To celebrate Christopher Nolan’s recent Academy Award nominations let’s look at 5 of some of his best movies. Renowned for their captivating original scores, unique camera angles and shots which uplift his attention to detail. In addition to their complex dialogue and excellent performances from the starring actors, Nolan’s movies continue to embody the enthralling effect of well-done cinematography.

Oppenheimer

Nolan’s most recent critically acclaimed movie, Oppenheimer has amassed an impressive number of thirteen Oscar nominationsincluding ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’, ‘Original Score’ and many more. Cillian Murphy shines in this biographical drama that usesNolan’s common film techniques of dealing with challenging material and non-linear storytelling. The film’s unsettling score creates a persistenttension that lies dormant throughout the film,whichultimately results in chilling catharsis for viewers as they witness the historical creation and destruction of the atomic bomb.

Inception

This mind-bending movie is about dream worlds and the inner mind, with an overflowing star cast, including Leonardo Di Caprio as the tormented protagonist. It is a film filled with an encapsulating screenplay as well as action-packed sequences. Nolan’s camera shots are particularly spectacular, involving barrel-rolling and slanted angles, causing a sense of disorientation for viewers that reflect the character’s experiences in the dream world. It is Inception’s stunning visuals and complex, ambiguous ending scene that solidifies Nolan as a unique film creator.

Dunkirk

An epic war-thriller movie about the Battle of Dunkirk only continues to show off Christopher Nolan’s techniques of fantastical visuals, intricate sound design and suspense. Especially through his use of cross-cutting sequences. This allows the audience to feel as though they are part of the group of soldiers on Dunkirk Beach. Dunkirk focuses more on showing, than telling, thus creating a captivating movie that follows the theme of survival, reiterating the message that surviving is a victory in itself.

Interstellar

Interstellar,an enthralling movie depicting a post-apocalyptic Earth suffering from worldwide famine,shows another example of Nolan’s clever use of cinematography, with the similar rolling of the camera used in Inception, allows the audience to analyze the character’s true intentions behind their words.Nolan’s use of quick transitions between fast-paced scenes to heighten tension and visuals combined with Hans Zimmer’s captivating score, results inan evidently moving and well-curated movie.

The Dark Knight

Heath Ledger’s performance of the Joker,having been seen as one of the greatest performances of all time. This also adds to this action-filled movie. It focuses on Nolan’s intellectuality, where he portrays the decaying urban landscape of Gotham City. This mirrors the ongoing social and moral corruption that permeates through the narrative. Nolan’s wide-panning camera angles of the landscape and intelligent script create a visually stunning and powerful piece of cinema.