I think when you pay attention to the shots, you're aware of the fact that there's a director. Really, it's the director's job to disappear and allow the movie to just feel.

'Alien' asked ground-breaking questions about eco-politics and female empowerment. 'The Matrix' delved deeper into the concept of perception versus reality than perhaps any other film I know. But for some reason, we tend not to remember the significance of their writing.

'Election' is a movie I'd give a leg to cross the director's name out and put mine in.

I find nice people kind of boring.

I don't want to make films that give you the answer. If there is a message to my films - and I hope there isn't - it's to be open-minded.

Too many people believe in that [Alfred] Hitchcock thing that he only shot exactly the shots he needed for the dialogue he needed and I think that's bullshit, even if that was true for that singular filmmaker.

I'm really specific in the way that I shoot. I've always had a very good sense of what I need in the editing room.