Joker

The first thing to know about 'Joker' is that I watched it all the way through, which is something I could not say about 'The Master'. I am tempted to call 'Joker' art, and 'The Master' pornography. Joker is intriguing and not entirely uncomfortable as brutal as it can be. It's a story we are familiar with; we know how it ends more or less. With this poor schlub transforming into a murderous maniac. In 'The Master' I had no idea how far off the rails the characters might go and that became entirely too uncomfortable for me.

The madness of the Arthur Fleck is accelerated by his desire to do for others. As much as he does, he can never do enough, and so naturally he feels that he doesn't exist. A comedian, a clown a showman, his ego only exists in the happiness he can extract from others. The laughter he possesses physically takes him over into uncontrollable spasms. They hurt as he wheezes up the last gasps of what could be laughing coughing and/or crying. He cannot control it. He laughs at the most inappropriate times, when the irony of life is cruel. But he resists his dark sense of humor. He is excused for what seems to be a disease. He has never been happy a moment in his life and yet from this self-pity he attempts to bring cheer. It only works for children. The adults in Gotham City are on edge and do not laugh at their own misfortune. There isn't a country song within a country mile. The blues don't exist here - it is all urban jungle, smoke, concrete and gritty bricks.

the rumors that I have heard but not listened to say something is wrong with the message this film sends to {incels, black women} but that's crazy talk. I won't even pick up the tangent. For all the social significance this film has and whatever that may be, I still say it is art, capable of sparking imaginations different ways. That is the exact opposite of commerce which is magic and technology, i.e. that which is calculated to bring a specific and perfectly predictable result from its consumer.

Hear hear for art.