Say, do you folks have any treasured holiday traditions? Things you do with family or friends that really just bring a smile to your face? Something that, if you didn’t do it, it wouldn’t really be the holidays?
For me, that thing is watching movies. My mom raised me on the old Rankin Bass Christmas specials. You know the ones: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and, if you’re cultured like me, The Year Without a Santa Claus. Those movies, along with It’s a Wonderful Life and a few others, really shaped my childhood (though if I never have to sit through A Christmas Story again, it’ll be too soon).
But instead of all those movies, why not something with Batman? Kicking off this installment of the Holiday Gift guide is the movie we all expected to see here…
THE BATMAN
Featuring stellar performances from Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, and Jeffrey Wright, The Batman follows a young, angry Bruce Wayne in the second year of his crime-fighting career as he figures out what it means to be The Batman, all while trying to stop a mysterious new villain known as The Riddler.
I was lucky enough to go to an advanced screening of this film earlier this year, and it has to be, hands-down, my favorite Batman movie since ‘89. This is a worthwhile pickup for any Bat-fan, be it you or a friend. The Batman is available from just about anywhere, and in a variety of stylized cases exclusive to retailers like Target and Best Buy. And it’s discounted frequently this month, too! On Black Friday, you could’ve even bought the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray from Amazon for $9.99! We, however, recommend you splurge on a steelbook from Best Buy for $32 bucks. Just look at this gallery of all the different packaging that’s out there for you to choose from for The Batman…
If you’re still on the fence about the movie, or just curious to know our thoughts, you can find our full review of the film HERE. But we doubt you need any more convincing on whether you watch it or not. Instead, we want to aid you in how you watch it. It’s a real possibility that a lot of you are only viewing the film on HBO Max and you’re cheating yourself out of the best picture and sound if that’s the case. The Batman is mastered in 4K (Native 4K), with the 4K Ultra HD offering HDR10 and Dolby Vision. And the 4K Blu-ray disc and regular Blu-ray disc are both in Dolby Atmos, the best way to experience the car chase. Plus, if you’re not getting this film on home video, you’re missing out on some excellent bonus features that the streamer doesn’t offer.
Over 2 hours of bonus features include:
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Vengeance In The Making
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Vengeance Meets Justice
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The Batman: Genesis
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Becoming Catwoman
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Looking for Vengeance
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Anatomy of The Car Chase
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Anatomy of The Wingsuit
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A Transformation: The Penguin
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The Batmobile
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Unpacking The Icons
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Deleted Scenes with Director’s Commentary
BATMAN AND SUPERMAN: BATTLE OF THE SUPER SONS
Next up we have a film that I absolutely did not expect to make the list. Battle of the Super Sons, which I had the pleasure of seeing at its premiere at New York Comic Con, is a genuinely incredible children’s movie. With an all-star cast of voice actors including Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, and Troy Baker, and the voice acting debuts of Jack Griffo and Jack Dylan Grazer, Super Sons is packed with absolutely stellar performances. The film is a heartwarming tale of growing up, finding your place in a world already defined by those before you, and also surviving an alien invasion. Get ready for a whole lot of family fun as you follow Jon Kent and Damian Wayne as they fight to save the world (and their dads) from Starro the Conqueror.
You can find our full review HERE.
Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons is available from Amazon and all major retailers starting at $14 bucks for Blu-ray and $22 for the 4k Ultra HD.
CATWOMAN: HUNTED
Rounding out our list of terrific 2022 DC movies is a film I didn’t think got enough love. Catwoman: Hunted is everything I could have wanted in an anime-style Catwoman movie! It’s like Lupin III with a Bat-shaped coat of paint. Full of style, fun, and action, Catwoman: Hunted follows Selina (Elizabeth Gillies) as she and Batwoman (Stephanie Beatriz) go after one of the biggest criminal organizations on the planet. What ensues is a globetrotting adventure that’s sure to keep even your most distractible, phone-gazing friends’ eyes locked on the TV screen. Any fan of either Catwoman or Lupin the Third should definitely check this movie out.
I reviewed this film along with my very good friend, and fellow reviewer Nick, and you can find us talking about it HERE.
Catwoman: Hunted is available from all major retailers starting at around $13 for the Blu-ray and $22 if you want the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Best Buy even offers a steelbook!
