1. Edward Scissorhands

Edward Scissorhands arguably epitomizes everything that is great about Tim Burton characters. Played by Johnny Depp in the 90s classic movie, Edward is weird, wonderful, wacky and most important of all sweet and misunderstood. All of these character traits are strong in Burton films, with Edward Scissorhands perhaps being his best movie of the lot.

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2. Sally (the Nightmare before Christmas)

Though Jack Skellington is clearly the stand out figure in Burton’s creepy and brilliant animation, the character of Sally is one that is sometimes overlooked but vitally important to the story. Sally’s Song is one of the most beautiful and haunting numbers in the film, and how cool is it that she can throw herself out of windows and simply stitch herself back together again? A neat and handy trick!

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3. Beetlejuice

A role that Michael Keaton will always be remembered for, Beetlejuice was the perfect combination of scary and funny, a mixture that is common in most of Tim Burton’s films. He was gross, he was a trickster and he had some wacky acquaintances, but there was something about old Beetlejuice that you just hated to love!

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4. Catwoman (Batman Returns)

Though Tim Burton’s Batman films have recently been forgotten in favor of the Christopher Nolan series, Michelle Pfeiffer’s take on Catwoman in Batman Returns is my favorite portrayal of the character ever. So much more sex appeal and charisma than Halle Berry or most recently Anne Hathaway.

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5. The Hatter (Alice in Wonderland)

Another bit of team work by Burton and his favorite actor Johnny Depp, The Hatter isn’t in Alice In Wonderland for that long but boy, does he make an impact! It seems as though Depp was born to play crazy, quirky roles like this, and The Hatter’s dance routine at the end of the film is worth the admission price alone!

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6. The Martian Girl (Mars Attacks)

I like the cleverness of this character. It’s insightful how Burton manages to craft a woman most Earthmen would finding alluring and attractive when all he has to work with is a huge head and a very skinny body and yet the viewers all know she’s so obviously still a Martian. Genius.

7. Norther Winslow (Big Fish)

I can’t help but think there’s a subliminal message in the character of Norther – a personification of something we see much of these days – a talentless celebrity. He is a beautiful character because of his ability to convince others of his greatness by believing in his own greatness, which isn’t all that great. Get me? Is too much of a good thing bad for creativity? Maybe so.

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8. Willy Wonka (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory)

Johnny Depp again! It was a tough task to take on a role made so iconic by Gene Wilder, but as the modern Willy Wonka, Depp gives a completely different but equally wacky take on the character; careful not to copy the original and bringing something new to the role. (Sorry, but even if I were allowed to cover Johnny Depp in chocolate and lick it all off, I would still say the Gene Wilder version is a better movie!)

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9. Headless Horseman (Sleepy Hollow)

Christopher Walken has never been more terrifying than as the Headless Horseman in Sleepy Hollow! With filed down teeth and a piercing stare, Walken was the subject of many a nightmare after Burton’s reimagining of the classic scary story was released. A memorable villain to say the least!

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10. The Joker (Batman)

Although there’s no denying the tour de force performance of Heath Ledger as The Joker, Tim Burton’s vision, as portrayed by Jack Nicholson, was creepily fixating. Despite his clownish appearance you can’t laugh with him and he truly represents what happens when we let revenge, greed, and selfishness get the best of us.

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Which is your favorite Tim Burton movie and character? (They don’t have to be in the same film!)