He’s the filmmaker who, since 2008, has insisted on shooting on physical IMAX film, famously doesn't own an iPhone, and physically mails his scripts to actors. Yes, we are talking about Sir Christopher Nolan – that’s right, Sir to you, following his 2024 knighting for contributions to the film industry.
This must be one of the hardest lists I've had to compile in cinema. There is a reason that, every time Nolan creates a film, tickets sell out months in advance. Even if you're unfamiliar with his name, you'll definitely know his work. He's given us The Dark Knight, which was voted the third-best movie in the world by over 3.2 million IMDB users, and Interstellar, which sits as number one, and is as one of the most frequently cited films in Letterboxd users' top four slots. Now, his latest film, The Odyssey, has officially arrived – and has already secured its place as his highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes at 96%.
So, with critics calling The Odyssey his crowning achievement, we thought it was the perfect time to look back and rank our favourite Christopher Nolan films.
Memento (2005)
A classic neo-noir that – like many of Nolan's films – leaves the audience with a mind-bending conclusion. This story follows a former insurance investigator who suffers from anterograde amnesia. In a devastating turn of events, his wife is murdered, forcing him to rely on a complex system of polaroids, notes, and tattoos to track down her killer.
Insomnia (2002)
A psychological thriller about a veteran detective from Los Angeles, played by the incredible Al Pacino, who is sent to a small town in Alaska to find the murderer of a teenage girl. This film also has a stellar cast too, with Robin Williams and Hillary Swank attached to it.
The Dark Knight (2008)
A classic that we are all familiar with, I would say. The second film in the Batman series with Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne, and the formidable Heath Ledger at the Joker (his last role before he passed). This film follows the story of the Batman who joins alliance with two big figures Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent to dismantle the Gotham mobs.
The Prestige (2006)
This is one of my personal favourites, and if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend going in blind and not reading any further about the film. However, if you want to know – this film stars Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as two magicians from the 19th century in a bitter battle against each other for supremacy. That battle ultimately leads to one of them being destroyed in an incredible ending.
Interstellar (2014)
This is set in a dystopian future where Earth is slowly becoming uninhabitable, and a group of NASA scientists are working together to find a new world to transport Earth's population to a new home. It's Oone of the best movies you will see, with Matthew McConaughey providing one of his best performances.
The Odyssey (2026)
The Odyssey, based on one of the first poems ever written by Homer, follows Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, the king of Ithaca, who embarks on a long 10-year journey to return home after the Trojan War.
Inception (2010)
This is one of Nolan's more confusing works, that is technically all about dreams within dreams. Inception is about a thief played by Leonardo DiCaprio who has the rare ability to enter people's dreams and steal their secrets from them. With that hot commodity of an ability, he is asked to plant an idea in someone's mind that would be the perfect crime, but might cost him everything.
