I do love writing but it is a lonely profession. You're lonely and optimistic at the same time.

Filmmaking is incredible introspective. It forces you to sort of examine yourself in new ways.

We've always been a band who's taken forever to do things. After writing 'Persona' I think we wrote about four songs in three years!

The truth is, writing and directing are two very different jobs. They're not even remotely the same job. It took me a while, as a director, to understand that.

Ive found that if you just try to make the film you want, youll find the right audience. If you try to please everyone, youre going to make really boring films.

The more work you put in on your outline and getting the skeleton of your story right, the easier the process is later.

This is what I do for fun - brainstorm about monsters!

The greatest villain of all time is The Joker - he always has been, and I don't know anyone who's not going to have Heath Ledger's performance burnt into their brains for the rest of their lives.

I happen to like things that are funny and dramatic at the same time. I don't see the difference.

Everything I've ever worked on has been hard to classify.

The most fun characters to work with are characters that are complicated.

The world turns on our every action, and our every omission, whether we know it or not.

'Come out' is so funny to me because I've never been in.

People who take huge risks aren't afraid to fail. In fact, they love to fail. It's because failing means they found the edge.

Everything changes, nothing remains without change.

Degree is much: the whole Atlantic might be lukewarm and never boil us a potato.

Sometimes when people say things, we should actually believe what they say.

I won't go hunting with you, Jake, but I'll go chasing women.

I've had 60 years of ups and downs, and all of the downs that I've had, I'm happy that I've had them because it's taught me to appreciate all the ups.

The United States is not nearly so concerned that its acts be kept secret from its intended victims as it is that the American people not know of them.

Listen to and sing the music of heaven.