Even though it isn’t Halloween movie season, we can still examine the contemporary film landscape and appreciate the few who have influenced (and have been influenced by) horror cinema — such as Tim Burton (even though he’s never really made a proper horror movie).
Burton rose to prominence in the middle and late 1980s, as his unique Halloween-inflected films took a critical look at America’s middle class and the relentless conventionality it demanded. His eye-catching aesthetic, inspired by German expressionism and the history of haunted cinema, gave a different visual context to stories about loners and those who felt maligned by mainstream society.
Burton eventually took on superheroes, sci-fi classics, and (more recently) Disney fantasies — with varying levels of success. Although his earliest works were lauded by critics, it’s true that the quality of his films has hit a bit of a plateau — and his resistance to diversity didn’t exactly help his case.
Nonetheless, despite our newfound political awareness around specific issues, Burton’s films have a special place in the history of American cinema and in the hearts of goths and punks worldwide. We’re taking a look at his filmography and ranking it from worst to best.
19. Dumbo (2019)
51%
6.3/1018. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
57%
6.7/10
17. Dark Shadows (2012)
55%
6.2/10
16. Alice in Wonderland (2010)
53%
6.4/1015. Frankenweenie (2012)
74%
6.9/1014. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
83%
7.3/10
13. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
72%
6.7/10
12. Planet of the Apes (2001)
50%
5.7/10
11. Big Eyes (2014)
62%
7/10
10. Sleepy Hollow (1999)
65%
7.3/10
9. Corpse Bride (2005)
83%
7.3/10
8. Mars Attacks! (1996)
52%
6.4/10
7. Batman (1989)
69%
7.5/10
6. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
47%
7/10
5. Batman Returns (1992)
68%
7.1/10
4. Ed Wood (1994)
70%
7.8/10
3. Big Fish (2003)
58%
8/10
2. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
74%
7.9/10
1. Beetlejuice (1988)
70%
7.5/10Bonus movie
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
82%
7.9/10
