It is inevitable that we finally get the cinematic treatment of a standalone, origin story about Batman’s longtime foe, especially with the hero’s appeal waning throughout the years in the movie theaters. Director Todd Philipps has crafted Joker that consciously distances itself from the current crop of comicbook films. It is brutal, knowingly dark, and has borrowed a lot from noir and psychological thrillers. Philipps knows the strengths of his actors, particularly Robert De Niro, Frances Conroy, and Joaquin Phoenix. Sadly, Zazie Beetz is criminally underutilized here.
Much adulation has been said about Phoenix’s performance, and all of those are true. You simply cannot ignore Phoenix, just by the sight of him alone in each frame. He has this gangly body like stretched rubber, one that is always at the point of breaking. And break he did. This is an acting that is tremendous, almost grotesque in its unhinged ferociousness. Comparisons to Heath Ledger's Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight are valid. But Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck—the character before it became the infamous Joker—is different. Here is an unlucky man-child who works as a hired clown, dreams of becoming a standup comic, and lives with an ailing mother in a world that is systemically determined to make their lives miserable. It doesn’t help that Fleck has a condition that prompts him to laugh, painfully, at the most unfavorable times.
The movie has its funny moments (it is The Joker after all), but unlike the quippy Marvel humor, these moments still involve chaos and bloodshed. Yes, bloodshed. And poverty. And confusion. And government budget cuts. And secret bloodlines. And the good old cruelty and manipulative injustices of society. This sounds bleak and hopeless, but that is the point.
And it makes this movie dangerous.
It is basically a vivid representation of our flaws, of all that we usually ignore and the consequences we get from doing so. Despite its (successful) attempt at fleshing out the grey areas of our regular excuse of “us being simply humans,” it is terrifying to imagine the glee, the affirmation, people who have been equating mental health issues to something abstract and purely evil could get from this film. It is also difficult to shake off the feeling that it has the potential to heighten the stigma around said issues and to validate revenge fantasies—especially for people with impressionable minds in the age of violent instant gratification, Trump, and Duterte. With a pop culture subject that is as massive and influential as The Joker, it is not funny. It has just become too real and scary.
[ image borrowed from this site ]
After reading many of the searing reviews of "Justice League" three days ago, I went to the cinema to watch the movie for myself, with the excitement of a trip to the dentist. You'd go anyway even if you know you'd end up getting hurt because you've been through it all. But, boy, was I surprised. I liked it from start to finish. "Justice League", directed by Zack Snyder, who I think from now on should be a cinematographer instead, has the director’s staple sins: the addiction to slow-motion, the painfully obvious male gaze (do we really have to see Diana’s behind when people are having a conversation?), the third act that always falls into the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) movie rote of unsubtle CGI spectacle. Yes, there are hurried jumps from one scene to another, typical of a Snyder attention span, but I don’t quite agree with the incoherence complaint. I think it’s a sentiment that’s overblown, attributed to the frustration to finally see a great DC movie (next to Wonder Woman and Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy)—especially a Justice League movie—only to end up not being rewarded with one’s expectations. In fact, the movie is the most coherent in all DCEU movies in that it has the most simplistic story to tell. It’s so simple you can it sum it up in one sentence: Bruce and Diana have to round up a team to prevent three magical boxes from merging and stop an invasion that would literally demolish the human world. Each of the team has enough character this time—not just grim and brooding. Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman remains a wonder. She is a delight in every scene. Ezra Miller’s the Flash and Jason Momoa’s (ultra-scruffy) Aquaman got me looking forward to their solo outings. Cyborg and Batman though looked tired all the time, I feel sorry for them. As for Superman…(?) The dynamics here reminded me of the 90’s Bruce Timm Justice League animated series on Cartoon Network wherein its unsophistication makes it charming. It is quite refreshing, too, compared to the lofty mythologizing, heavy-handed philosophical musings of the previous Snyder-DC films (let’s forget about Ayer’s “Suicide Squad”). Even Danny Elfman’s score goes for the classics, closely honing on John Williams’ Superman theme and his very own Tim Burton-Batman theme. But, of course, he manages to slip in there Hans Zimmer’s now iconic piano tinkling for Superman and electric cello bursts for Wonder Woman, and I do not really mind. When I left the cinema, I totally forgot what the critics had said. I had an awesome ride. That ending got me excited, and that is something I rarely say for a DCEU movie. We need to see more. This franchise needs to be saved.
[ photo borrowed from this site ]
After 75 years since its inception in comic book form, we are finally blessed with a “Wonder Woman” movie. And in a milieu that often witnesses several remakes of Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man, it is refreshing that Patty Jenkins—a female director no less—finally gets the superheroine to the silver screen and gets it right. Here is a straight-up origin story; how a young resolute Amazon in mythical island nation of Themyscira becomes Diana Prince in hideous First World War-era London and ultimately becomes the savior that the story requires (and the whole Justice League narrative in the coming years). The narrative is precise, and it is a film not beleaguered by beautiful but incoherent moments, the same moments that bog down “Man of Steel” [2013], “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” [2016], and “Suicide Squad” [2016]. Credit goes to Gal Gadot who embodies Wonder Woman’s intelligence and naiveté, royalty and athleticism so effortlessly. She is born for this role. All of these traits make for a perfect foil to Chris Pine’s spirited, believably charismatic Steve Trevor. I also think this is the first time in a long while in a superhero movie that a group of women in tight and curiously skin-baring armours never felt gratuitous and vulgar, with not a single shot lingering on cleavages and derrieres. Instead, the film focuses—quite unbelievably because it has never been portrayed that way until today—on these women’s wit, strength, and above all, compassion. The past DC films have been aggressive with their philosophy, masculinity, and pandering sulkiness, as if everyone has gone cold and dead inside. But “Wonder Woman” goes the other route. Although it is not a perfect route, especially the latter part's CGI bonanza, it reaches its goal in making a necessary and relevant hero: that one needs to have heart, even in a time of hate and deception. It is a film (not just a superhero film) that is surely remembered for its message, not its minor flaws. Simply put, this film is way “above average.” If you know what I mean.
[ image borrowed from this site ]
If what Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart have said were true, that James Mangold's "Logan" will be their final movie as Wolverine and Charles Xavier, then they are definitely leaving the 17-year-old franchise with a bang. And you, breathless. This latest X-Men movie is void of the other mutants we’ve come to love and make its universe colorful. Meaning, there is no shape-shifting Mystique, there is no Magneto bending a fork. In fact, there is not much obvious (and sometimes cheap-looking) CGI at work here compared to that forgettable Apocalypse outing. In this storyline though that takes place in the year 2029, we have Jackman’s Wolverine who is now extremely rugged and is becoming increasingly cynic to everyone around him, including a Professor X who seems to have aged not so very well. Both seems to be withering not only on the outside but also deep within the recesses of their being. And we have Laura, a new mutant who could be the perfect remedy for the numerous doubts and hopelessness of Wolverine. Or not? It is hard not to see this film as a reflection of our current times—the never-ending hate towards people who are different from other people, the uncertainties that meet us in every corner, the fragile thread that connects life and death. This film is brutal, angry, and in several instances, too painful to watch, that it totally upends all of our existing notions of the strong, seemingly unbreakable superhero—which is very ironic for a character with super-healing powers. And for a character that wields sinister blades from the edges of his fists, Logan is a surprise in that we only got this kind of Wolverine movie just now. Although Mangold may have succeeded in finally shedding light on the weaknesses of iconic superheroes, this one ultimately ends on a strong, high note. I am putting this up there, next to Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” [2008] and Joe Johnston’s “Captain America: The First Avenger,” as one of the best comic-book superhero movies in recent memory.
[ image borrowed from this site ]
When I learned that Scott Derrickson’s “Doctor Strange” was finally screening in the local cinemas, I was genuinely excited. But one evening, upon leaving the theater, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I’ve been through this before. You see, the latest Marvel Studio’s film is like Iron Man but only with magic—here is an arrogant man that went through disastrous circumstances and went through a period of recovery and then discovery and went on saving the world (and the reality of existence itself) and went on meeting an Avenger. This is not to say that Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance as the titular character is unimpressive. In fact, it is the opposite. He is full of wit, full of sharp, biting British humor. But then again, it feels like I’ve been through this before too. Case in point: his performance in the much-superior “Sherlock” TV series. It is a shame because this film has rounded up such an extraordinary, talented group of actors. There is Tilda Swinton who, without surprise, manages to pull off being a bald, seemingly-Oriental sorcerer but remains only as a fortune cookie wisdom-giver to our hero (which only further confirms my belief that she is Hollywood’s Meryl Streep for surreal, out-there characters). There is Mads Mikkelsen who is born to be a villain (see “Hannibal”, “Casino Royale”) but unfortunately ends up just like many of the villains in the past Marvel films: forgettable. There is Chiwetel Ejiofor who is such a solid artist in films like “12 Years A Slave” [2013] and “Children of Men” [2006] but also ends up like Mads Mikkelsen. There is Rachel McAdams who, as always, aces her job as a tough-cookie woman in a world dominated by men, just like in her past movie and television roles, only to be relegated in this movie as the obligatory love interest of our hero (which even felt forced). There is Benedict Wong who seems to be added in the cast to quiet down the controversy of having Tilda Swinton taking over the role of an Asian character. But all in all, it was an enjoyable viewing, especially if one does not think of all these little grievances or those who couldn’t care less (just like those in the audience who didn’t laugh at moments of hilarity but laughed at the sight of a black man). And those visuals, what a treat! I will not say they are original. In fact, such bombastic imagery has been previously showcased to great effect in films like The Matrix Trilogy, “Dark City” [1998], “The Adjustment Bureau” [2011], and most obviously, Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” [2010]. I think the action sequences are what saved this film from being mediocre at best—when the laws of physics are violently wrenched and broken here and there by both friendly and unfriendly sorcerers, the Rube Goldberg, M.C. Escher-like set pieces will certainly leave everyone in awe, as in literally, you will open your mouth in amazement. Which is kind of good, I guess, because it will remind you of your popcorn getting cold in the dark.
[ photo borrowed from this site ]
I am not sure if every Filipino knows this, but August is Buwan ng Kasaysayan, and while history in this country is now muddled with lies and denial, with many people easily falling for online memes and fabrications, there are remedies to keep the truth from slipping away into obscurity. One of them is the literary arts. Through the imagination of Filipino writers, we cull the insights and the universal truth this nation desperately needs. But for a country with a writer as its national hero, it is ironic that only a few of the populace know about Filipino works of literature. Sad, but it is not the end. There's hope. That's why we have Buwan ng mga Akdang Pinoy, a celebration to bring the spotlight back to our talented, hard working artists. And I'll begin it with this...
I have been following Manix Abrera's comics in the early 2000's through the pages of Philippine Daily Inquirer. So imagine the joy I had when finally, in college, I got his very first compilation titled Mga Tagpong Mukhang Ewan At Kung Anu-ano Pang Kababalaghan. Abrera's humor is not for the faint of heart. It is direct, unapologetic, and although it sometimes border on the metaphysical, it remains sharp that it slices through you, making you ask yourself instead if it is indeed funny or painful because it hits you right on the spot. I've once worked for the student publication for three years back in college, and we juggled our tasks like mad to meet the required weekly (yes, weekly) output, so this particular edition, Hukbong Sandatahan ng Kahagardan!, is a gem because it accurately details the comedy and pains of working as a journalist. It is dark at times, yes, it is brimming with piping hot sarcasm, but it is signature Abrera to put you off for a moment but bring you back in to its uncomfortable embrace. There's a lot more to say about Manix Abrera and his works, but I suggest you guys go see them for yourselves. You'll get a good laugh. That's what we need these days, right?
#BuwanNgMgaAkdangPinoy
