented the scenes in which they were used. It's rare for a movie's music to connect so deeply to the scenes portrayed. And yeah, the gore was pretty intense, but since it was minimal, it gave off that much more of an impact when Arthur went off the deep end.

On 11/5/2019 at 3:30 AM, 2 quid is good said:

I really want to go see this film but some people are saying that it can get "pretty real". I'd like to think I'm tough enough to handle it but would you recommend it?

Well, it can get pretty real in the sense that this film isn't like other comic book films. This film is so rooted in reality that it'll really make you think about the stuff you hear on the news. That kind of real. I still recommend it though, it's a work of cinematic genius!

19 hours ago, WakelessDream said:

It’s real in the sense that it deals with issues and themes that you could apply to society today. But like Transcendent Key said it’s mostly about character development and how he became the way he is. If you’re worried about it being too graphic that’s kept to a minimum, it’s more real in the sense of how it makes you think about things after you’ve seen it. Hope that helps.  

Yes, I'm surprised at how minimal the violent scenes were. It goes to show that you don't need violence to carry a film.

4 hours ago, 2 quid is good said:

That's actually really helpful, thanks! I'm not really a person who can handle gory stuff but I'm definitely interested in character driven stories like Joker seems to be

Oh, trust me, you'll want to dissect every bit of this movie. That's how good it is!