A real explosion is not only much more fun to shoot, it also helps the actors and creates an energy on set and ultimately in the scene.

You’re supposed to expand your mind to fit the art, you’re not supposed to chop the art down to fit your mind.

I had more fun making Traffic than either of the Ocean's films.

I recently decided that I'm not an originator. I'm a synthesist.

Stuff I like is getting trashed and stuff that is being praised I think is terrible. I don't really feel in sync with what's happening, but at the same time, what I think keeps me afloat is that I try not to be, and don't want to be, very indulgent. I try to make the films as lean as possible, and to not spend a lot of time crawling up my own ass creatively.

"A meteor hits planet Earth" - that's a story idea but that doesn't give me any indication of what the character is.

I always have a plan, but then I'm always ready to throw the plan out, and everyone's ready to make a radical left turn if necessary.