Lovers of the big screen will be mischievously transported into madness several times this October. Two adaptations from the world of comics and the continuation of a viral phenomenon ensure this.
Diabolical laughter combines with manic grins: At the beginning of the month, the cinema calendar brings the two Oscar winners Joaquin Phoenix (49) and Lady Gaga (38) into a state of madness in “Joker: Folie à Deux”. As a foretaste of the upcoming Halloween festival, another film is coming to cinemas with the successor to the surprise hit “Smile”. A week later, Tom Hardy (47) invites you to “The Last Dance” as DC villain Venom.
“Joker: Folie à Deux”, 3. Oktober
Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) awaits trial at Arkham Mental Hospital after his blood-soaked exploits as the Joker that plunged Gotham into chaos. In the course of his identity crisis, he not only meets his true love in the form of Harleen Quinzel, who transforms into his ideological companion Harley Quinn. He, the former stand-up comedian Fleck, also discovers the music that has always been hidden deep in his being.
Assessment:
The exceptionally dark style of Todd Phillips (53) “Joker” fascinated audiences and critics alike in 2019. A multi-faceted character profile was dedicated to Batman’s most prominent antagonist, which took an exciting and ambiguous perspective and also morally questioned the otherwise virtuous Wayne family. Fans may have been surprised when “Joker: Folie à Deux” was touted as a musical. Undoubtedly a risk: Depending on how much space the musical interludes take up in the film, this could be a no-go for some fans of the predecessor. However, you will definitely miss another excellent acting performance from Joaquin Phoenix. And: Stanley Kubrick’s “Clockwork Orange” in 1972 showed how diabolical a cheerfully performed “I’m Singing In The Rain” can be.
“Smile 2: Do you see it too?”, October 17th
Shortly before the start of her next world tour, the internationally celebrated pop icon Skye Riley (Naomi Scott, 31) finds herself exposed to increasingly inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the horror of events and the pressure of her fame, Skye must confront her dark history. Ready to push herself to the limit, she tries to regain control of her life before it completely falls apart.
Assessment:
The horror film “Smile”, which was released in 2022, unexpectedly became a success at the box office and made back its relatively small budget several times over. Reaction videos on social platforms like TikTok helped the solidly produced horror film gain its momentum. Of course, “Smile” didn’t reinvent the horror genre and that will apply even more to its sequel. We can only hope that the developers have learned lessons from series like “Saw” or “Paranormal Activity”. – these were finally completely cannibalized in record time.
“Venom 3: The Last Dance”, 24. Oktober
Investigative journalist Eddie Brock (Hardy) is back – and so is his alien symbiote Venom, with whom he reluctantly shares his body. In “The Last Dance” he and the rest of the world have to deal with significantly more visitors from the universe: “My home has tracked us down,” Venom informs his human host. The consequence: The unequal couple has to defend themselves against enemies from two planets.
Assessment:
After a successful introductory film in the “Venom” series in 2018, part two – almost three years later – was noticeably weaker. Now, after another three years, “The Last Dance” marks the conclusion of the trilogy. Hardy, as the trailers already showed, still accepted this ambivalent part with enthusiasm. In the course of the previous two films, it was often the actor who stole the stage from his animated second self.
From (spot)
