Directors We’re Thankful For: Christopher Nolan

How could I be thankful for a director who released nothing in 2011? A reasonable thought seeing as Christopher Nolan hasn't released a movie since last year's Inception. What could I possibly have to be thankful for when it comes to Christopher Nolan this year of all years? Oh, yes. The...Dark...Knight...Rises. I might be an idiot to be thankful to a director for a movie I haven't seen yet, but the best part about being a drooling fan boy is I really don't care. I am thankful to Nolan and I'll tell you why.

I've been a Batman fan(atic) since I was two years old. He has the best villains and I love me some bad guys. (By the way, I can feel all of my fellow PA writers rolling their eyes and am preparing swift retribution as I type). After the disaster of Joel Schumacher, Nolan had not only brought back dignity to the "Batman" films, he'd elevated them and their entire genre into a whole new world of possibilities onscreen. With the passing of Heath Ledger, it seemed like he would not return to the series he had always talked of as a trilogy and my fanboy woes could not have been greater. I had to make a sacrifice at the altar every week to ensure he would return (don't ask questions).


As evidence of this year and all of those damned leaked photos that I tried to avoid, Nolan has returned for his last turn at the "Batman" films, at least as a director. Again, we haven't seen the final product but in reality, we don't have to. Make no mistake, we absolutely have to see this movie (I refuse to die until then), but just the hype built in 2011 alone is exhilarating enough to be its own experience. The speculation of Nolan's involvement. The fervor (and induced posttraumatic stress) that swept over us when we learned that of Batman's many rogues, Bane would be the one taking him on. Our rising interest to learn that Tom Hardy would be taking the role. The continued growth of an already fantastic ensemble (Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and controversial casting of Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. The first image reveal of Bane that everyone leaped for. Not to mention the constant debate between friends and foes as the project continued to develop on where it'll all end up.

The above is just a sliver of the mass speculation and anticipation built into the project and only illustrates that just because the man does not have a film out this year, it does not deny his presence in 2011. Along with his cast and crew, he's spearheading one of the most anticipated films in recent memory while building what (God/Nolan willing) will be one of the best three-quels ever. We cannot get enough information on the damned project. We cannot stop talking about our excitement and we cannot wait to see this through. It is a kind of energy that is both infectious and intoxicating and when it centers around my adopted home of Gotham City (and all of its messed inhabitants), I can only be grateful to Nolan for what he's done for the "Batman" series.