<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=15zxo4_0vttm6G100" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=15zxo4_0vttm6G100" width="2000" height="1500" ><figcaption>Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in Joker: Folie à Deux.</figcaption></figure>For a movie that was more about one man’s mental health condition than anything related to comic books, 2019’s Joker was shockingly successful, making over $1 billion worldwide and nabbing a Best Actor Oscar for Joaquin Phoenix. Phoenix and writer/director Todd Phillips are back with Joker: Folie à Deux(literally meaning "a madness of two"), a film that has some of the same themes but a story that could not feel more different. After his murder spree in the first film, Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) now calls Arkham Asylum home, where he is alternately tortured and favored by the guards, and revered by his fellow patients. Arthur plays nice for the most part, which leads one of the guards, Jackie Sullivan (Brendan Gleeson), to allow him to attend a music class in the minimum security ward of the facility, where he meets Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga). The immediate connection between Arthur and Lee allows Arthur to indulge in more than a few fantasies, ones that manifest themselves in the film as musical sequences involving the two of them. As his fortunes change and he is forced to stand trial for his crimes, Arthur returns to the fantasies repeatedly, with Lee giving him a sense of hope and security that has been missing from his life. The film, co-written by Scott Silver, features songs so often that the boundary between reality and fiction within the story is completely blurred. Some of the songs show Arthur, Lee, or both singing at Arkham, while others emulate old musicals by creating numbers on a set meant to look like the Murray Franklin talk show from the first film. It’s fair to wonder how much, if any, of it is real or just things that Arthur has conjured to comfort himself. Most of the songs - “Good Morning,” “Get Happy,” and “That’s Entertainment,” among others - are cribbed from the classic movie musical era of the 1930s-1960s. Their titles and lyrics have surface-level relevance to the story being told, but it’s hard to say their meaning goes deeper than that. They are also so chopped up and delivered so often that it’s difficult to tell what kind of importance Phillips was trying to put on any one individual song. While the music is the obvious big change, the more significant one is the film’s almost total lack of action. The focus on Arthur and Lee’s possible relationship and Arthur spending most of the film at Arkham leads to very few scenes of mayhem. In fact, hardly anything of substance happens until the film’s final act, and what does happen is less impactful than what fans of the first film may want. Phoenix, just as he did in Joker, commits fully to the role, appearing to become gaunt once again and making sure the character is sufficiently disturbing. The arc makes him quieter and less annoying this time around, which may or may not disappoint some viewers. Lady Gaga is fine as the character otherwise known as Harley Quinn, although it’s interesting that she was likely hired for her singing ability and the film rarely lets her truly let loose. If the nihilistic tones of Joker made it a surprise billion-dollar movie, it would be even more of a shocker if Joker: Folie à Deux made anywhere near that type of money. The Joker character has been approached in many different ways, but this is one of the oddest yet. ---Joker: Folie à Deux opens in theaters on October 4.Weekend Event Planner<h2>These are the 10 best things to do in Fort Worth this weekend</h2>Oct 3, 2024 | 6:00 am<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2oWM0a_0vttm6G100" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2oWM0a_0vttm6G100" width="980" height="735" ><figcaption>Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play will be at Will Rogers Auditorium on October 6. Photo by Phil McCarten</figcaption></figure>It's a relatively quiet weekend in and around Fort Worth compared to recent weeks, but there will still some fun things to do and see. They include two local theater productions, a new art exhibition, screenings of an acclaimed new film, a comedian, two concerts, a beer festival, a Hispanic heritage celebration, and Disney Jr. shows coming to life on stage.Below are the best ways to spend your free time this weekend. Want more options? Lucky for you, we have a much longer list of the city's best events.Thursday, October 3Theatre Wesleyan alums Connie Sanchez and Cameron Byerly will guest direct The Ives Archives, an evening of six short one-act plays written by acclaimed playwright David Ives. Ives is perhaps best known for All In The Timing and for his drama Venus In Fur, which was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play. The production will have four performances through Saturday at at Thad Smotherman Theatre on the Texas Wesleyan University campus.The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity features an unconventional wrestling duo: Macedonio Guerra (“Mace”), a Puerto Rican wrestling fanatic, and Vigneshwar Paduar (“VP”), a Brooklynite of Indian descent. They are picked up, and cast as “terrorists” in the ring. Playwright Kristoffer Diaz pushes boundaries beyond the wrestling ring, addressing unspoken issues such as racism and politics and their presence within mass media. The production runs through October 26 at Circle Theatre.Friday, October 4The newest exhibition at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is "Sunset Corridor," a multi-room immersive installation by the artist duo Jonah Freeman and Justin Lowe. The exhibition continues the artists’ deep dive into their fictional San San Universe, and is comprised of five architectural zones and a video room, each space telling a distinct story and supports a metanarrative about a transient youth culture. The exhibition will remain on display through January 5, 2025. The artists will also participate in a discussion about the exhibition on Saturday.After living life on the edge in London, Rona (Saoirse Ronan) attempts to come to terms with her troubled past. She returns to the wild beauty of Scotland’s Orkney Islands, where she grew up, hoping to heal. The film, adapted from the bestselling memoir by Amy Liptrot, will screen six times through Sunday at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.Comedian Yamaneika Saunders combines her high energy improv skills with a unique vulnerable perspective on life. This mix forces her to go beyond the typical humor one would expect to hear, and allows her to connect to audiences from any background. Saunders is one of the stars of Oxygen’s Funny Girls series, as well as a semi-finalist on Last Comic Standing, cast member of Comedy Central’s Insecurity, and was featured on AXS TV’s Gotham Comedy Live. She'll perform five times through Sunday at Improv Arlington.The Frontmen are a country supergroup featuring a trio of lead singers: Larry Stewart from Restless Heart, Richie McDonald from Lonestar, and Tim Rushlow from Little Texas. They officially formed in 2017, but didn't release their first album until early 2024. They'll play at Billy Bob's Texas in support of that self-titled album.Saturday, October 5BTX Brewfest was started by a few women who had a dream of bringing a day filled full of music, cold beer and drinks, food trucks, and supporting local businesses. Guests can enjoy beer, seltzers, and ciders, as well as over 40 local business vendors. There will also be live music from The Enablers, The Alternatives, and King George. The event takes place at Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza.The City of Arlington's Hispanic Heritage Celebration will feature a four-artist concert lineup spanning salsa, mariachi, and Tejano/R&amp;B music genres, a vendor shopping market, and food trucks offering tacos, tortas, micheladas, and more. The highlight of the celebration will be a headline performance by Latin Grammy-nominated artist Jay Perez, a Tejano music icon. The event takes place at Levitt Pavilion.With a career that spans over 40 years, Los Temerarios - formed by Adolfo Ángel and Gustavo Ángel - continue to offer great live shows. The group’s musical style has evolved over time but always maintains that unique style that has made them one of the most consolidated groups in the music industry. They'll play at Dickies Arena on both Saturday and Sunday.Sunday, October 6Disney Jr. Live On Tour: Let’s Play will see the addition of Ariel from the new series Disney Jr.’s Ariel, who will make her debut alongside Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and characters from other fan-favorite Disney Jr. series, including Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends and SuperKitties. The tour will also feature the Clubhouse from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. There will be two performances on Sunday at Will Rogers Auditorium.</div></body>

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Music and Lady Gaga make for unusual Joker: Folie à Deux film sequel

For a movie that was more about one man’s mental health condition than anything related to comic books, 2019’s Joker was shockingly successful, making over $1 billion worldwide and nabbing a Best Actor Oscar for Joaquin Phoenix. Phoenix and writer/director Todd Phillips are back with Joker: Folie à Deux(literally meaning \"a madness of two\"), a film that has some of the same themes but a story that could not feel more different.

For a movie that was more about one man’s mental health condition than anything related to comic books, 2019’s Joker was shockingly successful, making over $1 billion worldwide and nabbing a Best Actor Oscar for Joaquin Phoenix. Phoenix and writer/director Todd Phillips are back with Joker: Folie à Deux(literally meaning "a madness of two"), a film that has some of the same themes but a story that could not feel more different.