Batman (1989) or Batman Returns (1992)

Batman Returns. The original is important as a piece of superhero film culture, and for helping to push the characters popularity and respect further, but as far as pure entertainment goes, for me it's Returns all day, and all night. Pfeiffer is still the definite Catwoman, and I love DeVito as The Penguin, plus any movie that has Christopher Walken in it can't be all bad. The only complaint I have is that there's not enough focus on Batman / Bruce Wayne, and that's not even a major problem for me. It's Burton going full Burton, long before he became a parody of himself, and that's what I like about it. 

Returns for all the reasons that have been listed. I don't think either are good "Batman" films in that neither delves into the ugliness that is implicit in the character (which is why he is the best superhero hands down), but they're pretty terrific Tim Burton movies, and the rogues gallery is pretty great in this one, with Pfeiffer delivering a Catwoman for the ages and Walken doing his best "kooky Walken performance."

And DeVito is Burton at his most stoned... but it works.

The first one is good but Returns is just such a strange, harsh, sometimes bewildering film...I can't quite believe that this is what superhero sequels could once be.

Batman 89 is entertaining but it's sort of just a playground for Keaton and Jack's performances rather than an actual movie.

Returns is better on every front. Pfeiffer and DeVito are the best Batman villain performances aside from Ledger (and he and Pfeiffer are close) and it has one of the most diabolical villain schemes in movie history. It also takes the shadow-y noir/German Expressionist aesthetic of the first one to new levels. Probably my no. 3 superhero movie of all time behind TDK and Superman 78.

I loooooooooove these movies, but a recent rewatch really solidified the first over the second. Batman Returns is aesthetically magical, the world of Gotham is every bit as amazing, if not more so (though also starting to fall in line with what we now know as the classic Burton look and feel) great makeup and what not, DeVito and Walken are a blast, but for me Pfeiffer is really the star of the show, and the only really super special thing about it.

But yes, the first film. I love the almost decaying look of the city, the undercurrent of darkness lacing the whole thing without as much of the Burton campiness that creeps into the sequel, Elfman on fire, Nicholson on fire, and Michael Keaton... You watch Beetlejuice and you know this man was born to play the Joker, and while it's understandable why his thunder (and money, and billing) was stolen by Jack I think his work here is criminally unappreciated.

When he's under that mask he is (as you would expect from a man dressed as a bat) pretty creepy, sort of unsettling. Doesn't say much, when he does dark whispers do the trick, he's got a haunted quality about the whole thing which fits the movie perfectly. I just find the way the movie frames Batman so fascinating. We all know who he is, we see Bruce and everything he's going through, but under the mask he becomes sort of unknowable in some strange way. When he takes Vale back to his place... I mean I can't be the only one sort of concerned for her?

The one thing I prefer in BR over Batman is the villains. I love both of the actors and they are arguably the best castings choices made for villains in a superhero movie.