Movie Review: Joaquin Phoenix’s ‘Joker’ is a Brutal Portrayal of Mental Illness

Hey everyone, Ralph “The Perennial Aesthete” is here and thank you for joining me today. I hope you all had a happy and safe Halloween as well. Now, let’s get down to business. I have to admit that I wasn’t initially crazy about a standalone ‘Joker’ movie. My immediate reaction to the first trailer to the film was, “come on Warner Bros. Just do a damn Batman movie!” I thought it was a desperate attempt to do something different; however, I had a change of heart after the next trailer and the early, positive buzz that was surrounding the movie before it’s official release.

Artist Spotlight: Remembering Michael Turner, Comic Book Creator (24 Iconic Art Images!)

What’s up everyone! Ralph “The Perennial Aesthete” is here. With Avengers: Endgame being all set to shatter our senses, toy with our emotions and guaranteed to run rampant at the movie box office this weekend. There couldn’t be better time to be a comic book enthusiast or a superhero movie fan. In relation to that, I want to take a moment to pay homage and wish the late great Michael Layne Turner a very happy belated birthday. His birthday was this past Sunday, April 21, 2019.

‘Aquaman’ Raises the DCEU From the Depths; Conquers Christmas Box Office

First and foremost, I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and a happy holiday. I hope that as you read through my latest post, that you are found in the best of health, peace, prosperity and family fellowship. As many of you know, I’m a voracious movie devotee and avid comic book reader. Some folks are so quick to compare the success of Marvel/ Disney’s Cinematic Universe (MCU) to the DC Comics/ Warner Bros. Extended Universe (DCEU). I think it’s a bit unfair because Marvel was able to get a successful jump on their cinematic universe, and as I explained in an earlier post on the Justice League film, the movies of the DCEU have been overly scrutinized and dissected. Before I dive deeper into this review, I want to warn you of some minor spoilers ahead. As long as the waters are calm for you to navigate, please read on. Just a little Aquaman humor there.

Review: ‘Justice League’ Heroes Rises To the Challenge, But Not Without It’s Flaws

Hey good people!  Your boy Ralph (The Perennial Aesthete) is here!  First and foremost, I hope that everyone who is reading this had a blessed and joyous Thanksgiving holiday.  A movie for Justice League has seemingly been on the horizon forever and finally we get to witness it.  I can’t express enough how lucky I am to be living in these times where comic book characters we loved as a kid, are being brought from the comic books to the big screen.  I had the opportunity to watch the Justice League film twice and I appreciated it even more the second time around.  I found it to be delightful and entertaining, but not without it’s missteps, sort of speak.  By far, the film is not flawless, but I felt that it’s flaws were outweighed by it’s terrific direction, decent dialogue and excellent casting, acting, score, visual effects and editing.  As you read further into the review, I just want to give you a heads up that there are some spoilers.  As long as it’s not an inconvenience to you, continue to read on!

Superman Honored In New ‘Justice League’ “Heroes” Trailer Unveiled At New York Comic Con 2017

Are you ready for more Justice League awesomeness?  Maybe that’s not the main question that most fans have been chattering about.  When are we going to get a glimpse of Superman, along with his black suit in Warner Bros. movie, based on the DC Comics?  Personally, I think Warner Bros. is doing a masterful job with how Superman is being handled.  I thought the dream sequence in the latest trailer that debuted at NYCC (New York Comic Con) yesterday was simple, but brilliant.

20 Cool Photos From the First Annual Five Points Festival 2017 in NYC

This past weekend on New York City’s Lower East Side was the inaugural Five Points Festival, a brand new fan convention curated by Clutter magazine and presented by Midtown Comics.  The festival is a collision of toys, comics, street art, and counterculture, replete with food trucks and craft beer.  This was pretty much a geek’s version of Valhalla.sThe Five Points Festival was held at Pier 36, on the lower east side of Manhattan.  Comic book creatives such as Amy Reeder, Dan Slott, Jamal Igle, Greg Capullo, and Scott Snyder made an appearance.  Several toy and art guests were on hand as well, including Amanda Louise Spayd, Tokidoki’s Simone Legno, and Tara McPherson, founder of The Cotton Candy Machine art boutique in Brooklyn, NYC.

RIP Bernie Wrightson, Celebrated Comic Book Artist and Horror Illustrator 1948 – 2017

The comic book world suffered a huge lost this past weekend.  Acclaimed comic book artist and horror illustrator, Bernard Albert “Bernie” Wrightson, sometimes credited as Bernie Wrightson—has died following a long battle with brain cancer.  Recognized as one of his generation’s greatest art masters of horror illustration and comics, Bernie was known for his iconic Frankenstein illustrations and co-creating DC Comics’ movie-starring creature, Swamp Thing.  He also worked on popular comic book titles such as Spider-Man, Batman, Doctor Strange and The Punisher.

Review: Love it? Hate it? The Maelstrom of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

SPOILER WARNING:  The following post contains minor spoilers for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.  If you haven’t seen the film yet, and don’t wish to be denied the thrill of discovering any of the plot points, please click away to another one of my thought-provoking posts.  Still here?  Alright, let’s do this…