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I know BATMAN V. SUPERMAN doesn’t come out until next March, but like many people, I’m already SuperHyped (see what I did?). Anyway, this week on What to Stream Right Now, we’re taking a look at the man in the black corner, Batman. However, I’m not sure when we’ll ever have a Superman episode since Netflix still doesn’t stream SMALLVILLE. Make sure to check out Episodes 3 and 4 if you’re not a big Batman fan.

BATMAN – Dir. Tim Burton (1989)

Obviously we have to start with Tim Burton’s classic, BATMAN. Everyone loves the Dark Knight Trilogy with Christian Bale, but I really believe the younger generation of comic book movie fans are missing out on the ridiculous and campy fun of the 1989 Batman flick. Michael Keaton stars as Bruce Wayne and while he may not appear as polished as Bale, he certainly pulls off the rich-boy persona well. Prior to this role, Keaton was primarily a comedy actor, which led many to believe that he would be a poor fit for the caped crusader. However, he really knocks it out of the park as both Wayne and Batman. And he doesn’t have a demonic and scratchy voice!

And while the movie is called “Batman”, it’s apparent early on that this film is about The Joker. Jack Nicholson plays Jack Napier, a mob boss who falls into a vat of toxic something (quite original for the time) and comes out a little stranger. Again, Heath Ledger may be a fan favorite to today’s audience, but Nicholson’s portrayal of the character is still considered a modern classic. The story follows the rise and fall of Batman’s arch nemesis and even with a few artistic liberties here and there, Burton pulls off an enthralling story about one of America’s most loved villains.

GOTHAM – Season One (2014)

If you’re only here for Batman then maybe this show isn’t for you, because he’s only a child at the point of this show. GOTHAM follows the career of Detective James Gordon starting at the death of Bruce Wayne’s parents. Throughout the season we’re introduced to characters that will later become villains to the Dark Knight such as Selina Kyle (or Catwoman), Edward Nygma (The Riddler), Harvey Dent (Two-Face), and most prominently Oswald Cobblepot who begins his transformation into The Penguin rather early in the season. This is probably what makes the show so much fun to watch. Sure it tells great stories and has incredibly interesting characters, but it’s also just great to be fed little easter eggs and nods to the Batman mythos.

Season two just started last week, so if you aren’t caught up it may be a little difficult for you (yes, this is a challenge), but the show is definitely worth watching whether you’re a fan of the comics or just a fan of good TV in general.

By now, you’ve likely read the reviews or at least seen the headlines that BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE is a huge disappointment. Some of the main criticisms are that it isn’t cohesive, it’s too long yet doesn’t give enough time to important details, it doesn’t fix any of the problems inherent in MAN OF STEEL, and that the DC Universe is off to a terrible start. I’ll admit, some of these complaints are completely justified, but I had fun and I think that’s all that really matters. I wasn’t bored during a single part of the two and a half hour movie. The action was great, the characters were fun, and the story was interesting. That doesn’t mean the action was necessary, the characters had motivation, and the story made sense, it was simply entertaining.

Several months ago, people were anticipating this movie and criticizing it for things they knew nothing about. The casting was a huge part of that. Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor? Ben Affleck as Batman? Jeremy Irons as Alfred? Okay that one makes sense. And then we saw the trailer. You know what trailer I’m talking about. The one that basically spoiled the entire third act. Well, it’s true.

If you’re set on not seeing this movie or you don’t have the time, watch this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fis-9Zqu2Ro).

Jesse Eisenberg was a strange choice that I’m not sure totally paid off. He was okay, but not great. Ben Affleck on the other hand was the best part of the movie. I didn’t think Christian Bale could be surpassed, but Affleck may be my new favorite Batman. He’s older and much more ruthless than we’ve seen before, and he’s also more psychotic. It makes sense that this guy would dress up as a bat and hurt bad guys. In regards to the trailer… still watch the movie. If you haven’t seen that trailer already, consider yourself lucky. Many of the most exciting parts of the film are spoiled in that marketing travesty, and I can only imagine how much fun it would have been to experience those things for the first time in the theater. But, there’s more to the movie than just that. There were a lot of moments that surprised me and had me on the edge of my seat.

Honestly, I don’t understand why people are so upset about the movie. It’s fine if you don’t like it, but people actually feel offended. They think the characters are being treated poorly or that the filmmakers think their audience is dumb. I don’t think these things are true. It’s not a perfect movie and maybe DC will never catch up to Marvel, but they have a good start. I think this movie did a lot to correct the wrongs that we saw in Man of Steel. I think the subsequent DC movies and The Justice League will continue to expand the Universe and improve the story. I had fun watching this movie. I like seeing superheroes beat each other up. I’m not there to see the next Oscar winner or to walk away with a new view on humanity. Batman and Superman fight. That’s awesome. If that’s something you want to see, go see this movie. If you can’t form opinions of your own, there are hundreds of reviews on the web to tell you what you should think about Zack Snyder and the DC Universe.   Movies are meant to be fun and that’s all this movie is.

4 out of 5 Stars

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE – Dir. Zack Snyder

Starring: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Jesse Eisenberg, Gal Gadot

Run Time: 2 hours 33 minutes

With Summer in full swing, heatwaves come and go, and when one comes your way what better way to avoid it than by sitting inside with an air conditioner, a cold drink, and a great game. Here are some of the most notable games releasing in August.

Batman: A Telltale Game Series – August 2nd

The Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader, the World’s Greatest Detective, these names are synonymous with one person. Batman. From the new Batman V. Superman, and the Dark Knight movies, to the previous Batman games (Arkham Series), the Bat is everywhere and most everyone and their mother have heard of him. This is a new take on a Batman game which will be released episodically, and in the game, each choice you make will matter and will alter the future of your gaming experience. This game will play similar to other Telltale games such as The Walking Dead, or Tales from the Borderlands, which were massively successful. The controls will be based on quick time events and button sequences, an aspect that should tie in nicely with the combat style for taking down Gotham’s criminals. Along with looking like a playable comic book, this game is filled with notable characters such as Harvey Dent, Vicki Vale, James Gordon, Selena Kyle (Catwoman) and beloved butler, Alfred. Episode One is going to release on August 2nd and for anyone that is a fan of Batman this game should be at the top of your list. LINK

No Man’s Sky – August 9th

Need I say more? No Man’s Sky is arguably one of the most hyped games to release in years, if you don’t know about this game yet, you must go check out some of the previews. After a few delays, the game is finally going to be released on August 9th. Before I get ahead of myself, ere is what No Man’s Sky is. This game is a procedurally generated universe, which means this game is ever-expanding and always changing and in this universe you are an explorer just trying to survive. You make a living by flying from star to star and exploring the solar systems around them. Each planet in the solar system may have life forms or may be barren, some may be a mass of dessert or it may be a lush tropical world. This game also offers a trading system that requires you to go to trading outposts and interact with NPCs or other players, and this game is open to online play. The game developers Hello Games have said that our sun would burn out before you could fully explore this game, think about that for a second, that’s 8 BILLION years. If No Man’s Sky can hold up to what it has boasted this will easily be a huge hit of summer 2016. There is one drawback, this game is a PC and PlayStation 4 exclusive which is unfortunate for Xbox owners. LINK

Madden 17 – August 23rd

With the NFL season getting underway again in September it is time for the annual release of Madden. The 28th installment of the beloved franchise offers updated graphics, gameplay changes, and smoother mechanics. EA has revamped the running game and player control, smarter defensive A.I. that adjusts to your game style and special teams that can actually block kicks. With these all new game features, this could be the most polished Madden to date. For a fan of the franchise, you know what to expect, all the game modes are still there, Madden Ultimate Team, Franchise, Online play and Draft Champions. Overall Madden will be a successful game and if you’re a football fan is a must have. LINK

Upcoming: Battlefield 1 Beta???

Ever since the reveal trailer for Battlefield 1 on May 6th, the internet has been ablaze with anticipation. EA and Dice took a chance on placing their first person shooter in the setting of World War 1, but so far it has paid off for them, as it has been very well received by the public. So well received actually, it is the most liked trailer ever on YouTube, beating out every other game and even movie trailers. Something unknown to people is when Battlefield 1 will have their public beta. There was a closed version of the game only available to a select few, but with the hype for this game, everyone is patiently waiting. EA has said that it will be in late summer, and with the game releasing in October, one would assume this beta is right around the corner. LINK