The DC/WB Superhero Movies Thread

[Irish]

well fuuuuuuuuuuuuck me.

that looks really good.

[Dukefrukem]

Yeh it definitely doesn't look like a half baked origin story.

[megladon8]

This looks like it will be desperately sad.

[Wryan]

Looks terrif.

[Morris Schæffer]

This can't be from the guy that made Old School?!

Where's the catch? What am I missing?

[Wryan]

This can't be from the guy that made Old School?!

Where's the catch? What am I missing?

I'll be honest, I thought it was Todd Haynes for quite a while.

[megladon8]

He went to Christian Bale territory with his body transformation.

Those contortions are chilling.

[Grouchy]

Yeah, that looks like a movie I want to watch right now.

[megladon8]

Looks terrif.

Can’t tell if you are saying “terrific” or “terrifying”.

Both are true.

[Wryan]

Terrific haha. I love the look of it and can't wait to see it.

[Skitch]

Wow! I'm there.

[Ezee E]

Add me in. Glad they didn't go big on CGI.

[megladon8]

Add me in. Glad they didn't go big on CGI.

Wrong again, E.

Joker’s entire character is CGI.

That’s Andy Serkis!

[DavidSeven]

Interesting trailer, but I think it's hiding a lot (in a bad way). Here's my hunch: Philips will either clumsily reach out of his depth for profundity or deliver a hollow knock-off of early Scorsese. I'm thinking something in the realm of Adam Mckay's serious movies, which are brisk and fine but ultimately superficial.

Are there many directors who have successfully transitioned from broad comedy to pseudo-arthouse drama? I'm skeptical. It feels like an aesthetic that's been appropriated, rather organically generated.

[Skitch]

This is not the tone I expected from this project. And Phoenix seems to "get" the tone of a real terrifying Joker much more than Leto. (I know, it's just a trailer, but his looks and laugh are far more unnerving imo)

[Ezee E]

Interesting trailer, but I think it's hiding a lot (in a bad way). Here's my hunch: Philips will either clumsily reach out of his depth for profundity or deliver a hollow knock-off of early Scorsese. I'm thinking something in the realm of Adam Mckay's serious movies, which are brisk and fine but ultimately superficial.

Are there many directors who have successfully transitioned from broad comedy to pseudo-arthouse drama? I'm skeptical. It feels like an aesthetic that's been appropriated, rather organically generated.

If there was a McKay approach of 20-30 years of the origin of Joker, I would totally be fine with that.

[Irish]

A teeny-tiny counterpart for ya (even though I agree with David on the whole):

- All superheroes stories are faux-profound. They're fascist literature, in a sense, a cross between hard violence and rank sentimentality.

- There aren't many directors who can transition easily between broad comedy and serious drama, but lemme hit you with one name: Peter Farrelly

- Also John Madden (Mrs Brown, Shakespeare in Love, The Best Marigold Hotel), the Coen Bros (Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men), and John Huston (Beat the Devil, Prizzi's Honor, The Dead). So it's possible, even though I agree unlikely.

- DS didn't mention it, but I think this film's saving grace is Joaquin Phoenix. Not everything Phoenix does is golden, and not every one of his movies is triple-A and four star. But he also doesn't get involved in frivolous projects. He doesn't do paycheck roles and he doesn't do Oscar bait and he doesn't try and work a career. I think he's sorta like Bale and Day-Lewis that way --- even if the movie is uneven (or superficial) he'll be watchable and interesting.

- Warners has cut good trailers off bad movies before (Suicide Squad), but this one made me a little hopeful. If they manage to capture one-tenth of the character -- the one from the comics and also from Ledger and Hamill -- it'll be a revelation.

[Morris Schæffer]

Interesting trailer, but I think it's hiding a lot (in a bad way). Here's my hunch: Philips will either clumsily reach out of his depth for profundity or deliver a hollow knock-off of early Scorsese. I'm thinking something in the realm of Adam Mckay's serious movies, which are brisk and fine but ultimately superficial.

Are there many directors who have successfully transitioned from broad comedy to pseudo-arthouse drama? I'm skeptical. It feels like an aesthetic that's been appropriated, rather organically generated.

Catch found!

[Peng]

I really, really hope Zazie Beetz's character doesn't follow the trope of incel "nice guy" trajectory as part of Joker's origin, especially considering this film's probably huge bro fanbase.

[megladon8]

I really, really hope Zazie Beetz's character doesn't follow the trope of incel "nice guy" trajectory as part of Joker's origin, especially considering this film's probably huge bro fanbase.

I don’t follow.

Are you meaning that Joker would be the incel? That he’s a “nice guy” but she’s not interested beyond friendship, this he goes psycho?

[Wryan]

I thought I read that her character is his girlfriend in the movie.

But I'm sure things happen beyond that.

[Grouchy]

Are there many directors who have successfully transitioned from broad comedy to pseudo-arthouse drama? I'm skeptical.

Woody Allen.

I really, really hope Zazie Beetz's character doesn't follow the trope of incel "nice guy" trajectory as part of Joker's origin, especially considering this film's probably huge bro fanbase.

I have no idea what language is this post written in or what does it attempt to say.

[Peng]

I have no idea what language is this post written in or what does it attempt to say.

I get the feeling from this phrasing you might already sense what I mean somewhat? But in case you really don't, it just boils down to I hope she is not involved in a (to borrow Carol Grant's Passengers letterboxd quip) "Why can't she see that I'm just a Nice Guy?" subplot, in which her rejection contributes to him becoming Joker.

[Wryan]

Also, Zazie Beetz is stunning. Absolutely gorgeous.

[Irish]

More likely: they will riff on "The Killing Joke" and she'll [

Show Spoiler

get pregnant and die.

]

(Getting rejected by some rando chick isn't sentimental enough.)