Joker Folie à Deux (5 Stars)

Why it surpasses the first film

Joker (2019) was a character study built on grit, alienation and a slow descent into madness. Joker: Folie à Deux keeps that foundation yet pushes the concept into stranger bolder territory. This shift is exactly what makes it a stronger film. Where the first film offered a grim portrait of a man collapsing under the weight of society, the sequel becomes a fever dream shared between two unstable souls. It is more daring, more self aware and far more playful with the idea of cinematic reality.

The most obvious difference is the musical structure. Instead of repeating the grounded aesthetic of the first film, Folie à Deux uses musical sequences as windows into Arthur and Harley’s shared delusion. These scenes are not simple gimmicks; they become expressions of their mental state. The first film showed Arthur imagining an audience that never applauded him; the sequel lets him build entire worlds in song. The musical moments allow the film to explore fantasy, desire and dependency in ways the original could not. This added layer of surrealism gives the sequel more emotional range.

The chemistry between Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga also strengthens the narrative. Phoenix retains his uneasy unpredictability, yet Gaga brings a chaotic vulnerability that reshapes Arthur’s story. She does not imitate past versions of Harley; she invents her own that fits this universe. The dynamic between them has more energy than anything in the first film. It creates tension, tenderness and danger. Their relationship becomes the engine of the plot rather than a simple consequence of Arthur’s actions.

The sequel also feels less burdened by the need to justify itself as a “serious” comic book movie. It allows moments of humour to seep through, then happily undercuts them with dread. The result is more confident and more artistically free. Where the first film sometimes felt restrained by its insistence on realism, Folie à Deux embraces the subjective chaos of its characters. The film shifts tone with purpose; suddenly a scene is menacing, then it becomes operatic, then intimate. This variety makes it richer and more memorable.

Visually the sequel is more expressive. The colour palette is bolder and the cinematography leans into the idea of unreliable perception. Gotham still feels oppressive, yet it also becomes theatrical, almost like a stage for Arthur and Harley’s fantasies. This blend of harshness and fantasy gives the film an identity distinctly separate from the first.

Most importantly the sequel expands the themes. Instead of focusing mainly on systemic neglect it explores shared delusion, co-dependency and the longing to be seen. Arthur’s story becomes larger than a lonely man’s breakdown; it becomes an unsettling duet about two people who find comfort in each other’s madness. It is disturbing, sometimes touching and always compelling.

Joker: Folie à Deux improves on the first film by refusing to repeat it. It is weirder, more emotional and more ambitious. Instead of explaining Arthur Fleck it lets us get lost in the world he creates with Harley. In doing so it becomes a sequel that dares to be different and ends up being more satisfying.

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Joker Folie à Deux (5 Stars)

I didn't think it was necessary to make a second film about the Joker. The first film said it all. Joaquin Phoenix was only prepared to make a sequel if it went in a different direction. That's what I saw today. Maybe the film was too different for critics and the audience, but it's exactly the film that Joaquin wanted to make.

Arthur Fleck, the Joker, is in prison for almost all of the film. Long sequences take part as a courtroom drama. On the whole, courtroom dramas are boring, but this problem was solved by interspersed musical numbers. Some were dreams, while others simply happened without explanation. I've read reviews that say the music was out of place. I disagree entirely. The music gives the film its strength. They also say there's not enough action. They don't get it. It was never intended to be an action film.

DC has further distanced itself from the film. There's no DC logo at the beginning of the film. I find this appropriate. The Joker in the film isn't the same character that we know from the comics or the Batman films. The comics are just a rough inspiration for the film. In the comics the Joker is a master criminal; in the film he's just a confused psychotic man.

The film is still in the cinemas, but initial predictions suggest it will be a box office flop. That would be a tragedy. Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for his performance in the first film, and he's just as outstanding in "Folie à Deux". Lady Gaga is an incredible actress, as always. Brendan Gleeson, one of my favourite actors, is brilliant as the abusive hospital orderly Jackie Sullivan. In my opinion, this is a film that everyone needs to see. Hurry, while it's still in the cinemas.

The Banshees of Inisherin (5 Stars)

This is one of the favourites to win the Best Film Oscar at the 2023 Academy Awards. I can see why. It's an intense drama that takes place in a small community, arguably a community that's too small to contain such a large drama.

Colm (Brendan Gleeson) and Padraic (Colin Farrell) are two men who live on a small island on the Irish coast. In the picture above they're standing on the beach gazing at the mainland, which means it's not far away, a couple of miles at most. But however close they are, their lives are far removed from the activities on the mainland. It's 1923, and the Irish Civil War is raging, but not on the island. Nobody on the island, least of all Colm and Padraic, understand what the fighting is about. Everyone on the island gets on with everyone else. Colm and Padraic go to the pub every day at 2 pm, presumably staying till late. Doesn't anyone work? Probably not.

One day Colm decides he doesn't want to be Padraic's friend any more. Basically, Colm wants to achieve something in his life. He doesn't want to be forgotten when he dies. Instead of spending every day in meaningless conversations with Padraic, he wants to write a song that will be sung after his death. That's a noble goal, but Padraic doesn't understand it. He has no aspirations of being anything more than a poor man who lived and died on a small island. He wants to spend his time drinking with his friend.

So Padraic pesters Colm. He keeps going to him and asking why they can't be friends any more. Colm resorts to drastic measures. He says that every time Padraic speaks to him he'll cut off one of his own fingers.

Is the film a comedy? There are scenes that make people laugh, but I wouldn't call it a comedy, not even a dark comedy. It's more of a tragedy. While the Civil War is being fought on the grand stage, Colm and Padraic are arguing in a smaller environment.

Despite the calm life on the island, there doesn't seem to be any true happiness. We don't see any married couples. Colm lives alone, while Padraic lives with his sister in a house that's so small that they have to share a bedroom. It's possible that the other men on the island are married, but we never see them with their wives. It's a community of lonely people who live side by side.

I don't know whether the film has a deeper meaning. I need to watch it again. Even if it doesn't have a deeper meaning, I enjoy it for the atmosphere alone. And the scenery is beautiful. Ireland is a country I've always wanted to visit, but it's too late now. I should have gone while I was younger.

The Guard (4½ Stars)

Netflix Thursday #22

While clicking around Netflix I found this film which I already have on Blu-ray at home. It's worth watching again, so why not today?

It's the meeting of two worlds. A hard-nosed FBI agent is sent from America to Galway, a sleepy little town on the Irish coast, to wait for an illegal drugs shipment to arrive from America. It's $500,000 of cocaine. He has to team up with an Irish police sergeant who enjoys working in a quiet town and wants it to stay quiet.

There's only one good thing about racism: it's good to laugh at. When shown photos of the alleged drug dealers, all white, Sergeant Boyle exclaims, "I thought all drug dealers are black". When this statement is questioned, he adds "Or Mexicans". In a later scene he justifies being racist by saying that racism is part of the Irish culture. Yes, racists are stupid, and it's fun to laugh at them, whether it's in a film or in real life.

Yesterday I watched the first episode of "Wednesday" out of curiosity. It's good to see a new series created by Al Gough and Miles Millar. It's more than 20 years since they started "Smallville", but they still have creative talent. In addition, Tim Burton has directed four of the episodes. I wanted to write something about the first episode yesterday, but I didn't have time. My granddaughter Rose was sick, so I had to step in as babysitter for eight hours. I'll put off writing about "Wednesday" until I've caught up with my "Smallville" posts. When I return to Germany I'll be five weeks behind, and I want to catch up as quickly as possible. My posts about "Wednesday" will probably concentrate on presenting screenshots rather than writing full reviews. Probably. I'll make my mind up when I get to it. If I don't start writing about "Wednesday" by the end of the year, feel free to write an offensive comment to remind me of my promise.

Success Rate:  + 1.5

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Lake Placid (4 Stars)

Betty White is dead.

Those are words that I didn't think I would have to write. There was already some media buzz about her upcoming 100th birthday on 17th January 2022. She didn't make it. She died yesterday morning at home. The cause of death hasn't yet been disclosed, except that it was natural causes.

She's had a long acting career, but I first became aware of her about 20 years ago when I saw reruns of "The Golden Girls" (1985 to 1992). I've never been a fan of American sitcoms, but the concept of four elderly ladies living together interested me. I wouldn't say that I found the episodes laugh-out-loud funny, but I found the old ladies sweet. Even then, Betty White stood out as the one who attracted me most.

A short time later I saw "Lake Placid" for the first time. Betty White has a small but important role in the film as an old woman who keeps giant crocodiles as pets. After a diver is killed she tries to cover up the existence of the crocodiles.

I'm sorry to say that "Lake Placid" is the only film in which I ever saw her, but I didn't forget her over the following years. Betty White remained active in social media, and I was always fascinated by whatever she had to say. What I liked about her so much was that she sounded so young. She always retained the playful attitude of a teenage girl. If I'd met her in a chatroom I would have guessed her age as 16.

One of her most famous quotes sounds like a joke, but it's actually true:

"Why do people say 'grow some balls'? Balls are weak and sensitive. If you wanna be tough, grow a vagina. Those things can take a pounding".

Now she's passed away. She'll be missed not only by her family and friends, but by the millions of fans who've watched her from afar over the years. People like me.

Betty, we'll always love you.

It's sad to see the cover of the latest issue of People magazine. They jumped the gun.

Betty White
January 17, 1922 – December 31, 2021

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In Bruges (5 Stars)

Where's Bruges? It's in Belgium. It's a beautiful little town that most people have never heard of, unless they've seen this film.

Don't watch this film if you're easily offended. The characters are racist, homophobic and dwarfophobic, or whatever the word is for being prejudiced against dwarfs.

The film is about  two Irish hit men who've been ordered by their boss to hide in Bruges after an assassination was botched. Ken (Brendan Gleeson) is an older, experienced assassin. Ray (Colin Farrell) is a young man who's suffering from guilt after messing up his first job. Ken wants to spend time enjoying the sights of Bruges. Ray hates the town and can't wait to get back to England.

The language is foul throughout. Neither of the men is capable of speaking two sentences in a row that don't contain the F word. And yet we can't help liking the two characters. Their on screen charisma is overwhelming.

However, the film's main character isn't either of these magnificent actors, it's the city of Bruges itself. The director visited Bruges in advance and made a note of the tourist attractions. He put them all in the film. If you've never been to Bruges, watch this film as an alternative.

Success Rate:  + 0.3

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In Bruges (5 Stars)

I mentioned recently that I've been looking through my DVD collection for films that I haven't watched since September 2010 when I started my blog. Surprisingly, this is one of them. How could I have forgotten this brilliant film? I don't know if "forgotten" is the right word. I could clearly remember the plot and many of the scenes, but I'd forgotten how good it is. I sat laughing out loud as I re-watched it this evening.

Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are two of the world's best actors. I doubt many people would disagree with me. Their onscreen charisma is overwhelming. They play two Irish hit men who have been ordered by their boss to hide in Bruges after an assassination was botched. Ken (Brendan Gleeson) is an older, experienced assassin. Ray (Colin Farrell) is a young man who is suffering from guilt after messing up his first job. Ken wants to spend time enjoying the sights of Bruges. Ray hates the town and can't wait to get back to England.

"I grew up in Dublin, so I love Dublin. If I'd grown up on a farm and was retarded Bruges might impress me, but I didn't, so it doesn't".

I can't say much more without giving away the plot to those of you who haven't seen it yet. The scenery of Bruges is beautiful, but somehow sterile. It's easy to see how some could love it while others hate it. The placid appearance is in stark contrast to the subculture of drugs and violence.

The film was made in 2008 and directed by Martin McDonagh, who has recently become famous for his film "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri". That's doubtlessly a good film, but "In Bruges" is his greatest masterpiece so far.

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28 Days Later (4½ Stars)

"28 Days Later" was made in 2002 by the consistently excellent director Danny Boyle. He was brave enough to make a zombie film at a time when zombie films were out of fashion. Referring to my comments in my review of "Ready Player One", that's a risk Steven Spielberg wouldn't have taken. Unexpectedly, it was a massive box office hit, earning back more than 10 times its budget. It's had a big influence on the modern zombie genre. For instance, the TV series "The Walking Dead" borrows strongly from its ideas.

The title takes its name from the speed of the infection. The film begins with animal activists freeing a monkey from a laboratory where it's being used as a test subject. The monkey bites a female activist, who then bites her colleagues. The speed of the infection is devastating. Within 10 seconds of being bitten a person becomes a ravenous monster and bites others. 28 days later more than 99% of the UK's population has been turned into monsters.

The film follows the struggle of the young man Jim to survive, aided only by a few others that he meets on his journey northwards from London to Manchester. At first he naively believes that he can trust all the other survivors, but he finds out that he's wrong. Bad people don't become better when they're put under pressure, they get worse.

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Assassin's Creed (4 Stars)

This is a film based on the popular Assassin's Creed games designed by Ubisoft for PlayStation, Xbox and Microsoft Windows. I've never played the games myself, but from my understanding the film only uses the fictional universe of the games as a premise while telling a new story. The story concerns two ancient organisations, the Templars and the Assassins, who have been battling for centuries. They both have the same goal, but have different methods of achieving it. The Templars want to have peace on Earth by reconditioning mankind to give up their free will. The Assassins want peace on Earth by killing those who oppose peace.

Callum Lynch is a criminal on death row awaiting execution. However, after receiving the lethal injection he wakes up in Spain. He's told that the execution was faked, because the Templars want him to carry out a mission for them. He is the last living descendant of an Assassin who fought in Spain in 1492. With the help of a device called the Animus a person can directly experience the life of one of his ancestors. The Templars want Callum to reveal to them the location of an artefact called the Apple of Eden, supposedly an apple from the tree in the Garden of Eden that first gave man the ability to see the difference between good and evil. Using this apple the Templars want to undo the effects of the first apple and make mankind innocent again.

Callum agrees to assist the Templars in their quest, but as he continues he begins to understand his heritage as an Assassin.

The film features incredible acting by Michael Fassbender as Callum Lynch. In contrast, the film's main actress, Marion Cotillard, is bland and uninteresting. I fail to understand her current popularity in Hollywood. She hasn't impressed me in any films she's made until now.

I have a few thoughts about the film's background, in particular its representation of the Templars, often referred to as the Knights Templar. Did they exist in 1492? According to historical records the Templars were a military organisation within the Roman Catholic Church from 1129 to 1312, when they were officially disbanded. The film identifies the Templars with the Spanish Inquisition, asserting that Tomas de Torquemada was the leader of the Templars. There is no historical support for this theory.

Today's Templar organisations were founded in the 18th Century, different organisations arguing with one another over which of them is the real organisation. The truth is that none of them are. The new organisations are all Protestant in their theology, whereas the original Templars were Catholic. The only connection between the old and the new organisations is a determination to fight against the spread of Islam.

The film's action takes place in 1492. Is this the correct year? Sultan Muhammad XII surrendered on January 2nd 1492, but the film's action seems to take place while he was still in power.

Apart from these minor quibbles, it's an exciting action film. A lot is expected from it. Even before the film was completed it was stated that two sequels were planned, and some scenes for the second film were shot in advance to save money. Critics are unhappy with the film, but the initial reports suggest that "Assassin's Creed" will be a box office success, though maybe not as big a success as expected.

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Lake Placid (4 Stars)

Grandma, what a big mouth you have!

 It's a long time since I watched this film, at least 10 years. It used to be one of my favourite films. Watching it again today I don't rate it quite as highly. Or maybe it's just my mood.

The film is centred around a lake called Black Lake in Maine. The lake really exists, but since the film was made in Canada other lakes were used for filming. As far as the film's name goes, that's explained early on. "We wanted to call it Lake Placid, but the name was taken". After a number of mysterious deaths in the lake it's discovered that there's a giant crocodile, estimated to be 30 feet long. Kelly Scott is a palaeontologist sent from New York to investigate. She's assisted by Hector Cyr, a mythology professor with a passion for crocodiles. Why mythology? Hector explains that in many civilisations crocodiles are worshipped as Gods, and he himself has a morbid fascination with them.

The film is marketed as a horror film, but it has a lot of comedy. The main characters clash to comic effect. For me the film's main star is Betty White, the old woman who lives at the side of the lake. It doesn't matter how old she is – she was born on 17 January 1922 – she still has the attitude of a sassy teenage girl. I love her!

Due to family staying with me for the next two weeks I'll have less time to spend on my blog. I'll still write reviews every day, but they will probably be shorter than usual.

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Alone in Berlin (4½ Stars)

Otto and Anna Quangel are a middle-aged couple who live in Berlin in 1940. They both support Adolf Hitler, not because of any political convictions, but because they're patriotic Germans. Otto is the shift leader in a factory that makes coffins. Anna belongs to a women's group that visits unemployed women to encourage them to find work that's useful for the war effort, such as manufacturing weapons. They're both good Germans, in their own way.

One day the news comes that their son, their only child, was killed during the invasion of France. This makes them question whether their loyalty to Hitler is misplaced. Otto begins to write messages on postcards criticising Hitler and drops them in public places throughout the city. Most of the postcards are handed in to the authorities, so the young police inspector Escherich is assigned to find the person who wrote them.

The film is based on the lives of Otto and Elise Hempel, about whom a novel was written in 1947, entitled "Everyone dies alone". The novel was filmed twice in Germany, in 1962 and 1975, as well as two television mini-series about their lives being made in 1970 and 2004. The novel was finally translated into English in 2009, which has led to this English language film. Something about the story fascinates people. It shows how a simple person was able to resist Hitler in his own small way.

This is a magnificent film with powerful acting by the lead characters. Brendan Gleeson is quiet, almost stoic in his resistance, expecting to be captured and executed as a traitor at any time, but having no fear of death. Emma Thompson is emotional, afraid that her husband will lose his life. For me personally the most intense person in the film is Daniel Brühl as Inspector Eschinger. He isn't a Nazi, but he takes his job as a policeman seriously. His motivation is to catch criminals, and whoever is writing the postcards is guilty of inciting disorder. His job is made more difficult by the Gestapo, who want to turn it into a political case.

Calvary (4½ Stars)

It must be wonderful to know when you're going to die. This blessing is given to Father James, a Catholic priest who lives and works in a small coastal town near Sligo in Ireland. He has the chance to avoid death, but he chooses to face it head on.

I'm ready to die, if I were able to die the way I want to. I've been willing to die for at least 30 years, though I only began to seriously consider it 20 years ago. Those who don't know me very well would be sad at my passing, but my closest friends would rejoice with me if I managed to find the death that I want.

Death is something that everyone does. It's the culmination of a person's life. It's the last thing he does. As such, it's too important to be left to chance. It's also something too beautiful to be left until old age. How can you possibly enjoy death if your body is racked with pain? It's something to be done while you're young and strong.

Father James is given a whole week, seven and a half days, to prepare for his death. That would be ideal. If I were given the opportunity to die the way I want to I would like to have a week to set my affairs in order. On the other hand, if the opportunity were presented to me today I would take it rather than risk missing out.

In the Heart of the Sea (4 Stars)

This is the true story that inspired the famous American novel "Moby Dick". Following the style of 10th Century novellas, it begins in 1850, but most of the story takes place in 1820.

The author Herman Melville visits an inn owned by Thomas Nickerson (Brendan Gleeson), the last remaining survivor of the Essex, a whaleship that was lost at sea. Nickerson has never told the story of the ship to anyone, so Melville offers him a large bribe. Not even this can persuade Nickerson, racked by guilt over what happened, but Nickerson's wife insists that he should take the money.

In 1820 the Essex sailed to sea to kill whales for oil. At that time whales were the soul source of the oil that was used for home and street lighting. The most experienced sailor was Owen Chase (Christ Hemsworth), but another man, George Pollard, was picked as captain because of his family connections. That was the journey's first mistake. When lives are at stake an inexperienced man shouldn't be put in charge.

After mishaps on the voyage the Essex finally finds a large school of whales, but their attempts to kill a large white whale lead to their ship being sunk, hundreds of miles from land. They escape in lifeboats, but the whale follows them. When the food runs out the men have to resort to desperate measures to survive, including cannibalism.

This is a visually spectacular film. There are first class performances by all the actors, but Brendan Gleeson stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Suffragette (5 Stars)

"Never surrender. Never give up the fight".

The Suffragette movement in the early 20th Century was unique in the history of revolutions. All other revolutions were spearheaded by the suppressed workers. The Suffragette movement was a revolution of middle class women. It could be argued that they didn't need to revolt. They had comfortable lives, they had money, they could do whatever they wanted. But there was one thing they couldn't do. They weren't allowed to vote. They took a stand, fighting for something that most of the working class women didn't care about. Why would a poor woman want to vote when she was more worried about earning enough money to feed her children? In that respect, England's middle class women saw more clearly. They fought to give the working class women what they needed, not necessarily what they wanted.

Having said that, what I enjoy most about this film is that it doesn't concentrate on the fight of middle class women. The main character is Maud Watts, a woman who works in a laundry. As she says of herself, she started work part time when she was 7, full time when she was 12, and she was now a forewoman at 24, but she still earned less than the male employees. This makes the film more poignant. We see a woman suffering from issues other than not being able to vote. For Maud the right to vote is a means to an end, she wants women to vote so that new laws can be passed to achieve equality for women.

The film did make me question some of my personal ethics. I'm someone who believes in obeying the law. If I don't like what's happening around me I call upon the law to be changed to stop it happening. In short, I'm a good citizen. That wasn't the case with the Suffragettes. They weren't good citizens, they were rebels. They broke the law. They smashed shop windows and blew up houses. That was the right thing to do. If they hadn't taken extreme measures women still wouldn't be able to vote today.

"Never surrender. Never give up the fight".

Is the fight over? I think not. I'm not just talking about countries like Saudi Arabia where women still aren't allowed to vote. I'm talking about England. Women have equality in theory, but not in fact. Women are paid lower wages, as long as it isn't admitted that their gender is the reason for the discrimination. When women complain about it men point at the few top women who earn more than most men, trying to distract from the fact that they're rare examples.

Emmeline Pankhurst (who we only see briefly in the film) didn't accept the status quo and the breadcrumbs thrown to her by men. She was a revolutionary. She fought for something that the majority of women in England didn't know they needed. In the same way Valerie Solanas fought for the overthrow of male-dominated society in the 1960's, although most women didn't listen to her. I fear that the fight has already been given up. Women today have been brainwashed into believing that they've already won. It's time to take up the fight again, not stopping until all patriarchal structures in government and religion have been overthrown.

Calvary (4 Stars)

Just like "The Guard", "Calvary" was written and directed by John Michael McDonagh. Both films star the prolific Irish actor Brendan Gleeson in the lead role. Both films take place in small coastal towns in Ireland. But that's where the similarity ends. These are two very different films. Whereas "The Guard" is a comedy, "Calvary" is a very dark and intense film. That's not to say that there aren't occasional bursts of humour, but the humour all comes from the supporting characters. Brendan plays his role very seriously, aptly portraying a man who is deeply religious and very fervent in what he believes. He is fighting to uphold the values of the Roman Catholic church in a society which no longer believes.

James Lavelle is the priest in a small town in the Irish Republic. A man comes into the confession booth. We don't see who it is, and his identity is hidden from the viewers until the end of the film, but the priest recognises him by his voice. Instead of confessing, the man reveals that he was raped by a priest when he was seven, and it continued several times a week until he was twelve. He can no longer take revenge because the priest is dead. The man has decided to kill Father Lavelle in his place, even though he knows that he is a good priest. He announces that he will kill Father Lavelle on the beach a week on Sunday.

Father Lavelle is at first uncertain what to do, but then decides that he can't report the man to the police because of his vow of silence. Over the next week he goes about his normal business, visiting and counselling the members of his parish. Some of his parishioners are religious, most aren't. The viewers know that one of the men he visits must be the killer, but we aren't given any clues.

This is a very powerful film. When it ended there was absolute silence in the cinema, and it took a while for the first people to stand up and leave.

The Guard (4½ Stars)

Films like this remind me that I should watch more comedies. Sure, I've watched a few films with subtle humour lately, but I need to watch more films that will make me laugh out loud.

This is an Irish film made in 2011. In fact, it's the most successful Irish film of all time, as far as box office takings are concerned. It's a story about two unequal cops teaming up to solve a crime. This is a constantly recurring theme in police films. Gerry Boyle is a police sergeant in the sleepy little district of Connemara in western Ireland. An international drug trafficking ring is going to unload $500 million worth of cocaine, so a high profile FBI agent is sent from America to assist with the investigations. The comic situations are predictable, but nevertheless hilarious.