Nolan

With the exception of Spielberg & Wilder I find it hard to rank my favorite directors. I know whose films and sensibilities I tend to like, and whose I tend to completely not get, but if you were to ask me to rank my ten favorite directors I would freeze up, it's impossible for me to do. However, I am beginning to think that Christopher Nolan is going to be edging his way continually up my list.

Those of you that jumped on the Chris Nolan band wagon when he blew into pop culture with Batman Begins need to seek out the rest of his films. I was fortunate enough to discover Nolan with Memento a movie that was not only absurdly well directed and acted, but took non-linear films to a new height. Any director that can get his cast and crew on board and able to make sense out of a story played from the end to the beginning - that's a damn talented director.

It was after two well crafted hits that Nolan got the Batman franchise handed to him. As intellectual as he is, Nolan somehow understands one of the biggest characters in modern literature. He has created two of the most amazing Batman stories that have ever been committed to film. However, Nolan does not want to solely be known for diretcing Batman. He wants to continue to do other films and as much as I want to keep seeing Batman's story on screen I am more than willing to wait for him to do a non-Bat film between each installment of the caped crusader if it keeps his creative juices flowing.

The Prestiege was Nolan's film between Batman Begins & The Dark Knight and it is one of the most startling and amazingly constructed films I have ever seen. I don't care if you have never heard of the film, if you know too much about the film, or if you just think that Nolan should to only Batman films - put The Prestiege on your Netflix or just buy it the next time you are at a store, you will not be sorry. Nolan proved that he's not only a bankable director, but that he won't sell out his style or artisic tendencies just to make a studio film.

We are now post Dark Knight and waiting for firm news on a third installment of the series so luckily for people like me another Nolan film is being put out by the WB - they may be doing it to keep Nolan happy and their coiffers full, but Nolan lovers like me are thrilled we get another slice of Nolan's imagination.

I don't know what Inception is exactly, but it looks like Nolan's attempt at sci-fi which I fully support, and something about the text in the teaser makes me think of pre-crime and Minority Report...that excites me too. Needless to say I will be watching this teaser over and over, waiting anxiously for the trailer and sitting on the edge of my seat until this movie gets to theatres.

I hope I am not alone here. I truly believe Nolan's talent is like a fine wine - it's getting better with age.