4 Christopher Nolan Films Ranked Among Top 35 Best Movies of the 21st Century by Over 200,000 People
Christopher Nolan is having a big moment once again, thanks to a recent ranking from The New York Times. They released a huge list of what they believe are the 100 best movies of the 21st century.
And while it might feel a little early to rank a whole century’s worth of films, the list is packed with a mix of styles, genres, and directors, and yes, plenty of Nolan.
According to The New York Times, five of Nolan’s movies made the list, which is more than any other director. That’s a pretty big deal. Over the last 25 years, Nolan has gone from a rising indie name with Memento to one of the biggest directors in the world, known for smart blockbusters and mind-bending storytelling. His films from the early 2000s and beyond, like The Dark Knight, Inception, and Interstellar, have helped shape modern cinema.
In The Times’ list, The Dark Knight ranked the highest of Nolan’s work at number 28. Then came Inception at 58, Memento at 62, Oppenheimer at 65, and Interstellar down at 89. Other filmmakers with multiple entries included Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher, and Paul Thomas Anderson. But Nolan led the pack with five.
Even more interestingly, a new fan ranking based on votes from over 200,000 people has changed the picture. When everyday movie lovers weighed in, four of Nolan’s movies ended up much higher, right up in the top 35.
That fan-voted list includes Inception, Oppenheimer, The Dark Knight, and Interstellar, and they all sit comfortably among the most beloved films of this century. Interstellar ranked as high as number five, with The Dark Knight just behind at six. It’s clear that audiences continue to connect deeply with Nolan’s work, even years after these films came out.
Some of the other titles that appeared high on the fan ranking were Parasite, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood. According to the data, Parasite took the number one spot. The full list also gave love to animated films, international cinema, and smaller indie hits like Aftersun and Portrait of a Lady on Fire. It’s not just about the big blockbusters, though those clearly still hold a strong place in people’s hearts.
- Parasite
- Mulholland Drive
- No Country for Old Men
- There Will Be Blood
- Interstellar
- The Dark Knight
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- Spirited Away
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- The Social Network
- Inglourious Basterds
- In the Mood for Love
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- La La Land
- Get Out
- Moonlight
- Whiplash
- Arrival
- Children of Men
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Oppenheimer
- Inception
- The Departed
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire
- Dune: Part Two
- The Royal Tenenbaums
- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
- Brokeback Mountain
- Before Sunset
- Lost in Translation
- Gladiator
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
- Aftersun
At the end of the day, Nolan’s position in both critic and fan circles looks solid. The combination of five spots on The New York Times’ list and four top-35 entries from the public shows just how wide his appeal really is.
Whether it’s the emotional journey of Interstellar or the sharp thrills of Inception, people are still watching, and rewatching his movies. And as more rankings like this pop up over time, it’s hard to imagine Nolan not being part of the conversation.
“The best movies stay with you,” one fan wrote in the comments under the ranking. “And Nolan’s films always come back to me, no matter how long it’s been.”
If this many people agree, that says a lot.
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