From Beetlejuice to Batman, from Pee-Wee to the Penguin, from Jack Skellington to Beetlejuice again, we've sorted through the beguiling, sometimes bewildering filmography of spooky season's premier auteur.

Despite his status as an outsider who may have trouble gaining mainstream acceptance, any list of the best Tim Burton movies is bound to turn into a list of some major blockbusters. Because while conventional wisdom says the most famous and financially successful American director of all time is Steven Spielberg, his most credible competitor isn't any of those who have attempted to imitate his combination of virtuosity and populism over the years. No, it's Burton -- former animator and forever goth, king of spooky season for all ages. Consider: the recent Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a legacy sequel to an early-career hit, is on course to turn the 2020s into the fifth consecutive decade where Burton has notched a $300 million hit (adjusted for inflation, of course).

Though fans and ex-fans sometimes scoff at certain titles, he's also had surprisingly few outright bombs; even his movies with mixed receptions tend not to disappear into the ether, instead lingering for completists, families, or genre fans to discover and rediscover. His work may often position his characters as sensitive outsiders, exiled through their nonconformity, but in his own sensitive treatment of those characters, as well as half-satirical, half-affectionate portraits of suburbs and city life alike, mark Burton as a truly American artist, and one who has consistently connected with audiences like few directors before or after. Save the "hasn't made a good movie since..." games, and instead take a look at this definitive ranking of all his feature films (plus one of someone else's).