Joker
First screened in October 2019 / Most recently screened in February 2020
Director: Todd Phillips. Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Frances Conroy, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Glenn Fleshler, Leigh Gill, Shea Whigham, Bill Camp, Sondra James, Brett Cullen, Carrie Louise Putrello, Dante Pereira-Olson, Douglas Hodge, Marc Maron, Josh Pais, Rocco Luna, Brian Tyree Henry, Frank Wood, Carl Lundstedt, Michael Benz, Ben Warheit, Mick Szal, Hannah Gross, Gary Gulman, April Grace. Screenplay: Todd Phillips and Scott Silver (based on characters created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson).

Twitter Capsule: Kinda engrossing, kinda half-assed. Three-quarter-assed? Not bad at claustrophobic psychology. But is it coherent, really?

VOR:   I expected to react more sourly but find it more dangerous, and provocative. Plenty of ideas, especially given its genre; still less than meets the eye.



Photo © 2019 Warner Bros./DC Entertainment

Not yet reviewed in full. Grade: B


Academy Award Nominations and Winners:
Best Picture
Best Director: Todd Phillips
Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix
Best Adapted Screenplay: Todd Phillips and Scott Silver
Best Cinematography: Lawrence Sher
Best Costume Design: Mark Bridges
Best Film Editing: Jeff Groth
Best Original Score: Hildur Guðnadóttir
Best Sound Mixing: Tom Ozanich, Dean A. Zupancic, and Tod A. Maitland
Best Sound Editing: Alan Robert Murray
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou

Golden Globe Nominations and Winners:
Best Picture (Drama)
Best Director: Todd Phillips
Best Actor (Drama): Joaquin Phoenix
Best Original Score: Hildur Guðnadóttir

Other Awards:
Venice Film Festival: Golden Lion (Best Film)
Screen Actors Guild: Best Actor (Phoenix)
British Academy Awards (BAFTAs): Best Actor (Phoenix); Best Casting (Shayna Markowitz); Best Original Score

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