Because many advances have happened, we've lost the urgency (and that's just human nature) that we had before, when we couldn't vote, couldn't use mass transportation, or drink from the fountains.

A lot of times, we censor ourselves before the censor even gets there.

I don't really analyze my stuff when I write. I write about stuff that I'm interested in, that I'm feeling at that particular time. When I stand back and look at the complete work, I might see themes that run through the whole film, but I'm not really conscious of it when I'm doing it.

I don't think I'm a total pessimist, so I think you can find hope in all my films.

You have to do the research. If you don't know about something, then you ask the right people who do.

I respect the audience's intelligence a lot, and that's why I don't try to go for the lowest common denominator.

There's an unwritten law that you cannot have a Jewish character in a film who isn't 100 percent perfect, or you're labeled anti-Semitic.