Todd Phillips

The sort of bad movie that constantly threatens to turn into something good, mostly on the strength of a few talented actors.

It's too bad that Phillips fumbles for comic gimmickry when he has the makings of a rich and timely satire on poison-peddling motivational personalities.

The stupid fun of The Hangover is worth experiencing at least once.

Just a cut above the typical, but it goes without saying: your mileage may vary.

Less like a movie and more like a contractual obligation.

Captures something of runaway modern greed, played out as a bro movie from bro stars and a bro filmmaker...[but] might have been a fresh classic of political satire instead of a crime comedy that plays as sub-Scorsesean riff.

Joker isn’t the film to seriously tackle the issue[s]--it's more concerned with flair than genuine inquiry--but Phoenix’s pained, raw-nerve performance is one for the ages.