4. Joker (2019)
One of (if not the) most critically-acclaimed comic book movies of all time, Joker isn’t a film that receives much criticism. It’s a stripped-down, humanizing look at the origins of one of the most iconic villains of all time, brought to life by Joaquin Phoenix’s excellent performance and Todd Phillip’s brilliant direction.
Set in 1981, Joker follows Arthur Fleck, a failed clown and comedian, as he begins to descend into insanity, starting a violent revolution in the process. It’s a film layered with allegory that also manages to realistically bring a larger-than-life villain to the screen, cementing its success and popularity in the process.
The film’s final scenes see Fleck fully embrace his Joker persona and violent nature, causing widespread rioting across Gotham. This sequence stretches on a little longer than necessary, only to give way to scene that seemingly implies the events of the film occurred within his head. In one sense, it’s a fitting way to approach the story of a character as deranged as the Joker, and on the other, it undermined the film’s satisfying story – it makes it on the list by simple merit of dragging it all out just a little too long.