The Bat-Jar Podcast

We mark the occassion of the Bat-Jar Podcast's third anniversary and 150th episode by discussing the final comic book film of 2019, JOKER. What is it about this movie that makes it a "film" and why has it generated so much controversy? Should people watch this movie? Why has it proved to be so devise with audiences and critics? How well does it represent the Clown Prince of Crime? To avoid SPOILER...

To celebrate the release of his solo "origin" movie, Average Joe and special guest Danhattan take a look back at the cinematic history of everyone's favourite villain, THE JOKER. Which versions of the character in film stand the test of time? Which Jokers best represent the character? Which Joker has the best laugh? Which Joker has the best smile? Some answers are most likely to be found in this e...

Join us on the island of Mota Nui where the characters who saved LEGO from going out of business, the Toa of the Bionicle franchise. What was it about this brand of toys that made it so controversial when it first debuted in 2000? How did these multi-coloured characters go against the values of the Lego company? Are the direct-to-video movies made from this franchise any good? Audio from "Bionicle...

We return to J.K Rowling's Wizarding World for a discussion of the world in which the Harry Potter series takes place. What makes the politics, education system, social structure and magic system unique? What do the X-Men, the Men in Black, Star Wars, and Japanese history have to do with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter? Take a listen and find out! Music and audio from "Harry Potter & The Philo...

Would you be surprised to learn there are seven Disney movies based on theme park attractions? In a world where every movie needs to be based on some existing source material, Disney has chosen to go one step further into their intellectual properties. This of course refers to making movies based on rides and attractions from their various Disney Parks. Music and audio from "Mission To Mars" is th...

Step into the Tardis for our first foray into the world of sonic screwdrivers and Daleks for a conversation about Doctor Who. With companion (and special guest) Pumice, join us for a conversation discussing the two generations of the series, referred to by fans as "Classic Who" and "New Who". Music and audio from "Doctor Who (1963)" is the property of Ron Grainer, Delia Derbyshire, Sydney Newman,...

This week we discuss a television series that many believe to be an example of prestige science fiction, Battlestar Galactica. How does the 2004 series relate to the original series from the 1970s? Why did the show launch as a mini-series before launching into full seasons? What made this cast of characters so interesting to watch week after week? What does the word "frack" mean? Music and audio f...

Batman is celebrating 80 years of crime fighting this year, so we have to ask the question- how do the various interpretations of the Dark Knight from film measure up to one another? Music and audio from "Justice League (2017)" is the property of Danny Elfman, Zack Synder, Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Jon Berg, Geoff Johns, Rat-Pac Dune Entertainment, Atlas Entertainment, DC Films, Cruel & Unusu...

Looking for an example of a movie based on a comic book that isn't about a superhero? The recently released crime drama "The Kitchen" is a great example.  Does the film carry over elements of comic book storytelling despite it's less conventional story? Does the film adapt the eight issue mini-series in a faithful way? Or does it improve on the source material? To avoid SPOILERS for "The Kitchen",...

Special guest CACKLES makes his triumphant return to the show to discuss something that could be controversial: providing a definitive ranking of the actors who have played Spider-Man in the movies. Which portrayals of Peter Parker best represent the character? Which combination of acting, writing, and directing produce the most faithful interpretation of the character?  Music and audio from "Spid...

Just you wait, just you wait.... we are gonna rise up, rise up....to the task of discussing the Broadway musical phenomenon based on American history with a splash of rap music. We are of course talking about Alexander HAMILTON. Join the guys and special guest Banana Pancakes as they discuss the origins of this musical, what makes it so unique, and why it has developed just a large fan-base. Music...

After the record shattering performance of "Avengers: Endgame" and the surprising ending of "Spider-Man: Far From Home", fans were left wondering where Marvel Studios would go next with their cinematic universe.  Kevin Feige announced at San Diego Comic Con last week the new slate of properties which will be referred to as Phase 4, spanning the next few years. Don't have time to look up informatio...

Danhattan returns to the show to discuss the "circle of life" that has surrounded the Lion King franchise. How did the original 1994 film become one of the most successful animated films of all time? How does Average Joe bring Japanese anime into this conversation? Can the new 2019 film be considered a live-action film? So many questions, and hopefully some answers! To avoid SPOILERS for the new "...

In one of our few direct sequel episodes, AJ and Ben The Movie Buff are re-joined by Ms. Dis to follow up on our previous conversation about the Disney princesses. Which virtue best represents each of the official Disney princesses? Who is the most virtuous princess? Who is the least virtuous? How much agreement is there among the hosts about who should be associated with what virtue? The song "Wh...

We welcome Doctor What to the show as a regular co-host to discuss the sequel of the film which was the topic of his first episode as a guest, "Spider-Man: Far From Home". Since this movie is a follow-up to "Avengers: Endgame", the entire episode contains spoilers from that film. How does this third "second movie" in the Spider-Man franchise compare to the webhead's previous films. What is it abou...

Join Average Joe and Ben The Movie Buff as they travel to infinity and beyond to discuss the Toy Story franchise. How do these geeks relate to Andy and his toys? Does the new film continue the tradition of excellent animated films? Is it a shallow cash grab?  To avoid SPOILERS for "Toy Story 4" skip over 46:12-1:17:18 of the episode. Music and audio from "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" is the prop...

The idea of parallel universes is an idea popularized by superhero comic books, but what is the secret origin of this concept? Who was the first to explore this idea in fiction? What basis does it have in actual science? How do Marvel and DC Comics utilize the concept? What would motivate a company to explore the concept of the multiverse? Music and audio from "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" is...

Bring your sunglasses and neuralyzers along as the guys seek to find the answers to the biggest questions in the universe. Is the comic book version of Men in Black good? How do you make a good sequel? What counts as a spinoff or a continuation? Why are critics giving this summer's movies such bad scores? Does "Men in Black: International" bring anything new to this aging franchise? To avoid SPOIL...

Average Joe teams up with Ben the Movie Buff to battle 20th Century Fox and writer/director Simon Kinberg's final nail in the coffin for the X-Men film franchise "Dark Phoenix". How does this film continue to mistakes of the other X-Men prequels? What is it about the film that comes off as lazy and ultimately disappointing? What factors influenced the development and production of this movie? Is t...

What do Blade Runner, It's A Wonderful Life, Firefly, and The Room all have in common? They are all examples of something that failed to find success upon release but have developed an audience in years since. They are examples of what we call "cult classics".  How do you define what makes something a cult classic? How can some property with a dedicated fanbase be unsuccessful? What does it mean t...

Get ready for some lamp-cetion as the guys go inside the Genie's lamp inside the Bat-Jar to put Disney's Aladdin under the microscope. What makes the original animated film so unique? How did Robin Williams impact the future of animated movies with his performance? How does the new live action film continue the trend of live-action Disney remakes? Is Will Smith any good as the genie? To avoid SPOI...

This week, the guys are joined by Optimus Primal of the Maximals to discuss the infamous Beast Wars. How did this animal based Transformers series save the franchise from disappearing? How bad is the early computer animation? Does the series hold up? Music and audio from "Beast Wars" is the property of Robert Buckley, Larry DiTillio, Bob Forward, Mainframe Entertainment and Hasbro Studios. To avoi...

It's time to solve a mystery as the guys join the world class Detective Pikachu on a case. Can this movie break the curse of bad video game movies? Can it bring the world of Pokémon to live action well? Is Ryan Reynolds convincing as a yellow rat? To avoid SPOILERS for "Pokémon: Detective Pikachu", skip over 39:55-50:13 of the episode. To avoid SPOILERS for "Avengers: Endgame", skip over 52:51-59:...

Fresh off discussing one of the grandest superhero movies ever made, we make a trip to the dimly lit streets of 2003 Hell's Kitchen to discuss the infamous Marvel superhero movie, "Daredevil". Is the movie as bad as it's reputation suggest? Does the director's cut improve the viewing experience?  Music and audio from "Marvel's Daredevil" is the property of John Paesano, Drew Goddard, Kati Johnston...

"We're in the endgame now". The grand finale of the Infinity Saga has arrived, and the guys are going to do whatever it takes to discuss this emotional, powerful film. If you haven't seen the movie yet, we have done out best to provide you with as much spoiler free content as possible. We know Thanos demands our silence. If you have seen the film #dontspoiltheendgame. To avoid SPOILERS for "Avenge...