8) Becoming Batman – Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm
If you’ve never seen Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, a movie spinoff of the acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series, you really need to. It’s a stellar adaptation of the character, with just about every aspect of the production firing on all cylinders. The voice acting, the soundtrack, the gorgeous animation, etc. Most importantly, though, the storytelling is spellbinding. Warner Bros. were so impressed with Phantasm, in fact, that they gave it a limited theatrical release. Which is how it’s able to be on this list.
Picking the best moment is a tough call, but we probably have to plump for the scene where Bruce Wayne dons the Batman suit for the first time. After a heartbreaking split from the love of his life, Bruce is finally in a dark enough place to become the Dark Knight. That we only see the moment from Alfred’s perspective and wreathed in shadows is an excellent decision. The butler’s recoil in horror says it all.
Also, the first moment that Bruce dons the cowl is surprisingly something we’ve never seen in any other Batman movie, which makes this scene all the more powerful.
