Sigh.

I really tried with this one. I made it halfway. I’m not at all convinced the director of the repellent, mean-spirited bro-“comedy” The Hangover, Todd Phillips, is equipped for or interested in responsibly handling the art or the issues he chooses to evoke in Joker, as evidenced by the mono-dimensional lack of any counterweight to the relentless self-pity. And yet, compelling things can come from earnest emulation and dive-bombing into deeper-than-ye-reckoned waters, so… eh?

I won’t wade into the hullaballoo – thankfully, here’s Now You See It to sit on the fence, perhaps not beside, but somewhere near me:

Wait, what:

Further Viewing

While opinions of the movie vary, there seems to be universal praise for two elements: the performance from Joaquin Phoenix; and the cinematography of Lawrence Sher – who offers a 15 minute masterclass, accessible to beginners, on colour in film:

Film School: Colour In Film with Lawrence Sher