I had recently quit work to take a long-ish break. I have been working for a couple of decades now, and for someone who isn’t always motivated solely by money, that’s a long time in the SaaS business. I see young people screaming and creaming over their little soulless technological Lego sets they’ve built.
Looking out at Bangalore, I was reminded of Gotham. Not the new batches of Batman movies. I was reminded of Tim Burton’s classics. You know, those movies with Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Christopher Walken. Yes, those ones. I wanted to see the result of someone creating with passion.
Tim Burton’s Gotham City is grotesque and baroque
Look, when you’re approaching 45, with a creaky knee, a soul-crushing commute, and an inbox that breeds emails like roaches, popping in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992) feels like downing an ice-cold Corona at lunch. I was a scrawny kid when these Tim Burton classics hit the VCR market back in the days, and now, drowning in spreadsheets and swimming practice schedules, I’m revisiting Michael Keaton’s Batman. Let me tell you, these movies are still a juicy burger in a world of wilted cafeteria salads—bold, messy, and worth every bite.
Batman (1989): A Break from My B-Town Traffic Hell
After two decades of adulting—tax forms, parent-teacher conferences, and unclogging drains that smell like regret—Batman is a goddamn vacation. Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne is quiet, beat-up, and probably forgets where he parked the Batmobile. Keaton’s got this weary, “I’m too old for this” vibe that resonates when I’m hauling groceries after a 10-hour Gmeet marathon. Then there’s Jack Nicholson’s Joker, a cackling tornado who makes my unhinged coworkers seem tame. Nicholson’s chewing every scene like it’s the last donut in the break room, and I’m still chuckling at “This town needs an enema!” while my kid sighs at my lame impressions.
Kim Basinger and Jack Nicholson add color to an understated Batman
Burton’s Gotham is all shadowy skyscrapers and steam-filled alleys. It’s got this retro-futuristic vibe, like a comic book come to life. Tim Burton’s Batmobile is still the sexiest car ever. Kim Basinger is born to play heroines in noir movies. If Nolan’s reprisals of Batman are gritty – and it is gritty – Tim Burton’s Batman is grotesque and baroque. Jack Nicholson brings a manic energy to Joker with the perfect blend of style and smile.
Batman Returns (1992): A questionable Christmas Movie
Batman Returns, meanwhile, is the cinematic equivalent of sneaking a nap during a conference call—deliciously wrong and exactly what I need. With a room full of books that I’ll “organize better someday,” Batman Returns’ unapologetic weirdness is catharsis. Keaton’s Batman is still the glue. But let’s talk Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman: she’s a feral, broken goddess, slinking through scenes. Pfeiffer’s Catwoman is also the best character in a Batman movie. She’s unapologetic, intensely human, and deadly. She cracks a whip and meows. Danny DeVito’s Penguin? He’s a slimy, tragic weirdo, like if my HOA president ran a sewer cult.
Christopher Walken and Danny DeVito – A combination you never knew you needed
Apparently, Batman Returns is a Christmas movie. The snowy Gotham vibe does provide a twisted holiday mood. Burton’s all-in on the freaky—outcasts, masks, and that “who am I anymore?” energy that hits hard – like when you’re staring down another performance review from either end of the meeting room with Chai Point coffee. Penguin’s rocket-penguin army was the coolest; now, I’m relating to his bitter muttering while I collect my newspaper at dawn. Elfman’s score ties this entire circus together. The big moments—Catwoman’s whip-snapping chaos, Penguin’s deranged monologues—are more thrilling than the time I got a parking spot in Indira Nagar.
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman might be the best nightwalker
Why They’re My Lifeline
These movies are raw, human, and weird, like a middle finger to the beige drudgery of school fees and dental appointments. Keaton’s Batman isn’t some ripped demigod; he’s a guy grinding through the night, like we slog through another “urgent” email at 10 p.m. Burton’s dark, quirky world feels like a secret clubhouse for those of us who’d rather doodle gargoyles than update LinkedIn. They’re not flawless—my back’s smoother than some of those fight scenes—but they’ve got heart, like that one pair of shoes I still wear to weddings.
At my age, where I think a bigger car is a nuisance and a Baleno is the perfect getaway vehicle in Bangalore, with a dentist who thinks I’m their retirement plan, sinking into Batman and Batman Returns was like stealing back a piece of my soul. They’re dark, fun, and a little unhinged, reminding me of the kid who believed he could outrun Gotham’s shadows.
Tim Burton’s Batmobile is a work of art
The Reluctant Book Worm 
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