For almost four decades , Tim Burton has proven to be one of Hollywood ’s most eclectic directors . And while not all of Burton ’s movies are create equal — specially his ill - fatedPlanet of the Apesreboot — he does have a reasonably terrific runway phonograph record . And since his late film , Beetlejuice Beetlejuice , is now out in theatre , this is the perfect sentence to share our picks for the 10 best Tim Burton movies .
Note that only movies that were conduct by Burton appear on this list . The stop - motion animated classicTheNightmare Before Christmaswould have had a high stead among these films if it had actually been aim by Burton . Henry Selick is the music director of phonograph record , but that movie was adapt from a story created and write by Burton . But even without that film , there are some truly unforgettable cinematic tales among Burton ’s best motion picture .
10. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Johnny Depp has starred in a luck of Burton ’s moving picture , but he was never more menacing than he was in the title theatrical role ofSweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street . In this in darkness funny musical , Depp ’s Benjamin Barker had a married woman and nestling that he make love dearly before the evil Judge Turpin ( Alan Rickman ) had him exile so he could slip Barker ’s family as his own .
When Barker riposte to England , he acquire the persona of Sweeney Todd and enlists Nellie Lovett ( Helena Bonham Carter ) to help him enact his revenge no matter how many citizenry he has to kill along the way . And he seems to delight in his new dark warmth .
WatchSweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetonPrime Video .
9. Big Fish (2003)
Big Fishmay be Burton ’s most soppy film , as it revolves around a military personnel , Will Bloom ( Billy Crudup ) , who is feed in up with the marvellous tales say by his father , Edward Bloom ( Albert Finney ) . But as Edward consist on his deathbed , Will gets a 2nd chance to plug in with his pa as he learns more about his father ’s exploit as a young man .
Ewan McGregor work Edward in the flashback scenes , and we see that he was shoot down between his love for Sandra Bloom ( Alison Lohman ) and a promise he made to a fair sex named Jenny ( Helena Bonham Carter ) . By taking the fourth dimension to research his father ’s past , Will learns that some of his narration were n’t so tall after all .
Rent or buyBig FishonPrime Video .
8. Mars Attacks! (1996)
Mars Attacks!isn’t as widely lovedas most of Burton ’s best movies , and it ’s a bizarre film even for him ! The movie is based upon the trading wit set of the same name , and these Martian definitely do not come in peace . Jack Nicholson has a threefold role as President James Dale and casino owner Art Land , both of whom have a lot to recede when the Martian ’s unleash their brand of murderous topsy-turvyness on the world .
Most of the all - maven cast adjoin ghastly or even fantastical fates , especially Sarah Jessica Parker ’s Nathalie Lake . But the President ’s girl , Taffy Dale ( Natalie Portman ) , and her novel friend , Richie Norris ( Lukas Haas ) , may hold the key to kicking the Martian off the major planet .
Rent or buyMars Attacks!onPrime Video .
7. Batman Returns (1992)
Batman ( Michael Keaton ) is exceed by facing three villains at once , including Christopher Walken ’s Max Shreck . And as both Bruce Wayne and Batman , he ’s very attract to Selina Kyle / Catwoman , even though she ’s as probable to itch him as she is to buss him .
WatchBatman ReturnsonMax .
6. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
Tim Burton made his directorial debut withPee - wee ’s Big Adventure , and it has almost all of the director ’s signature flourishes . It has a eldritch , yet sorcerous submarine sandwich in Pee - wee Herman ( Paul Reubens ) , the history play fast and informal with the rules of realism , it boast dancing interludes , and there ’s even a single moment of repugnance when declamatory Marge ( Alice Nunn ) appears .
economic rent or buyPee - wee ’s Big AdventureonPrime Video .
5. Sleepy Hollow (1999)
If you do n’t already know who plays the Headless Horseman in Tim Burton’sSleepy Hollow , do n’t look it up . The silent cameo is one of the pic ’s best surprises and , of course , thatactor would be the one picked by Burton . Unlike the cowardly digit of Washington Irving ’s original story , Johnny Depp ’s Ichabod Crane is a brilliant police investigator at the remainder of the eighteenth century who uses cutting - boundary method for the geological era .
Crane ’s courage only fail him when he realizes that the Headless Horseman truly is a supernatural killer who science can not explain . Christina Ricci also has a strong turn of events as Katrina Anne Van Tassel , a young adult female who unknowingly has ties to the Horseman and to the evil person who mobilize him from beyond the grave .
WatchSleepy HollowonPrime Video .
4. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
you may always tell when Tim Burton had a hired hand in the script . Who else would come up with a Riffian on Frankenstein where the animal sustain scissors for hands ? covert icon Vincent Price has one of his last part as the inventor of Edward ( Johnny Depp ) . But with the inventor ’s demise , there ’s no one left to take care of Edward except a give care stranger , Peg Boggs ( Dianne Wiest ) .
Edward fall hard for Peg ’s girl , Kim Boggs ( Stranger Thingsstar Winona Ryder ) . Yet , despite getting some initial adoption from the townspeople , they bend against Edward due in part to Kim ’s boyfriend , Jim ( Anthony Michael Hall ) . The narrative plays out like a modern fairy tale , and it stay one of Burton ’s most wizardly flick .
WatchEdward ScissorhandsonDisney+ .
3. Batman (1989)
There may be betterBatman moviesthan Tim Burton ’s take on the Dark Knight . But in the historical context of laughable book movies , Batmanwas a huge game - changer . The Adam West Batman was still hang around in the public consciousness prior to the summer of 1989 , but he was quickly supplanted byMichael Keaton‘s take on the fibre . fan and diarist openly questioned and even bemock Keaton ’s molding as Bruce Wayne / Batman until the actor turn up them awry . He ’s terrific in the role .
Jack Nicholson gets top billing as The Joker , and it ’s easy to see why . There were definitely some liberties taken with Nicholson ’s Clown Prince of Crime , but he ’s more true to the mirthful book Joker than either of his Oscar - winning successors , Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix . Kim Basinger ’s Vicki Vale is occasionally a classic demoiselle in distress , but she ’s also a good foil for both of Keaton ’s persona and for Nicholson ’s Joker . There would n’t be so many superhero movies without this one to pave the way .
WatchBatmanonMax .
2. Ed Wood (1994)
It seems moderately clear that Tim Burton identifies a mountain with Ed Wood , although few would call Burton the worst director of all sentence . The substantial Ed Wood directed some of Hollywood ’s most infamous collapse , includingPlan 9 From Outer Space , and he did n’t have his deficiency of gift get in the direction of making movies .
Burton ’s Ed Wood biopic spew Johnny Depp as the recent conductor , who scramble to hold his career . Ed ’s also a pretty unknown guy even when he ’s not making film , but he ’s got the passion and the drive to make himself an admirable fig . Martin Landau won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his twist as Bela Lugosi , the famousDraculaactor who had light on operose time when he was befriended by Wood . This is an funnily poignant film , and Burton even made the conclusion to film it in dark - and - white . That ’s fitting , and make it seem even more like a substantial Ed Wood characterization .
Rent or buyEd WoodonPrime Video .
1. Beetlejuice (1988)
It may be biased to go withBeetlejuiceas the No . 1 Tim Burton film whenBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceis presently out in theaters . irrespective , Beetlejuiceis the music director ’s most consistently uproarious and bizarre , and it ’s the strangest flick in his depository library . It ’s immaculately put together , and does n’t give into enticement to overuse Michael Keaton as the rubric character .
Instead , the warmheartedness of this movie is about the friendly relationship between an admittedly eldritch teen , Lydia Deetz ( Winona Ryder ) , and a latterly deceased twain , Adam ( Alec Baldwin ) and Barbara Maitland ( Geena Davis ) . The Maitlands do n’t know quite what to make of the afterlife , and by from Lydia , they do n’t really like the Deetz family . But Beetlejuice ’s whirl to rid them of their home ’s livelihood habitant comes with too high of a cost . The plastic film is also swiftly pace , at a rattling 92 proceedings . Yet , it ’s such a large motion-picture show that audiences are already line up 36 years later for the sequel .
WatchBeetlejuiceonMax .
