My top 10 rankings: (edit: When I started I had no intention of my post being this long. Often times when I click into a rant this long I have a natural tendency to skip it, so wouldn't blame you on that.)
1.
Alice in Wonderland - I seemed to have been blown away by this more than the average person. I just loved it, despite going into it with very low expectations. For the most part, the 3-D was really excellent too. (edit: Shran describes it as "mundane and unimaginative", and I find it to be quite the opposite. Interesting.)
2.
The Nightmare Before Christmas - I loved everything about this when it came out. I just about wore the soundtrack out. The 3-D version that came out much later was a huge disappointment, but this film will always have a special place with me.
3.
Big Fish - I remember watching this with a friend's parents. At the end, they had absolutely no idea what had just happened. I thought that was odd, since I didn't find the story to be all that convoluted, and I'm not exactly the sharpest knife in the old drawer. I have to admit, I might get a little misty from time to time at the end of this one. Overall, I think this movie is a blast.
4.
Batman - I grew up a huge fan of the old Batman TV series (which egregiously is still not out on DVD), so I was thrilled when this movie came out and did not disappoint me. The popularity of it also caused a resurgence of the TV show, so I also enjoyed getting to see all those episodes again.
5.
Edward Scissorhands - A visual treat for me. I think it was this movie that really sold me on Johnny Depp too. He and Burton really are a great team. If this movie came out today, I think it would have worked really well in this next generation 3-D.
6
. Beetlejuice - A lot of great performances in this one, and it was after seeing this movie that I developed a big crush on Winona Ryder. Looking back on the film now, it's hard to believe Alec Baldwin ever looked that young. The days when Michael Keaton was a big star seems like a lifetime ago.
7.
Ed Wood - I knew virtually nothing about Ed Wood when this came out, and I found it fascinating to explore some of his work after seeing this. Just a bizarre and really interesting movie to me. Another great performance by Depp.
8.
Mars Attacks! - The first time I saw this, I didn't care much for it. I was not looking at it as an homage to old cheesy sci if movies, so I really didn't get it. From the second viewing on I kind of got it and appreciated it much more. Most movies with a giant all-star cast just fall flat, but this is one of the better ones of those.
9.
Pee Wee's Big Adventure - I was one of those people who was a huge Pee Wee fan. I do own all of the
Pee Wee's Playhouse DVD's, and still watch them occasionally. Admittedly, this movie is not as fun to watch now as it was then, but still cute. I'm anxious to see if that Judd Apatow directed Pee Wee movie is ever going to happen. I would have fairly high expectations of that being good. Come back Pee Wee!
10.
Batman Returns - Not quite as good as the first one, but still good. Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, And Christopher Walken were all good.
Sweeney Todd - Haven't seen it.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - To be fair, if the original Gene Wilder version did not exist I would have most likely enjoyed this version much more. The first time I saw it, I hated it, as I just couldn't stand Depp's portrayal of Wonka. I was reading and hearing that old annoying "it's much truer to the book" routine, which I really couldn't care less about. Wasn't overjoyed with some of the over-the-top special effects either. I've since gained some appreciation for the Burton version, but the original is just so much better to me.
Planet of the Apes - It seemed like something that would be a good vehicle for Burton, but for some reason just didn't work.
Sleepy Hollow - I didn't think it was awful, but it just kind of "laid there" for me. It didn't grab me like that story should have. I was bored.
Corpse Bride - Just didn't capture my imagination the way
Nightmare did. I never could really get into this one.
As an honorable mention I want to bring up
Cabin Boy, which Burton produced. Not many people seemed to like, or even saw, this little film that came out in 1994. I loved it. It starred Chris Elliot and Andy Richter, and I thought it was hilarious. Also had David Letterman in a really funny "Ya wanna buy a monkey?" scene.
Any other films I either haven't seen, or just don't feel the need to mention (I've said enough already! ).
