Rank 'Em: Christopher Nolan Edition

In honor of The Dark Knight Rises arriving to Blu-ray and DVD today, I have decided to rank all eight feature films directed by Christopher Nolan. Throughout the past fifteen years Nolan has taken us on several thrilling journeys. A few of these journeys include being in a dream within a dream, a day in the life of a man with amnesia, and rivalry of two magicians. He has even breathed new life in to a comic book franchise. The thing that I find most impressive about Nolan is that his films are always of the suspense or action genre but he also manages to create a strong story with even stronger characters in his films.     

1. Inception (2010): If I were to create a list of the best films of 2010, Inception would, without a doubt, be in the number one spot. In fact, if I were to create this same type of list with films since 2000, Inception would probably find it’s self toward the top of that list, if not number one. I really would have to dig deep to find something about this film that I don’t like and even then my reasoning would be faulty. It would be easy to rely on the premise of being inside the dream of someone else but what makes Nolan such a successful filmmaker is that he never does this. In Inception, the already intriguing premise is supported by breath taking visuals, strong characters and dialogue, and a score from Hans Zimmer that matches the intensity of the film. The last forty five minutes or so take all of these assets to a higher level in a way that it could be used as the definition of cinematic. Nolan tells a story that is heavy in the physiological aspects of the mind through characters such as Cobb and Mal that are not just physiology complex individuals but also in their relationship and to me, this is Nolan’s most impressive feat in Inception.

2.The Dark Knight (2008): I went back and forth with this spot. Originally I had The Dark Knight Rises here and then I decided to put The Dark Knight ahead of it instead. The two could be considered interchangeable but for right now I have The Dark Knight at number two for three reasons: the character arc of Bruce Wayne/ Batman, Heath Ledgers portrayal of the Joker and the impact the film in general has had. I like how a confidant, arrogant and somewhat irresponsible Bruce Wayne/Batman realizes what a hero represents and that he has to put his duties as the protector of Gotham ahead of his personal image. Describing Heath Ledger’s performance as the films antagonist as nothing short of riveting is nothing new. It is a performance that has received an incredible amount of praise ever since the first pair of eyes saw it but if a performance ever deserved the praise it has gotten, it is this one. Ledger as the Joker is terrifying as he completely transforms himself and convinces you that he is beyond dangerous. As far as impact goes, The Dark Knight has had more than any other Nolan film. It was the reason that The Academy Awards went from five best picture nominations to ten after it did not receive a nomination in 2008. Comic book adaptions in general have also been influenced by this film as it has become the model for what constitutes as a worthy adaption.     

3. The Dark Knight Rises (2012): Like I said, this one could easily be in the number two spot but with only two viewings, I feel that  haven’t seen it enough to put it any higher than third. Where the The Dark Knight is heavy in the presentation of its villain, The Dark Knight Rises is heavy in emotional appeal. Call me what you want but I am a bit of a sucker for a story of redemption. It is a film that starts slow but offers a satisfying second half and an ending that wraps things up nicely even if it is somewhat on the cheesy side.

4. Memento (2000): When it comes to subject matter, Memento falls right behind Inception as far as Nolan’s most daring film but when it comes to filmmaking, Memento is easily the most daring. With scenes being backwards in order and certain ones being black and white it is such an ambitious film. Leonard Shelby (Guy Pierce), a man with amnesia, is a rich character that is just as unpredictable as the film. The scenes where Leonard is in the motel room talking on the phone is some of Nolan’s best work as the dialogue does so well at telling a story. I do feel though that its finale could have offered more.

5.The Prestige (2006): An adaption of the Christopher Priest’s novel of the same name, The Prestige tells the story of the rivalry between magicians Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) in 19^th century London. With it being set in the 1800’s, it’s not the modern story that usually is a part of a Nolan film but it still has his signature mind bending twist and turns. I was blown away by this film, especially its finale, when I first saw it six years ago. I have watched it twice since and have enjoyed it less each time. I think that it may have to do with a lot of its success coming from its twist and once you know what the twist is, the film cannot have the same effect.                                                                                                                                                                     

6. Batman Begins (2005): I have tried to like this film more than I do and don’t get me wrong it is a very well done comic book adaption but there is nothing that really stands out that makes me say ‘wow!’ like the Joker does in The Dark Knight or the way redemption is handled in The Dark Knight Rises. I really enjoyed the origin story of Bruce Wayne becoming Batman in the first half of the film but it feels a bit farfetched when Batman has to save the day and gets away from the realistic feel that the first half, along with the rest of the trilogy had.                       

7. Insomnia (2002): A remake of the Norwegian film of the same name, Insomnia is about two detectives from Los Angeles (Al Pacino and Hilary Swank) sent to Alaska to investigate the murder of a teenager. This is all happening when the sun never sets which makes for an interesting plot device but does not deliver the grand finale that it is anticipated. Nolan does a nice job of building tension and setting up for an explosive climax but the story then goes flat as things are revealed in a way that ends the tension without any kind of reward. On a more positive note though, the Alaskan backdrop is beautiful and the chase scene that takes place in the fog is very cool. Maybe I will enjoy this film more as time goes by and able to watch it multiple times. It probably did not help that my first viewing was right after I watched Memento.                                                                                  

8. Following (1998): Nolan’s first feature film focuses on a writer who follows strangers for writing material. The biggest problem I have with this movie is the pacing as it moves so fast that there is no time to let any kind of tension to build. The dialogue also does not match this ultra-fast pace. I will say however that I really like the character, Cobb (Alex Haw), the films antagonist due to how confident and in control he is. With a running time of around seventy minutes, it is an easy watch so if you are a Nolan fan you should give it a chance and see where it all began.                            

Now it is your turn. Where do you rank the films of Christopher Nolan?