Just saw this thread, so I'll give my own opinion on RR.

Honestly, I think he is overrated, but then so are a lot of other Directors. I thought El Mariachi was a good film, but Desperado and OUATIM was very disapointing.

It seems to me that he rips his own ideas off and tries to peddle them as new ones; Spy Kids 1 - 3 begets Shark Boy and Lava Girl?!! I know a couple of my fellow students who think he really is a big deal, but everyone's entitled to an opinion.

I think he is pretty good at marketing and promoting, which is probably the one thing that really has gotten him into the "big" leagues.

Now to deviate a little bit, hope no one jumps me for this, but I see RR as a bad sequel to George Lucas. Lucas has his flaws, and telling the same story for 6 films is the ultimate in ripping oneself off :-)

RR though is obviously a product of the times he matured in, just as Lucas is a product of the times he matured in; flimically I mean. It seems a lot of people are getting so caught up in technology as a means to tell a story that they are forgetting the story needs to be solid to really fly. Also, I think relying on technology too much weakens the creative drive, since you can always forgive a lack of forethought or proper pre-production by saying, "we can add that in post."

I'm more of a "use technology to enhance the story or achieve something that the story needs you couldn't get any other way, kinda guy."

I also do not think that RR is really a truly independent filmmaker, since he has access to greater financing, and distribution than a typical indie; at what point does one leave their indieness behind after commerical success? I'm not sure, but it's what I think.

To close, I can't say the guy doesn't deserve some accolades, after all getting to where he is at is a dream lots of people share, so what if his films suck? He's still laughing all the way to the bank.