Quintessential Films Series: Christopher Nolan

[MartyMcFly]

Don't know why but this came to me in my sleep. Was wondering what the film room thinks are the quintessential flicks from certain directors and actors. Not specifically their best move, but the movie that summarizes that person the best. The idea being if you had to explain to an alien who this director or writer or actor was/is, this is the movie you'd pick.

For some reason, Nolan came to mind first.

For me, it comes down to Inception or the Dark Knight. Nolan, like Michael Mann, is really interested in "process" and people committed to some sort of process. Possibly obsessed over that process. He likes worlds of ambiguity where that line between good and evil is really faint. And he's clinical, so his best films take a birds eye view at some sort of process, like being a magician, and shows the audience without passing judgement on his characters or their actions.

What say the film room?

 

[Panther]

I voted Inception, but i was very close to voting for The Prestige

The more ambiguous ending to Inception is why it gets the nod

(Never seen Momento or Insomnia)

 

[obarth]

This one was easy but difficult at the same time. I clicked Memento without a seconds thought. But before I hit reply I thought about what "quintessential" meant and was about to hit Dark Knight. But then I thought what it meant again, and Memento still was the answer. Memento is Nolan at his best. He would go on to do much more amazing things in the cinematography realm and, his stories stayed complex and layered, but the balance and impact of Memento was never replicated, while still trying to be replicated, imo.

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]

This one was easy but difficult at the same time. I clicked Memento without a seconds thought. But before I hit reply I thought about what "quintessential" meant and was about to hit Dark Knight. But then I thought what it meant again, and Memento still was the answer. Memento is Nolan at his best. He would go on to do much more amazing things in the cinematography realm and, his stories stayed complex and layered, but the balance and impact of Memento was never replicated, while still trying to be replicated, imo.

Yes. His best movie and the movie that describes Nolan to a T.

 

[Take It In Blood]

I voted Inception, but i was very close to voting for The Prestige

The more ambiguous ending to Inception is why it gets the nod

(Never seen Momento or Insomnia)

Watch Momento right now

 

[obarth]

Yes. His best movie and the movie that describes Nolan to a T.

The Prestige is a strong second for me. The way he was able to mirror the plot and the viewers experience was genius.

 

[MartyMcFly]

Prestige and momento were also tied for second for me. Could make a case either way. I think about the prestige a lot. But I went with inception. It seems to embody everything he’s about while also being his most “personal”

 

[choc_cardigan]

I'm going to add a movie not on the list and if you haven't seen it watch it asap



This made me a real fan of his after seeing momento.

 

[MartyMcFly]

I'm going to add a movie not on the list and if you haven't seen it watch it asap



This made me a real fan of his after seeing momento.

Thought about it but it wasn't one that made me think of "this is perfect Nolan"

 

[Jello Biafra]

Memento is pure unfiltered Nolan to me.
You could see all the things that would be categorized as "quintessential Nolan" in their rawest form in that movie.

 

[FlyGuy]

I haven't even seen memento and know its memento

 

[TheGodling]

Memento is pure unfiltered Nolan to me.
You could see all the things that would be categorized as "quintessential Nolan" in their rawest form in that movie.

Except it's not boring as fukk which is quintessential Nolan post-TDK.

Either way it's Memento or The Prestige with The Prestige winning for me because it doesn't lose any value on replay whereas Memento is a little too reliable on its twist.

 

[The Prince of All Saiyans]

voted the prestige

I hated dunkirk

 

[MartyMcFly]

All good choices. @FlyRy and @wire28 get in here and make your difficult choices

 

[James Carter]

damn just noticed i got most of that list on blu ray :jbhmmm: