Now Playing Presents: The Batman Movie Retrospective

How does a DC Comics super-team come together when the Man of Steel is dead, Batman is suicidal, Wonder Woman won't lead, and the most promising recruits are an aloof Merman, a renegade robot, and a neurotic runner who'd rather eat than fight? It will take the Classic Rock threat of Steppenwolf, reuniting with the Mother Boxes of Invention, to unify this Justice League. But is there any hope for Recommendations from Stuart, Jakob, and Arnie when the clashing visions of director Zack Snyder and last minute replacement Joss Whedon create such a chaotic production? Find out who wins and loses when you listen now!

Thirsting for even more JUSTICE? Become a Now Playing Patron to hear an extended version of this review--over 30 minutes longer! Details are on the Now Playing Patron site!

Earlier this year DC brought Batman back to the big screen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Now it's time for his nemesis to get the spotlight. Suicide Squad stars
villains like Joker, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, and Enchantress -- a group
of bad people who may be able to do some good. The characters are the
worst of the worst...but is the film also the worst? Join Arnie, Stuart,
and Jakob to find out!

It took fifteen years of development, but now the World's Finest heroes are together on screen with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Can the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel share the screen? The box office was big but the audience divided. Now join Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob for this review to find out!

Pixar films including Toy Story, Monsters Inc., and Finding Nemo, had been smash hits. But could this success that worked on toys, fish, bugs, and beasts, work for a movie starring a roster of human characters? That was the risk they took with The Incredibles -- Pixar's first superhero film. The gamble worked and Pixar had another hit, but how does this film hold up more than 10 years later? Join Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob to find out!

Since Michelle Pfeiffer squeezed into latex in Batman Returns an idea of a Catwoman movie had been teased. Writers, directors, and stars were attached to the project over the years, and it took over a decade for the film to become reality. Now starring Academy Award winner Halle Berry as Patience Phillips, a woman given the mystical powers of a cat, the film hoped to jump on the superhero bandwagon and launch a new franchise. Instead, it won several Raspberry Awards and tanked at the box office. Is this film as bad as its reputation? Listen to Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie as they let the fur fly in our review!

The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated conclusion to his Batman trilogy, opened last Friday under the pall of a senseless tragedy that occurred at a screening in Colorado. Nationwide, people mourn for those lost, and pray for those injured. But the majority refuse to let the acts of one man taint a movie they've waited four years to see, and audiences rushed to theaters and IMAX to see if Nolan's latest effort could measure up to 2008's record-breaking, Academy Award winning The Dark Knight. Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's final review in their Batman retrospective series to find out if it did!

The Dark Knight opened under the dark cloud of Heath Ledger's death but went on to break box office records and set a new standard for superhero films and cement Christopher Nolan's A-List status. But why so serious? Listen to Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob's review of this Academy Award winning tale of capes and cowls!

For over a year the hosts of Now Playing have watched and reviewed every movie based off a Marvel Comics series, but now they enter into their last Marvel review series with the most popular Marvel Comic character of all time -- Spider-Man! Join us as we watch and review all the Spider-Man movies from the 1970s made-for-TV films through the 2012 Amazing Spider-Man reboot!

After Batman Forever exceeded expectations, a sequel was rushed into production. Trouble on the set led to Val Kilmer being replaced by TV superstar George Clooney, but the real star power was held by the film's villain--Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze. And this film brought even more superhero star power, with more super heroes and super villains than any previous Batman movie, including Robin, Poison Ivy, Bane, and even Batgirl! The film was not well received and put Batman on ice for eight years, but Arnie, Stuart, and Jakob have thawed it out for the next installment of their Batman retrospective series. Is this ice nice? Listen to find out!

After Tim Burton's Batman returned to diminishing results, audiences put off by the salacious Penguin and dark tone, Warner Bros. brought in Lost Boys director Joel Schumacher to give Batman a new vision. With Val Kilmer now the man behind the cowl, Gotham City was given a new look, a new hero in the form of Robin the boy wonder, and two new villains. Batman Forever came in only second to Toy Story at the 1995 box office, but was it as big a hit with the Now Playing reviewers? Listen to find out!