9. Frankenweenie (2012)
Tim Burton's most recent film is, simply put, a passion project, through and through. Derived from a short film of the same name that Burton made in his youth,
Frankenweenie puts a spin on one of the filmmaker's favourite tales - that of Mary Shelley's
Frankenstein - and spins it into a genuinely touching and heartfelt stop-motion flick. There's also a healthy dose of Burton-esque weirdness that helps the picture to rise above that of "just a children's movie." Just like with
Corpse Bride, though, there are signs of the Burton signatures wearing thin - get past that and you'll see
Frankenweenie for what it is: one of the director's best movies for a long, long time. The only problem is that Burton, as a director, doesn't seem to be evolving... especially when you consider that this idea alone is nearly on thirty years old.