"The Dark Knight Rises' director Christopher Nolan is one of our generation's finest, most inventive filmmakers.

Craftily weaving in potent themes that tap into contemporary issues, he's a master at creating bold, dark visions. His trademarks include multilayered narratives, surprises and striking images.

Nolan's also a grand showman, a film magician with a whole lot of tricks up his sleeve.

With "The Dark Knight Rises" winging it into theaters, it's a perfect time to survey Nolan's work and see how the finale in his acclaimed "Batman" trilogy stacks up.

Here are my choices for the Top 5 Nolan films.

1. "The Dark Knight": Nolan's most disturbing and nerve-racking work, "The Dark Knight" (2008) was nearly seamless, elevated by an iconic, ever-so-creepy performance from Heath Ledger as the Joker. Bleak, brilliant and timely, it taps into our grim fears about humanity, and does so with maximum intensity.

2. "Inception": What a head trip. Nolan messes with our brains in a peel-back-the-layers thriller about a literal dream team entering a man's subconscious. Since its release in 2010, I've seen it four times, and will probably watch it four more. I'll never look at a spinning top the same way again.

3. "The Dark Knight Rises: With expectations at a fever pitch, this new release -- the final installment of this trilogy -- is undoubtedly Nolan's toughest assignment -- and he nails it. The Joker's absence is sorely felt, but "Rises" makes up for that by rooting around deep in the psyche of Bruce Wayne. Stuffed with intriguing new characters, from Anne Hathaway's Catwoman to Joseph Gordon-Levitt's cop, this finale more than rises to the occasion.

4. "Memento": Nolan's ingenious thriller about a guy with a short-term memory expertly toys and plays with us. Guy Pearce was outstanding in the lead role, a who-am-I guy inching toward, then retreating from the mystery at the heart of the film. Released in 2000, it remains one of the best contemporary examples of film noir.

5. "Batman Begins": In 2005 Christian Bale emerged as the most interesting Bruce Wayne yet, a troubled playboy out to rid his city of crime. Katie Holmes, as his love interest, hit the wrong notes, but everyone else was in perfect unison -- especially Liam Neeson as Bruce's mysterious trainer.

Other films from Nolan:

"The Prestige" (2006): Imaginative and unique, this lesser-known, but quite good Nolan effort ups the hottie quotient -- with Bale and Hugh Jackman playing dueling magicians. Co-starring Scarlett Johansson.

"Insomnia" (2002): This solid cop thriller is a remake of a very fine Norwegian film. Al Pacino goes over the top as a sleep-deprived cop, while Robin Williams plays against type as the villain. I liked the original better.

"Following" (1998): Nolan's first full-length movie reveals his strong visual sense and Hitchcockian sensibilities. Short and well-crafted.