Batman Returns

I don't know if Batman Returns is necessarily the best super hero movie set at Christmas but it's easily the horniest one. It's also Burton AF. If 1989's Batman was a super hero movie with some Tim Burton flair, Batman Returns was a Tim Burton movie with some super hero elements tossed into the mix. Apparently, after the success of 1989's Batman, Burton only agreed to make the sequel if he was given a lot more creative control over the production. And, after rewatching the movie, I'd say he got it. At one point, there's a shot where the camera glides over the Penguin's abandoned amusement park lair and you can't help but think that was Tim Burton's whole reason for making the movie. The acting is good all around, with Michelle Pfeiffer delivering a particularly impressive multi-layered performance. Overall, Batman Returns feels like a more fully realized Batman movie than its predecessor.

Rating: 72%

(Image from Wikipedia)

Cat People

This past Saturday the Kalamazoo Alamo Draft House had a four horror movie marathon, which sounds great on paper but by hour eight sounded less great. Anyway, the gem of the night was Paul Schrader's Cat People, a movie I would never have guessed was a horror movie by the cover. It's about a couple of were-cats who turn into panthers after having sex with non-were-cats and can't turn back into people until they kill somebody. You know, typical were-cat fare. It's really well directed, and great performances from all the cast and you also (SPOILER) get to see Ed Begley Jr.'s arm ripped off. The other movies were Night of the Creeps, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, and Humanoids from the Deep in case you were wondering.

RATING: 78%

Catwoman: When In Rome

I thought that since I've never reviewed a book by the team of Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale, now was as good a time as any ha ha jk lol idkfa. Anyway, this could have been pretty standard fare, a throwaway taking place in the middle of Batman: Dark Victory, but instead Loeb writes an extremely entertaining and often hilarious Catwoman. She's a strong and interesting character, and the humor in her narration really helps keep this book from being as brooding and dire as everything else this team tends to do. One problem I have with this, and it goes for every Tim Sale book, is that every time there's a splash page or very large panel in the middle of the book he has to sign his fucking signature to it, which really takes me out of the story. Look, buddy, your name is huge on the front of the book so I know you didn't just give up half way through, ok? Who are you, JG Jones?

RATING: 83%

COMIC BOOK JOKE THAT NOBODY WILL GET RATING: 41%