John Waters Defends ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ and Drops His Wildly Unfiltered Top Films of the Year

The cult filmmaker praises Lady Gaga, critiques critics, and celebrates the bizarre, bloody, and bold in cinema.

John Waters, the iconic “King of Filth” and master of cult cinema, has never been one to shy away from a provocative opinion. This year, he stirred the pot again by praising the divisive Joker: Folie à Deux, calling it a “well-directed” and brilliantly chaotic sequel, while unveiling his eccentric Top 10 films of the year in Vulture.

“Finally, a love story I can relate to,” Waters wrote about the critically panned DC musical. “So insane, so well thought out, so well directed, so much smoking! It’s Jailhouse Rock meets Busby Berkeley with a 9/11 That’s Entertainment! ending that will make you shake your head in cinematic astonishment. Stupid critics. Gaga so good. Joker so right. Die, dumbbells, die!”

The Todd Phillips-directed film, starring Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix, was a commercial disappointment, earning $206 million globally against its $190 million budget, with a dismal 32% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this, Waters joins Quentin Tarantino in defending the project, proving that the film has its share of high-profile champions.

Placing Joker: Folie à Deux at number six, Waters crowned Rose Glass’ Love Lies Bleeding as his top film of the year. “This hilarious, bloody film noir is the best movie of the year,” he declared. “It’s what Russ Meyer might have made if he’d been a lesbian intellectual addicted to steroids. Even the pig-men are cute. Sort of.”

Coming in second was Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ Queer. Waters raved about Daniel Craig’s bold portrayal of the gay beatnik protagonist, describing it as “radical.” “Craig may be queerbait for taking on the role, but I’m all for it. He’s absolutely brilliant and even has a ‘snowball’ scene, a happy reminder of a sex act I had long forgotten. Oh, if today’s homos were this radical, I’d be a much happier queer myself,” he quipped.

At number eight, Waters placed Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez, calling it “The Rocky Cartel Horror Picture Show.” The musical crime comedy about a trans drug cartel boss earned his admiration for its audacity. “This wildly original musical-drama proves you can sing about anything in a film if it’s well-enough directed,” he wrote, humorously adding that he’s inspired to belt out a tune about his ranking.

Halina Reijn’s Babygirl also found a spot on Waters’ list at number nine, with the filmmaker applauding Nicole Kidman’s risk-taking performance. “Nicole Kidman howls, moans, and becomes a verbal power-bottom cougar at the top of her business career. She meets a dominant, lowly intern who makes her lap up milk like … well, like a pussy,” Waters wrote, showing his flair for the outrageous.

For Waters, cinema is a playground for the bizarre and boundary-pushing, and his unfiltered list reminds us that even in the age of blockbusters and formulaic storytelling, there’s still room for unapologetic weirdness.