Christopher Nolan has built one of the most impressive filmographies in modern cinema. Since his 1998 debut, he has evolved from an independent filmmaker into one of Hollywood’s most recognizable directors, known for his ambitious storytelling and large-scale blockbusters. His films have grossed billions, completely redefined the superhero genre, and finally earned him his long-deserved Best Director Oscar.
But how do his films stack up when standing side-by-side? From the mind-bending mazes of “Inception” to the atomic dread of “Oppenheimer,” I’ve taken on the impossible task of ranking his entire filmography.
Just a quick heads-up: With his highly anticipated mythological epic “The Odyssey” releasing in theaters this Friday, I will be heading to the biggest IMAX screen I can find this weekend. Expect this list to be updated almost immediately afterward. For now, let’s rank all 12 movies.
12. ‘Following’ (1998)
I know it might be surprising to see Nolan’s first feature-length film at the bottom of this list, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great movie. When a director has a filmography this strong, something has to take last place. “Following” is an impressive movie because it was shot for roughly $6,000, which Nolan funded himself out of his own pocket. Plus, in a bizarre twist of fate, there is a scene where a character walks up to an apartment door with a "Batman" sticker.
“Following” centers around a struggling young writer (Jeremy Theobald) in London who begins following strangers through the city to gather inspiration for his work. His habit leads him to Cobb (Alex Haw), a mysterious man who reveals himself to be a skilled burglar and invites the writer into his world of break-ins and stolen identities. As the pair explores the homes of unsuspecting victims, the writer becomes drawn into a complicated situation involving a woman with a troubled past.
Watch on Philo
11. ‘Tenet’ (2020)
“Tenet” is perhaps the most “Christopher Nolan” film he’s ever made. This mind-bending blockbuster takes the classic James Bond-style espionage thriller and injects it with a heavy dose of theoretical physics. Unlike typical time travel films, where characters jump back and forth in time via a portal or machine, “Tenet” introduces time inversion, meaning people move backward through time in real-time while the rest of the world moves forward. As the movie states: “Don't try to understand it. Feel it.”
CIA operative known only as the Protagonist (John David Washington) is recruited by a mysterious organization called Tenet after a dangerous mission goes wrong. Tasked with preventing a global catastrophe, he teams up with Neil (Robert Pattinson), a skilled operative, to track down Russian oligarch Andrei Sator, whose plans could threaten the world. Their investigation takes them across multiple countries as they uncover a secret technology that changes how events unfold.
Buy/rent on Amazon
10. ‘The Prestige’ (2006)
“The Prestige” is a dark psychological thriller set in the competitive world of late-Victorian stage magic, and the brilliant hook is that the movie itself is structured exactly like a classic three-part stage illusion. This is definitely one of the most rewatchable movies ever made, since once you know how the “trick” works, watching it a second time reveals a completely different film as Nolan hides clues in plain sight in almost every single scene. It’s clever, to say the least.
In 19th-century London, rival magicians Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) see their professional competition turn into a bitter personal feud. After a tragic accident during one of their performances, the two men dedicate themselves to creating increasingly impressive illusions and uncovering each other’s secrets. Their rivalry worsens as they attempt to perfect the ultimate stage trick, leading them into a dangerous battle of deception and discovery.
Watch on Hulu
9. ‘Insomnia’ (2002)
Next up is another great Nolan thriller: the brilliantly bleak psychological drama “Insomnia.” A remake of the acclaimed 1997 Norwegian film of the same name, it's a gritty, tense, and morally complex detective story. The film follows a detective whose overwhelming guilt begins to consume him as insomnia leaves him unable to escape his thoughts. It may be more straightforward than Nolan's later puzzle box movies like “Inception,” but it's no less compelling.
Los Angeles detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino) travels to a remote Alaskan town with his partner to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. During the investigation, Dormer becomes locked in a dangerous pursuit with Walter Finch (Robin Williams), the prime suspect in the case. Local detective Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank) assists with the investigation as Dormer attempts to uncover the truth while dealing with increasingly complicated circumstances.
Buy/rent on Amazon
8. ‘Batman Begins’ (2005)
Most film fans know that “Batman Begins” changed the superhero genre. Before its release, comic book movies were often defined by either the gothic style of Tim Burton's “Batman” or more colorful, lighthearted adventures. Nolan took a different approach, creating a darker, more grounded version of the character. Rather than rushing into the action, the film takes its time exploring Bruce Wayne's journey to becoming Batman, making it just as engaging as the superhero moments themselves.
Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is a wealthy heir who leaves Gotham after witnessing the murder of his parents as a child. Years later, he travels the world, learning combat skills and studying criminal organizations before returning home. With help from his butler Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) and Wayne Enterprises’ Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), Bruce creates a new identity as Batman to confront the criminals threatening Gotham City. However, his plans are challenged when the mysterious League of Shadows reveals its own intentions for the city.
Watch on HBO Max
7. ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012)
“The Dark Knight Rises” brings Nolan’s “Batman” trilogy to a satisfying close. While “Batman Begins” focused on Bruce Wayne becoming Batman and “The Dark Knight” explored the rise of crime in Gotham, this final chapter follows Bruce as he returns to face his toughest challenge yet. Nolan filmed more than an hour of the movie with 70mm IMAX cameras, giving many of its biggest sequences an impressive sense of scale. From large action scenes to a city under siege, it feels like the biggest film in the trilogy.
“The Dark Knight Rises” takes place eight years after the events of “The Dark Knight,” with Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) living in isolation and Batman no longer active. However, the arrival of the ruthless mercenary Bane (Tom Hardy) forces Bruce to return to Gotham and confront a dangerous new threat. As Bane takes control of the city, Batman must reunite with old allies while working alongside the mysterious Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), a skilled cat burglar with her own agenda.
Watch on HBO Max
6. ‘Memento’ (2000)
Released in 2000, “Memento” was the film that put Nolan on the map. It showed how he could tell a story in a completely different way, using an unusual structure to put the audience in the protagonist’s shoes. The film follows two timelines that gradually come together, reflecting the experience of a man with anterograde amnesia, a condition that prevents him from forming new short-term memories. It’s incredibly interesting (and mind-bending).
Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) is a former insurance investigator who is searching for the person responsible for his wife’s murder. After suffering a head injury during the attack, Leonard is unable to form new memories and relies on photographs, handwritten notes, and tattoos to track down clues. As he follows leads connected to the mysterious “John G,” he encounters strangers who may be helping him or manipulating him. Alongside his investigation, Leonard attempts to piece together what happened on the night of the attack.
Watch on Netflix
5. ‘Dunkirk’ (2017)
![Dunkirk - Trailer 1 [HD] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/F-eMt3SrfFU/maxresdefault.jpg)
Now we’re into the top five, where Nolan’s filmmaking reaches another level. “Dunkirk” is a tense and unique take on the World War II genre. Instead of focusing on traditional war movie elements like strategy, politics, or battlefield heroics, it tells a more personal story about survival. Nolan keeps the exposition to a minimum, avoiding long explanations and letting the visuals, sound, and action tell the story. The result is an immersive experience that puts the audience right in the middle of it.
“Dunkirk” follows the evacuation of Allied soldiers trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk, France, during World War II. The story is told through three interconnected perspectives: a young soldier named Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) stranded on the shore, a group of civilians sailing across the English Channel to assist the rescue effort, and Royal Air Force pilots defending the evacuation from above. As enemy forces close in and the situation becomes increasingly desperate, soldiers and civilians race against time to escape across the sea.
Buy/rent on Amazon
4. ‘Inception’ (2010)
“Inception” is one of Nolan’s most ambitious blockbusters. At its core, it follows the structure of a classic heist movie, but instead of breaking into a bank, the characters enter the human mind to steal and plant ideas. The film includes plenty of big action sequences and a complex story about dreams, memory, and reality. It’s a visually impressive thriller that challenges the audience while still delivering plenty of excitement. Plus, the film operates as a perfect ensemble piece, led by Leonardo DiCaprio.
Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled extractor who enters people’s dreams to steal valuable information. After becoming a fugitive and losing the ability to return home, Cobb is offered a chance to clear his name through one final job. Instead of stealing information, he and his team must enter the mind of a powerful businessman and plant an idea. As the group goes through increasingly complex dream worlds, Cobb must confront obstacles from his own past while trying to complete the mission
Watch on MGM+
3. ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
It wouldn’t be right to rank Nolan’s films without putting “The Dark Knight” in the top three. Often considered one of the greatest superhero movies ever made, it helped redefine what comic book films could be. Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker is a major reason why, with his unpredictable and memorable take on the character becoming one of the film’s biggest highlights. “The Dark Knight” is an absolute adrenaline rush from the very first frame, and still remains a gripping ride.
Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) continues his efforts to reduce crime in Gotham City alongside Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). Their progress is disrupted when a criminal mastermind known as the Joker (Heath Ledger) emerges and launches a series of increasingly dangerous attacks across the city. As Batman attempts to stop the Joker’s plans, he is forced to confront several challenges involving Gotham’s criminals and the limits of his own methods.
Watch on HBO Max
2. ‘Interstellar’ (2014)
“Interstellar” is one of the best movies of all time. This emotionally sweeping sci-fi epic combines a large-scale space adventure with a personal story about family and human connection. To help make the science as accurate as possible, Nolan and his brother Jonathan worked with Dr. Kip Thorne, a Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist from Caltech (pretty insane). The result is a visually stunning journey through space that balances its huge ideas with an emotional story at its core.
Former NASA pilot Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is recruited to join a mission through a newly discovered wormhole near Saturn. Leaving his family behind, he travels with a team of scientists across distant galaxies to search for a potential new home for humanity as Earth becomes increasingly difficult to survive on. Alongside Dr. Amelia Brand (Anne Hathaway) and a group of advanced robots, Cooper explores several unknown planets while racing against limited resources and time.
Watch on Hulu
1. ‘Oppenheimer’ (2023)
Of course, there had to be a winner, and that’s the incredible “Oppenheimer.” It swept the 96th Academy Awards, taking home seven Oscars (including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor) for good reason. “Oppenheimer” is a powerful historical drama that builds tension like a psychological thriller. Instead of a traditional villain, the film focuses on the destructive power of the atomic bomb and the consequences of human ambition. Not to mention, its three-hour score is built around the incredible sound of a violin, which gives me goosebumps every time.
“Oppenheimer” follows the life of American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), tracing his early academic years, rise through the scientific community, and leadership of the Manhattan Project during World War II. Working alongside a team of scientists at Los Alamos, Oppenheimer oversees the development of the first atomic bomb. The film also explores his relationships with his wife Kitty (Emily Blunt), colleagues, and government officials, including Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), whose actions shape Oppenheimer’s later career.
Buy/rent on Amazon
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