The Movie Poster Blog

Review of Movie Joker

2019-10-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

I recently saw the movie Joker which stars Joaquin Phoenix and was directed by Todd Philips. With a screen play by Philips and Scott Silver. The movie also has Robert De Niro as a talk show host, Zazie Beetz as a possible love interest and some others in supporting roles.

Over all, I thought is was a good movie that was very well made if you like physiological thrillers you will enjoy this movie, it is not an action movie. It is a departure from many comic book movies in that it is more realistic than most. It is also an origin story for the classic DC Comics character the Joker of Batman Comics fame. There are many very well shot scenes, all the actors in the movie do a good job. Especially the actor Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker, his portrayal is captivating.

New York is shown in all of its glory, even though the movie was shot in some different locations including New Jersey and there is some CGI to recreate the time frame of the movie. It delights the eyes, the costumes and other props in the movie create a very realistic late seventies, early eighties vibe.

The plot of the movie has some political overtones, there are some themes that mirror events of today (have vs the have not's). This origin story is of a character named Arthur Fleck who lives with and cares for his mother in Gotham City. The movie does a great job of creating the gritty, dirty, grimy background of the early 1980's Gotham. The city has crime, unemployment and a population caught up in a class war. Arthur suffers from mental illness and laughs uncontrollably at the wrong moments.

Arthur is not a very reliable narrator of his own story, and there are times when it is not clear that Arthur is providing a correct narrative due to his mental illness. There are many relationships that are depicted as the Joker sees them, and then there are other ways to view both his actions and what he thinks others have done. His relationships with his social workers, his mother, and his girlfriend are all relationships that will make you wonder if Jokers view is correct or not.

Arthur has two different father figures, in the movie. One is the Robert De Niro character Murray Franklin who is a talk show host. Arthur works as a party clown who after he loses his job tries his hand at being a stand up comedian. The first scene in which Arthur daydreams about being on Murray's show gives early insight about Arthur's state of mind. The other is the Thomas Wayne who is played by Brett Cullen,which is a very interesting take on the relationship between these two characters. Which also makes you think about the relationship between Batman and the Joker.

The movie is a slow decent into madness by Arthur as he becomes the Joker. The movie does a really good job with pacing, you get to see the Joker grow and become more confident as he interacts with other characters and the hardships of life press on him. And this is probably what I enjoyed the most about the movie, but I will say that is was difficult for me to completely suspend disbelief because I could not totally buy the idea that this character could become the character of Joker from the comic books. He does not display the mental strength, nor the amount of evil associated with the comic book character, and this was a problem for me.

The movie could have been a movie about any mentally ill character that is pushed over the edge. And it borrows a lot from the gritty crime action thrillers from the 1980's movies by Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy (which both stared Robert Di Nero). I just see the Joker character as a larger character who is more intelligent and has bigger goals than are depicted in the movie.

All in all it is a good movie and well worth seeing. It may require another movie to better develop this character as a criminal mastermind.

Interview with Clint Eastwood

2011-11-29T10:09:00.000-08:00

Love Clint Eastwood and his movies. I found this interview very interesting and hope you will enjoy watching it also.

Avatar: The Movie (New Extended HD Trailer)

2009-12-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

Avatar: The Movie (New Extended HD Trailer)

I saw the movie Avatar in 3D the other day. It was my first 3D movie, and all I can say is wow. You really have to see this movie in 3D that is the only way to see it.

I thought the story and plot were very well done, it has many parallels to today's situations with war and global warming and the loss of resources in the real world.

The new technologies developed my James Cameron truly are amazing, I went into the movie thinking that there is no way this can live up to the hipe, but in my opinion it does.

Great movie, I give it my strongest recommendation.

How to Read a Film: The World of Movies, Media, Multimedia

2009-01-09T13:44:00.000-08:00

How to Read a Film:
The World of Movies, Media, Multimedia:
Language, History, Theory

Please click image for info @Amazon.com

According to Samson Raphaelson, Film Comment

"This book is a compliment to the reader....Monaco's spirit is gracious; he has a gift for making accumulations of detail relevant and uncluttered. His manner is modest and undidactic, and he is painstakingly scrupulous."

The Nightmare Before Christmas Movie Poster

2008-12-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
3D REPRINT 27X41 POSTER

Nightmare Before Christmas
27x40 Movie Posters

click image for info @Amazon.com

The Movie Elf

2008-12-18T01:00:00.000-08:00

Elf [Blu-ray]

please click image

You know, Elf was another Christmas movie that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. I really liked the music in that movie. And just thinking about that scene with the angry Elf makes me crack up.

According to Bret Fetzer

Elf is genuinely good. Not just Saturday Night Live-movie good, when the movie has some funny bits but is basically an insult to humanity; Elf is a smartly written, skillfully directed, and deftly acted story of a human being adopted by Christmas elves who returns to the human world to find his father. And because the writing, directing, and acting are all genuinely good, Elf is also genuinely funny. Will Ferrell, as Buddy the adopted elf, is hysterically sincere. James Caan, as his rediscovered father, executes his surly dumbfoundedness with perfect aplomb. Zooey Deschanel, as a department store worker with whom Buddy falls in love, is adorably sardonic. Director Jon Favreau (Swingers) shepherds the movie through all the obligatory Christmas cliches and focuses on material that's sometimes subtle and consistently surprising. Frankly, Elf feels miraculous. Also featuring Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart, Peter Dinklage, and Ed Asner as Santa Claus.

Amazon.com 60% DVD Blow Out Sale

A Review of Cadillac Records

2008-12-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

Cadillac Records
27x41 Original Movie Poster

Movie Review

I saw Cadillac Records yesterday. It is a musical biopic that is now showing in theaters, it was written and directed by Darnell Martin. The film explores blues music starting in the early 1940s to the late 1960s. It chronicles the life of the influential Chicago-based record-company founder Leonard Chess, and some of the musicians who created and recorded Chicago blues music.

Cast

Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess
Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James
Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess
Mos Def as Chuck Berry
Gabrielle Union as Geneva Waters
Columbus Short as Little Walter
Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters
Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon
Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf

I thought it was a good movie, all things considered. The performances for the most part were well done and you can see that the actors wanted to put in a good performances. And some of them really shined.

Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright both did good jobs acting. But I could not totally suspend disbelief when it came to Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters. I think this maybe because I am such a big fan of Muddy Waters. I really like Jeffrey Wright as an actor, but here it was a hard sell. Having said that I can not think of anyone who could have done a better job, but Muddy Waters is such a strong character to play.

I thought as a whole that the movie packed too may threads into the same movie. Any one of the musicians depicted in this movie could have a movie made about their lives (and I hope someone makes those movies too). But too many threads caused the movie to play fast and lose with the facts, which again was kind of annoying to me, and again that may be because I'm such a big fan of the musicians depicted in this movie.

I was pleasantly surprised by Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James. I think she brought a lot of emotion to the part and of course her singing came across very well and is probably the high point of the movie.

Another highlight was Mos Def as Chuck Berry. I thought he really played the role well and he puts you in the mind of Mr. Berry. His mannerisms were perfect. I also really liked the part of Howlin' Wolf as played by Eamonn Walker. And because I enjoyed the way he played the part, it made me think that I would love to see a movie about Wolf's life played by Eamonn Walker.

Columbus Short as Little Walter was very well acted and he played the part in a way that portrays much of the volatility and sadness of Little Walter's life. And both Gabrielle Union as Geneva Waters and Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon put in notable performances.

The movie was very enjoyable, and while I have some criticisms of the film they are minor. This movie is a great introduction to blues music for young music fans. It has many popular young actors who may be able to attract young people to the blues pioneers and to be inspired by them.

Bad Santa (The Unrated Version and Director's Cut) [Blu-ray]

2008-12-17T01:00:00.000-08:00

I did not realize that Bad Santa had come out on Blu-ray. Which is cool because while I love watching It's a Wonderful Life and other Christmas movies that have a more wholesome subject matter, Bad Santa is a movie that I enjoyed a lot more than I expected to. Which is a good thing in a movie. And it has become one of those movies that I like to watch during the holiday season. Christmas has a dark side to it too and this movie is a great dark comedy.

Bad Santa
(The Unrated Version and Director's Cut)
[Blu-ray]

click image for info @Amazon.com

Jeff Shannon sums it up quite well when he said;

Instantly qualifying as a perennial cult favorite, Bad Santa is as nasty as it wants to be, and there's something to be said for comedy without compromise. The Coen brothers conceived the basic idea and served as executive producers, but it's director Terry Zwigoff (Crumb, Ghost World) who brings his unique affinity for losers and outcasts to the twisted tale of Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton), a hard-drinking, chain-smoking, foul-mouthed sexaholic safe-cracker who targets a different department store every holiday season, playing Santa while he cases the joint with his dwarf elf-partner Marcus (Tony Cox). With comedic support from Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham, Cloris Leachman, and John Ritter in his final film, Thornton milks the lowbrow laughs with a slovenly lack of sentiment, warming Bad Santa's pickled heart just enough to please a chubby misfit (Brett Kelly, hilariously deadpan) who may or may not be mentally challenged. As dry as an arid martini and blacker than morning-after coffee, Bad Santa is an instant cure for yuletide schmaltz, and if you think this appropriately R-rated comedy is suitable for kids, your parenting skills are no better than Willie's.

Amazon.com 60% DVD Blow Out Sale

A Cool List Of Christmas Movies!

2008-12-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

Just stumbled upon Auburn's List of Christmas Movies and there are quite a few good movies on the list. The coolest thing about the list it that all listings are linked to the Internet Movie Data Base, which makes doing research on each move easy.

Don't you just love the world wide web and the Internet.

Amazon.com 60% DVD Blow Out Sale

Movie Posters for Chirtmas! Why not?

2008-12-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

Why not give movie posters and other entertainment gifts for Christmas? They are easy, there is something for everyone, from your grandmother and her favorite movie from the 30's or 40's to your toddler and her favorite anamated movie.

Bruce R. Miller of the Sioux City Journal makes a great point about entertainment gifts in his article Try entertainment gifts for Christmas

He suggest that if you have not done all of your Christmas shopping yet, then don't sweat it. He goes on the make the point that you can give entertainment gifts very easly because there is something in the entertainment area for almost everyone on your list.

Movie posters - Movie posters are a great low cost gift for people who are fans of movies, and who is not? Movie posters can also work for those who appriciate art, most movie posters are works of art as well.

Movie Posters @Amazon.com

Movie Memoribilia - Movie memoribilia is another out of the box kind of gift that will delight a movie fan. Who expects to get a piece of memoribilia from their favorite movie. It will surly please the gift receiver and make the gift giver feel good about giving a great gift.

Movie Memorabilia

Other Gift ideas

Books About Movies @Amazon.com

DVDs @Amazon.com

Former Loew’s usher rescues 1930s movie posters

2008-12-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Access Atlanta.com is reporting that a Former Loew’s usher rescues hand-painted movie posters.

“I’m just glad they were saved,” said Herb Bridges, 79, a retired rural mail carrier raised in the same house he now uses as a kind of seven-room storage unit for his various collections. “They’ve given me a lot of pleasure for more than a year. Now I’d like to share them.”

Bridges’ poster collection from the long-gone Loew’s Grand theater is a rare artifact both of old Hollywood and old Atlanta. It was featured in a recent issue of Architectural Digest, and about a dozen of the posters were exhibited last month at the Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts in nearby Newnan.

Angelina Jolie Catwoman Rumor?

2008-12-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

This is an old rumor, but a good one. I don't remember where I read about it first, but I've seen in several places now that Angelina Jolie is being considered for the Catwoman role in the upcoming Batman movie.

That would be cool. I think she has the perfect look and style to make a great female villain. And I would love to see her play the part.

Just a few of the places I have read this rumor;

Angelina Jolie Catwoman Rumors Emerge, The Dark Knight Continues ...

Angelina Jolie to play Catwoman? - The Blemish

How to follow 'Dark Knight'? Angelina Jolie as the purrfect ...

Jeff Dunham's - Very Special Christmas Special (2008)

2008-12-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

Very Special Christmas Special

click image for info @Amazon.com

Jeff Dunham and his cast of characters join to make Christmas very special -- and hilarious -- like only they know how. All new show also includes bonus material with numerous DVD extras. Share this must-have event with the entire family for Christmas and all year long!

DVD is loaded with additional footage and extras not seen on television including Holiday Tips, Outtakes, Ask Santa-Walter, and Behind The Scenes.

The Dark Knight (+ Digital Copy and BD Live) [Blu-ray] (2008)

2008-12-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

The Dark Knight
(+ Digital Copy and BD Live) [Blu-ray]

click image for info @Amazon.com

According to David Horiuchi

The Dark Knight arrives with tremendous hype (best superhero movie ever? posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger?), and incredibly, it lives up to all of it. But calling it the best superhero movie ever seems like faint praise, since part of what makes the movie great--in addition to pitch-perfect casting, outstanding writing, and a compelling vision--is that it bypasses the normal fantasy element of the superhero genre and makes it all terrifyingly real. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham City's new district attorney, charged with cleaning up the crime rings that have paralyzed the city. He enters an uneasy alliance with the young police lieutenant, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman (Christian Bale), the caped vigilante who seems to trust only Gordon--and whom only Gordon seems to trust. They make progress until a psychotic and deadly new player enters the game: the Joker (Heath Ledger), who offers the crime bosses a solution--kill the Batman. Further complicating matters is that Dent is now dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, after Katie Holmes turned down the chance to reprise her role), the longtime love of Batman's alter ego, Bruce Wayne.

In his last completed role before his tragic death, Ledger is fantastic as the Joker, a volcanic, truly frightening force of evil. And he sets the tone of the movie: the world is a dark, dangerous place where there are no easy choices. Eckhart and Oldman also shine, but as good as Bale is, his character turns out rather bland in comparison (not uncommon for heroes facing more colorful villains). Director-cowriter Christopher Nolan (Memento) follows his critically acclaimed Batman Begins with an even better sequel that sets itself apart from notable superhero movies like Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man because of its sheer emotional impact and striking sense of realism--there are no suspension-of-disbelief superpowers here. At 152 minutes, it's a shade too long, and it's much too intense for kids. But for most movie fans--and not just superhero fans--The Dark Knight is a film for the ages.

Twilight Entertainment Poster

2008-12-10T04:28:00.000-08:00

Twilight Entertainment Poster Print, 24x36

click image for info @Amazon.com

Movie Posters From Poland

2008-12-05T02:20:00.000-08:00

Check this out; 50 Incredible Film Posters From Poland.

Wayne Wang To Premiere Movie Online

2008-10-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

Director Wayne Wang will premiere his movie "The Princess of Nebraska" on YouTube. It will be available to watch for free at the YouTube Screening Room.

Princess of Nebraska Exclusive Trailer

Out at TIFF - The Princess of Nebraska

Valkyrie Movie Trailer

2008-09-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

Tom Cruises heads an international cast while playing the part of Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, the aristocratic German officer who led the heroic attempt to bring down the Nazi regime by planting a bomb in Hitler's bunker. The "July 20 Plot" on Hitler's life is one of the most heroic but least known episodes of World War II.

Release Date: December 26, 2008

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and brief strong language

Starring: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson and Carice van Houten.

Valkyrie

Tom CruisePhoto

Buy at AllPosters.com

Star Wars:The Clone Wars A Review

2008-09-28T14:50:00.001-07:00

The Clone Wars Double-sided poster

Buy at AllPosters.com

Speaking of Star Wars, I recently saw the new animated Lucas film Star Wars: The Clone Wars. While I generally like all the Star Wars movies, this one left me with the feeling that nothing had been resolved.

There were also questions in my mind about what would happen to some of the new characters that were introduced. Since we don't see them in any of the other movies, I guess we will have to watch the upcoming television series to find out.

The Clone Wars is obviously intended to act as an introduction to the television series of the same name, which is set to debut in October, 2008. It is set in roughly the same time period as the earlier 2003 series, which I found a little confusing. But I guess if all that was required was to add another plank to the Star Wars universe then "mission accomplished."

I also did not like the animation style, I'm sure that some will find it interesting, I find the unrealistic style of the characters distracting. I kept telling myself, no one is really that skinny. And yes I know that it is animation, but I only seem to like styles that are realistic, or more towards the cartoon side of things. Pixar seems to me to pull this off better than anyone.

In a kind of related bit of news that is going around, filmschool rejects.com is reporting that there may be another Star Wars Movie in the works.

All in all I will say that Star Wars: The Clone Wars was only slightly entertaining, it came off like an extended Saturday morning cartoon. It does little to propel along the Star Wars story and if you have not seen it I recommend that you wait until it comes out of DVD or see it on television. If on the other hand you are a die heart fan or have young children who like Star Wars, then it may be worth it to you to see it at your local movie theater.

The film will be released DVD on November 11, 2008 in the United States. The film will be released as a single-disc DVD, two-disc Special Edition DVD, and a Blu-ray DVD. The film's UK 2-disc DVD and Blu-ray will be released on December 8, 2008.

Amazon.com Widgets

Star Wars Halloween Movie Costumes

2008-09-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

I think the Star Wars Movies offer some great Costumes for both adults and children. Amazon.com offers the whole line, check them out below.

Bobba Fett

Darth Vader

Slave Girl Princess Leia

Star Wars Movie Costumes Slide Show

Amazon.com Widgets

New Quantum Of Solace Poster

2008-09-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

I think I like the New Quantum Of Solace Poster better. Check out some other new Quantum of Solace photos @ ComingSoon.net.

APs Review of Last Weeks Movies 22Sep08

2008-09-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

Samuel L. Jackson's latest thriller "Lakeview Terrace" sits atop the box office, after a slow September weekend (Sept. 22). I like to take a look at the Associated Press video of movies for the week.

'Lakeview Terrace' Tops Box Office

Top Five Movies (09/22/08)

Lakeview Terrace
Burn After Reading
My Best Friends Girl
Igor
Rightous Kill

Star Trek 2009 Posters and Trailer

2008-09-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Buy at AllPosters.com

Buy at AllPosters.com

Emulsion Compulsion on Cartoon Movie Posters

2008-09-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

Scott Marks over at Emulsion Compulsion wrote a very interesting and informative post titled Cartoon Movie Posters.

If you like movie posters, and I know you do, or if you like cartoons, then you will learn some stuff by checking out this post.

Ghostbuster Movie on A Thumb Drive

2008-09-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with thumb drives when I got my first one a year an half or so a go. I really love them. So I was amazed when I recently read about a collaboration between Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and PNY (a maker of USB Hard Drives).

You can read about it in an article at CustomPC titled Ghostbusters is first film to be released on USB stick.

And I also like the movie Ghostbusters and am looking forward the the new remake that is coming out soon.

PNY USB Thumb Drive @ Amazon.com

Ghostbuster Movies @ Amazon.com