3. Beetlejuice, 1988

Beetlejuice embodies everything we love about Tim Burton: It’s one of the weirdest movies ever made, about a rebellious demon named Betelgeuse who is hired by a wholesome, recently-deceased couple to “exorcize” the living people out of their home.

The film features incredible practical effects, from shrunken-head creatures and decomposing bodies to the giant sandworms, all of which strike a perfect balance between cartoonish and creepy. Michael Keaton delivers an unforgettable performance as the title character, completely transforming himself with a spastic walk, electric-socket hair, and peeling green skin. He is an uncouth showman whose evilness manifests in irreverent humor and boundary-crossing antics. All of the characters in Beetlejuice are striking, and the performances are equally memorable, from Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis as the ghost couple, to Catherine O’Hara as the melodramatic sculptor, and Winona Ryder as the enigmatic teenage Lydia.

Beetlejuice is a delightfully absurd and creative romp that depicts the sunny, all-American innocence of suburbia with a macabre twist, topped off with demon-possession musical numbers by Harry Belafonte It’s this oddball mix that not only makes it a great movie, but a Halloween favorite.