Time.
Memory.
Dreams.
Guilt.
Chaos.
Themes used in the films
made by Christopher Nolan.
In this video,
we rank the films of Christopher Nolan.
We're not the first to do this,
but we decided to go about
things a little differently.
We looked at the
actual filmmaking.
Both the art and the craft.
So when you strip away
all of the ambient noise.
Which is the best
Christopher Nolan film?
Before we get started,
make sure to subscribe
and click the bell icon
to stay in the loop.
Ready?
"And here we go."
Number 10 - "Following."
"-So, you`ve followed women?
- No, I didn't follow women.
It wasn't a sex thing. I followed anybody.
I just wanted to see where they
went, what they did."
The film was
predominantly handheld.
Shot on an irbl on a Bolex.
And was made in 15 minutes
stints, over the course of a year.
You see early signs
of Nolan filmmaking.
Extreme close-ups
of insert shots.
Cross-cutting.
"Perhaps, there's something
else you like to tell me."
Playing with structure and time.
The story is great.
And the main reason the
film is at number 10
is purely the technical quality.
Number 9 - "The
Dark Knight Rises."
The first two films in
Nolan's Batman Trilogy
would definitely
cinematic achievements.
But you get the distinct feeling
that this third film
was highly compromised.
There are some amazing scenes,
including a mid-air hijacking.
But one of the reasons we think
this film fell a little flat,
it had too many plot holes.
"-Jesus, Blake. Every cop in the
city's down in those tunnels.
-Fly okay?
-Yeah, even without the autopilot.
Thanks."
And for ending for the film,
when not what viewers
expected from Nolan.
Number 8.
"Interstellar."
"Interstellar" has some of the
greatest scenes,set in outer space.
Watching Matthew McConaughey
slip through a black hole
are some of the great
moments in the film.
Many of the visual effects in
the film were created beforehand.
This allowed actors to
react to their surroundings
without the use
of a green screen.
But "Interstellar" fall short,
partly due to the same mistake,
many science fiction and
horror film seem to make.
They explain too much.
"-Murphy’s Law doesn’t mean
that something bad will happen.
What itt means ’whatever can
happen, will happen’.
-They constructed this
three-dimensional space
inside their five-dimensional reality
to allow you to understand it.
-Well, it ain`t working."
There is a chance "Interstellar"
would be higher on this list
if it simply had
30% less dialogue.
Number 7.
"Inception."
"Inception" has some of
the best Nolan moments.
The concept of
dream versus reality
is explored in a
very interesting way.
"You are the dreamer
you build this world.
I am the subject,
my mind populates it."
But also some of the
most paradoxical.
One important rule
for any filmmaker is
once you've established
a set of magic rules.
"-So once we've made the
plant, how do we get out?
-The kick.
-What`s a kick?
-That feeling of falling
you get the jolt to wake it.
Snaps you out of the dream."
You want to stay consistent?
This film seems to struggle
with its own rules quite a bit.
And then tries to write
itself out of plot holes.
Hordes of faceless enemies
become boring after a while.
Though there are some amazing
moments in "Inception."
Number 6.
"Batman Begins."
It's the origin story,
Marvel and DC films have
been chasing for a while.
The more human approach
is exactly what many
superheroes need.
Bruce Wayne is a
truly flawed person.
He is haunted by his guilt.
"-Do you still feel responsible
for your parent's death?
-My anger outweights my guilt."
Consumed by anger and
a desire for vengeance.
And he's sort of a brat.
"I'm buying this hotel."
This makes his transformation
that much more effective.
Number 5.
"Insomnia."
"Insomnia" is one of the most
haunting detective films of all time.
The reason, Al Pacino's
protagonist is truly flawed.
One who is haunted by his deeds.
"Man down!"
But still has a job to do.
There is a great personal
relationship between the hero
and the villain played
by Robin Williams.
And with that relationship
is a fine line.
"-Killing that girl
made you feel special.
Which you`re not.
-What`d you see through the fog?
-I saw pretty clearly, didn't I?
-I saw you take aim.
-Come on, forget it.
-Shoot your partner
in the chest."
He is compromised.
And because of this, the entire film gains
a layer of constant suspense and drama.
Number 4.
"The Dark Knight."
"The Dark Knight" has some
truly unforgettable moments.
And some of the best
performances in a superhero film.
"Let's put a smile
on that face."
Heath Ledger as the Joker
may go down as one of the
greatest villains of all time.
Nolan did an incredible job
of bringing him to life.
" You see this is how crazy
Batman's made Gotham."
The film is all about
chaos and the battle.
"Upset the established order
and everything becomes chaos."
And how destruction will
inevitably take place.
When an unstoppable force,
"meets an immovable object."
Number 3.
Dunkirk.
A fantastic visual achievement
that does something many
of his other films do not.
It shows rather than tells.
"Less is more" as they say.
The script was only 76 Pages.
"Dunkirk" is one of the most authentic
and suspenseful films ever crafted.
And it puts us in the shoes of
the soldiers on Dunkirk Beach.
Nolan also uses his
favorite cinematic device.
Cross-cutting.
Tom Hardy in his spitfire above.
The notorious wine
of the diving stukas.
The beach bombing.
All fantastic.
And the sound design was
absolutely deafening.
Just like a real war.
Number 2.
"Memento."
Momento change cinema forever.
And shade Nolan`s
storytelling style.
The film took full advantage of the
medium in a way we had never seen before.
The combination of themes and
various cinematic devices,
create an eerie and
unforgettable film
that forces you to
question your own memories.
And you can see the early stages of
his signature storytelling techniques.
"Lenny."
Time jumps.
Inserts.
Dutch angles and
convergent story structure,
like a pair of symbols
crashing into each other.
The way Nolan shot and
cut the film together
shows us the pinnacle of
intentional filmmaking.
Number 1.
"The Prestige."
"The Prestige" is one of the
cinema's greatest modern films,
and it's because Nolan analyzed what
he had accomplished with "Memento"
and took it a step further.
The theme is so intertwined
with the subject matter,
the world of magicians.
He found a thematic metaphor.
The structure of a magic trick.
And built his story upon it.
"He's a no-talent magician
and they're calling him the
bloody best in England. Why?"
This is the most important point to
take away from Nolan's film making.
"They flatter you with
all those chains, Alfred?"
Don`t they know that you can't escape
without your little rubber ball?"
The film is about magicians
but is also itself
a magic trick.
"I watching closely."
The acting.
Cinematography.
Production design.
Costumes.
Story,editing.
Everything is top notch.
Rent the film.
Pop some corn.
Turn down the lights.
And enjoy the best
Nolan film to date.
We understand,
this list is subjective,
and we probably didn't
change your mind.
Or did we?
What do you think of our list?
Do you know better?
Prove us wrong.
As filmmakers, we love conflict.
"And I thought my
jokes are bad."
Working on your own project?
Check out StudioBinder`s
production software.
Shot lists, storyboards,
shooting schedules, call sheets,
production calendars and more.
Subscribe to our channel below.
Click the bell icon for notifications
and follow us on our Instagram page.
[Music]
