The recent film release, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” by Marielle Heller, is based on the Esquire magazine article, “Can you say..Hero?” that award-winning journalist Tom Junod wrote in 1998 about Fred Rogers. The newly released films shows how two polar opposites, an empathic Mister Rogers and a cynical writer, become friends
“Joker,” by Todd Phillips, is a chilling stand-alone character drama on the creation of Batman’s arch nemesis. The film shows how a meek, marginalized man who suffers from mental health disorders is driven by society into a downward spiral, turning into a homicidal maniac. The strong imagery of the film and Joaquin Phoenix’s visceral performance have caused security concerns for copycat behavior in theaters.