Throughout his career in feature films, which started with Pee-wee's Big Adventure in 1985 and includes Batman, Edward Scissorhands, and Sleepy Hollow, Tim Burton has been known as a director who emphasizes art direction and special effects in order to create fantastic worlds. He hasn't been known as a director who values the real world and real characters. But that might change with Big Fish, which may very well be his masterpiece.