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Top 10 Batman Films And TV Shows

With the recent release of “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” Ultimate Edition on home video, the recent theatrical showing of “Batman: The Killing Joke,” and the upcoming “Suicide Squad” which features Batman, it’s safe to say Batmania is in full effect. With Batman on the mind, it seemed to be the right time for me to ponder the best Batman film and TV offerings for this week’s list. It should be noted that this is a list of my personal favorites. No more, no less. With all of that said, on with the Batlist!

1. Batman: The Animated Series- Whenever I read a Batman comic or graphic novel, I always hear Kevin Conroy’s voice. For that reason alone, this groundbreaking animated series deserves a place at the top. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also the most accurate depiction of the character in my humble opinion.

2. Batman (1989)- Maybe it’s mere nostalgia, but the 1989 “Batman” remains my favorite Batman film. It was hugely influential, it was dark, it was fun, and Michael Keaton is still the best actor to portray the character in live-action so far.

3. The Dark Knight- Were it not for the problematic last 20 minutes, this would easily be the best Batman film. However, it’s still a game changing, deep, and all around superb Batman film that boasts an astonishingly good performance by Heath Ledger as The Joker.

4. Batman: Year One- Of all of the made for home video Batman animated films, this one stands above the rest. It’s a truly faithful adaptation of Frank Miller’s best Batman graphic novel.

5. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm- The theatrical Batman: TAS animated movie remains a fan favorite and for good reason.

6. Batman Beyond- The futuristic Batman spin-off was inventive, clever, and managed to take the character of Bruce Wayne into a new direction. Also, Terry McGinnis rules.

7. Batman (1966)- Not only did the campy 60’s Batman series put the now iconic comic book character in the spotlight, but it also proved to be a downright entertaining adaptation.

8. The New Batman Adventures- The continuation of “Batman: The Animated Series” was short-lived, but it still provided high quality storytelling.

9. Batman Begins- An accomplished reboot/origin story that resurrected the Batman franchise.

10. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition Only)- Nobody is more surprised than me to have this on my list. The film went from a D+ with the theatrical version to a solid B with the infinitely superior Ultimate Edition that fixes a ton of issues with the first two thirds of the film. Yes, the Martha and Doomsday issues are still there in the last act, but the movie clicks and feels complete now.

July 29, 2016 - Posted by nicklyons1 | News | Batman (1989), Batman 1966, Batman Begins, Batman Beyond, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: The Killing Joke, Batman: Year One, Kevin Conroy, Suicide Squad, The Dark Knight, The New Batman Adventures, Top 10 Batman Films And TV Shows