Joaquin Phoenix – Spinning Platters

Film Review: “Napoleon”

**A few odd choices can’t keep Napoleon from conquering the screen**

Sir Ridley Scott, the legendary director of Blade Runner, Alien, and Gladiator, is eighty-five. In an impressive stretch for his age (or any age) and profession, he has directed eight feature films in the last decade, with Gladiator 2 slated for next year. Who can blame Scott for working so prolifically — he loves making movies! It’s a treat to have a talented filmmaker churn out a steady flow of films, covering a wide range of genres. His latest, Napoleon, adds another historical epic to his filmography. Despite a few off-kilter artistic choices, Napoleon is an astounding visual achievement, a throwback Hollywood epic that only a few directors, like Scott, can still deliver.

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Film Feature: Carrie and Chris Pick the 2020 Oscars

Film critics Carrie and Chris on who will – and who should – win the 92nd Academy Awards

The 92nd Academy Awards air tomorrow, Sunday, February 9th, on ABC at 5:00 pm PST. Once again, Spinning Platters film critics Carrie Kahn and Chris Piper share their predictions — and hopes — for the major categories. A lot of the winners feel like locks, based on earlier award season wins, but, honestly, we’d rather have some upsets to make for an interesting show then have all our predictions come true. Fingers crossed for some liveliness!

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Film Review: Joker

I’m mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take it anymore

Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker — The Joker prepares for super-villainhood.

It’s too bad that Todd Phillips’s new film Joker has to be about DC Comics character The Joker. Within a fairly conventional origin story, albeit a super-villain origin story, a wrenchingly bleak portrait of unrelenting pain and anguish strains to emerge.

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Film Review: Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot

The self and its discontents

Joaquin Phoenix as John Callahan and Jonah Hill as Donnie star in DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT.

Over the years, the director Gus Van Sant has returned time and again to his favorite subject: our constant struggle with self-deception and our many, mostly failed attempts at self-discovery. Let’s start with some dreamy-eyed pharmacy thieves (Drugstore Cowboy), move to homeless hustlers (My Own Private Idaho), catch up to a hitchhiker with enormous thumbs (Even Cowgirls Get The Blues), watch an aspiring TV Newswoman (To Die For), and let’s not forget the genius mathematician janitor at M.I.T. with girl trouble and the world’s funniest psychologist (Good Will Hunting). Van Sant’s characters show what an illusion we can be to ourselves. Does he return to this ground in Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot? Absolutely. Is it worth it to follow him yet again on this journey? Mostly.

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Film Review: Irrational Man

Irrational movie goer: Watch Woody Allen contemplate the meaning of life. Again.

Abe (Joaquin Phoenix) and Jill (Emma Stone) overhear a conversation that will change both their lives.

Your interest in seeing Irrational Man, Woody Allen’s newest film, will largely depend on your level of interest in existential philosophy. Allen does give us fair warning as to what he’s up to, though; his chosen title shares the same name as William Barrett’s seminal 1958 book Irrational Man: A Study in Existential Philosophy, an introduction to the philosophy’s basic concepts and major thinkers. So if you were on the edge of your seat during your Philosophy 101 days, then this film’s for you; if not, then you might want to skip this class – er, film.

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Film Review: Inherent Vice

Weird. Beautiful. Funny. Convoluted. Meandering. Forget it Jake, it’s Pynchon.

Joaquin Phoenix and Katherine Waterston in P.T. Anderson's Inherent Vice — Joaquin Phoenix and Katherine Waterston in P.T. Anderson’s Inherent Vice

Paul Thomas Anderson has made his name with movies that feel very important, and are chock full of big ideas about life. If you come looking for that in Inherent Vice, you’re going to leave disappointed. This movie is essentially a comedy, full of visual gags and walk-o- length comedic performances by a series of excellent actors. The story isn’t much to hang your hat on, but the cast, the dialog and gorgeous images should keep you entertained, as long as you keep your expectations in check.

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Film Review: Her

Cyber love is a many-splendored thing!

A future where someone looking like this (above) isn't creepy. — A future where someone looking like this (above) isn’t creepy.

Spike Jonze has delivered a cinematic gem once again, this time in the form of the incredibly touching, heartfelt, and honest, Her. Her marks the first time Jonze has been the sole writer of one of his directorial efforts, and his remarkable talent is on full display. There’s a lot of perspective and emotions to be gained from this simple story about the romantic relationship developed between a lonely writer and an operating system. There are a lot of things that could’ve gone wrong, too, but all are avoided. First and foremost, the glue that manages to bind all the odd and challenging (and borderline creepy) pieces together is its believability. Thanks to Jonze’s poignant script and memorable performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, Her bridges the gap between what we fear technology may become and an ideal version of what technology could accomplish, presented in the form of a romance more sincere than most romances dare to be.

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