Tag Archives: Christopher Nolan

The Prestige is an underrated film

14 Sep





Adam’s Grade: A

Chuck’s Grade: B

The Dark Knight Rises, but only so high

30 Aug




Adam’s Grade: B+

Chuck’s Grade for IMAX: B+
Chuck’s Grade for Standard Screen: B-

The Dark Knight is a diabolical masterpiece

29 Aug





Adam’s Grade: A

Chuck’s Grade: A+

Batman Begins an amazing franchise of films

28 Aug




Chuck’s Grade: A

Adam’s Grade: A-

Inception questions our understanding of reality

28 Jun


With Inception, Christopher Nolan has established himself as one of the best writer/directors in Hollywood. His multi-layered plot filled with jaw-dropping visuals, adept acting from an ensemble cast, and well-paced action is like no other blockbuster to date. Nolan challenges his audience to think, as opposed to simply enduring one explosion after another. This has led to a love it or leave it response to this film.

Leonardo DiCaprio takes on one of his most complex roles as Cobb, a professional thief hired to commit corporate espionage by infiltrating the minds of his targets and leaving an idea that would benefit Cobb’s employer. Inception is an original film that successfully makes the “familiar strange and the strange familiar” by blurring the borders of the conscious mind with the subconscious dream world to the point audiences are questioning their own reality as they leave the cinema. We love it and hope to see Cobb again in our theater of dreams.


Adam’s Grade: A

Chuck’s Grade: A+

Doodlebug turns on itself

23 Mar


Christopher Nolan has become one of the most popular directors in the world with his Batman trilogy and success of his thriller, Inception, but audiences can trace his affinity for complex mind-bending material back to his black and white short film, Doodlebug. A man is tormented in his apartment by a mysterious pest. He attempts to flatten this pesky rodent with the heal of his shoe. The title reveals more to audiences than is first expected because the idea of a doodle continuing to move outward and growing with every turn is a powerful metaphor that Nolan cleverly explores. Doodlebug turns on itself and leaves audiences looking over their shoulders for their own doodlebugs.


Chuck’s Grade: A

Adam’s Grade: A

Memento is a memorable revenge story

6 Feb

Picture 39

Christopher Nolan assembles a psychological thriller that is unlike most films. Based on a short story by his brother Jonathan, Momento uses non-linear editing style along with two timelines, one in black-and-white and the other in color. The black-and-white scenes are in chronological order while the color sequences are in reverse. At first, it is confusing, but once the structural device is understood, the film reveals its unique story of revenge.

Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), is looking for his wife’s killer, but he has anterograde amnesia, which doesn’t let him store new memories. He has developed a system of recollection using hand-written notes, tattoos, and Polaroid photos. Audiences are drawn to Leonard’s character because he is heroic and tragic at the same time. Nolan puts the viewer into Leonard’s shoes and you cannot help but feel his frustration. The cast gives everything they got to produce one of the most “memorable” films of all time.


Adam’s Grade: A

Chuck’s Grade: A