Sammy-Jo Cervantes
There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.
Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)
Maybe the reason is that Batman is not really present in here. The title obviously refers to the Joker, but the real star in this 35-minute live action movie is Harley Quinn and we see how she turned from a respected psychiatrist into the Joker's equally insane assistant. The film is written and directed by Kim Santiago and Chris R. Notarile and the duo also appear as actors. Notarile plays the Joker in this film and, all in all, he does a good job with the character depicting the absurdity and insanity that always comes with that one. If you know a bit about Notarile, you know that he is very prolific when it comes to short films, especially these about horror movies. The fact that his performance here is not as good as Lombardi in his other stuff has only to do with Lombardi (who has a brief cameo too) being really great, not with Notarile being bad. The make-up and costumes in here work nicely as well. There were no really great outstanding moments in this 6-year-old film, but it's still a showpiece of what a fan film should look like. I recommend the watch to all Batman fans.
Scrius
It's been three years since Christopher Nolan graced the world of cinema with his masterpiece "The Dark Knight". I count it among my favorite movies of all time. Not only is it a phenomenal experience as a comic book movie, it is probably as close to perfect as movies get. One of the most inspiring highlights of the movie that continues to be rightfully celebrated to this very day, is the late Heath Ledger's Oscar Award winning performance as the Joker. The significance of Nolan's Batman films is the lacking of comical elements which past Batman films have expressed. Nolan gave the story of Batman a much more realistic approach to make it seem more plausible in real life. Heath Ledger's Joker is no exception. Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson both portrayed memorable Jokers, but Nolan's Joker is a freshly original adaptation and meant to bear resemblance to any real life psychopathic killers. Thats one of the many elements that make the Dark Knight's Joker such a terrifying character; symbolic for all of anarchy and chaos. Ergo, I believe it is perfectly fitting that Chris R. Notarile's Dark Knight spin-off Mr. J should be counted among my favorite shorts of Blinky Productions!Heath Ledger's passing was a tragedy in every sense of the word. He was at the peak of his career and still had so much to give. His performance as Joker was truly inspiring and could never be topped. However, if there is one who comes close, it is Chris R. Notarile himself. Like Orson Welles in Citizen Kane, Chris writes, directs (along with Kim Santiago), and stars in his Dark Knight spin-off as the Clown Prince of Crime. His role was a great reminder why I was so impressed by Heath Ledger in Dark Knight. Notarile was clearly as inspired as everyone else and does a fantastic job portraying the avatar of evil. The story is set directly after the events of the Dark Knight, with the Joker committed to Arkham Asylum. It is there that he first meets Dr. Harleen Quinzel who is known by all Batman fans to eventually succumb to madness herself and become the Jokers sidekick as popular henchwoman Harley Quinn. The story of Mr. J centers upon that arc as Dr. Quinzel gradually but surely descends deeper into Joker's evil influence. Johanna Telander is equally brilliant as Harleen Quinzel, expressing her gradually growing love for the Joker and her degeneration into madness throughout the progression of the story. Her range from innocent to psychotic is portrayed splendidly. After escaping from Arkham with the help of his new sidekick, the Joker becomes determined to return back on top upon the world of crime, gathering a number of different Batman villains to assist him, including Penguin, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, and the Riddler. All do a fine job playing their characters, and my feeling is that under the direction of Christopher Nolan himself, the result would have been very similar. As always Chris R. Notarile takes advantage of every resource available at his disposal and makes the utmost with it. The cinematography and story pacing reflect the style of Christopher Nolan's films, implying that Chris Notarile had analyzed Nolan's work a good deal and as a result executed an excellent spin-off of Nolan's Batman films. The sets were well selected, the camera work added to the atmosphere, and like watching the Dark Knight, never is there a dull moment. There is always an entertaining appeal. The use of Hans Zimmer's Dark Knight soundtrack, especially "Why So Serious", is also an excellent addition. I don't believe the experience would be the same without it. Mr. J is easily among the best films Blinky Producions has offer. For future projects, I would love to see more of Mr. J along with the rest of the villainous gang and even Batman himself. Thanks to Chris R. Notarile, the possibilities seem limitless. Two Big Thumbs Up and Endless Echoes of Bravo!
