I wound up going through my stack of animated Batman videos:
Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero is little more than an expanded episode of TAS. There's about 20 minutes or so of padding on top of a two-parter episode, and this makes the movie become tiresome. There is no additional development made so this added time was made to simply fill out the video time. There are several uneccessary CGI shots and sequences to boot.
2.5 balls out of 4.
Return of the Joker uncut-This is more like it. I have a big soft spot for Batman Beyond, and always thought it deserved a darker tone. Unfortunately after setting up a great premise, and having a fantastic plot twist, ROTJ remains stuck in the 70 to 80 minute children's animated video format. I wish this one had had more time to develop the storyline and enhance the overall drama. And whatever you do avoid the edited version. There's somewhere north of 50 edits made to tone down the violence.
3 balls out of 4 badass elder Bruce Waynes.
Mystery of the Batwoman-an even more tiresome regular episode expansion. The story revolves around a single plot idea that seems to have been thought of and then thrown into a bowl with other leftover random elements. Really tossed off and a waste of time.
1.5 balls out of 4.
Batman Vs. Dracula-An idea that seems silly at first, but that is treated with relative seriousness. Unfortuately this is designed for young children so there is little to no story depth. However there are a few fleeting moments of inspiration. (Vampire Joker!)
2 balls out of 4.
Batman: Gotham Knight-Pointless tie-in to Batman Begins composed of different anime directors making Batman segments, Animatrix style. One or two work pretty well , some drag terribly, and several of the anime styles do not work well at all for the Dark Knight. The real draw though is Kevin Conroy as always.
2 balls out of 4.
The IPCRESS File-the greatest spy film of all time. Michael Caine's definitive role is blue-collar spy Harry Palmer; the working class, gourmet, spectacled, cooking anti-Bond. Smart, detached, urban, paranoiac, and beautifully shot in Techniscope by a crew consisting of many members of the Bond film team. John Barry's score is haunting and perhaps his finest work. Some of the most inventive cinematography to ever be featured in a feature film. Caine gives us a man with Connery's superman swagger, but who is also painfully human too. He is defined by his arrogance and indifference to authority.
I'm obsessed with this film. 4 champignon mushroom balls out of 4 B-107s.
