10) Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
Released only this year, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract is the newest title on this list, but its place is entirely merited. As our fellow colleague Eric Joseph said in his review of the film, it’s “a tremendous blend of comedy, drama and tragedy.”
While many might bemoan how it drifted away from the source material in places, it’s still an intensely deep and emotional adventure. In fact, the ending brought tears to our eyes much the same way that Batman Returns did when we thought that Selina had died. How heartbreaking to even think of it!
When even Damian Wayne is tolerable in a movie, you must know that it has to be good. Chuck Deathstroke, Nightwing, and the rest of the Teen Titans into the mix and it’s the recipe for a terrific DC adventure. In addition, the Kevin Smith cameo was pretty dope and nicely done.
9) Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker
Be honest: when Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker was announced, you thought it was a cash-in on the wildly successful animated series by including the Bat’s most iconic villain, the Clown Prince of Crime. We know that we stupidly believed the same, too.
Yet, this futuristic Batflick surprised us all, by challenging the existing mythos and making the Joker even more despicable than we could’ve ever imagined. The story was a true revelation, and a further reminder that Paul Dini is one of the greatest creative minds that DC has ever had. Seriously, he has the Midas touch.
Lest we forget, this film also attracted a barrage of controversy, due to its violence and adult material. This resulted in two cuts being produced to appease the uptight suits and paranoid parents. The uncut version is still high in demand, though, and remains a must-have collector’s item for any fan of Batman Beyond.