Christopher Nolan's favorite films of recent years make him a certified sad boy

Christopher Nolan has shared his favorite movies of recent years – and in our eyes, the choices make him a certified sad boy. 

In an interview with Time magazine, Nolan shared that his favorite two recent films are Past Lives and Aftersun. According to the director, Aftersun "was just a beautiful film," while Past Lives was "subtle in a beautiful sort of way." 

Aftersun stars Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio as a father and daughter on holiday together. Past Lives, meanwhile, stars Greta Lee and Teo Yoo as childhood friends who have drifted apart. Crucially, though, both films are absolute tearjerkers. 

This doesn't mean Nolan is going to make similar kinds of movies, though. "I'm drawn to working at a large scale because I know how fragile the opportunity to marshal those resources is," Nolan commented. "I know that there are so many filmmakers out there in the world who would give their eye teeth to have the resources I put together, and I feel I have the responsibility to use them in the most productive and interesting way."

Nolan's most recent film, Oppenheimer, also draws strong reactions thanks to its harrowing subject material. "Some people leave the movie absolutely devastated," Nolan said back in 2023 of the film. "They can't speak. I mean, there's an element of fear that's there in the history and there in the underpinnings. But the love of the characters, the love of the relationships, is as strong as I've ever done."

Oppenheimer leads the pack of 2024 Oscars nominations with 13 nods, including Best Director for Nolan, Best Picture, and Best Actor for Cillian Murphy. Past Lives, meanwhile, is up for two awards – Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay (for Celine Song, who also directed the movie). 

You can keep up to date with everything 2024 has in store with our guide to all the major movie release dates.