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As HBO’s latest show puts the Penguin front and center, with Colin Farrell taking the reins of Gotham’s most devious bird, it’s easy to see why fans are excited.

He’s iconic, of course—his grotesque figure, his crooked laugh, and his twisted mind make him a standout villain. We’ve seen plenty of portrayals of Oswald Cobblepot over the years, from Burgess Meredith’s waddling menace in the ‘60s to Danny DeVito’s horrifying, fish-munching interpretation in Tim Burton’s “Batman Returns.” And now, thanks to HBO’s deeper dive into his criminal empire, the Penguin is having his moment.

But let’s be clear: He will never top the Joker.

In the pantheon of villains, none have left as indelible a mark on cinema as the Clown Prince of Crime. It’s not just that the Joker is Batman’s archenemy, the yin to the caped crusader’s yang, though that helps. It’s that the Joker, through his various portrayals, has consistently tapped into something deeper—a chaotic madness that mirrors society’s darkest impulses.

And no villain, in any franchise, has been reinterpreted as successfully and provocatively as the Joker.

Cesar Romero’s cheeky Joker gave us the first taste in the campy ‘60s series. He was all bright colors and harmless hijinks, which, for the time, was perfectly fine. But it was Jack Nicholson’s portrayal in Tim Burton’s Batman that first brought the menace into focus, delivering a performance that was equal parts terrifying and humorous. He was the gangster with a twisted grin, a character you could laugh with even while he terrified you.

Then came Heath Ledger, whose take on the Joker in The Dark Knight is simply unforgettable. Ledger didn’t just play the Joker; he became the Joker, and in doing so, crafted one of the greatest performances in film history. He turned the Joker into more than just a villain—he was a force of nature, an embodiment of anarchy, a walking contradiction who didn’t want money or power, just chaos for its own sake. Ledger’s Joker asked us uncomfortable questions about human nature, about the thin line between order and disorder. And that’s why his performance resonates to this day.

Joaquin Phoenix’s turn in Joker took things a step further. His interpretation was less about the chaos and more about the fragile humanity behind the mask. Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck is a man crushed by society, a tragic figure who snaps under the weight of mental illness and neglect. It was a daring, divisive portrayal, and Phoenix deservedly took home an Oscar for it.

Sure, the Penguin is a compelling character, and this HBO series will likely add new layers to his story. Maybe it’ll give him the depth that Joker’s had across all these interpretations.

But there’s a reason Joker is cinema’s greatest recurring villain: he’s adaptable, complex, and eternally relevant. His very nature allows him to be reimagined over and over again, each portrayal reflecting the fears and frustrations of the time.

The Penguin? He’s fun, no question. But he’s still just the second most iconic criminal in Gotham.

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Demi Lovato’s “Child Star” offers a stark, unflinching look at the toll early fame can take on young performers, but it isn’t as hard-hitting as it could have been.

The documentary succeeds in gathering an impressive roster of former child stars, including Drew Barrymore, Christina Ricci, and Kenan Thompson, to tell their personal stories of navigating fame at a young age.

The film’s emotional core lies in these candid interviews, where the actors speak openly about the mental health struggles, identity crises, and personal battles they faced during and after their time in the spotlight. The vulnerability on display is its greatest asset, giving viewers an intimate glimpse into the complex realities behind the public personas.

But “Child Star” stops short of delivering a full critique of the entertainment industry’s systemic exploitation of child actors.

While the film touches on the challenges of growing up in Hollywood, it barely scratches the surface of the structural issues that have allowed these harmful patterns to persist for decades.

Topics like exploitative contracts, inadequate mental health support, and the industry’s fixation on youth are mentioned in passing but are not explored in any meaningful depth.

This lack of focus on the industry’s larger role leaves the viewer with little more than a collection of personal anecdotes, missing a critical opportunity to advocate for change.

Additionally, the pacing of the documentary can feel uneven, jumping between emotional moments without a clear throughline.

Lovato’s direction leans heavily on nostalgia, which, while effective at evoking sympathy, often overshadows a more rigorous investigation into the lasting harm caused by Hollywood’s treatment of its youngest stars.

By relying too much on the emotional weight of individual stories, Child Star misses the chance to be a more pointed, urgent call for reform within the industry.

While “Child Star” succeeds in humanizing the former child actors who suffered under the weight of fame, it falls short of delivering the hard-hitting critique necessary to push for real, systemic change.

“Whiplash” crashes back onto the big screen, a thunderous reminder of why it’s one of the most electrifying films of the past decade.

Damien Chazelle’s 2014 masterpiece is a visceral exploration of the pursuit of greatness, set against the backdrop of a cutthroat music conservatory. Miles Teller delivers a career-defining performance as Andrew, a young drummer pushed to his limits by J.K. Simmons’ terrifying maestro, Fletcher. Simmons’ portrayal earned him a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, one of three Oscars the film claimed that year.

The film’s rhythm is as precise as a metronome, building tension with each beat until it reaches a crescendo of sweat, blood, and cymbal crashes. Chazelle’s direction is relentless, mirroring the grueling journey of his protagonist. The editing, which also garnered an Oscar, is a masterclass in pacing, each cut as sharp and purposeful as a drumstick strike.

What sets “Whiplash” apart is its unflinching look at the cost of excellence. It dares to ask: How far is too far in the pursuit of perfection? The answer, like the film itself, is both exhilarating and deeply unsettling.

The jazz performances, captured with stunning clarity (earning the film its third Oscar for Best Sound Mixing), serve as both backdrop and metaphor for the psychological warfare unfolding on screen.

Chazelle’s screenplay, though snubbed at the Oscars, is a tightly-wound spring of tension and release. The verbal sparring between Andrew and Fletcher crackles with intensity, each exchange a duel of wit and will.

It’s in these moments that the film transcends its music school setting, becoming a broader meditation on mentorship, ambition, and the fine line between pushing someone to greatness and breaking them entirely.

As it returns to theaters on September 20th, “Whiplash” proves it hasn’t lost a step. Its questions about art, ambition, and abuse remain as relevant and thought-provoking as ever. The film’s final sequence, a bravura display of filmmaking and performance, still has the power to leave audiences breathless.

“Whiplash” is a reminder of cinema’s power to move, challenge, and exhilarate. It’s not just a film about jazz; it’s a jazz composition in cinematic form – bold, improvisational, and utterly unforgettable.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​