Movie Review: ***^ The Dark Knight (2008)

 In the Dark Knight Batman (Christian Bale) gets darker; as does his nemesis Joker (Heath Ledger).  The Joker is without scruples.  He kills even those who for him or with him.  As such he takes over the crime syndicate in Gotham.  He does behave in conventional ways, and this throws Batman off.  Also the district attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is being aggressive going after organized crime.  The assistant is Bruce Wayne's interest, Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal).  Joker is very good at getting what he wants.  He takes on the task of killing Batman.  He fails to do this but he does turn turn Dent.  He kidnaps he and his fiancé, Batman's friend Rachel.  He forces Batman to save one of them, and Rachel is killed.  Dent is left as Two-face.  Two-face ends up dead and Batman takes the blame so the people can have a hero in Dent, and the laws against organized crime go into effect.  At the end of this movie Batman becomes the Dark Knight and goes into hiding.

The Joker is really devious and evil, and always seems to be a step ahead.  Hedger plays him very dark.  Michael Cane continues as Alfred the butler and support Wayne and Batman.  Gary Oldman continues as commissioner Gordon.  It is Batman and the commissioner who decide the perception has to be that Batman is evil and Dent is a hero.  Joker had messed with Gordon and his family, kidnapping them.

Movie Review: Batman Begins

This is a very good new beginning to Batman, with a lot of pre Batman explanation. like how he learned his fighting skills.  He actually trains with a group that is against crime, to the point of taking it into their own hands.  Bruce Wayne has a falling out with them, and returns to Gotham with a new goal and sets himself up as Batman.   But the past haunts him. 

Ducard is the person from the past who helped train Bruce Wayne.  Alfred is the butler and Lucius Fox is Bruce Wayne's inside man at Wayne Enterprises.  Rachel Dawes is a district attorney and Bruce Wayne's friend from growing up years.  Jim Gordon is a police officer and becomes Batman's liaison.  And Dr. Jonathan Crane is with the gangs and also working for Ducard and his group.  He is the mask man who uses a toxin to make people hallucinate and thereby he gets them off on insanity pleas.  

The gangs have been smuggling the toxin in for sometime, and putting it in the water supply.  They have stolen a water vaporizer and plan to vaporize the toxin in the air and release the poison toxin into the air.  This will create paranoid people killing each other and Gotham will destroy itself.  Only Batman, and Gordon can turn the tide.  

Batman vs Ducard makes very good conflict.  A cute side bar is the president at Wayne enterprises and Lucius Fox.  When Fox becomes the president he asks the former president, "Didn't you get the memo?"

• 

  Christian Bale

  Bruce Wayne

  /Batman
• 

  Michael Caine

  Alfred
• 

  Liam Neeson

  Ducard
• 

  Katie Holmes

  Rachel Dawes
• 

  Gary Oldman

  Jim Gordon
• 

  Cillian Murphy

  Dr. Jonathan Crane
• 

  Morgan Freeman Lucius Fox  

  
  

DC Animated Movie: League of Super Pets

 Krypto/ Superdog (Dwayne Johnson) joins forces with a bunch of pound animals who have gotten super powers, while those with super powers have lost them thanks to a villain guinea pic, Lulu (Kate McKinnon).  In this way she has captured all the supers, and plans to free Lex Luthor (Marc Maron).  Krypto had let his guard down for a moment as Superman was involved with Lois Lane (Olivia Wilde) and he feels left out.  However Krypto and his friends seem to defeat Lulu several times, but then she keeps coming back stronger and stronger.  The movie doesn't know when to end.  Finally Krypto has to travel around the sun and bring the sun's powers to bear on Lulu.  He would have died had not the pound dog, Ace (Kevin Hart) saved him.  Other notable voice roles, Keanu Reeves as Batman and John Krasinski as Superman.  It seems all the super heroes have a bet emulating them, Wonder woman, Batman, Flash etc.

This plat is a bit more far fetched than even a super hero movie, but it seems to make its point, that all creatures are worthy of friendship and love.   

DC Movie Review: *** Batman Forever (1995)

 I like most of everything in this movie, excdept for the character of Riddler (John Carry).  He is so over the top it ruins the rest of the film.  Two Face (Tommy Lee Jones) is much better.  Batman (Val Kilmer) does a very good job, and Robin (Chris O'Donnell) also does a very good job.  Dr. Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) also does well as Batman/ Bruce Wayne's love interest.  The Riddler discovers that Bruce Wayne and Batman are one and the same, resulting in much anguish as he and Two Face and their gang attack the house and are able to take Robin and Meridian prisoner.  Which one will Batman save, his new partner or his new love. If not for John Carry I would have enjoyed this movie more.

DC Movie Review: ****Batman Returns (1992)

 Michael Keaton returns as Batmas, and this time has a different nemesis, Penguin (Danny DeVito, but also has a second nemesis/ally Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer.). But the evil behind everything is the money man, Max Shreck (Christopher Walken.)  In a way Shreck creates Catwoman as he kills her, throws her out of a building, but she keeps coming back.  She puts off her meek secretary person and becomes the Catwoman.  Michael Gough plays the butler, Alfred. Penguin is mad at the world, and has been living in the sewers since his parents threw him there when he was a baby.  His hands were deformed.  He finally decides to come out of the sewer, and with some manipulation is on the verge of becoming mayor.  After he controlled Batman's Batmobile, and tried to frame him for murder and being a general bad guy, Batman turns the switch as he recorded the Penguin and plays back his audio when he is making a speech seeking the mayorship.  Penguin had said some mean things to Batman about the citizens of Gotham.  Penguin had planned to have his penguins blow up Gotham, but again Batman hijacks his frequency of control and congrols them himself.  The come down on the Penguin's lair and destroy it.  

The relationship between Batman and Catwoman is interesting, as it is a love hate relationship.  As people they like eachothr,  but as Batman and Catwoman they always fight.  They are allies towards the end, after she had allied with Penguin, but found him too ruthless.  

Movie is directed by Tim Burton.  It is a fun ride, with interesting backgrounds for Catwoman and Penguin.  Batman stops Penguin and Catwoman gets her revenge on Shreck, and he doesn't have nine lives.

DC Movie Review: ****Super Man Returns (2006)

 Superman (Brandon Routh) has returned after being away for five years in space, exploring his home world of Krypton.  In the meantime Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has explored his lair, and stole crystals.  The crystals contain the knowledge of Krypton.  He experiments with the crystals, and every time he does it causes a black out.  

Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) has moved on from Superman.  She has a son and a boyfriend/fiancé, Richard White (James Marsden.)  She won a Pulitzer for an article about not needing Superman.  She takes her son with her, tracking down a hint about the most recent blackout.  She wonders onto the boat of Lex Luthor.  

After she is on board, Luthor heads to see to put his plan into action.  He had obtained kryptonite from a museum.  He is going to combine the kryptonite with a Krypton crystal, and make an island he will own.  This new land will cover much of the eastern United States, and being combined with kryptonite, will be poisonous to Superman.  He completes his task, and then must hurry away to avoid the crystal island.  Superman, and her fiancé rescue Lois.  Richard White takes her away in a seaplane, but Lois Lane realizes they must turn back.  Superman is in peril because of the kryptonite.  He is tossed in the ocean to die.

As they approach, Lois' son, is able to see Superman in the deep.  He is in fact Superman's son.  They are able to get him and fly away, but Superman must return.  Billions are in peril.  Superman restores his strength in the sun, then lifts the island and throws it into space.  The effort kills him.

Luthor and his girlfriend, Kitty Kowolski (Parker Posey) escape, but Kowolski drops the crystals on purpose as she is tired of Luthor's antics and callousness.  

Lois visits Superman in the hospital.  Can her life, and knowing he has a son, bring him back to life?  

This movie is good, not the best superman.  It gets bogged down a couple of times with back story, but the action wins out in the end.

DC Movie Review: ****^ Batman (1989)

 Watching Batman again reminded me how much I loved this movie the first time through.  Batman/Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton struggles with his need to fight crime, after the murder of his parents at the hands of Jack Napier/Joker (Jack Nicholson).  Napier becomes the Joker after he is dropped into a bat of acid when the crime boss (Jack Palance) sets him up.  Batman befriends a photographer, Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger).  There relationship develops, but Joker also wants to possess her.  Joker does get even with the crime boss, and takes over as the boss.  He has developed a poison which makes laugh before they die.  He has plans for a city wide gassing at a party.  Batman interv ees and sends to balloons filled with gas into the atmosphere.  The Joker has a big gun with which he shoots down the Bat plane.  This leads to a big fight.
This movie is very good.  Nicholson is good as the Joker, and Michael Keaton is also very good.

DC Movie Review: *** The Flash (2023)

 Lots of action but the time line, multiverse thing is very confusing.  The Flash (Ezra Miller) goes back in time to save his mother.  He does so by changing something insignificant.  However he gets pushed out of his own timeline, and meets himself at a younger age.  And based on the changes he made, his mother is living, but the world is changed.  The superheroes are different.  We get Batman (Michael Keaton instead of George Clooney).  We do not have a Superman, but they rescue Supergirl (Sasha Calle).  They stand against someone from Krypton, General Zod (Michael Shannon),  come to conquer the world.  It isn't until The Flash realizes that things are hopeless.  He needs to go back and change what he changed to put things right. 

There were a cameos by Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Batman (George Clooney).  

This movie has its action, and it is so good to see Michael Keaton back in the Batman role.  However the plot is confusing with the different times or universes or whatever.  

DC Animated Movie Review: *** Superman: Doomsday (2007)

 In this Superman (Adam Baldwin) dies, a lot of times.  He faces a being from Krypton, made as a super warrior.  In killing the creature he too dies.  But that is not the end.  Lex Luthor (James Marsters) wanted to kill Superman and he feels cheated.  So Superman is restored by Lex Luthor who then kills him with red sun and kryptonite.  In the meantime  Luthor clones Superman.  The new Superman is not the same however.  He does not have qualms about killing others in keeping Gotham safe.  Luthor mentions he has a fail safe, so the new Superman finds the lead line Kryptonite ball in his head, and removes it.  In the meantime Superman does come back to life as his body heals itself.  He goes to face the cloned Superman before he is fully healed.  The cloned Superman destroys all the other clones Luthor has made, and leaves Luthor under a pile of rubble.  It is only with Lois Lane's (Anne Heche) help that he is able to bring done the cloned Superman.

DC Animated Movie Review: ***Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)

 This is an intriguing story.  Batman (Bruce Greenwood) is too late to save Robin (Alexander Martella) from the Joker (Joe DiMaggio).  The Joker beats him to death with a crow bar.  Batman does take him home and bury him.  Years later, a vigilante in a red hood (Jensen Ackles) appears and begins taking out the mob.  One of the mobsters finally breaks the Joker out of jail to protect them.  The Joker arranges for the Red Hood to be put in an awkward position of having to save people from the Joker.  Turns out however this is what the Red Hood wanted.  He is seeking revenge on the Joker, who killed him.  Robin was brought back to live by Ra's al Ghul (Jason Isaacs).  This lead to a classic confrontation.  Nightwing (Neal Patrick Harris) is also involved.  Very good show with lots of action.

DC Animated Movie Review: ***^Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010)

I really enjoyed this Batman/Superman movie.  It is a sequel to Public Enemies.  In Public Enemies Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Superman (Tim Daly) stopped a meteor.  In this movie we learn that it was actually a spaceship from Krypton and Superman's cousin, Kara (Sumer Glau) was inside.   She has some difficulty adjusting to her powers as she is no longer n Krypton.  Wonder Woman (Susan Eisenberg) takes her to home of the Amazons where she can train.  However Darkseid (Andre Braugher) learns of this, and sends his minions to kidnap her.  The Amazons and the minions have quite a battle, but while they battle Kara is kidnapped and her friend killed.

Superman recruits Big Barda, (Julianne Grossman) Darkseid's former underling to take him to the Darkseid world, Apokolips.  Darkseid tries to capture Wonder Woman as an alternative, but fails, and Superman takes Kara home to the farm to meet his folks, and Darkseid is there.  He has incredible power in his eyes; more than Superman.

I liked the cusi showing up.  I thought she was a good addition, and trying to find her place.  

DC Animated Movie Review: ***Superman/ Batman: Public Enemies (2009)

 This movie asks the question, What would the world be like if Lex Luthor (Clancy Brown) became president.  It doesn't go well for Luthor's enemy Superman (Tim Daly), and also Superman's friend, Batman Kevin Conroy).  It seems every superhero in the world has been sent to bring Superan in.

In the meantime a meteor from Krypton is heading toward earth.  Luthor says he will handle, but a nuclear missile fails to alter its course.  He then tells people he will stop it but in reality does nothing.  So a few people will die. However Batman and Superman are planning on intervening.  But Luthor comes out in an Iron Man type suit.  The other super heroes are starting to see through him.  

Animated Movie Review: ***^Batman and Harley Quinn (2017)

 Adding Harley Quinn (Melissa Rauch)  to Batman's (Kevin Conroy) team makes for an interesting movie.  Quinn is such a loss cannon.  Quinn is the Joker's ex girlfriend.  She has served time in prison and turned a new leaf.  Batman and Nightwing (Loren Lester) recruit her because Poison Ivy (Paget Brewster) is making havoc.  She has teamed with Floronic Man (Kevin Michael Richardson) and they intend to change all creatures to plant creatures, forcing everyone to be green.  However nothing they do can turn Floronic Man from his goal.  Quinn does Poison Ivy in with her tears and big eyes.  But Floronic Man is different, until they realize he is a plant and susceptible to fire.  

DC Movie Review: Wonder Woman 1984

 This is a very enjoyable music, but sometimes it is a bit too much.  Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) works in the Smithsonian, where coworker Barbara (Kristin Wiig) has received delivery of a special stone.  She wishes to be like Wonder Woman and begins to get her powers.  However Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) has been stufying rocks, and steals it when he sees it.  It grants wishes.  Wonder woman had wished that her love would come back, and Lord wishes to actually be the stone.  Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) does come back, her boyfriend from forty years before.  Lord needs more and more people to ask him for wishes, as this increases his power.  He finally goes big time, but Wonder Woman knows something has to change or the whole world will be destroyed. 

Lots of neat action.  A great fight between Barbara and Wonder Woman.  But nothing works as long as people as asking for wishes.  Lord has to remember his son and who he is or the world is lost.  

Animated Movie Review: Batman: **** Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

 Mask of the Phantasm is a very good animated Batman movie.  A person, the Phantasm (Stacy Keach) dressed like Batman is taking out Gotham's crime bosses.  This feature also talks of Batman (Kevin Conroy) almost being engaged, but his girlfriend, Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delany) leaves town and he doesn't see her for several years.  She returns about the same time as the Phantasm showing up.  One of the crime bosses goes to the Joker (Mark Hamill) for protection.  The Joker goes too far and kills the man himself.  

Turns out the criminal element is out to kill Miss Beaumont's father based on past debts.  That is why they left town.  He is the Phantasm.  The mobsters eventually kill him, the Joker.  Miss Beaumont takes his place and goes after the Joker.  

Great movie, and the romance was just not meant to be.  

Animated Movie Review: *** Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003)

 There is a new actor in town, Batwoman (Kyra Sedgwick) .  She is attacking Penguin's (David Ogden Stiers) organization who are smuggling weapons to outside the country.  He is preparing for a big shipment.  Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Robin (Eli Marienthal) Are trying to figure out who Batwoman is, even though they have the same aims to a degree.  But in truth there are three women who make up the Batwoman.  Kathy Duquesne (Kimberly Brooks) is the daughter of Carlton Duquesne (Kevin Michael Richardson), Penguin's security.  Penguin's henchman Bane (Hector Elizondo) destroyed the business of detective Sonia's (Elisa Gabrielli) parents, and the tech geek, Rocky (Kelly Ripa) is struggling because Penguin framed her fiancé and he is in jail.  All three are motivated to take down the Penguin.  But it doesn't happen without th efforts of all three, and Batman and Robin.  Alfred (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) is valways present and always supporting Batman.  

I enjoyed this animated feature.  Each of the women had their own talents and they worked well as a team.   

Animated Trilogy Movie Review: *** Batman: Son of Batman, Batman vs. Robin and Bad Blood (2014, 2015, 2016)

 This is a Batman (Jason O'Mara) trilogy of animated movies which tell the story of Batman's son Damian/Robin (Stuart Allan) Damian's mother, Talia (Morena Baccarin), and Nightwing (Sean Maher) who previously was Robin but outgrew the costume.  

In the movie Batman's son is living with his mother and grandfather. Ra's al Ghul (Giancarlo Esposito) at a monastery, League of Assassins.  Deathstroke (Thomas Gibson) and his men attack the monastery, leaving it in ruins and killing al Ghul.  Mother then brings Damian to Batman to care for him for a time. 

In "Batman vs. Robin" Talon (Jeremy Sisto) plays a large part; especially in turning Damian/Robin against his father.  He is working with a group called Court of Owls.  However in the end he betrays the court as he is actually working on a way to create immortality, so people can regenerate.  He uses these as his minions.  Robin was actually going to join Talon, but he realizes he is still loyal to Batman and the thought, justice not vengeance.  Leads to a large battle at the end, including Batman, Robin and Nightwing, and even Alfred (David McCallum).  

Finally in the last movie, Bad Blood, we are introduced to two more characters, Batwoman/Katherine Kane (Yvonne Strahovski) and Batwing/Luke Fox (Gaius Charles).  Batman wants to keep the fighting inside the family, meaning he and Robin and Nightwing.  However without the help of others they would not have survived.  Infact Batman is taken captive, and Nightwing and Robin cover for Batman.  They eventually rescue him, but he has been brainwashed with the use of a trigger.  The same trigger has been put in many prominent people.  It is Damian's mother who is actually wanting to control the world as leader of the League of Assassins.  

Animated DC Movie Review: ***^ Batman The Dark Knight Returns, parts 1 and 2 (2012, 2013)

 Batman (Peter Weller) has been retired for ten years.  However he doesn't like the way things are going in Gothem, so he decides to return to crime fighting, even though he is now in his 50s.  The minions have formed a gang of young people, with a devious leader who is strong and wants to face Batman.  They are committing crimes against people for the fun of "slicing and dicing."  In the meantime Harvey Dent, Two-Face (Wade Williams) has been treated and his face restored (but mentally he still sees it as ugly but now matching).  Batman has to stop his evil intentions.  

But still the minions are waiting and threatening a general attack on the city.  Batman confronts them, but the leader is able to defeat him and send him packing.  He is saved by his new Robin (Ariel Winter) a young woman.  There Alfred, (Michael Jackson) the butler, helps but him back together and reminds him that brawn for brawn he is going to lose.  He has to use his intelligence.  

So after Batman is healed enough, he invites all the minions to a place where he chooses to fight, in the mud which will work to slow the head minion down.  He then proceeds to slowly take him apart, and in doing so wins the respect of the minions.  Part One ends with the minions becoming smaller gangs of vigilantes, following Batman's example.

The Joker (Michael Emerson) enters part two.  His psychiatrist arranges for him to be on a TV talk show.  Commissioner Gordon (David Selby) retires, and the new commissioner is out to get Batman.  Joker of curse, kills his psychiatrist, and then all the people in the studio and the host with his laughing gas.  He seems to really like killing.  Batman has to fight the police to get away, making is so he is too late to save anyone.  Robin again helps him get away.  

Batman is being blamed for troubles in Gotham, and the president recruits Superman (Mark Valley) to fix the problem, even killing him if necessary.  In the meantime the Russians and USA are at odds fighting over an island, and Superman's intervention turns the battle in the USA favor.  

Batman traces the Joker to a carnival.  He makes the tunnel of love a tunnel of murder.  However Batman finally catches up to him, and Batman is witnessed killing the Joker.  The police are hard on his tail now.  Batman barely escapes again, with Robin piloting the Batcopter.  

Russia retaliates with a nuclear weapon, which although diverted by Superman, still explodes injuring SUperman and causing all electronics to go out on the sea coast, including Gotham.  Chaos ensues, but Batman, with the help of the minions is able to restore some sense of order.  

Superman is still coming for Batman.

This movie is very exciting.  Here we have a Superman vs Batman battle.  

Movie Review: ***^The Batman (2022)

 This movie is very entertaining with the Riddler (Paul Dano) creating havoc and leaving his riddles all over town.  It is a very dark version of Batman.  The Batman armor saves him on several occasions. Bruce Wayne/Batman (Robert Pattinson) must battle a man no one knows who is leaving riddles and killing notorious gangsters or corrupt politicians.  He puts a bad name on vigilanteism.  

Falcone (John Torturro) is the head of the syndicate.  He is a very bad man who is seldom seen.  He is the father of Selina (Zoë Kravitz) who dresses like the cat woman and is a vigilante in her own right.  She goes after Falcone who is her father and killed her mother.  An un betweener is Penguin (Colin Ferrell) who is done in by the Riddler. 

 They finally catch up to the Riddler when he murders Falcone.  He is arrested and in jail.  Batman visits him in jail and the Riddler taunts him because he didn't figure out his plans, to blow the sea wall and 500 members of his social network will create chaos by shooting the crowds of people escaping.  The 500 wear masks similar to the Riddler's mask.  Batman doesn't stop the explosions, but he mostly stops the shooting.  Selina helps him.  Lt. James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) saves the new mayor.  

As I noted the action is very intense.  The dark nature of the movie makes it hard to understand what is happening at times.   

DC Movie Review: ****Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

 In this movie our superheroes have two actors each, one for their normal person and one for their super hero person.  Shazam! is faced with a big test of his abilities as well as his character.  He is obsessed with Wonder Woman and keeps dreaming of her.  Three gods have stolen a staff which Shazam! discarded in the first movie.  They steal it from a museum.  With the staff, and their own powers they wreck havoc on the world.  Our team of superheroes, the Philly Fiascos, have their hands full.  The spend a lot of time dodging, but Pedro is not good a dodging.  The bolt from the staff takes your powers away.  An interesting character in the movie is Anthea.  She is one of the evil gods, but is also enamored with Freddy, one of the superheroes.  The wizard also has a prominent part, first with Freddy as the escape captivity together.  Kalypso is very very evil.  She is determined to eliminate all mankind as a punishment for past perceived wrongs.  Hespera is the third evil gos, but she changes before the end of the movie.  She wants her powers back but not at the expense of all humanity.

• 

  Zachary Levi

  Shazam
• 

  Asher Angel

  Billy Batson
• 

  Jack Dylan Grazer

  Freddy Freeman
• 

  Rachel Zegler

  Anthea
• 

  Adam Brody

  Super Hero Freddy
• 

  Ross Butler

  Super Hero Eugene
• 

  D.J. Cotrona

  Super Hero Pedro
• 

  Grace Caroline Currey

  Mary Bromfield

  /Super Hero Mary
• 

  Meagan Good

  Super Hero Darla
• 

  Lucy Liu

  Kalypso
• 

  Djimon Hounsou

  Wizard
• 

  Helen Mirren

  Hespera
• 

  Faithe Herman

  Darla Dudley
• 

  Ian Chen

  Eugene Choi
• 

  Jovan Armand

  Pedro Peña
• 

  Marta Milans

  Rosa Vasquez
• 

  Cooper Andrews

  Victor Vasquez