Christopher Nolan names his favourite 21st century movies
There are very few contemporary filmmakers who can come close to the mastery of Christopher Nolan, the British pioneer who has helmed such classics as Dunkirk, Interstellar and The Dark Knight. Only really comparable to the likes of James Cameron and Denis Villeneuve in modern cinema, the ambition and scope that Nolan dedicates to each of his movies is genuinely impressive.
It’s for this reason that the director has emerged as one of the most beloved filmmakers of the era, transporting viewers with escapist sci-fi flicks like Inception and Tenet, as well as genuinely heart-rendering dramas like Interstellar and Oppenheimer. Along the way, he has had the chance to work with some of the industry’s finest names, from modern stars like Florence Pugh and Benny Safdie to vintage stalwarts Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman.
Yet, while Nolan might be the favourite of countless cinephiles across the world, rarely does the filmmaker reveal the contemporary releases that he is particularly fond of. That’s why it’s within every cinephile’s interest to explore each of his favourite 21st-century movies in the handy list provided below.
Not everybody can get behind the works of Terrence Malick, but Nolan is clearly someone who adores the American filmmaker who infrequently pops his head up in modern cinema. “Terrence Malick, more than almost any other filmmaker I can name, his work is immediately recognisable,” he told ComingSoon, “His films are all very, very connected with each other, and they’re very recognisably his work, but it’s very tough to put your finger on why that is or what you’re seeing in that the technique is not immediately obvious”.
With a multitude of classic movies to pick from, Nolan opted for Malick’s 2011 masterpiece Tree of Life, which earned the director a Palme d’Or win at Cannes and even a ‘Best Picture’ nomination. Starring Brad Pitt, Malick’s film is an epic exploration of time and space which centres on the separation of two lovers all whilst the father is trying to be a strong role model for his young son.
Elsewhere, just like many of us, Nolan is also a lover of the great Quentin Tarantino, picking out one of his most underrated movies, The Hateful Eight, as one of his modern favourites. Hosting a screening of the film for the DGA in 2015, Nolan said of the flick: “Watching this film, it felt like it had an increased level of formalism. There is a real calm and thought for where the camera is always. It’s also in the music. There is a great sense of the history of cinema in it”.
Check out the full list of Nolan’s favourite modern movies below.
Christopher Nolan’s favourite modern movies:
- Aftersun (Charlotte Wells, 2022)
- Baby Driver (Edgar Wright, 2017)
- First Man (Damien Chazelle, 2018)
- The Hateful Eight (Quentin Tarantino, 2015)
- The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011)
- Unstoppable (Tony Scott, 2010)
