Christopher Nolan Unveils His 30 Favorite Movies; List Includes ‘2001,' ‘Thin Red Line,' ‘First Man,' and ‘Superman'

Christopher Nolan has decided to partner with IndieWire and name his 30 favorite movies of all-time. The list isn’t half-bad at all. I’m especially approving of his Terrence Malick inclusions (“The Thin Red Line” and “The Tree of Life“). However, as it is with all lists, one must wonder why a few films appear on his list. “First Man”? Really? I loved Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash” and “La La Land,” but “First Man” seemed like a step back for me. Also, 1978’s “Superman” is not and never will be as good as Richard Donner’s director’s cut of “Superman II” and yet the former appears in Nolan’s picks and the latter doesn’t.

I have seen all the movies on Nolan’s list and approve of 90% of them. Regardless, list-making is great because it represents your own uniquely personal tastes, it incites debate, which is something that is always welcomed here at WoR.

Full list:

2001: A Space Odyssey, 12 Angry Men. Alien. All Quiet on the Western Front. Bad Timing, The Battle of Algiers, Blade Runner,. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, First Man, For All Mankind, Foreign Correspondent. Greed, The Hit, Koyaanisqatsi, Lawrence of Arabia, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence. Metropolis, Mr. Arkadin, The Right Stuff, Saving Private Ryan, The Spy Who Loved Me, Ryan's Daughter, Star Wars, Street of Crocodiles, Sunrise, Superman: The Movie. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse., The Thin Red Line, Topkapi, The Tree of Life