Happy Birthday, Christopher Nolan!

Today, I'd like to wish Christopher Nolan a happy 41st birthday! Nolan has quickly become one of the premiere directors on the Hollywood scene with his ultra-successful Batman franchise and 2010's smash-hit Inception. My first introduction to his work was 2005's Batman Begins, and it's only been a flourish from there. While he doesn't have a massive number of films under his belt - he's directed seven films, six of which I've seen, since his directorial debut in 1999 - he has found a way to make each one of them simply astounding. I have yet to come across another director who has been so consistently proficient. Nolan ranks as my fifth favorite director of all time, and if you look closely at that list, you'll see that he and Sergio Leone are the only two directors who boast an 'A' for their films' average grade. So, as I usually do on birthday posts, I'm breaking down my five favorite of Nolan's films, giving you little snippets from each film for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to keep a weather eye out for Nolan in the future: his next directorial effort will be the third and final film in his Batman trilogy (2012's The Dark Knight Rises), and he is also producing and working on the screenplay for the new Superman film entitled Man of Steel. Because it seems as though everything this man touches turns to gold, I simply cannot wait for the rest of his career. Once again, happy birthday, Christopher!

5. Memento
2000


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4. The Prestige
2006


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3. The Dark Knight
2008


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2. Following
1999


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1. Inception
2010