When I think about the Joker I always see the painted face of Heath Ledger who gave an amazing performance in the Batman movie Dark Knight that unfortunately became his last chance to act.
I decided to watch the film with the Joker now simply called Joker because Joaquin Phoenix won the Oscar for his performance. Make no mistake, his acting is an amazing feat. His portrayal of a mentally deranged person scarily convincing. But my heart was tied to Heath Ledger and I always thought about him while seeing the painted face of the new joker. There is a sense of violence at the center of the film that left me deeply unsettled, especially now that in many parts of the Western world right-wing nationalists seem to be ready to embrace violence to attack democratic institutions.
Since 2007 PolitiFact examines statements of U.S. presidential candidates. Ben Carson and Donald Trump lead on this score. Click on “Continue Reading” to see the full ranking.
Movies exist since 1894. Some critics believe that all possible topics for films have already been covered and that all new films are remakes, at best variation on the theme rather than truly new ideas. Before we go certainly falls in this category.
I have written over the years about the benefits of naps. “Powernaps” used to be popular but then the tide turned against them without any medical evidence to back it up. The Washington Post reminds all of us why napping in the afternoon is so good for us.