Director Ang Lee speaks during a press conference of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk in Beijing on Nov 6. [Photo/Xinhua]

From Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to the "unfilmable" bestselling novel Life of Pi and to today's 120 frames per second, Lee, to many, is always challenging himself and looking for trouble.

"I am alive, and I need to feel the vitality of life. That comes with obstacles. Without obstacles, people don't ponder and it's hard to keep things alive. They stiffen after a while, and that's something I cannot accept," he said.

"At each peak, I am learning something new, and learning to be humble. There's an old saying in Chinese: the more one learns, the more one sees of one's ignorance. That's how I remain curious."

The surreal viewing experiencing of Billy Lynn is getting mixed reviews, where some appreciate being engaged as if they are part of the film, while others say the visuals divert their attention from the story itself.

Lee is taking the criticism in stride, and is fully aware that the hyper-real visuals are a lot to absorb. "It's not a universally pleasing movie. It if doesn't split, there's something wrong with it," Lee said.

A golden era for Chinese cinema

Lee suggested Chinese filmmakers slow down and perfect their skills when he made a rare public appearance during the Shanghai International Film Festival in June.

Since then, China's film market, which was red hot half a year ago, seems to have cooled down a little.

"This is the golden era. I hope everyone can grasp the opportunity to really delve into the basics and continue their work. In the past, the American film market led the world, but from now on, whether from the market or a cultural point of view, Chinese films are leading a new direction globally, which is what I hope to see," Lee said.

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk will open on Nov 11.