December 'Nick's Pix:' BATMAN RETURNS & Book Signing!

On Wednesday, December 10th at 7:00 p.m., I’m beyond thrilled to present a very special edition of Classic Cinemas 'Nick's Pix' at the beautiful Lake Theater in Oak Park: a big-screen 4K screening of one of the greatest Batman movies ever made: Tim Burton’s twisted, hilarious, and gloriously Gothic masterpiece Batman Returns.

And yeah, I said one of the greatest… but let’s be real: for 30 years, this was my favorite Batman movie of all time. It held the top spot for three decades... all the way until 2022, when Matt Reeves dropped The Batman with Robert Pattinson. That film blew me away.

But before that? Batman Returns reigned supreme. And it still might, depending on the mood and time of year. Because this isn’t just a Batman movie, it’s also one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made.

A Plot Drenched in Snow, Sin, and Sadness

Set during Christmastime in a decaying, monolithic Gotham City, Batman Returns finds Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne battling not one, not two, but THREE villains, and they’re all absolutely iconic.

You’ve got Danny DeVito as the grotesque, tragic, flipper-fingered Penguin, a sewer-dwelling crime boss and failed child of privilege with a serious chip on his shoulder (and a penguin army armed with rockets).

Then there’s Michelle Pfeiffer, who redefines Catwoman as a sexy, scary, leather-bound feminist avenger. She’s all whip and rage and icy one-liners, the kind of Catwoman that no one has topped, before or since.

And finally, there’s Christopher Walken as Max Shreck, a corrupt capitalist ghoul dressed in pinstripes and creepiness.

The story spirals into chaos and holiday mayhem, it's got rigged mayoral campaigns, circus-themed gang wars, rooftop showdowns, murdered beauty queens, kidnapped babies, and gothic sexual tension so thick it practically meows.

And through it all, Keaton broods, bleeds, and crushes it as the most emotionally wounded (and coolest) Batman to ever grace the screen.

Why This One Still Rules (and Always Will)

Let’s get something straight: Batman Returns isn’t just a great Batman movie. It’s a great Tim Burton movie, one of his very best. Unlike the 1989 original, which was more straightforward, this one lets Burton run wild. He got full creative control, and boy, did he use it.

This movie is all expressionist architecture, towering shadows, grotesque characters, and emotional trauma with a side of peppermint. It’s equal parts superhero movie, gothic romance, tragic fairy tale, S&M cabaret, and anti-capitalist satire. It's The Nightmare Before Christmas in live-action, before The Nightmare Before Christmas even existed.

Danny DeVito is extraordinary as Penguin. There’s tragedy underneath the bile and blood, and you feel for this guy, even as he plots mass infanticide.

Michelle Pfeiffer? She's iconic. Sexy, scary, hilarious, empowering, and deeply sad. She IS Catwoman. No debate.

And Walken… he's peak Walken. Cackling, weird, menacing. You want to punch him and quote him at the same time.

Keaton, as always, is my Batman. Brooding, dry, haunted. And this film, THIS one, proves why he deserves that title.

And hey, if you’re into trivia: Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman) plays Penguin’s dad. Gothic torch passed.

It’s a Christmas Movie, Dammit

I’m also showing Batman Returns in December on purpose. This is a Christmas movie. Not in the “Ho Ho Ho” way... more in the “exploding tree lighting, death by ornament, kiss-under-the-mistletoe-then-try-to-kill-you” way.

It’s got snow, carols, decorations, goodwill perverted by capitalism, and a lonely guy in a suit trying to make the world better in his own broken way. You know: Christmas.

This movie sits proudly alongside Die Hard, Gremlins, and Black Christmas as one of the best offbeat holiday movies ever made. It even works as a kind of spiritual cousin to The Nightmare Before Christmas, but with less music and more machine gun-toting clowns.

Come to the Screening. Get a Book Signed.

So here’s the deal:

WHEN: Wednesday, December 10th at 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: The Lake Theater in Oak Park

WHAT: A big-screen 4K presentation of Batman Returns

AND ALSO: I’ll be doing a book signing for my new release, 40 YEARS, 40 FILMS from Eckhartz Press.

That’s right, not only will we watch this amazing, twisted, Christmas Batman classic together, but I’ll also have copies of my book ready to go.

It’s a deeply personal look at my four decades as a professional film critic, with reviews and essays of my favorite movie from every year since 1985. I’ll be at a table in the lobby, so come say hi, buy a few copies (great holiday gifts, hint hint), and I’ll sign them right there.

After the movie? Stick around. We’ll do trivia, give away prizes, and hang out talking Batman, Catwoman, creepy clowns, Christmas movies, and whatever else you want.

Don’t Miss This.

It’s going to be a killer night:

✔ One of the best Batman movies ever made

✔ One of the greatest Christmas movies of all time

✔ A rare chance to see it in glorious 4K on the big screen

✔ Prizes, trivia, holiday fun

✔ And ME, Nick Digilio, hosting, talking, signing books, and loving every second of it

🎟️ Get your tickets now HERE

It’s gonna be dark, twisted, sexy, snowy, and awesome. Let’s celebrate Christmas the Tim Burton way: with rocket penguins, vinyl claws, and a whole lotta Bat.

See you there.

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