There's something so glorious in giving control to the world. I think that's what I'm trying to do in my films-control the world but also let it be chaotic, let there be life.

You can never maintain just pure happiness. In my life, I want full emotion. I want equal parts happiness and sadness.

I always say writing is like dreaming, shooting is like living, and editing is like murder, because you take all these gifts that actors give you, and you cut them.

It happens sometimes that when someone has a camera, they change; sometimes they change for the better.

When I made my student film, a feature, nobody wanted to talk to me and I was, like, in the desert for 12 years.

I tell the actors that the biggest gift they can give me is to fail. And that the second gift they can give me is to surprise me.

A lawyer actually has to see all sides of a situation. Lawyers actually might be the most understanding human beings.

There's one rule that I have on my movies, which is that anything that you want to do, you can do. But! There's a flip side to that, which is that anything I want you to do, give it a try also.

Labour-saving devices just make us try to cram more pointless activities into each day, rather than doing the important thing, which is to enjoy our life.

I fell in love with the place! You know, the people, the bourbon, the music... it's in the air. It's something you can't describe on camera.

You're as white as a nun's buttock. Are you all right?

When they used to come to Tottenham we'd play Who's Gonna Drive You Home? Just to wind them up.

In each mirror, each moment A new face reveals His beauty.

My dad used to say 'Always fight fire with fire,' which is probably why he got thrown out of the the fire brigade.

All my discoveries have been made in answer to prayer.

As my exciting story began I was being punched in the stomach.

A woman should never underestimate the power of the child in the man. Sometimes the child seems to be in the driver's seat at the very moment when all a man's adult judgment and insight is needed.

I'm not elitist. I like to do crowd-pleasing stuff which is a bit smart, but is just about belly laughs.