Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Todd Phillips-whose latest project "Joker: Folie a Deux" releases in theaters today.
Todd Phillips' Filmography Ranked:
10.Joker (D-)
9.School for Scoundrels (D+)
8.The Hangover: Part III (B-)
7.The Hangover: Part II (B-)
6.War Dogs (B)
5.Road Trip (B)
4.Starsky & Hutch (B)
3.Due Date (B+)
2.Old School (B+)
1.The Hangover (A)
Top Dog: The Hangover (2009)
While some of the jokes haven't aged well, The Hangover is still a comedy classic on the whole. The film is a masterclass in situational comedy as it repeatedly throws absurd, hilarious curveballs at the viewer as the three lovable idiot protagonists (Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis) try to find their friend (Justin Bartha) the day after his Vegas bachelor party got way out of hand and watching this trio riff through the unique turbulence they're enduring is a real treat.
Bottom Feeder: Joker (2019)
There's an underlying desperation behind Joker that is honestly just pathetic. Phillips is desperate to be taken seriously as a director after a career full of studio comedies by making a film full of hollow provocations and half-assed social commentary. Joaquin Phoenix is desperate to turn a famous comic book villain into this devastating cautionary tale of a mentally ill man who finds solace in violence after decades of being laughed at and pushed aside by society. The script is desperate to convince the viewer it's something fresh when it's really just a slightly altered version of The King of Comedy. All of these shamelessly self-congratulatory efforts make Joker an infuriating nightmare of a movie that is among the most obnoxious pieces of garbage I've ever sat through.
Most Underrated: Due Date (2010)
Phillips' last purely comedic directorial effort also happens to be one of his best. Robert Downey Jr. and Zack Galinfinakis are an electric odd couple pairing and the road trip narrative allows Phillips to once again show off the situational comedy chops that are his greatest strength as a filmmaker.
Most Overrated: Joker (2019)
2019 was such an incredible year for movies. Parasite, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood..., Marriage Story, The Irishman, The Lighthouse, Midsommar, Uncut Gems. Jojo Rabbit, John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum, Booksmart, Knives Out, Us, Richard Jewell, Just Mercy, Klaus, Rocketman and Dolemite is My Name represent just a small portion of the terrific films that were released over those 12 months in the United States. That's what makes Joker picking up 11 Oscar nominations and 2 wins such a travesty. There was so much excellence to recognize and the Academy rallied around this fucking movie? I saw Uncut Gems in May when A24 re-released it in IMAX and one of the thoughts I had afterwards was just how much it sucked that Adam Sandler not only didn't win Best Actor over Phoenix but couldn't even muster a nomination! Fuck Joker forever.
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