It's Hard To Argue With The Odyssey Director Christopher Nolan's Favorite Sci-Fi Movies

Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" is the latest adaptation of the ancient Greek epic. It's a tale steeped in mythology and fantasy, a far cry from the genres Nolan is known for. In fact, Christopher Nolan directed some of the best sci-fi movies ever made. "Inception" alone won 160 prestigious awards around the globe, including four Oscars. With accolades like that to back him up, it's hard to argue against Christopher Nolan when he names his personal choices for the greatest sci-fi films of all time.

Nolan's "key touchstones" of science fiction include three favorites that he frequently mentions in interviews. One is "Metropolis," the 1927 silent film directed by Fritz Lang — one of the most influential directors for Nolan. Another is "Blade Runner," a movie Nolan says builds an "extraordinary world that [was] just completely immersive" (via Media Factory). Last but certainly not least is "2001: A Space Odyssey," which Nolan has described as "pure cinema" (via Entertainment Weekly).

Much like "2001: A Space Odyssey" predicted the future of artificial intelligence, Christopher Nolan's sci-fi films also show us an alternate world built on realistic science. "Interstellar" predicted a real scientific breakthrough, and actual scientists tried to make "Inception" a reality. This doesn't come about solely from filmmaking talent; it requires a passionate commitment to the "science" part of science fiction.

Nolan's reverence for the sci-fi classics began at a young age, but it persists into the current era of his life. In 2018, Nolan presented a theatrical re-release of "2001: A Space Odyssey" for the film's 50th anniversary. This is the behavior of someone who cares about preserving the classics so that other artists can find the same inspiration they did.

For Christopher Nolan, great works of science fiction are clearly more than just something to enjoy or draw inspiration from. They're also, to use his phrasing, "touchstones" that can be used as a direct influence or jumping-off point for one's own art. And for Nolan, it's not just movies. To see what other media impacted the award-winning director, you can stream the sci-fi anime that inspired "Inception" for free.

The mark of a great sci-fi storyteller is the ability to portray a future that is clearly fictitious but seemingly plausible. One must be able to explain fantastical phenomena in a way that makes them believable. When you consider that ancient mythology was a method for explaining natural occurrences through the use of fictitious characters and events, it might not seem so different from modern science fiction. Suddenly, it's easy to imagine how a director like Christopher Nolan might utilize his love for sci-fi to bring the monsters and magic of "The Odyssey" to life in a compelling way.

We've seen how this director can combine his many passions to pull the best out of any genre. Nolan is a fan of the cult classic comedy "MacGruber" on HBO Max, and he's also expressed love for films ranging from "La La Land" to "Saving Private Ryan." It's this versatile appreciation for all types of filmmaking, whether in sci-fi or other genres, that makes it possible to create something splendid from seemingly any subject matter.