If I'm lucky enough to be involved in the Academy Awards in the future, I'll just let people make up their decision without being involved in any politics. Because it shouldn't involve that.

One does not simply walk into Mordor.

The big-budget blockbuster is becoming one of the most dependable forms of filmmaking.

The most honest form of filmmaking is to make a film for yourself.

Remember, pain is temporary; film is forever.

If you work at love, you will find love at work.

Everybody's life has these moments, where one thing leads to another. Some are big and obvious and some are small and seemingly insignificant.

Filmmaking for me is always aiming for the imaginary movie and never achieving it.

Actors will never be replaced. The thought that somehow a computer version of a character is going to be something people prefer to look at is a ludicrous idea.

Every film is a challenge. I always say that making a movie is like film school - you're always learning. But unlike most schools, you never get done with it. You never learn everything.

I think that's the job of a director really, to sort of funnel all the creativity into one centralized point of being.

We have to believe in free will, we have no other choice.

I did 'Good Morning America' with David Beckham. Oh, god, what a handsome devil that guy is.

I am an atheist (or at best a Unitarian who winds up in church quite a lot).

Every step toward the elimination of profit is progress on the way toward social disintegration.

People, the people we really love, where did they come from? What did we do to deserve them?

We lunched and dined in crowded restaurants. We were always alone.

My constant focus is on being better. Should I be doing multimedia video production? Or seminars on the Internet? How can I do what I'm already doing in a more forceful way?

I think, on the whole, men are much more shallow than women.

Faith becomes the foundation I'm built on.

In place of the dream, the future will put art on a scientific and technical basis.