"From the opening shots of Daniel Day Lewis running through a forest in chase of a deer, to the finale when he’s sprinting across a mountain to protect his brother, this is my kind of romance – men and women living upon the earth, fighting for love, and willing to die for nothing more than honor. It may not be the ‘greatest love story’ ever told, but when Day Lewis promises to find Madeleine Stowe’s character, no matter where she goes, before jumping off a waterfall, that’s one of the great scenes in cinema history. Kudos to Michael Mann."

"I was also introduced to Michael Powell’s work during film school, and this one particularly blew my mind. I love when all the kids rush into the theater at the beginning to get good seats in the balcony. A title comes on-screen that reads, “45 minutes later,” but the shot never cuts or changes. From that point on, I knew I was in good hands. This film taught me that silent-film techniques could, and probably should, be employed in modern sound films. It has taken me several projects of my own to incorporate this lesson, but I’m getting there. I also love films about artists and the creative process."