Christopher Nolan’s work is back on the big screen for the world to witness, thanks to the groundbreaking global release of Oppenheimer. The sprawling IMAX epic about the father of the atomic bomb has already become a massive critical and commercial success.
What Should Be On Your Christopher Nolan Watchlist?
Now, it’s the perfect time to look back at the visionary filmmaker’s career and revisit essential films. Let’s take a look at the best Christopher Nolan movies to not miss and rank them. Are you ready to sit and marathon these movies all week?
1) The Dark Knight (2008)
Genre: Superhero, drama
Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman

While Christopher Nolan is known for making one masterpiece after another, The Dark Knight remains his unbeatable magnum opus. The second film in Nolan’s Batman trilogy went on to become the greatest superhero film of all time. Heath Ledger’s career-defining performance as Joker endures more than ever, fifteen years after his passing.
2) Inception (2010)
Genre: Action, sci-fi
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy

There’s arguably only one working director who can make a studio blockbuster about a dream within a dream within a dream. And the man’s name is Christopher Nolan. Inception ranks high in the master’s list of mind bending works. Hans Zimmer’s ‘Time’ went on to become one of the most profound pieces of music in film history.
3) Interstellar (2014)
Genre: Science fiction
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain

A film that everyone wishes they could erase from their heads so that they can watch it for the first time again. While Interstellar may seem like a space-traveling adventure from the surface, it is a moving father-daughter drama at its heart. The docking sequence, entering the wormhole and the mountain-sized waves transport viewers on a cinematic journey like never before.
4) The Prestige (2006)
Genre: Period psychological thriller
Cast: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson

One of the most overlooked films in Christopher Nolan’s filmography, The Prestige is full of twists and turns that are bound to leave the audience dizzy. The movie revolves around the life of two 19th century magicians whose obsessive feud only keeps going from bad to worse.
5) Dunkirk (2017)
Genre: War, drama
Cast: Fionn Whitehead, Harry Styles, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh

Dunkirk is quite easily another underrated feather in Christopher Nolan’s cap. The film’s three-layered hyperlinked narrative storytelling is a hard feat to achieve. The movie is an emotionally fulfilling spectacle that transports the viewers to the war-torn beaches of Dunkirk during World War II.
6) Memento (2000)
Genre: Mystery, psychological thriller
Cast: Guy Pearce, Carrie Anne-Moss, Joe Pantoliano

If you’re a fan of the way Christopher Nolan’s movies fracture time and unconventionally narrate stories, you cannot afford to miss Memento at any cost. The film marked the beginning of Nolan’s non-linear style and announced his arrival as a creative force to be reckoned with. Memento puts you in the shoes of a man with memory loss as he searches for his wife’s killer.
Honorable mentions
So far, Christopher Nolan has directed 12 feature-length movies, including Oppenheimer. While half of it may not have made it to the ranking list, films like Tenet, Batman Begins, Insomnia, The Dark Knight Rises, and Following are not distant in terms of quality.
What’s your favorite Christopher Nolan movie?