I really wanted to hate this film, but I couldn't

Rating: 10/10 (19 October 2019)

Riveting. Explosive. Masterpiece. Artistic. Genius. Phenomenon. Avant garde. Captivating. Thrilling. Extraordinary.
As a 35 year old incel from South East Asia who still lives with his mom and never had a girlfriend with history of mental illness, my first initial impression was Todd Phillips - an outright genius- was going to mock the mentally ill. I am always skeptical of all the hype, for instance Bane's movie of Nolan didn't fully live up to the expectations and couldn't outtrump after Ledger... but this one is real. Best believe it as Big Boy would say. My bias was off set by the fat how Alan was portrayed in Hangover 3 and I mistakenly assumed Phillips will pull the same gag.
But boy I was wrong. I thought it will start with baseline and go down a spiral hole of self-pity and self-loathing of more and more denoument. But it wasn't so. It's hard to discuss the movie without giving away too much and much that has been said has been said by greater writers with amazing penmanship so my 2 cents will do no justice. But in order to see the...transformation you have to go and view it yourself.
Watched it on my birthday and it accentuated my event heavily just hitting the right spot. In fact part of this movie made my best birthday ever. I loved it so much that I was captivated every second of the movie holding my bathroom break.
Yes, it is 2 hours long but you fancy artistic and phenomenal cinematography it won't bother you least bit. Chekov's gun propelled every scene and every scene was in place perfectly put and not a single pixel was a mistake.
Joaquin Phoenix deserves an Oscar as vox populi vociferously pointed out. But regardless his caliber has outshone and his talent, his stroke, his channeling into the character is undeniable.
Some of the key concepts that stand out are: the amazing sound effects, the score and...
Actually speaking of sound effects, I wonder how many gunshots were sampled just to find the perfect timbre. Because for Ledger's Joker down to the last detail of his several cloth choices were visualized and carried out by costume designer. I wouldn't be surprised if the craftsman went as far as going haywire over such simple motifs.
Actually speaking of Ledger's Joker and comparing Joaquin's - I think both are niche on their own right and deserves equal merit. You can't basically compare them as they are apples to oranges. But they are equally explosively brilliant and phenomenal.
Whereas Ledger's Joker spawned an entire batch of memes, seeped and oozed out of screen onto real life and took the entire world by storm spilling from alternate reality game projecting an empowering, earth shaking vibe of a godlike character, we get to see entirely different approach. Since Ledger's Joker was way too powerful and cannot be outdone from that angle, Phillips's vision took different entry point. It made him pitiful, human, and every single one of us human being who either got rejected, sidelined and marginalized in our daily endeavor can relate and empathize with him. Despite the violence, our heart aches and feels the pain for him and we want him to succeed despite as much disturbing and psychotically villainous this sheer evil Arthur Fleck is.
Every frame was captivating and the mood and theme may have been intentionally anachronistic or rather panchronistic where you can't really tell which era this is set in.
It is visceral. Mindblowing and a sheer work of genius and a masterpiece worthy of Van Gogh's calibre.
Of course there are several favorite scenes of mine, but one that particularly stands out is the shoe breaking scene where the camera zooms in on a hunched back, decrepit Joaquin Phoenix is perhaps one of the most commanding, powerful scene in the history of cinematic masterpieces. Whereas Ledger disappeared into his character, Joaquin exoskeletally fleshed it out inside-out.
I didn't read too much into relation to Taxi Driver or any other film which I didn't watch.
And finally, as for dumb critics saying it may provoke violence, I think that is completely baseless. Because ultimately it actually made me - in particular- very empathic. Now I will actually think twice before leaving negative reviews, or dislikes or brutally tear down any work... because I can relate. We can relate. As I said, at one point or another every one of us got snubbed in life and got Susan Lucci-d or Di Capriod... and now we finally vicariously found an outlet and voice to showcase our... OUR angst through the cinematic chasm of this brilliant masterpiece. It made me compassionate leaving the theater as I know everyone is going through some struggle.
This was much needed. Timely. Minblown. Go see it.
That's it fol...
And oh... by the way. This movie doesn't need Oscar. Oscar needed just the right catalyst to make THE Academy in spotlight. Heck in a way it saved it.