Paris is a place where, for me, just walking down a street that I've never been down before is like going to a movie.

I don't think any of us are normal people.

Anytime I make a movie, I really have absolutely no idea how it's going to go over. I've had the whole range of different kinds of reactions.

I don't really look for challenges as much as I like adventures. Other than that I'm just trying to find stories I want to tell.

The movies I make tend not to be quite reality but the characters are inspired by real people and they're always very personal.

You don't do background music the way a lot of more conventional films do. The music is often kind of a character in your films to the extent that sometimes you stop and watch someone perform a song.

I just want to make films that are personal, but interesting to an audience.

I wouldn't say that I'm particularly bothered or obsessed with detail.

I love working with actors. That's what the set really is, for me. It's my time with the actors.

Some of the ideas are kind of inspired by the songs, and I always want to use music to tell the story and give the movie a certain kind of mood. That's always essential to me.

What happened to your hand? It got hit by a mirror. How'd that happen? I lost my temper at myself.

People are likely to act based on their emotions and then backward-rationalize. Because women have highly developed emotional circuits, they are especially susceptible to this.

At the same time, I would add that the American people have a lot of courage.

People tend to personalize technology so they can't get to the systemic analysis. They say, "Oh, I can't give up my personal computer." Or, "I just love radio too much."

The opposite of love is not hate. It is fear.

If a man achieves or suffers change in premises which are deeply embedded in his mind, he will surely find that the results of that change will ramify throughout his whole universe.

Laws have to be backed up with resources and political will. And deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed.

A spiritual person is also in touch with his or her own reality, feelings and thoughts, and the reality of the people around him or her, not projecting on them.

To me, the definition of sexy - at any age - is strength and confidence.

Being a real writer means being able to do the work on a bad day.

Anger is an emotion preeminently serviceable for the display of power.