Bryce Hauser

Just finished Ad Astria and it's amazing, but not for everyone. Went in expecting interstellar 2.0 with less space magic, came out with a wonderful and thought provoking exploration of masculinity, a deep existentialist message on life and human will in the face of finding meaning and purpose without expectations of one's upbringing and of course a beautifully shot, paced, scored film rivaling any modern space opera this decade. If you want a popcorn action flick, then this one ain't for you. If you want to lose yourself in a complex character study with a color palette to rival a rothko this is your flick.

This film is a slow burn character study punctuated with moments of trauma, violence and gruesome murder that eventually lead to the only casualty that matters in this film, Arthur Fleck, the main character. You watch a society dipected in so much detail that has enough substance itself to be considered a character chew this forgotten and thoroughly broken man up and spit him out in such a way that you truly feel for Arthur. I am not speaking about the Joker, you never truly feel empathy for him. This film is about the demise of the man and mind that is Arthur Fleck making way for the coronation of the Clown Prince of Crime himself, the Joker. The film follows Arthur and only him, I can't stress this enough, the camera dances around him and never leaves his side. Joaquin Phoenix physically embodies both roles perfectly, the suffering tortured Arthur and the confident homicidal nihilist that is The Joker. Phoenix brings a physicality to the role that has not been explored in film till now. The joker flicks in and out of Arthur's existence, slowly eating him and eventually completely erasing him. The grace and subtle nature of this transformation is told through a performance that will live forever as one of Phoenix's best. The attention to detail is palpable, each set and shot is artfully crafted to breathe with Phoenix as he works his way through each brutal and gut wrenching scene. I will only say the "resolution" of this film will leave you with questions, and that is good. You should walk away from a movie thinking back on it and dissecting each scene to find what resonates with you as meaning is subjective, as is truth in some circumstances.