Batman Returns

Batman Returns (1992) is an action/Superhero film by Tim Burton and is perhaps one of the best Batman films. The set designs and costume designs were brilliant and each of the cast members brought life to their characters. The production design team alongside the art director and the prop master helped bring Tim Burton's vision of Gotham City to reality. The production designer did an amazing job creating Gotham City, from the tall buildings, to the cemetery; to Wayne Manor each set was created so perfectly that it's hard to believe that it’s just that, a set. Burton's vision of this film led to an amazing movie which was one of the best Batman movies before the reboot.

One of the biggest themes in this movie, even though it's not fully stated in the film is that of child abandonment.  Oswald Cobblepot (Danny DeVito) was born not looking like any other baby does; his parents couldn't take the burden of living with a monster that they neglected him and in the end, abandoned him. The tale of Oswald Cobblepot and Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) were the same except they took a twist sometime in their lives. Both were born into wealthy families, but Bruce lost his parents to a murderer and was raised by his butler, Alfred (Michael Gough), who became like a father to him. Being raised by a strong parental influence, Bruce grew up to become Batman. As Batman, Bruce fought evil and thwarted the plans of the evil villains in Gotham City. The story of Oswald is that of a child being abandoned by his parents. Growing up without parents and being raised by Penguins it seems, Oswald grew bitter and resented the first born sons of Gotham for being raised by their loving parents while his own parents couldn't stand the sight of him and got rid of him as a baby which led to his transformation to the villain, The Penguin. 

Another theme in this film is corruption as we see Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) who will do whatever it takes to retain the power he has in Gotham and goes as far as recruiting and convincing The Penguin to run for Mayor of Gotham. Shreck gets confronted by his secretary, Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), about his plans and Shreck fears she will thwart his plans so he murders her (or so he thinks) by pushing her out of a window. Kyle goes through a transformation and awakens as Catwoman, who later in the film begins a flirtatious romance with Batman unbeknownst to either of them that their alter egos are indeed forming a romance of their own. In the end of the film Kyle gets her revenge on Shreck by toying with him just before she murders him. After it’s all said and done Batman/Wayne and Catwoman/Kyle go their separate ways.

This film has everything you need for an amazing movie: Comedy, Action, Drama, and Romance to name a few. This film is a definitely must see and it is one of Tim Burton's best work. In this film we got to get a peek in the mind of Burton because it takes a genius (with an amazing production design team) to bring his vision to life. This film is a work of art and it is one of my all time favorite Batman movies and I recommend that everyone watches this film.

Harold & Maude

Harold and Maude (1971) was a dark comedy by director Hal Ashby. The story focused around Harold (Bud Cort) who is always staging fake suicides and attending funerals in order to feel alive. While at a funeral Harold meets an older lady named Maude (Ruth Gordon) who shares the same attraction to funerals that he does. Reluctant at the thought of forming a friendship with someone with the same hobby as him Harold goes on living everyday life with his mother at their estate. His mother pursues him to find a girlfriend and goes as far as signing him up for a dating service. Harold realizes that he has more in common with Maude than with any of the girls that the dating service paired him up with. Harold even falls in love with Maude and Maude falls in love with Harold and when Harold announces that he will marry Maude he receives the disapproval of his peers. On the eve of Maude’s 80^th birthday Harold throws her a surprise birthday party but Maude has other plans in store. Having taken an overdose of sleeping pills, Maude planned to die on her 80^th birthday stating that she “couldn’t imagine a lovelier farewell” it is at that point that Harold is no longer excited at the thought of death, but mortified by it at the thought of losing the one person he truly loves. This film teaches us that age is but a number and love comes in all ages. It also teaches us to appreciate life because at any given moment it can be taken away from us.