"Ang Lee is a master at telling the entire history of a relationship in one simple, silent moment. This is an astonishingly beautiful and devastating film. From top to bottom, the performances are stellar."

"Tie: Night Chase and Dojo Fight The film is regarded as a classic but many people were skeptical when Ang Lee wanted to make this film. We really pushed ourselves on these two sequences. The Night Chase sequence not only had to have the actors flying on rooftops, but the cameramen as well. Combined with Tan Dun’s drums, the sequence is as thrilling to watch as it was to make. The Dojo Fight was a fun sequence. Ang Lee wanted a fight with “everything” so we used every weapon we could think of. Even though there are a couple comedic beats in the sequence, it really showed how powerful the Green Destiny sword was in the story."

"In the same way This Is Spinal Tap won me over with its commitment to comedy, this film nailed the complexities of a relationship. It starkly showed couples who were on autopilot—shut down and unreachable. And Ang Lee holds fast to the point of view of children, who see their flawed elders and try to organize their situation in the best way they can."

"I love everything about this film—the script’s tone, the color palette, the production design, the costumes. It’s beautifully directed by Ang Lee, and it’s interesting to me that he so richly captured this specific time period in America without having grown up here. He is a master filmmaker. As a young actor, I wanted so badly to be Tobey Maguire in this film. He was so good! I’ve yet to be invited to a key party."

"Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility! I find it to be one of the most romantic movies, but also for me, so many times it’s about how the performance affects me, in terms of what I ended up taking away from it all – just dreaming and wishing and hoping that someday I could do work of that caliber. But I just found the movie to be sweeping and yet – even though taking place in another era– it was so timeless to me. And I remember that moment clear as a bell with Emma Thompson at the end of that movie when he comes running up, and she realizes that he’s there to see her, and it’s just one of the most beautiful acting moments I’ve ever seen. So I just love that movie, and I think Ang Lee is such a beautiful filmmaker and creates such beautiful cinematic images that are indelible, really."

"A phenomenal slice-of-life family drama directed by the late Edward Yang from Taiwan that exemplifies some of the great realist cinema that was being made in Asian countries during this time (see Ang Lee). And despite the films having very little to do with each other, I always personally associate this film with In the Mood for Love by Wong Kar-wai. Both films were released here in the U.S. at the same time, and I watched both on the same day. That was a crazy day. I still remember how the air tasted after stepping out of the theater that evening. Also—and I feel I have to mention this—I watched a third film that amazing weekend, After Life by Hirokazu Kore-eda, and it was my favorite of the three (and is one of my all-time favorites). Kore-eda has a nice movie called Still Walking available from Criterion, but I am hoping for a nice edition of After Life someday."