The Joker has always had a flair for the artistic: Just think of author Alan Moore’s characterization of him as a failed comedian in the 1988 graphic novel Batman: The Killing Joke or Jack Nicholson furiously cutting out collage materials on the floor in Tim Burton’s Batman, or, more recently, Todd Phillips’ vision of him as a kind of deranged variety show host/musical theater hero belting it out under the hot lights next to Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux. With that comes this inspired selection of musical edits straight from the movie itself, ranging from pop standards (“When You’re Smiling,” “I’ve Got the World on a String”) to soft-focus ’70s glitz (the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody,” the Carpenters’ “[They Long to Be] Close to You”) and nakedly tender ballads (Daniel Johnston’s surprising—and perfect—“True Love Will Find You in the End”). On the nose? Yes—like a punch in the face.
