A kind word from someone goes a long way, and this is also true of films. The greatest living actor of our generation, the enigmatic Joaquin Phoenix raised a lot of eyebrows and turned even more heads when he took on the high-wire role of Joker, the infamous antagonist to Batman. The suspicions on what is being referred to as a slightly different take on the comic book material weren`t assuaged when it was revealed that Todd Philips (Hangover Trilogy and War Dogs) will be the creative force behind the project.

The release of the trailer was a huge slap in the faces of cynics as Todd Philips has created a hard-boiled, gritty take which has not only bumped this movie high into our watchlist, but also garnered some serious Oscar buzz! The film, before its Film Festival screenings and Cinematic releases, is already generating positive acclaim.

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Cameron Bailey, co-head and artistic director of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), has nothing but the highest praise for the film, even calling it a "Cinematic Achievement of Highest Level."

In a quote to Toronto Sun, he commented saying, "First of all, it`s terrific. So it should play on our largest stage. He elaborated on the praise saying, "But it`s a really original take on comic book movies and on the Joker character in particular. It is not based on an existing story, it has one of the greatest actors in modern cinema, Joaquin Phoenix, in the lead, and Robert De Niro is in it as well, one of the best actors that ever lived."

Lastly, Bailey has also pointed out the 70`s and 80`s feel of the film, which comes as no surprise for the film which draws upon Martin Scorcese films for inspiration, namely `Taxi Driver` (1976), and `The King of Comedy` (1982). Joker is set for a cinematic release of October 4 this year, and will now play as a serious contender for 2020 Oscars.