You make a movie that is about what you want it to be about and let people have their reaction to it.

I like hiring people based on a feeling - this person gets it - rather than what they've done in the past.

Even in this world where you’re getting everything you need and having this nice life, there’s still loneliness and longing and disconnection.

I always aspire to that, where it feels like the film was made by the characters as opposed to the filmmakers. I try to be invisible.

Don't differentiate between 'This is a job' and 'This is what I'm doing for fun.' It's all simultaneous.

The things that are really out of control, and scary, are emotions - of people around you, that are unpredictable, or those in yourself which are unpredictable.

If I leave my phone in the car and go to dinner or something for a few hours, I'm very proud of myself.

The past is just a story we tell ourselves.

Doing a documentary is about discovering, being open, learning, and following curiosity.

Be willing to get fired for a good idea.

On everything I do I'm always taking someone's money, whether it's a movie studio or a record label. Somebody's paying for it, and I'm always respectful of that. But I'm never going to compromise.

If you are financially affluent, think of adopting a kid and raise him or her right next to your biological offspring. And let your love become the proof of your parenthood, instead of your DNA.

Enjoyable social interaction, community and laughter has a healing effect on the mind and body.

i am hopelessly in love with a momentthat has not come yetit existssomewheresome placejust not herejust not now

Logic! Good gracious! What rubbish!

What I really want out of life is to discover something new, something mankind didn’t know was possible to do.

New ideas can be good and bad, just the same as old ones.

I agree with the secretary [Hillary Clinton] that I think what has to happen - and let me just mention what King Abdullah of Jordan said. I think he hit the nail on the head.

Peace comes not by establishing a calm outward setting so much as by inwardly surrendering to whatever the setting.

My goal as a young man, to be fat, famous and financially fixed by 50.

That is why I write - to try to turn sadness into longing, solitude into remembrance.