For almost 40 years, one man has defined the look of the dark, the macabre, the sinister, and the strange in American cinema. He’s put his stamp on some of the biggest comic-book heroes in history, remade classic films and reinvented iconic fairy tales, helped broaden the subject matter of kids’ entertainment, and valorized “the worst director of all-time.”

His name is Tim Burton.

Over the course of 20 films — some big, others small, most live-action, some animated, a few hybrids somewhere between the two — Burton has shaped several generations of moviegoing life. As a director and producer, his movies have grossed more than $5 billion worldwide. And as projects like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice prove, he shows no sign of slowing down.

Which Burton film is the best is a matter of some debate. Come to think of it, so is the matter of which Burton film is the worst. In the list below, I rank them all, from the most pitiful to the most profound, from the most insipid to the most inspiring. Some of my choices might be controversial. But if the controversy resulted in my being ostracized from the community, and forced to live in some spooky old house on a hill, it would only be fitting, given this particular topic.

So let’s get on with the ranking of Tim Burton feature films, from the worst to the best... (oh and before you kvetch: The Nightmare Before Christmas isn’t on here because Tim Burton did not direct it; Henry Selick did.)

Every Tim Burton Film, Ranked From Worst to Best

Tim Burton has made 20 feature films to date - here are all of them, ranked from the worst to the very best.

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Gallery Credit: Emma Stefansky