There are few directors whose work is so uniquely identifiable as that of the eccentric Tim Burton. Dabbling in everything from the superhero genre to biopics, his gothic whimsy has delighted moviegoers and critics for well over thirty years.
Some of his movies, like The Planet of the Apes, didn't really leave there mark but most of his work has been a critical and commercial success. In order to celebrate this, here is a list of 10 of his best movies according to IMDB. A quick disclaimer, many of his movies have similar ratings, therefore this list has ranked those based on the number of user ratings.
10 Big Eyes (2014) - 7.0
Released in 2014, the film told the incredible true story of painter Margaret Keane (Amy Adams) and her husband Walter (Christoph Waltz) who took credit for all her work. The film is considered to be one of Burton's more successful ventures in recent years.
Big Eyes is probably the least Burtonesque film of the lot and instead is a far more subtle example of his uniquely whimsical style. Burton was able to perfectly depict Margaret as a struggling artist and her fight for recognition, while also providing some much needed social commentary, as a lot of his work does. A critical success, the film was nominated for multiple awards and even netted Amy Adams her second Golden Globe.
9 Batman Returns (1992) - 7.0
Sequels are never really as good as the first ones, however, Batman Returns is a bit of an exception to the rule. After the success of Batman, Burton demanded more creative control over the sequel. The changes between the two are pretty clear from the far colder expressionistic take of Gotham City to the far more nuanced villains.
Danny DeVito thrilled audiences as the creepy but tragic Penguin while Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman is still arguably the best version of the character to ever hit the big screen. It is a shame that we never got to see Burton's third installment of the franchise.
8 Corpse Bride (2005) - 7.3
Only Tim Burton could turn a story about a bridegroom who accidentally proposes to a deceased woman into a fun family-friendly musical. Filmed in stop-animation, this whimsical gothic Victorian-era tale takes its viewers to two alternative worlds, the dull land of the living and the vibrant land of the dead.
Danny Elfman along with writer John August composed the original songs for this musical which are morbidly dark yet catchy. Visually beautiful and full of twists, it is easy to see why the film is a fan-favorite, especially for younger audiences.
7 Sleepy Hollow (1999) - 7.3
Tim Burton seemingly has a knack for horror adaptions and in 1999 he made Sleepy Hollow based on Washington Irving's 1820 short story. Spooky, macabre but also a little bit silly, the story follows police constable Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) who is sent to investigate a variety of vicious decapitations in the eerie town of Sleep Hollow.
Genuinely terrifying but also a lot of fun, the film perfectly illustrates Burton's unique take on the horror genre. The film also has some amazing costumes designed by the talented Colleen Atwood, which like most of Burton's costumes, reappear almost every Halloween.
6 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2007) - 7.3
The horror musical is not one of the easiest genres to pull off, but in many ways, it was perfectly made for a director like Burton. An adaption of the 1979 Tony Award-winning musical, it tells the story of barber and serial killer Sweeny Todd (Johnny Depp) who murders his customers. However, he is not alone in his treachery and is assisted by Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) who makes meat pies from his victims.
Visually Tim Burton was able to create the perfect dark yet campy gothic tone needed for this musical. Although Johnny Depp was criticized for his less than adequate singing voice, the film was a critical and commercial success that won both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award.
5 Beetlejuice (1989) - 7.5
Beetlejuice is easily Tim Burton's most well-known film and tells the story of the recently deceased Maitland's (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) who unsuccessfully try to scare away their house's new tenants. That is until they get help from the obnoxious and cunning Betelguese. Dark, twisted and ridiculously funny it was the first really successful film to show off Burton's unique style.
The film also cast the perfect actors for each of the main roles, with Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara playing their roles perfectly. The success of Beetlejuice also showed that Burton was not just some quirky director but one who could also bring in the dollars and as a result, his version of Batman finally got greenlit.
4 Batman (1989) - 7.5
Long before Christopher Nolan or Matt Reeves had their hands-on Gotham's resident vigilante, Tim Burton directed the first big-screen Batman since the 1960s. Starring Michael Keaton in the titular role and Jack Nicholson as the deranged Joker, the film was one of Burton's largest commercial hits and cemented him as one of Hollywood's most successful directors.
Although the film was considered to be a dark and gothic twist on the Caped Crusader that was far removed from the campiness of Adam West's version, the movie is probably one of the more light-hearted in the range of Batman movies. The film still remains a fan-favorite that reinvigorated Batman's popularity to young boys and girls everywhere.
3 Ed Wood (1994) - 7.8
In 1994, Burton tried his hand at his first biopic, with rather great success. The film follows the story of Ed Wood, an eccentric off-beat director, much like Tim Burton himself. However, unlike Burton, this 1950's director was never considered to be much of a success and was often lauded as the worst director of all time.
Burton, along with Johnny Depp, revitalized Wood as a highly creative, passionate albeit very strange director that was too inventive for his own time. The film also starred Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi which netted him both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. Shot completely in black and white, the film was a visual masterpiece that was not only able to entertain but also to inspire.
2 Edward Scissorhands (1990) - 7.9
If there is a single movie that exemplifies the Burtonesque style, it is Edward Scissorhands. A dark gothic romance, it perfectly illustrates Burton's talent for depicting eccentric outcasts that we all want to root for. The film tells the story of a quirky and innocent artificial man who just wants to be accepted by a society that sees him as nothing more than a monster.
The film also marks Burton's first collaboration with Johnny Depp which finally moved him away from the small screen to become a certified movie star. The film also arguably has Burton's best original score, written by frequent collaborator Danny Elfman. The haunting tones perfectly illustrated the darkness and eccentricities of the movie.
1 Big Fish (2003) - 8.0
Based on Daniel Wallace's 1998 novel, the film follows the story of Edward (Albert Finney) and his estranged son Will (Billy Crudup). On Edward's deathbed, he recounts his fantastical life to his son and Will can't figure out facts from fiction. Like all of Burton's best movies, Big Fish showcases the amazing power behind fantasy and imagination.
This southern gothic film is also a visual delight that is far brighter than Burton's normal tone, however, it is played against the very seriousness of Edward's imminent death. Big Fish represents Burton's greatest talent - taking the weird and bizarre and underpinning it with intense, realistic and heartfelt emotions.
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