Movie Review: "Joker: Folie a Deux" - Bad Romance

 

There's probably no better recent example of having too much of a good thing than Todd Phillips' "Joker". While the 2019 film starring Joaquin Phoenix had a mixed reception from critics, it was a surprise hit with audiences and grossed over a billion dollars. It was a unique adaptation that worked as a standalone story giving us a deep dive psychological character study that leaves you questioning his perception of reality. But when you have a billion-dollar hit, the word "standalone" means nothing in the quest for more money. While the idea of a Joker sequel was already head scratching, making it a jukebox musical and casting Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn was pushing the envelope. Still, the first Joker movie was a risk that paid off well, so maybe Phillips could turn out another successful project with "Joker: Folie a Deux"? Well, to paraphrase Dr. Ian Malcolm, they spent so much time wondering if they could that didn't ask if they should.

Let's go ahead and get the positives out of the way first. Joaquin Phoenix slips back in seamlessly reprising Arthur Fleck, getting his mind and body back into shape so to speak to portray the character. His arc here is trying to live up to the accidental celebrity he made of himself as Joker, once again playing into his need to perform. But such pressure leads to him cracking even further and somewhat brings the character full circle with imagery that parallels his journey in the first film.

While Lady Gaga is more well known for her music, let's not forget she is a well-received actress. As Harleen "Lee" Quinzel, she gives us a version of the character that works within this type of story. She still idolizes Joker but the film doesn't ignore the character's accomplishments in becoming a psychiatrist before falling down the rabbit hole of obsession, seeing Joker as an escape from what she considers a mundane life. And I also enjoy her and Phoenix's chemistry, with Lee's strong personality stirring something in the fragile Arthur as they both see the other as their missing half.

In my opinion there are two major factors that bring the film down.

The first is a majority of the film is Arthur's trial for his actions in the first one. This means a lot of recapping of what those going into this film already know. Similar to how much "Halloween Kills" talks about the events of the 1978 original, all this does is make you wonder why you're not watching the previous film.

But of course, what really bogs the film is the musical element, which they didn't even bother to portray in the marketing. The numbers are either rather simple or full-on productions with no in-between. There were only a few of each that I think were done rather well, either working in the context of the story or just had good quality in the sets and choreography. The latter plays into Arthur's fantasies, but it doesn't work as well as they did in the first film because it doesn't leave the audience questioning if what we're seeing is real. But generally, the musical element adds nothing to the story. Any time someone starts singing, especially Arthur, it's just dragging the scene out and keeping the audience hostage longer than needed. If there just had to be a musical element to the film, they should have kept to the simple approach and relegated it to just Lady Gaga as Lee as she serenades Arthur.

In some respect, I can understand what Todd Phillips was going for in regard to hero worship and idolatry, but the overall execution and decision to make it a musical left the film falling flat despite Phoenix and Gaga's best efforts. To compare it again to "Halloween", specifically the last two films, "Joker: Folie a Deux" burns a lot of good will built with the audience and brings down what came before along with it.

TV Review: The Penguin - Rise of Cobb

 

Last year, I took a look at the events that lead up to "The Batman" with Paul Dano's "Riddler: Year One" prequel comic. This year, we move the story of Matt Reeves' crime saga forward with the HBO series focused on Colin Farrell's depiction of the Penguin. From start to finish, this series makes this Batman universe three for three in straight-up fire storytelling.

While we focused on Bruce's crusade in "The Batman", "The Penguin" flips the script by showing us the seedy underbelly of Gotham from the crime side of things. The TV-MA allows us dive deep into it with elevated violence and harsher language compared to what we would normally get from a mainstream Batman movie, and Reeves was already pushing the PG-13 limit.
It's been very enjoyable returning to the world of "The Batman", with Michael Giacchino once again composing the score helping to retain the same atmosphere. What makes this visit to this version of Gotham so interesting is exploring the "Post-Riddler" landscape.  The main plot involves the crime families of the city trying to grab or retain power in the wake of Carmine Falcone's death, with Oz seeing this struggle as his chance to rise to the top. We also see the wider consequences of Riddler flooding the city and how it affected certain citizens, including a flashback with a firsthand account of the devastating act of terror. And yet, Riddler followers are still seen in the city at times throughout the series. It makes me think of Thanos in that making a statement was more important than the goal of helping people (and we even got the "Thanos Was Right" blurbs in "Hawkeye").

Colin Farrell's already turned in a great performance as Penguin in "The Batman" and his own series allows him to flesh out the character more. To borrow a line from another of the Dark Knight's rogues gallery, one of Oz's main goals is to give the city "a better class of criminal." And this depiction of the Penguin is towing the line between a traditional gangster and the more "freakish" figures as Batman and Riddler; it showcases the evolution of crime in Gotham from the mob to the super criminal fans come to expect. Farrel's performance also brings a complexity to the character where as we watch him make his plays for power, you're not sure if any emotional moments he shares with others are genuine. And as we learn more about his backstory, we see how deep his demons lied.

In a stacked supporting cast, none of them steal the show as greatly as Cristin Milioti as Sofia Gigante, Carmine Falcone's daughter. Milioti brings an intense and scary good performance the moment she walks on screen. By the time we get to the fourth episode that focuses on her background, you may find yourself on her side for the rest of the series. After being framed by her father as a serial killer and left to rot in Arkham for a decade, we see how hardened she's become in the present and you will want this queen protected at all costs. And speaking of Arkham, we spend some extended time within its walls and all I'll say is it was a major missed opportunity that spin-off series got scrapped.

While it does set up part of the stage, it's hard to say at this point whether this will be essential viewing for "The Batman Part II" in 2026. Nonetheless, "The Penguin" in its own right is must-watch TV, delivering a well written gangster drama full of complex characters you'll love or love to hate.

TV Review: Agatha All Along - The Witch is Back

 

While "Echo" turned out well, this is another show that had some questioning Marvel's decisions in what projects to greenlight. While Kathryn Hahn was a highlight in "WandaVision" as Agatha Harkness, could the character lead her own series? As only the second MCU series to drop on Disney+ this year, "Agatha All Along" is a reminder of what made Marvel successful in the first place by taking a lesser-known character and giving them a compelling story.

As the show begins, we find Agatha still under Wanda's hex living in Westview as "Agnes". But between Wanda's death in "Multiverse of Madness" and an infiltrator making her question her reality, the hex is broken as Agatha reawakens but still depowered. With old enemies knocking at her door, Agatha assembles a coven of other troubled witches to travel down the Witches' Road where those who reach the end will be granted their hearts' desire. So in a way, another couple of good names for this show among all the fake ones they announced during production would be "How Agatha Got Her Groove Back" and "Agatha: Witches' Roadtrip."

Much like "Multiverse of Madness", "Agatha" is a direct follow-up to "WandaVision" both in story and in structure. The first episode alone plays out with "Agnes" living life like a TV show (albeit in her own head), this time being a crime procedural, before becoming Agatha again. The different setting approach "WandaVision" used is also applied to the trials our coven faces along the Road, placing them in different environments and clothes that evoke a certain aesthetic. My favorite out of this came in episode four where it eventually played out like a well-done music video. It's also worth mentioning that Wanda is looked back upon like a Boogeyman to the people of Westview, even three years after she took over the town; it shows how much Wanda's actions have left an impact and continue to do so within this series.
What sets "Agatha" apart is how it digs into witchcraft, displaying it as another kind of magic in the MCU and how their culture has been co-opted by mainstream society. There's also some horror elements present that make it so right to drop around Halloween. The type of horror used is varied and likewise has varying degrees of success. The final episode also offers a Shyamalan-like twist that will make you want to rewatch from the beginning to pick up on the clues that lead up to it.

It goes without saying Kathryn Hahn still kills it as Agatha, this time delving into her backstory and putting her on a path of somewhat redemption. She's also surrounded by a great team of characters with the ones that really stood out to me being played by Joe Locke and Aubrey Plaza; in another similarity to "WandaVision", these are two characters whose true identities are a pivotal part of the story so I'll be avoiding spoilers regarding that.
Joe Lock plays a teenager who aspires to be a witch and is the one who frees Agatha from her hex in hopes of being taken on the Witches' Road. The relationship between him and Agatha is a highlight as we kind of see him go from fanboy to apprentice, reminding me at first of Eda and Luz from "The Owl House". Things take a turn halfway through though, bringing a real game-changer to the rest of the series.

I knew when Aubrey Plaza was cast for this series that her and Hahn would be a dream team. Even on her own, Plaza brings the chaotic nature she's known for from her past roles with a touch of tenderness underneath.

I won't pretend "Agatha All Along" is for everyone. It's different and a niche entry, but I found it overall to be fun and entertaining, ending on a note where I'm interested to see where some characters go next. At the very least, I recommend it to the MCU completionists and fans of Hahn and Plaza.

TV Review: Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Shella Fun

If you loved "Mutant Mayhem", you don't have to wait until 2026 to see where this version of everyone's favorite heroes in a half-shell go next. "Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" is a 2D animated series taking place in the same universe and set two months after the events of the film. Paramount and Nickelodeon are going all-in with these Turtles and I believe it's paying off.

For the most part, "Tales of the TMNT" is able to maintain what made people loved about "Mutant Mayhem" in the first place. The strongest aspect of this is the character work and chemistry which is heightened by the voice acting from actors reprising their roles from the film and new additions for the series. We also get to see another benefit of casting actual teenager as the Turtles as we can hear their voices changing via puberty; it really showcases the burgeoning maturity of these young characters.
I was a little worried about things being toned down due to the fact they seemed to be gearing the show towards a younger audience, but you can go from the film to the show and expect the same effort put in. Even the more suggestive jokes like "Nardo" and "milking" carried over.

The most obvious change is the fact it's a 2D follow-up to a 3D film, similar to what Disney has done with "Tangled" and "Big Hero 6". They do try to incorporate the film's style as best as they can, particularly the designs for characters and backgrounds. The animation itself is a bit of give and take. Some scenes are more fluid while others feel a little stilted by comparison, and it's not just when it came to the action. It seems clear some scenes took priority over others, but the end result does seem worth some slight cost-cutting.

The season is divided into two 6-part story arcs.
The first arc involves the Turtles being targeted by adaptive mutant hunting robots called Mechazoids (kind of like Sentinels from X-Men) and end up getting separated, having to fend for themselves for the first time in their lives and trying to get back to each other. What I really liked about this arc is each Turtle getting a focus episode, seeing their methods of dealing with a situation and ultimately borrowing a page from one of their brothers' books to succeed. It shows the bond between them all is strong even when they're apart.

The second arc sees the Turtles teaming up with the Mutanimals against new aquatic mutant villains known as the East River Three, working to prevent them from flooding New York during a major storm. The fun part of this arc is seeing the separate pairings of Turtle and Mutanimal, my favorite being the interaction between Donnie and Wingnut. There was also an episode I enjoyed focused on Splinter and April that got pretty heartfelt by the end.
In a way, it's like we got two new TMNT movies. So even if you don't want to binge the entire season in one go, once you start either story arc, you'll want to keep watching until the end.

If I had to nitpick one thing, it's that there's no theme song with lyrics like the previous animated Turtles shows. It's been such a staple for the franchise formula that the lack of one is a glaring omission.
In any case though, "Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" is a lot of fun and will be able to sate "Mutant Mayhem" fans for a little while. 

TV Review: "Batman: Caped Crusader" - Knight Time

 

It's been a long wait for "Batman: Caped Crusader" in more than one way. Not only is this the first Batman animated series since the now nearly obscure "Beware the Batman" from 2012, but "Caped Crusdaer" was announced back in 2021 and was nearly cancelled before it even began. There was a lot of hype behind "Caped Crusader" with how many past Batman creators were involved in the project. This includes Bruce Timm of "Batman: The Animated Series" (BTAS) fame, "The Batman" director Matt Reeves, and past Batman comic writers Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka. With season one's release, the wait was well worth it.

While some aspects of the series are meant to give it a timeless feel like BTAS, "Caped Crusader" leans heavily on a golden age and 1940's aesthetic. It reminds me a bit of how Earth-2 was portrayed in the Arrowverse, being modern but having those classic influences (which works for this series since the golden age DC comics were retconned to take place on Earth-2). Meant to homage the noir and detective elements of the original Batman comics, "Caped Crusader" is darker and much more mature than previous Batman animated series, with coarse language and on-screen deaths. Following up from BTAS and its successors, it's kind of like how Dennis O'Neil and Frank Miller's comics brought the Dark Knight back to his roots. And being on a streaming platform like Amazon also allows Bruce Timm to break free from the constraints of network Saturday morning standards, similar to what "X-Men '97" was able to accomplish.
Besides Timm's art style, Matt Reeves' influence seemed strongest to me. Besides a more grounded nature like his 2022 film, it's also present in the depiction of Bruce Wayne/Batman (voiced by Hamish Linklater, who leads an overall stellar cast). Behind closed doors, he's young, withdrawn, and as full of anger as Pattinson's depiction. The two versions appear to have similar character arcs, with the only difference is "Caped Crusader" Bruce is further along with his socialite facade nailed down. While most of the series focuses on the underbelly and corrupted system of Gotham in the early days of Bruce's crusade, these character moments are a real highlight to me.

The series follows a traditional "Villain of the Day" format but has overarching plotlines that culminate in a two-part season finale featuring Two-Face. On that topic, Harvey's scars are depicted more realistically but not to the extreme of something like "The Dark Knight", though his vigilante crusade carries over from that; plus, his story has better closure than what he got in the DCAU in my opinion. While Catwoman and Clayface are mostly influenced by their golden age appearances, many villains who appeared much later in comics are reinterpreted to fit that era here, including Nocturna, Firebug, and Onomatopoeia (the latter two really only being hired guns in the larger narrative). This series' version of Harley Quinn has been quite a point of contention among fans as they really flipped the script on her character, but I thought it was done well. One villain I felt was out of place was Gentleman Ghost; his episode wasn't bad, but keeping him a supernatural character just feels off in such a grounded show. Perhaps the most major change to a major villain in the show was making Penguin female in Oswalda Cobblepot. I usually don't have a problem with gender swapping a character and she's just as villainous as her male counterpart, but this circumstance just felt lazy (seriously, they just added an "a" to the end of the name). If anything, I found it funny how she has two sons clearly inspired by Trump's oldest.

Surprisingly, we get some Robins in the show. In the Nocturna episode, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Stephanie Brown, and Carrie Kelley are residents at an orphanage run by Leslie Thompkins. I'm not sure if we will get an in-costume Robin at some point in the show, but by process of elimination, Tim Drake will be the logical choice when the time comes.

While it doesn't reach the heights of Timm's work on "The Animated Series", "Batman: Caped Crusader" should offer fans of the mythos a take that's familiar while putting its own spin on things.

Movie Review: Deadpool and Wolverine - Reunited And It Feels So Good

It's been a crazy 15 years for Ryan Reynolds when it comes to superhero movies. He debuted as Wade Wilson in Hugh Jackman's first solo Wolverine movie with the promise of a Deadpool spin-off film. When that stalled, he jumped ship to DC to star in the Green Lantern movie but it failed to entice critics or fans. Years after that, "someone" leaked Deadpool test footage and the positive fan response lead to Fox finally moving production forward. And despite a limited budget given, the first Deadpool film became one of the most successful superhero films of all time, giving Ryan his first win in the genre and getting a sequel just as well received. Ryan would be hopeful for a third film where he would reunite with Jackman's Wolverine. But with Jackman's retirement from the role after "Logan" and the purchase of Fox by Disney, such a project would be in question. But if Marvel Studios has proven anything in almost two decades, it's that they know what the fans want to see. Ryan would bring Deadpool 3 to the MCU and he had Hugh Jackman along for the ride. The result was well worth the wait as "Deadpool and Wolverine" reunite for a pivotal film in both Marvel and (Fo)X-Men universes.

There was worry with Deadpool joining the MCU that the franchise would be toned down or "Disnified" to match the other films and shows. Well we are rest assured from the first action scene alone that Deadpool will be as violent, vulgar, perverted, and demented as before and possibly more so. Beneath all the gratuitous violence though is a story full of heart as Wade and Logan both go on emotional journeys. Despite their homicidal tendencies, they both prove to be true heroes when push comes to shove.
Intertwining the MCU and X-Men universes via the Multiverse Saga and Time Variance Authority (TVA) was done quite simply in the film, and they even play into recent troubles the franchise has been enduring. Thankfully the TVA is explained in a way that "Loki" isn't necessary viewing beforehand compared to how "Multiverse of Madness" and "The Marvels" follows up their preceding shows. It leads to a much more epic scale compared to the previous Deadpool movies. While I still think the first film is the best due to its unique style, "Deadpool and Wolverine" is a very close second. Plus, it's full of references and easter eggs that will have you pointing at the screen like the Leonardo DiCaprio meme half the time.

Out of the massive cast for the film, a big standout is Emma Corrin as the villainous Cassandra Nova, the pruned villainous twin sister of Charles Xavier. Corrin is a joy to watch as she portrays a sadist version of her brother with a love for control and dismemberment.

While it doesn't reach the levels of "Endgame" or "No Way Home", "Deadpool and Wolverine" acts as the send-off for both the X-Men film universe and Fox era of Marvel films altogether. Despite the ups and downs, tribute is given for their place in both Marvel and film history. The fact that even "Fant4stic" gets a nod shows there's (mostly) no ill will towards an outside studio holding on to character rights for so long.

"Deadpool and Wolverine" is entertaining from beginning to end, giving Marvel fans of all types much to love and proving the MCU isn't as dead as some would like to believe. Hopefully with "Secret Wars" just around the corner, we won't have to wait too long for Wade and Logan's next outing.

Movie Review: "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths" - Worlds' End

 

At the end of "Apokolips War", Constantine convinced the Flash to reset the timeline to ensure Earth's survival. This resulted in the DC Animated Movie Universe being rebooted, both from a production standpoint and what would turn out to be in-universe as well. Named after the initial film "Superman: Man of Tomorrow", the Tomorrowverse would become the shared universe within DC's line of animated films. Initially put off by the change in animation style, I was impressed enough with "Batman: The Long Halloween" to give the rest of the universe a shot. The results have been mixed, ranging from pretty good to so bad that I completely lost interest by the third act *cough*Warworld*cough*. Given "Long Halloween" is the only movie of this universe I've covered, it's felt like such a downgrade from what came before that I can't even muster a post about the other five films. But now we've reached the end of the Tomorrowverse with "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths." Arguably the biggest story in DC history, this warranted not just a two-part adaptation like what's come before, but three. On one hand, it doesn't feel like the Tomorrowverse adapting this story was earned, especially since the Arrowverse spent seven years building up to their version. And yet, they pulled it off spectacularly.

It could be considered a challenge to adapt "Crisis on Infinite Earths" within the context of both the 2020's and a pre-existing universe and still keep the spirit of Marv Wolfman and the late George Perez's original story. The Arrowverse did a good job adapting it in their own ways, paying off its own running plotlines and having tributes to past live action DC adaptations. But the Tomorrowverse hits all the significant points that made the original "Crisis" so memorable, even helping fill some gaps within its own films. The films are full of DC characters not just well known but feature many others that hadn't appeared before in the Tomorrowverse or the DC animated movie line in at all, paying tribute to DC's long history just as the comic did. A good chunk of them have no speaking lines, but there's a good portion who get some significant spotlight. This helps add some weight to the emotional moments and the character deaths. While it's hard to feel anything for death in superhero comics these days (especially when you have characters like Kamala Khan dying and coming back within three months), death has meaning in these films and feels as impactful like they did back in the 80's and early 90's. I think Wolfman and Perez would be proud.
There's a sense of epicness these three films have compared to the rest of the DC animated movie line. All three go well past the 90 minute mark that's usually the cap for these films, somewhat making them more feature length by comparison and result in a nearly five hour combined runtime. It's a true film trilogy in the sense of "Lord of the Rings" and has a comic book event feel compared to "Infinity War".

There are minor problems, from certain story elements and what I feel can be attributed to some behind the scenes politics. Going back to what I said about initially feeling adapting the story felt unearned, keep in mind these are the eighth through tenth films of the Tomorrowverse (and seventh story when you combine these three films and the Long Halloween two-parter). There's a sense they were kind rushing toward the end.
I would say "Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths" is the most ambitious animated DC project in recent memory, and it seemed like it had to be. Not only does this mark the end of the Tomorrowverse and the DC Animated Movie Universe, but the DC Universe Animated Original Movie line of films that began all the way back in 2007 altogether. As James Gunn works to consolidate all forms of media for his rebooted cinematic DC Universe, the animated movie line seems to have reached its conclusion. That's not to say there may not be stand-alone animated films anymore, but just not as frequently. If so, adapting "Crisis on Infinite Earths" allowed them to go out with a big bang.

And in case anyone was curious about my Tomorrowverse Rankings:
1. Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths
2. Batman: The Long Halloween
3. Justice Society: World War II
4. Green Lantern: Beware My Power
5. Superman: Man of Tomorrow
6. Legion of Super-Heroes
7. Justice League: Warworld

Lastly, I'd be remiss to say that this film marked the final performance of Kevin Conroy as Batman before he passed away in 2022. This moment ended up being a perfect sendoff (especially compared to a certain video game) and somewhat fitting because the animated movie line began after the conclusion of "Justice League Unlimited" and the original DC Animated Universe that began in 1992 with "Batman: The Animated Series". You'll never be forgotten, Kevin.