Cilogy wrote:I think Interstellar marked the start of a new phase. It retains many Nolan motifs, yet feels so incredibly different from the BB to TDKR phase.
There's Spielberg and Kubrick as influences but this is the main reason Stellar feels so different:
As plot-driven as Interstellar seems on its surface -- and accusations the film is an extended science lesson are obnoxiously overblown -- the broad story is only a gateway to the subconscious. Why the film works is its devotion to activating an elemental, primal response, and it uses the same stylistic tricks as Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life), Nicolas Roeg (Walkabout), and Andrei Tarkovsky (Solaris) to do it. Fire and ice are played off each other in a stunning use of crosscutting between Earth and a distant planet, an artistic masterstroke that supports one of Interstellar’s most immense and important moments. Nolan wrangles with man’s basic nature, arguing our survival instinct as a species is at once a liberating virtue as well as a fierce limitation, and for the first time in his career, he assembles his film according to symbolic association rather than escalating plot. Even if the audience didn’t consciously register the implications of Nolan’s visual lyricism, they certainly felt it. It’s a stunning moment of pure cinema that left my theater, as well as myself, breathless. The scale is both shrunken and limitless, able to engage the weightiest of ideas on an intimate, felt level. Rather than just being a film, Interstellar is an experience, and exploiting primordial impulse is a powerful reason why.
I think Batman Begins is Nolan's most atmospheric film. I feel like he's getting back to that with Dunkirk even though he has Hoytema instead of Pfister. And even though the six shots that we've seen look rather monochrome, I think that it can achieve a particular atmosphere as special as BB had. Besides, I absolutely LOVE the cinematography and feel of Interstellar, I think it also fits the story as Inceptions' cinematography did with that film you know what I mean? I think it's something that can be applied to all of his films.
Bacon wrote:So....The Prestige? Nolan's best film.
Yup, it's my favorite of his along with Inception. Bale and Jackman are both incredible. Best atmosphere in a Nolan film. A fantastic soundtrack. Also, Pfister delivered some of his best work. A masterpiece.
The only thing stopping it from being among my top three Nolan movies is the fact that I don't want to rewatch it as often. Seen it maybe four or five times. Potent ideas, well acted (Jackman was this good in The Fountain as well), even better scripted...Bowie as Tesla! Merge BB and Prestige however and you'll get something like TDK, or exactly TDK, shortly after.
Jackman's performance in Prestige was better than in The Fountain imo, also more compelling material for him to work with
I've seen this film a lot and it never ceases to amaze me, it's quite perfect lol
I think I'm gonna revisit this soon like I just did with Interstellar, I think this is the only film I want to rewatch soon before going on a Nolan hiatus before a couple of weeks in advance of Dunkirk (cause Nolanathon incoming by then)
I think the only gripe I could have with Prestige is that I wish there was a bit more exposition of the locations. I think there's only one shot of a town from a distance and of course the train (which is a beautiful shot) but other than that everything is very close to the characters. I guess I feel that way because with the Batman trilogy and Inception and Interstellar, he always makes it clear where we are. I think that showing the city or country where the next couple of scenes take place was a good move in the Batman trilogy. It gave you a clear sense of where you were know what I mean?
