You just never know when you're living in a golden age.

I'm considered to some degree a successful director working in Hollywood, making films my way but using studio financing. But with almost every single one, I get praised up the wazoo by people who never would have financed the films. It's: "Gee, this movie is so new and different - what do you want to do next?" "This." "Oh, that's too new and different."

There is an audience out there for literate films - slower, more observant, more human films, and they deserve to be made.

I like voice-over in films, and most of my films have been voice-over films.

I always wanted 'Sideways' to be like a great 1960s Italian film.

When I'm introduced as a two-time Oscar winner, I'm happy that a film of mine has found an audience and some acclaim because that keeps me in business. A filmmaker's greatest concern is the ability to make future films, so it helps keep me in business.

But it's just that the whole country is making generally lousy films these days and has been for quite a while. That's the big problem that we all have to think about.