Summary

Spoiler Warning : This clause stop spoilers for Christopher Nolan ’s filmography .

Christopher Nolan ’s creative and effective employment of time in relationship to his film ’s themes of loss , regret , and acceptance has contributed immensely to his filmography provide audiences with some of movie theater ’s greatest moment ever craft . Nolan ’s esteemed career has seen the author - managing director construct some of the best scenes in cinematic history that have go for long periods of clip , and others that havemade an shock on global audiences within a undivided moment . Additionally , Christopher Nolan ’s frequent collaboratorshave been instrumental in creating many memorable minute in Hollywood , as seen in his feature film - duration debut , up to his most recentOppenheimer .

In increase to Nolan ’s unique advance to storytelling , his films often utilise the utilization of mind - blowing practical effects , sweeping scores by the fabled Hans Zimmer , complex editing design to gainsay looker intellectually , and clear-cut premises that constantly reinvent the wheel with each release . Althoughall of Nolan ’s movies share a common theme of meter , they also hit on heavy subjects like love and one ’s responsibleness to their country or their loved ones , thus make water his films among some of Hollywood ’s most engaging . Whether direct slow - burn mysteries or historical epics , some ofcinema ’s greatest scenes owe themselves to Nolan ’s filmography .

Leonard in Memento, the Protagonist in Tenet, and Batman in Batman Begins

The Young Man accompanies Cobb on their first job together in Nolan’s feature-length debut

11Memento

Leonard Shelby recounts his wife’s death in Nolan’s neo-noir psychological thriller

Cast

Mementosees amnesiac protagonist Leonard Shelby fight to solve the mystery of his wife ’s murder while interacting with shady peace officer and ruthless criminals . know for its brilliant manipulation of editing that simulates Leonard ’s retrograde amnesia , Mementois rife with unmarried moments that impress upon audiences Nolan ’s command of his craft . However , the scene in which Leonard recounts to Natalie how he call up his married woman passing awayis the most significant . Not only does the conniption contradict what Leonard recounts via show him incidentally kill his married woman , it also recontextualizes the events of the story onward and paints Leonard as an unknowing murderer .

The scenery is also crucial because it bring out to the audience that Joe Pantoliano ’s Teddy Gammell is acutely cognizant of Leonard ’s condition , and is using him as an expendable means of kill undesirables on his behalf without abide any effectual consequences given his status as a police officer . Up to the scene in question , Leonard , and by relation , the audience , believes that Leonard ’s wife succumbed to her wounds sustain during a domicile invasion . However , the scene where Leonard incorrectly recite an policy node of his by chance killing his wifevia insulin overdose changes thing all when the flashback disclose it was Leonard who delivered the deadly dose .

10Insomnia

Will Dormer tampers with evidence in Nolan’s psychological thriller adaptation

Insomniais Christopher Nolan ’s most underrated moviedespite featuring two prima performance from Al Pacino and the late Robin Williams . As the title suggest , the picture show come after an watchful police force officeholder who squirm with his morals after circumstantially killing his partner while in pursuit of a life-threatening outlaw . Rife with beautiful filming and dizzying redaction that only Nolan can get aside with , the brief scene depicting Will Dormer tampering with evidence isInsomnia ’s bestbecause it perfectly underlines the film ’s themes of one ’s morality . Despite his status as a respected peace officer , Will is n’t above bending the rules to his own welfare , thus spend a penny for engaging discussions between law officer and criminal .

9Batman Begins

Christian Bale dons the Batsuit for the first time in Nolan’s first superhero movie

Batman Beginsis Nolan ’s first instalment of hisDark Knighttrilogy , and despite it being irregular of the filmmaker ’s resume , shine as one of the sound movies in his filmography because of how well the filmmaker conflate the Gotham City mythos with his own esthesia . While the League of Shadows prologue featured many great scene , Batman Begins ' aspect with Christian Bale ’s Batman combat goon on the dockis its best . Batman Beginswas the first live - action mechanism Batman movie to invite a theatrical release , and its gritty take on Batman ’s origin news report and adventures as the Caped Crusader effectively reinvented his image after the malign Joel Schumaker interpretations .

Although each subsequent installment in Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogy improved uponBatman Beginssignificantly , Bale ’s Batman fearlessly fighting thugs while utilizing Batman ’s intelligence activity and improvisational abilities against Zimmer ’s moving score utter volumes to casual and torrid Batman supporters . Moreover , the prospect solidify that Batman could work in the modern era despite the less - than - favorable depictions of Gotham City ’s defender , thus arguably leading to the detonation of the superhero genre as it is known today . Batman Beginsis great for many reasons , but itsscene with Bale ’s Batman struggle for the first timeis its most important and influential .

8The Prestige

Angier and Borden’s final conversation in Nolan’s psychological drama

The Prestigefollows two 19th - century magicians who give everything to best one another and become the greatest magician who ever live . Rife with tense action , gimmick , and turns , The Prestigeis best remembered for its unbelievable burden and amazing performances by Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman . While the teleportation scene ranks extremely , The Prestige ’s final conversation between Bale ’s Borden and Jackman ’s Angier is its bestbecause it shows that underneath the competition , lies a mutual respect for one another as magicians . Furthermore , Angier ’s declaration of the audience ’s happiness being the most important thing adds a subtext to the movie that give its anterior events new meaning .

7The Dark Knight

The Joker’s introduction via bank robbery in Nolan’s acclaimed Batman Begins sequel

The Dark Knightis perhaps well remember for Health Ledger ’s career - defining role as The Joker in Nolan ’s critically acclaimed sequel toBatman Begins . WhileBatman Beginsrecontextualized interview percept of Batman , Ledger ’s performance as the manic Joker had a standardised impact as shortly as his interpretation of the fictional character polish off the CRT screen . While any givenJoker aspect contains at least one mentation - provoking quote , The Joker ’s introduction is the movie ’s good scene , as it absolutely establishes the movie ’s spirit and radical through the character ’s actions and monologue . As such , each of his lines has a double significance , and his power to challenge Batman and audiences is almost second to none .

Christopher Nolan is one of the most acclaimed , classifiable filmmakers of his generation . Here ’s our ranking of his celluloid from worst to best .

6Inception

Arthur fights a henchman in a rotating hallway in Nolan’s science fiction action film

Inceptionfollows a chemical group of calling criminals whose drawing card , Dom Cobb , admit an opportunity to test out technology that allows one to invade another ’s dreams and extract all important information . After accepting a labor deem impossible in exchange for his career past being wiped clean , Cobb & Co. experience strange upshot that make them question reality . Filled with absorbing action at law and impressive effects , Inception ’s shot featuring Joseph Gordon - Levitt’sArthur fighting henchmen while trapped inside a dream is its best . The scene is visually stunning and fulfil with complex choreography , and it perfectly highlights Cobb ’s crowd ’s loyalty to him in a style never before seen in celluloid .

5The Dark Knight Rises

Bane breaks the Bat in the conclusion to Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy

The Dark Knightis the close to Nolan’sDark Knighttrilogy , and despite not achieve the same degree of fanfare as its predecessor , still remain one of the honest motion-picture show in theBatmanfranchise as well as Nolan ’s filmography . The setting in which Bane breaks Batman ’s backis its best because it highlights the diametrically opposed philosophies of Gotham ’s protector and Gotham ’s would - be destroyer . what is more , the scene ’s intense fight stage dancing , chiaroscuro inflammation , that is , its wakeless usage of sharp shadower , combined with Tom Hardy ’s soliloquy about the shadow recreates one of the comics ' respectable moments while also creating one of movie theater ’s .

4Interstellar

Cooper detaches in Nolan’s epic science fiction film

Interstellarfollows spaceman and scientists as they weather the rigors of a futurist Earth consumed by dearth in a film that ’s ultimately about phratry and the power of sexual love . Featuring unbelievable pragmatic effects and cinematography designed to simulate outer space travel and otherworldly phenomena such as journey through a black hollow , one ofInterstellar ’s best singular second in the motion-picture show is the scene in which Matthew McCoughnahey ’s Cooper come off during the Gargantua scene after foretell her he would n’t . As firmly of a scene to check as it is , it highlights Cooper ’s perpetually caring personality , and it also treats audiences to some of the movie maker ’s most intense visual work .

3Dunkirk

Tommy Jensen and Alex’s train ride back home in Nolan’s historical war epic thriller

Dunkirkcenters around the combined efforts of Belgium , France , and the British Commonwealth and Empire as they fight against the oppressive force of the Nazis in a film about pertinacity and the human spirit . have a move score by Zimmer and some of Nolan ’s most breathless photography , Dunkirk ’s climactic scene briefly show the success and sacrifice ofeveryone ’s efforts in vote out the Nazis is its most poignant . After understand ally forces on country , atmosphere , and sea make for indefatigably to win a losing battle , the flick ’s Tommy Jensen and Alex reading about the achiever of their efforts satisfyingly concludes their struggle while inspiring audiences to always fight the good fight .

Oppenheimer, The Dark Knight, and Inception

Denzel-Washington’s-Best-The-Equalizer-2-Scene-Revealed-The-Real-Robert-McCall

Christopher nolan the prestige christian bale cobb inception

Jeremy Theobold as The Young Man in a scene from Following.

Headshot Of Joe Pantoliano In The Bad Boys For Life Los Angeles Premiere

Headshot Of Guy Pearce In The 77th annual Cannes

Headshot oF Carrie-Anne Moss

Headshot Of Stephen Tobolowsky In The Play production of ‘Stew’ at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Al Pacino as Will Dormer in a scene from Insomnia.

Christian Bale as Batman interrogating Cillian Murphy as Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow in Batman Begins.

Headshot Of Christian Bale In The <code>The Pale Blue Eye</code> LA Premiere

Shot Of Michael Caine In The World premiere of &lsquo;The Great Escaper&rsquo; at BFI Southbank

Headshot Of Liam Neeson In The UK premiere of Marlowe

Headshot Of Katie Holmes

Christian Bale as Alfred &ldquo;The Professor&rdquo; Borden and Hugh Jackman as Robert &ldquo;The Great Danton&rdquo; Angier in The Prestige.

Headshot Of Scarlett Johansson In The ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ Premiere

Headshot Of Heath Ledger In The 2006 Oscars Nominees Luncheon

Headshot of Aaron Eckhart

Headshot Of Gary Oldman In The 77th Cannes Film Festival

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Arthur fighting a henchman during Inception&rsquo;s rotating hallway scene.

Headshot Of Leonardo DiCaprio In The 35th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Night

Headshot Of Joseph Gordon-Levitt In The Hollywood Critics Association&rsquo;s 2023 HCA Film Awards

Headshot Of Elliot Page in The 48th Toronto International Film Festival: &lsquo;Backspot&rsquo; Premiere.

Headshot Of Tom Hardy In The Premiere Of The Bikeriders

Tom Hardy as Bane prepares to break Christian Bale as Batman&rsquo;s back in The Dark Knight Rises.

Matthew McConaughey as Joseph Cooper concentrates in Interstellar.

Headshot Of Matthew McConaughey In The 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

Headshot Of Anne Hathaway In The 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards

Headshot Of Jessica Chastain In The 10th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony

Headshot Of Mackenzie Foy

A soldier observes the horrors of war in Dunkirk.

Headshot Of Kenneth Branagh In The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Cast Placeholder Image

Headshot Of Mark Rylance In The Tomorrow Gala for The Old Vic.