Joaquin Phoenix Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Joaquin Phoenix-whose latest project "Napoleon" releases in theaters tomorrow. 

Joaquin Phoenix's Filmography Ranked:

17.Joker (D-)

16.The Village (D+)

15.Signs (C-)

14.Ladder 49 (C)

13.The Sisters Brothers (C)

12.Irrational Man (C)

11.You Were Never Really Here (C)

10.Clay Pigeons (B-)

9.Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (B)

8.We Own the Night (B)

7.Beau is Afraid (B)

6.Hotel Rwanda (B)

5.Walk the Line (B)

4.C'mon C'mon (B+)

3.To Die For (B+)

2.Her (B+)

1.Gladiator (A)

Top Dog: Gladiator (2000)

The last time Phoenix and Ridley Scott collaborated on a big period action epic prior to Napoleon, the results were really special. While undeniably cheesy, Gladiator is one of those badass, wildly entertaining pieces of meathead entertainment that hits all of the right notes with its action sequences, rousing monologues and melodramatic story beats.   

Bottom Feeder: Joker (2019)

Turns out the guy behind Old School and The Hangover trilogy isn't all that great at making serious movies. But what makes Joker particularly painful to endure is that Todd Phillips thinks that he's fucking terrific at it. In fact, he spends the entire movie patting himself on the back for having the vision to reimagine The King of Comedy as an origin story for an iconic Batman villain. Joker's self-congratulatory nature-particularly regarding its approach to its social commentary on how "the system" fails people with mental illness and the shock value of its violence-turns what is supposed to be this profound, disturbing psychological character study into an insufferable piece of trash that is so desperate to be taken seriously that it becomes embarrassing.            

Most Underrated: To Die For (1995)

Right before he went onto the make the biggest hit of his career to date in Good Will Hunting, Gus Van Sant made a very different but similarly excellent film in To Die For. This darkly comedic satire about a local news reporter (Nicole Kidman) who dreams of becoming a star who enlists three naïve teenagers (Phoenix, Casey Affleck, Alison Folland) to murder her husband (Matt Dillon) who doesn't support her Hollywood aspirations takes some sharp shots at America's obsessions with celebrity and tabloid culture while also serving as an early showcase for Kidman and Phoenix's willingness to go to really ugly places on screen.

Most Overrated: Joker (2019)

The following films more received more Oscar nominations than Joker in 2019:

The following films won more Oscars than Joker in 2019:

Parasite 

1917

This is by far my least favorite movie or awards fact in recent history. I would pay a good $20 to have it erased from my memory permanently. If Phillips can repeat this feat in the upcoming musical sequel that features a method-acting Lady Gaga next year, there will likely be a new winner for my least movie or awards fact in recent history.