Memento
Memento comes from Christopher Nolan himself and is an early entry in his filmography. The film starring Guy Pearce tells the story of a man who loses his short-term memory after a robbery.
That’s why he takes countless Polaroid photos and writes down important things. To solve the murder of his wife, he works through the various collected clues – unsure if he combines them correctly.
Memento is confusingly told at first glance. One half of the film, which is colored, is told in reverse chronological order. Thus, Nolan puts us in the position of his protagonist – we know just as much as he does. Other scenes, however, are told forward and are in black and white. Similar to Inception, Nolan mixes different narrative levels and shows a main character who cannot trust their own perception.
What IMDb ratings say: A proud 1.3 million users have given Memento an average of 8.4 stars on IMDb.
Fun Fact: As the structure of the film is not entirely easy to understand, Nolan himself explained it. On YouTube you can find a detailed video about it.
The Matrix
Matrix deals with the question of whether the world we know is really real – or just a simulation. Similar questions are posed by the victims of dream manipulation in Inception. Am I awake right now, or am I dreaming?
The story surrounding the Chosen One Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, is filled with references to Greek mythology. Nolan also plays with mythological motifs in Inception, like the name Ariadne (daughter of King Minos of Crete).
Anyone who enjoyed the absurd physical twists in Inception will also find joy in the iconic fight scenes from Matrix. Thematically, the film is still relevant even 25 years after its release.
What IMDb ratings say: 2.1 million viewers on IMDb rate Matrix with an average of 8.7 out of 10 stars.
Fun Fact: Relatively early on, Neo is picked up at home by a group of friends. A woman has a tattoo of a white rabbit on her arm. This is a direct reference to Alice in Wonderland and indicates to Neo to follow these people.
On page 3, you will find the last two films on our list.
