My #19
60. Joker (2019, Todd Phillips) 118 points
Card: Forgive my Laughter: I have a Condition.
Coming from a guy who read comic books as a kid/teenager and graphic novels into my adulthood, I thought this was quite an excellent Origin Tale of Joker despite the flak that it has gotten from the comic book crowd. Taking the psychological fragmentation of a poor, desolate unknown, pitiful weakling that knows naught but sadness and abuse. As opposed to a criminal falling into a vat of acid or a similar glamorized mythos. Which, in my mind, is a far better route, and it is done amazingly well.
Joaquin Phoenix is a master at portraying the more broken, victimized psyches, and, as usual, Joaquin goes the extra mile, adding the malnutrition physique to Arthur Fleck. Creating an additional layer to this abused creature and the awkward infant steps of what would become the psychotic King of Chaos that all other comic book villains aspire to.
Phillips weaves a tension-filled street of Gotham, its cruel grittiness far more realistic than many predecessors. We see the vulnerability and the tortured soul that were only hinted at and never shown in regard to the various possible origins of Joker. Giving us the foundering first steps as Arthur decides that his life is no longer a tragedy but a f@cking comedy.
59. Inside Out (2015, Pete Docter) 119 points
I LOVE Pixar.
There are a couple that I do not. I'm looking at you,
Cars while films like
Ratatouille and
Wall-E were on my 2000s Countdown at #3 and #11, respectively, and I'm pretty d@mn sure if I had done a rewatch, this would have, quite easily.
But I didn't.
It's silly, really, but like @
Thursday Next commented and @
Thief brilliantly illustrated, Disney plays hardball when it comes to tugging the heart streaks, and I always felt like this one, which I DO love (because Disney told me I do). It felt, I don't know, a bit blatant, or maybe it was the social media when it came out (telling me to feel - I don't know, resentful?)
I reiterate it's silly, and yeah, breaking the story down to core emotions does feel like a Class on "Your Emotions and You," but, in the end, it's Pixar, and I love me some Pixar. And, f@ck, they got Lewis Black as Anger.
I f@ckin LOVE that.
Movies Seen 22 out of 42 (52.38%)
1. Upper Fifty
2. Jojo Rabbit (2012) #89
3. Lower Thirty, if at all
4. Will be a Surprise
5. Mid Pack
6. Mid Pack
7. Upper Fifty
8. Hell or High Water (2016) #76
9. Unlikely
10. Upper Twenty
11. Mid Pack
12. Probably Not
13. The King's Speech (2010) #78
14. Upper Fifty
15. The Raid (2011) #100
16. Mid, maybe Upper Fifty
17. Mid Pack
18. Upper Fifty
19. Joker (2019) #60
20. Lower Fifty
21. Hopefully Places
22. Lower Fifty
23. Mid Pack
24. Mid Pack or Higher
25. A Royal Affair (2012) (One Pointer)
One Pointers Seen 7 out of 35 (20%)
Rectification List
86. 1917 (2019)
71. Ida (2013)