Batman: The Long Halloween - 3/5

This movie takes its time to allow Batman to do his sleuthing, something a lot of other Batman movies gloss over, but it somehow manages to squeeze in plenty of classic villains and action along the way. The film is split into two parts, and there’s a jarring jump between the two, although the plot recovers pretty quickly afterward. Still, it ends up dragging on a bit too long and many of the twists and turns that take up a sizeable chunk of the runtime don’t end up mattering when all is said and done.

Closest comparison: It’s like The Batman (2022) by way of Batman: Hush (2019).

Setting: Noir
Plot: Mystery
Tone: Super hero

The Town - 4/5

This movie is a modern heist classic, focusing more on the camaraderie of the lowlife thieves than on the sleuthing of the detectives tracking them down or even the thrill and mechanics of the heists themselves. It’s fun to watch the four main leads fully immersed in their characters and bouncing dialogue off each other. In that there’s a playfulness to the drama that doesn’t sacrifice the impact of the story to engage the audience.

Content warning: brief female nudity

Closest comparison: It’s like Four Brothers by way of American Heist.

Setting: Crime
Plot: Heist
Tone: Lowlifes