British American filmmaker Christopher Nolan has once again come to the limelight for the historical biographical movie ‘Oppenheimer‘.
He was nominated for five Academy Awards among other accolades and was listed in 2015 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. For his contributions to film in 2019 Nolan was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Following is the list of Nolan’s best or highest-ranked movies.
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Christopher Nolan’s Top 10 Films- A Definitive Ranking
Interstellar (2014)-
This epic science fiction movie is written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan. It has been ranked the highest in this list due to its 95% scoring on Rotten Tomatoes.
The plot is set in a future Earth that has been rendered uninhabitable and focuses upon a farmer and ex-NASA pilot named Joseph Cooper whose task is to pilot a spacecraft and seek a new planet for humans with a team of researchers.
American actor Matthew McConaughey portrayed Joseph Cooper in the movie. Other important cast members include Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Bill Irwin, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Caine, etc.
The movie was released in the United States on November 5, 2014, and in the United Kingdom that year on 7th November.
The Dark Knight (2008)-
Nolan directed this superhero movie from a screenplay co-written by him and his brother Jonathan.
Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, the film serves as a sequel to the 2005 movie ‘Batman Begins’ marking the second installment of The Dark Knight Trilogy.
The plot finds Batman and Dent bringing upon assault on the organized crime in Gotham following Gordan compelling the mobs to hire the psychopathic criminal mastermind Joker to bring the city to its knees by killing Batman.
Christian Bale reprised his role of Bruce Wayne aka Batman in the movie with Australian actor Heath Ledger introduced as Joker.
The movie was released in the United States on July 18, 2008, and in the United Kingdom the same year on 25th July. It scored 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Oppenheimer (2023)-
Nolan’s latest film is an epic biographical thriller focusing upon the career of American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer beginning from his studies and through his time of directing the Manhattan Project in WWII to his falling from grace in his 1954 security hearing.
The movie is adapted from Martin J. Sherwin and Kai Bird’s 2005 biography named ‘American Prometheus’. Irish actor Cillian Murphy was cast in the role of J. Robert Oppenheimer in the movie.
It was released in the United States and the United Kingdom on the 21st of July this year. ‘Oppenheimer’ has grossed a worldwide total of $671.4 million at the box office. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film scored 93%.
Memento (2000)-
Nolan wrote and directed this neo-noir mystery psychological thriller movie adapted from his brother Jonathan Nolan’s short story “Memento Mori”.
The plot follows a man named Leonard Shelby suffering from anterograde amnesia that causes him to suffer from short-term memory loss and to be unable to form new memories.
Australian actor Guy Pearce portrayed Leonard Shelby in the movie. It scored 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and premiered at Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2000.
Dunkirk (2017)-
Christopher Nolan directed and produced the historical war thriller movie the plot of which is set during World War II and follows soldiers of Belgium, France, and the British Empire trying to evacuate from the town of Dunkirk as an arduous battle ensues with German forces.
The movie was released in the United States and United Kingdom on July 21, 2017. It scored 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Insomnia (2002)-
This Nolan-directed psychological thriller movie also scored 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film is adapted from the same named Norwegian movie of 1997 and is centered upon the murder investigation of a teenage girl in Nightmute, Alaska by two homicide detectives in Los Angeles.
Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Maura Tierney, and Martin Donovan are cast members of the movie.
It premiered at Tribeca Film Festival on May 3, 2002, and was released in the United States on 24th May that year.
Inception (2010)-
Nolan directed this sci-fi action film the plot of which is centered upon a professional thief stealing information by infiltrating his targets’ subconscious.
Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed the protagonist- the thief Dom Cobb in the movie. It was released in the United States and the United Kingdom on July 16, 2010, and scored 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)-
Nolan’s this superhero movie also scored 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. This movie serves as the final installment of The Dark Knight trilogy of Nolan serving as the sequel to the 2007 film ‘The Dark Knight‘.
Christian Bale reprised the main character Bruce Wayne / Batman in the movie. It was released in US and UK on July 20, 2012.
Batman Begins (2005)-
Nolan directed this superhero film that reboots the Batman film series and narrates Bruce Wayne’s origin story.
Bale was introduced as Bruce Wayne aka Batman in the movie. It was released in the United States on June 15, 2005, and scored 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Following (1998)-
Nolan directed and wrote this independent neo-noir crime thriller movie the plot of which is centered upon a young man getting drawn into the criminal underworld after following strangers on the streets of London.
The movie premiered at San Francisco International Film Festival on April 24, 1998, and scored 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.
