Comments on: The Essentials: Tim Burton’s 5 Best Films

By: Daniel

Daniel — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Good article. I'd also swap out "Big Fish" (I'd go for "Sweeney Todd," myself), but I'm glad we can all agree that "Ed Wood" rules. In fact, I'm going to put it on right now.

By: ralch

ralch — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Despite being a short, "Vincent" (1982) beats them all. Never been too much of an "Edward Scissorhands" fan. It becomes awfully conventional after a while, but it's a good list anyway.

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

read the headline and thought for a second "Does he even have 5 good films?"

but you pretty much nailed it. I wish somehow Nightmare Before Christmas could be on the list.

By: Burton

Burton — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Yeah, I have to agree these are his best films. I have a weakness for 'Batman Returns'… wait no I don't cause Returns is amazing! But the work he has pushed out in the past decade or so has been weak & unremarkable. I really enjoyed 'Chocolate Factory' & 'Sweeny Todd' when I saw them in theaters – arguably even though they were great – but when I revisited both films I was shocked how little I enjoyed them on a second viewing. They didn't hold up.

By: rotch

rotch — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

I couldn't agree more with the first four, but I'm not a fan of Big Fish. I'd replace it with the criminally underrated Mars Attacks!
Ed Wood is without a doubt his all-time masterpiece, and in my opinion, Depp's best role ever.

By: JD

JD — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

What about Sweeney Todd? Definitely Burton's most underrated film.

By: Ted

Ted — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

I've never been much of a Burton fan, but I don't understand the choice of Big Fish at all. Honestly, I thought that Alice in Wonderland disaster was superior to Big Fish =/

By: cory everett

cory everett — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

"Batman," not "Big Fish." By a large margin.

By: rodie

rodie — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

This is funny because Burton only has 5 good films. The rest are average to disasters.

By: Meredith

Meredith — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Also despite being a short, the original live action "Frankenweenie" is a amazing and one of my fav films of all time. I also have a soft spot for "Sleepy Hollow", but I think that stems from a childhood obsession with that story.

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Basically anything pre-2000 should replace "Big Fish".

By: Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

I'd swap out Beetlejuice and Big Fish for Batman and Sweeney Todd. Though the former are still pretty interesting to me.

By: Leyna

Leyna — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

I'm surprised that so many people don't care for Big Fish..I thought that was a fantastic film. Definitely one of my Burton favorites.

By: Morocco group tour

Morocco group tour — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

This is indeed a fantastic resource. Thank you for making this publicly available.

By: Keil Shults

Keil Shults — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Ed Wood and Pee-Wee, by a wide margin.

I've always been a huge champion of the latter, and here's a link to my review of it:

http://popdistractions.blogspot.com/2010/06/pee-wees-big-adventure.html

By: Jr Cigar

Jr Cigar — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

It's sad to think that if Beetlejuice was made today, Johnny Depp would most likely play the title character… kinda unfortunate that Burton's got stuck in a holding pattern.

By: padre

padre — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Tim Burton can do no wrong. There is no "best of" list, because they are all the best! Except for Planet of the Apes, which was oddly boring. But it's the exception that proves the rule.

By: Dryer

Dryer — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Excluding Sweeney Todd & Corpses Bride, which are lowered standard exceptions, anything prior to 2000 would suffice for Fish. It was just another paycheck film that has come to define Burton for the past decade. You nailed the initial appeal of Burton for an 80s kid perfectly with your second paragraph. It's a shame he continues to sell himself out.

PeeWee -Beetlejuice-Batman-Ed Wood-Sleepy Hallow

By: TimParker

TimParker — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Why are people so anti-Big Fish? It it just not dark/macabre enough? I would say you can't credit Burton as much on this maybe as on some of the others on this list, given that (like usual) he didn't write the screenplay, but also it was based on a novel. But the story is fantastic and Burton nailed the visuals, the acting, great economy. I don't know, it's hard not to at least appreciate that ending–gets me teary-eyed just thinking about it

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Iâve always thought Tim Burton is a genius, I realize that a lot of reviews see his work as disappointing, but I see it as imaginative. Iâm looking forward to his newest film, âDark Shadowsâ and especially given that Tim Burton, and Johnny Depp are teaming up again, so it should be fantastic. I have a friend, and colleague who works with me for Dish, and we both are film fanatics, but have a special connection to rare, and unique films. We both decided that it would be great to catch up on Tim Burton films, before seeing âDark Shadowsâ. I subscribe to Blockbuster @Home for this reason as we can get whatever films shipped that we need. I think this weekend is the perfect movie weekend as it has been stressful, so relaxing and enjoying my favorite activity sounds perfect to me.

By: Koutchboom

Koutchboom — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Man is there is another moment in history of film half as epic as the reveal of Michael Keaton in Batman Returns about 15 minutes into it, I've yet to see it.

By: Marvin

Marvin — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Winona Ryder's character in Beetlejuice is not the daughter of the recently deceased couple played by Geena DavisÂ andÂ Alec Baldwin, as the article claims.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Tim Burton hasn't made a good film in a decade. He is wholly overrated. He also needs to stop using the exact same visual style in every film, with various blacks and shades of grey. It's getting ridiculous.

By: Ang

Ang — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Good list! I agree. Even though I was thinking Batman Returns has to be on there, it's really only Michelle Pfieffers and Danny Devito's performances that I watch it for.

Though I have to say none of these films top Nightmare before Christmas and The Corpse Bride for me. I love those so much, they are fast becoming my go to movies at Christmas to counter-act all the shmolsch.

By: J-Jo

J-Jo — Fri, 13 May 2016 12:29:07 +0000

Mostly agree. "Edward Scissorhands" is the quintessential modern fable, and "Ed Wood" is remarkably nuanced and subtly emotional. I would've put "Batman" on there, given its iconic and revolutionary status. Certainly not "Sleepy" or "Charlie".