5. Interstellar
I like The Dark Knight as much as anyone, but what I come to Nolan for are his concepts. A certain class of his films has a very specific brand of accessible strangeness, an oddness that’s cerebral but definable. These films challenge you, but they leave a trail of breadcrumbs to a satisfying conclusion. They inspire wonder while offering an attainable payoff. These films are Memento, The Prestige, Inception, and Interstellar, and chronologically they demonstrate a steady build of humanity and compassion. This build reaches its peak in the most recent Interstellar, and it makes for an emotional balance to the intrigue and cleverness that’s missing from the film’s predecessors.
Each of these films’ protagonists is a widower, motivated at least somewhat by death. With the passing years, however, that death becomes less important. By 2014’s Interstellar the need for revenge of the early films is gone, replaced by the love of a worried father. The characters in Interstellar are connected and care about each other. This isn’t to say the film’s “what-ifs” aren’t exciting. The implications of time dilation and relativity are lovely, but this time they’re grounded by personal impact. The wonder at the strange passage of time on the planet orbiting Gargantua is counterbalanced when Cooper watches his children age 23 years in a few minutes of video messages. In a way they never have before, Nolan’s big “what-ifs” have consequences.
This holds true for the film’s twists as well. The first reveal is that Matt Damon’s planet is uninhabitable. He’s cracked under the pressure of isolation and lured an unwitting rescue party. This is perfectly fitting for the Nolan universe. The final twist is different, though, as it demonstrates a level of humanity that’s missing from so many of Nolan’s other films. Interstellar ends with an ah-ha moment, but that moment is inspired by love. It presents us with real concerns and real stakes, while still managing to tell a story that’s rich in the theoretical. It’s the most emotionally evolved. While I don’t know exactly what Dunkirk will bring, I expect it’ll be light on the dreamscapes and time dilation. But I sincerely hope that Nolan’s following film isn’t, because that’s what I like him for, and I’m very interested to see if there’s a next step to his protagonists’ growth. – Liz Baessler
4. Inception
It’s so easy to boil Inception down to a heist film and call it that, but to do that takes away the beauty in the story that Nolan created. It’s not just a heist film; it’s a redemption film, an action film, a science fiction film. By choosing to focus on dreams and the world created by them, Nolan creates an unforgettable movie experience.
Out of all of his films, Inception easily has the most memorable supporting cast. Each of his films is carried by a strong actor, but Inception has Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy shining in their more minor roles, along with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page. Starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Dom Cobb and his team feel like a real life heist team.
And of course, with Inception, it’s impossible to ignore the beauty of the effects. The effects didn’t just enhance the story, they were the story. A technique like that is something very few directors would consider, and Nolan made that the center piece of his film. By bringing the dream world to life, it made a film that felt more like a dream than real life. Only Nolan would even think of doing this. – Bethany Wade
3. Memento
Most films these days, both in and out of Hollywood, are content keeping things simple for their audiences. Plots can be complicated, or more likely convoluted, but the films typically spell it out for viewers lest they get lost along the way. As someone who enjoys figuring things out and putting pieces together on my own, I appreciate when a film allows me the opportunity to do some of the heavy lifting. Memento does this in spades.
Nolan (and frequent collaborator/brother Jonathan) craft an ingenious puzzle box that offers up all the information we need without feeling compelled to verbalize it for the sake of additional clarity. If we follow along, if we think through the pieces, we’re rewarded with a powerful ending (beginning?) that informs everything that came before (after?) and lands the biggest emotional gut punch in Nolan’s filmography. It’s on par with The Prestige for me in that regard. Add in a terrific lead performance from Guy Pearce and sharp supporting turns from the likes of Joe Pantoliano and Carrie-Anne Moss and you have a film that resonates long after the credits roll. The film sticks with you and fills your brain space, and that’s as high a compliment as a film can earn in my book. – Rob Hunter
2. The Prestige
Nolan is known for making sleek, stylish movies that make people think, and nowhere has he accomplished this quite as well as with The Prestige. Whereas some of his films can sometimes have more the appearance of depth than actual depth (as much as I love Inception, comparing it to something like Paprika demonstrates that it has the metaphysical depth of a kiddie pool), the more closely you look at The Prestige, the more there is to see. But at the same time, however, you don’t have to—and this is the part I cannot stress enough because this is what makes Nolan so extraordinary: his films aim to be both art and entertainment, to be enjoyable and engaging both viscerally and mentally.
You can enjoy The Prestige as Batman and Wolverine trying to one-up each other with magic tricks, featuring special appearances from Ziggy Stardust as Nikola Tesla (one of the most brilliant casting choices of our time) and his assistant Gollum, or you can give your brain a workout pondering the film’s metaphysical subtext regarding identity, being, science and magic, and the role of the entertainer.
When I first saw The Prestige at fourteen I loved it. I love it now as much as I did then, but for entirely different reasons. There are so many little details and threads throughout the film that I still find myself noticing something new each time I re-watch it. The film is also technically incredible and features editing so non-linear it’s practically a work of abstract art, and yet the viewing experience is still sleek as a jaguar (or Jaguar—car or cat, take your pick). As far as I’m concerned, The Prestige isn’t just Nolan’s greatest work to date, it’s one of the best films ever made. – Ciara Wardlow
1. The Dark Knight
Good films exemplify their genre, great films transcend their genre. The Dark Knight is a great film. Nolan creates a kind of movie, with few exceptions, that have a sophisticated pulpiness: dime-store novel plots populated by fascinating characters and filmed with incredible style regardless of budget. Following – a young writer meets a thief who takes him under his wing. Memento – a man with short-term memory loss is searching for his wife’s murderer. Insomnia – two detectives have to solve a murder in a remote town where the sun doesn’t set (the exact opposite of a Dark Knight). Nolan was proving the case with each film why he would be the best director for a broken down Batman franchise still reeling from its neon nightmare.
Memento was the first film I saw with my wife 16 years ago. I still have the ticket stub. Thanks to both the film and the memories, Nolan has been a director I always look forward to. He’s a trusted name like a fine 50’s record label. If Memento was the moment I took note of him, The Dark Knight was the moment I knew he had created something significant and unique in the superhero genre, which had become defined by misses and marketing instead of true storytelling and spectacle – the very things that made these characters screen worthy in the first place.
From Heath Ledger’s iconic performance as The Joker to the brilliant cinematography of Wally Pfister which forever changed the look of comic book films and earned its place as the best shot superhero film of all-time. From the haunting and subdued score composed by Hans Zimmer to the wonderful rhythm of the dialogue written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan, which both honors and elevates the Detective Comics tone. The Dark Knight is a symphony of mayhem and vengeance with moments of hope and heroism. It is also the best film Christopher Nolan has made as of this writing. Batman Begins was a good film, The Dark Knight is a great film. – Geoff Todd
Related Topics: Christopher Nolan
