View Poll Results: Best Christopher Nolan Movie
Voters: 205. You may not vote on this poll
Best Christopher Nolan Movie
10-08-08, 05:37 PM
#28
Moderator
10-08-08, 07:42 PM
#29
DVD Talk Legend
1) Memento -- Still friggin' brilliant
2) The Dark Knight -- Best comic movie since Superman
3) The Prestige -- Yeah, the ending didn't make a lick of sense, but still it's fun in parts
4) Batman Begins -- I didn't get most of it. I admired it, but didn't like it much.
5) Insomnia -- Good acting, but not interesting to me. Inferior to the original.
2) The Dark Knight -- Best comic movie since Superman
3) The Prestige -- Yeah, the ending didn't make a lick of sense, but still it's fun in parts
4) Batman Begins -- I didn't get most of it. I admired it, but didn't like it much.
5) Insomnia -- Good acting, but not interesting to me. Inferior to the original.
10-08-08, 08:30 PM
#30
DVD Talk Limited Edition
I love his work. Memento is still my favorite, but The Prestige is a very close second. The Dark Knight would be third.
10-08-08, 10:43 PM
#32
DVD Talk Godfather
With all the TDK love on this forum I figured it would be a runaway poll. I'm glad to see Memento holding it's own. 
Not to mention despite its limited release, Memento left a mark on entertainment culture forever. I can't say the short term memory thing hadn't been done before but after Memento it entered the lexicon forever and now is common to see it used.
I knew, leaving the theater after seeing Memento, that Nolan was one to watch. I even went to see Insomnia only because of Nolan. Not to mention Memento lingered in my head for over a week. I also was enamored with Guy Pierce. It's unfortunate that after this and LA Confidential he never became a huge star.
A list is unavoidable:
1. Memento
2. The Dark Knight
3. The Prestige
4. Batman Begins
5. Insomnia
Memento is really a crackerjack piece of filmmaking, really. Even beyond the "gimmick", it raises so many questions about identity and memory and the inextricable relationship between guilt and vengeance that every time I watch it, I end up forming 37 different theories about what's really happening. And who KNOWS what's true? Not even the director. Awesome commentary track 
I knew, leaving the theater after seeing Memento, that Nolan was one to watch. I even went to see Insomnia only because of Nolan. Not to mention Memento lingered in my head for over a week. I also was enamored with Guy Pierce. It's unfortunate that after this and LA Confidential he never became a huge star.
A list is unavoidable:
1. Memento
2. The Dark Knight
3. The Prestige
4. Batman Begins
5. Insomnia
10-09-08, 02:43 AM
#34
The Dark Knight: Just a damn good movie; excellent acting, solid story, good action.
Memento: A damn good movie that relies heavily on a storytelling gimmick.
Batman Begins: Very solid film.
The Prestige: Bowie!
Insomnia: Probably the last great mainstream movie Al Pacino and Robin Williams have been in.
Memento: A damn good movie that relies heavily on a storytelling gimmick.
Batman Begins: Very solid film.
The Prestige: Bowie!
Insomnia: Probably the last great mainstream movie Al Pacino and Robin Williams have been in.
10-09-08, 06:07 AM
#36
My problem with most of Nolan's movies, even my favorite, is that they drag on a little too long. The Prestige, particularly, I feel becomes tiring by the end, despite a knockout of a twist.
I didn't like Following much. There were some interesting elements but it seemed tired and predictable. Batman Begins is far from an awful film, but it is fairly straightfoward, and now that we've seen The Dark Knight, it pales so much in comparison. The Prestige, as I mentioned, has great things in it but takes ten or so minutes too long to get there. Memento is pretty good, with some seriously great acting from Guy Pearce and various cast members, but it's occasionally slow and seems the tiniest bit in love with itself for its twist (or perhaps that's Leonard's personality).
I don't know what I'd rank first. On one hand, we'd have the criminally underrated Insomnia, which also deserves a slight trim, but otherwise is perhaps the last great performance we'll get out of Pacino. I haven't seen the original, but the movie is all atmosphere and Al's performance. "This is where your best friend's naked body was found, wrapped up in GARBAGE BAGS!" On the other hand, we'd have the stellar, hugely entertaining Dark Knight, again toplined by a stellar performance, this time from Heath Ledger (and Aaron Eckhart, when he's playing Harvey, for that matter). The Dark Knight has a worse length problem and nearly every peripheral character gives a performance equal in awfulness to the awesomeness of Ledger's ("I'm makin' a withdrawal here!").
I might give the edge to Insomnia just because it's so underrated.
I didn't like Following much. There were some interesting elements but it seemed tired and predictable. Batman Begins is far from an awful film, but it is fairly straightfoward, and now that we've seen The Dark Knight, it pales so much in comparison. The Prestige, as I mentioned, has great things in it but takes ten or so minutes too long to get there. Memento is pretty good, with some seriously great acting from Guy Pearce and various cast members, but it's occasionally slow and seems the tiniest bit in love with itself for its twist (or perhaps that's Leonard's personality).
I don't know what I'd rank first. On one hand, we'd have the criminally underrated Insomnia, which also deserves a slight trim, but otherwise is perhaps the last great performance we'll get out of Pacino. I haven't seen the original, but the movie is all atmosphere and Al's performance. "This is where your best friend's naked body was found, wrapped up in GARBAGE BAGS!" On the other hand, we'd have the stellar, hugely entertaining Dark Knight, again toplined by a stellar performance, this time from Heath Ledger (and Aaron Eckhart, when he's playing Harvey, for that matter). The Dark Knight has a worse length problem and nearly every peripheral character gives a performance equal in awfulness to the awesomeness of Ledger's ("I'm makin' a withdrawal here!").
I might give the edge to Insomnia just because it's so underrated.
10-09-08, 11:36 AM
#39
DVD Talk Legend
Also, since this poll is just a relative ranking of one director's films, it doesn't really matter how you feel about the overall quality of them in comparison to all films. Therefore, even if you only felt that one of his films was "just mediocre," while the rest sucked, the mediocre film would then be better than any of his other films, and thus his best film.
10-09-08, 03:20 PM
#41
Moderator
If you didn't think all of them sucked, then you shouldn't pick the option that says "they all suck." Simple.
Also, since this poll is just a relative ranking of one director's films, it doesn't really matter how you feel about the overall quality of them in comparison to all films. Therefore, even if you only felt that one of his films was "just mediocre," while the rest sucked, the mediocre film would then be better than any of his other films, and thus his best film.
Also, since this poll is just a relative ranking of one director's films, it doesn't really matter how you feel about the overall quality of them in comparison to all films. Therefore, even if you only felt that one of his films was "just mediocre," while the rest sucked, the mediocre film would then be better than any of his other films, and thus his best film.
10-09-08, 04:48 PM
#43
DVD Talk Legend
However, if you do feel your vote could be misconstrued, this why poll threads also have posts: so you can clarify or go into more detail on your voting decision, i.e. "I thought ______ was his best film, but even that was just mediocre."
10-09-08, 04:59 PM
#44
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as the most entertaining film i think "Batman Begins" wins. i never had an affinity for "Memento".
but, for best directed i have to go with "The Dark Knight". i mean there were so many elements he had to deal with, so many sets and great actors working, that as a directed movie i think this is the best of his.
but, for best directed i have to go with "The Dark Knight". i mean there were so many elements he had to deal with, so many sets and great actors working, that as a directed movie i think this is the best of his.
10-09-08, 07:47 PM
#46
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
10-09-08, 09:45 PM
#48
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I've seen all of Christopher Nolan's movies except for Following, which I plan on remedying as soon as possible.
Memento, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are all in my top 20 of the decade with Memento being #3 overall, so I voted for that one.
1. Memento
2. The Dark Knight
3. Batman Begins
4. Insomnia
5. The Prestige
Memento, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are all in my top 20 of the decade with Memento being #3 overall, so I voted for that one.
1. Memento
2. The Dark Knight
3. Batman Begins
4. Insomnia
5. The Prestige
10-10-08, 01:49 AM
#49
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
You know, the poll choice really should have been "I don't like any of his movies". I wouldn't agree with that position, but I could at least respect it. To say "All the movies suck" is just blatently wrong. Biodome sucks. Batman and Robin sucks. Nolan's movies have a level of quatlity and craftsmanship that elevate them beyond "suckiness", regardless of personal taste.
10-10-08, 12:24 PM
#50
Moderator
I thought The Prestige was OK, and Batman Begins had an interesting look. I've liked nothing else.
I don't think I ever said Traffic was a bad movie. I just think it's a lesser effort for Soderbergh. I prefer The Limey.
I don't think I ever said Traffic was a bad movie. I just think it's a lesser effort for Soderbergh. I prefer The Limey.