after thinking about it, I think Tim Burton is at his very best when he ventures into new territory.
Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands, Beetle Juice, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Nightmare Before Christmas were all a lot of fun, and something we'd never seen before.
Where he seems to fall short (in my opinion) is when he "re-imagines" something that's already part of the cultural lexicon. Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Planet of the Apes, Mars Attacks!, (and even) Batman all fall short. The only exception is "Sleepy Hollow" (again, just my opinion).