This video has already aged like fine wine.

Nolan's long-overdue sweep for Oppenheimer is so reminiscent of beloved populist genre director Steven Spielberg finally getting his due for serious WWII epics. Academy's gonna academy!

How fitting that the man who pushed the Academy towards more movies in the Best Picture category is finally getting his own Academy Award.

It's fitting that a biopic about the creator of the atomic bomb would finally give Nolan his first Oscar. While he could've won it for Inception or even Dunkirk, he made one of the best biopics of all-time and it's only right he wins it this Sunday.

Oppenheimer also won him his first BAFTAs funnily enough, which is odd given that he’s an Englishman who’s made some of the best movies of the last 25 years.

Can we talk about Matthew McConaughey’s performance in interstellar? I understand that the Academy only likes characters with layers of complexity, or actors who completely transformed their appearance to dive into a role but Matthew McConaughey’s performance brings me to tears multiple times. That scene where he is watching back the videos from his kids alone deserved consideration for Oscar.

not only is this a long overdue career award, its legitimately well deserved. Oppenheimer is far and away the best directed movie of 2023. looking forward to watching this movie clean up some sunday

Him no being nominated for Inception and Dark Knight is insane and he should won best orignal screenplay for both Memento and Inception. Also Dark Knight should been nominated in more categories and win all of them, it is by miles better than Slumdog millionaires.

Nolan for the win in this year Oscar!

I hope Nolan wins for Oppenheimer!! He’s one of my favorite directors!!! Oppenheimer is my favorite Nolan movie!!

As big a fan as I am of "The Social Network" and David Fincher's direction of it, I have felt that the most deserving person of the Best Director Oscar that year was Nolan. "Inception" had a wonderful, innovative concept which was executed in an absolutely masterful way. There were times during my first viewing when I was amazed and delighted by what I was seeing, and it stands as one of my all-time favorite theatrical experiences. I couldn't have been happier if Nolan had won a Best Director Oscar for that film.

may sound strange, but for whatever reason just love the fact that so many of Nolan’s films have a one-word title: Following Memento Insomnia Inception Interstellar Dunkirk Tenet Oppenheimer

Interstellar is one of my favorite movies. I wish more science fiction movies were recognized at the Oscars.

Nolan is the Leo of Directing.

Nolan is guaranteed to win at least one Oscar this ceremony and I'm here for it.

Christopher Nolan is obviously going to win. There’s no doubt about it.

I used to be a Chris Nolan fan but after disliking Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, and the abyssmal Tenet, I’ve written off Nolan. In fact, it took me months to see Oppenheimer. Then I spent the money to see it on the large IMAX and boy was that an experience. Nolan won me back.

I watched Memento after Inception. To say that my mind is blown would be a colossal understatement. I thought Inception was already a mindfuck but Memento is a whole different experience.

Memento & The Dark Knight should be both an Oscars Best Picture nominees

I’m so excited for you to keep making Elusive Oscar videos for directors! PTA, Wes Anderson, David Fincher, Denis Villeneuve, etc. 🥳

Christopher Nolan is top notch. He is not only a genius but a master craftsman with a great decorative flair that often results in a film that defies classification as being from one gendre - both the storyline wise and how the film is showcased. (meaning screenplay and editing), And his film is enjoyable with the dialogue style tailored to the pacing requirements of the show. How amazing is that!

Loved how you were able to deliver a different ending to your usual "Elusive Oscar" script - must've been a nice change for you :) On a frivolous note, I love how Nolan's red-carpet pics often include his (very elegant) wife, who's clearly been with him since the beginning of his stratospheric career - nice to see a long-lasting Hollywood couple.

Thank you for this wonderful video Brian. Well its about freaking time that Christopher Nolan is FINALLY winning his director Oscar. Oppenheimer is his most awarded movie and his most nominated film EVER.

Nolan has been my favorite director ever since Dark Knight.

I’ll be waiting to see what his next project will be

Congratulations Mr. Nolan... Should have won Oscars for The Dark Night and Dunkirk for sure, and maybe Inception and Interstellar.

Im so glad you covered Nolan! Hes been my favorite director since Inception, and im sooooo happy hes finally getting his moment at the oscars. Tbh im fine if Oppenheimer doesnt win (because this years BP lineup is so great) as long as he gets his oscar for directing.

Definitely feels like the Scorcese/Departed treatment this year. Oppenheimer was great, but I’m not sure I would even put it in his top 3 films.

This is your best work to date👏👏👏

Christopher Nolan is no longer an elusive loser. Congrats for wining Best Director for Oppenheimer

Love this video Brian & just in the nick of time. I’ve often wondered how one of the greatest filmmakers of our time making blockbuster hits one after the other couldn’t seem to win the coveted Academy Award. It hadn’t been his time. His moment is FINALLY is now! I’ve been so very excited for Christopher Nolan’s sweep this award’s season. He’s been one of my favourite directors since Memento. I was incredibly ill when Oppenheimer came out… but I still dragged myself out of bed & went to see Oppenheimer in the cinemas because I knew Christopher Nolan wouldn’t let me down. I knew it would be incredible. And it was. I think Oppenheimer is his magnum opus. I truly do. Extraordinary filmmaking across the board with him at the helm. I left the cinema speechless after seeing it. I think it’s one of the best films ever made. He deserves all the Oscars this year. And I’ll be so thrilled for him & Cillian Murphy to win together after a 20 year collaboration. 🏆👏

If Nolan wins is like a full circle

Another fascinating retrospective, Brian! You've done it again.

Hitchcock and Kubrick make great Elusive Oscar videos.

Think your summary missed a big point. In order to win an Oscar or get nominated, the studio needs to go into a massive Oscar campaign (PR, press, film viewing and Q&A, social media, swags, advertising, etc) for a film. A campaign costs studios anything between $25m to $100m and pushes the hype for the movie for several months before the voting period. For example, Netflix carved out $100m for Oscar campaigning budget every year. Warner Bros studios never did these campaigns for Nolan’s movies. When he switched to Universal Studios, the studio agreed to do a massive campaign for Oppenheimer All of Nolan’s movies were great in my opinion but the real reason for not winning an Oscar before this year is basically studio politics and campaign budgets.

Absolutely the best technical director that there is right now but dude needs someone to write scripts for him he thinks so visually that his story narratives are often not great. Case in point tenant case in point Oppenheimer

Fantastic video, Brian. Very well presented.!

I will be shocked if he doesn't win for Oppenheimer.

I can’t believe he was not nominated for the Dark Knight - that’s insane

I' ve seen his movies tens of times each. Love them. My Nolan top changes quite often. But if you put a gun to my head, I'll quickly say: The Prestige. That very very late realisation (10 years after first seing it) that Tesla's machine never worked...man, it shaddered my reality. In my eyes, that movie deserved so many awards.

Wow Memento being his first big film is so impressive. Such a one of a kind movie!

15:30 was one of the most heartbreaking scenes ever in cinema. Had me sobbing in the theater.

Love the videos, man. Keep it up!!!

Thanks, Brian. I am excited about Nolan's pending victory. In addition to his talent, he is also a true gentleman -- a class act in every way!

I’m so excited for Nolan to finally get not one but at least two Oscar’s 🎬✨

Although nearly three hours too long, "Oppenheimer" is a true Hollywood MASTERPIECE. It ranks right up there with "The Three Stooges Go Around the World In A Daze."

Your channel is my absolute fave

21:39 pure class on Nolan’s behalf to remember Heath Ledger

Inception. I had forgotten that he was the director and that is an absolutely crazy wild movie. I have it in my collection and every time I watch it there's something new that I realize. I think I've watched the movie six or seven times and I need a refresher

Christopher Nolan is hands down my favorite director. I know it’s an unpopular opinion but my favorite movie of his (and probably my favorite movie period) is interstellar (inception and dark knight are close seconds and thirds). It is just such a beautiful movie, visually and thematically. I’ve seen it probably 20 times, and I always reach the end just hoping against hope it will keep going. That never happens to me with movies - I am usually ready for their end long before they’re over.

I predict a big win for Christopher Nolan!

I like your channel. following was good. I saw memento and following as a double feature at the new beverly cinema in LA.

It’s crazy to think how many times Nolan has been snubbed up until now. He has so many movies that if they were made now would likely have equated to a least a nomination.

Dunkirk is the only war film I manage to watch, and I watched it JUST because it was a Nolan film (and there was Harry Styles LOL) but I absolutely LOVE it, it's not just one of the greatest war films ever, it's one of my favorite movies ever, I can watch it on loop.

I do believe the Aurora shootings were the only reason why The Dark Knight Rises got zero nominations- even technical stuff. They didn’t want that tragedy bearing down on the Oscar show, which, idk, feels dishonest.

Now how fast you crank an Elusive Oscar out for Wes Anderson? Seeing as his elusive Oscar is finally happening too. 💁🏻‍♂️

Great video! I subscribed

He should have won at least two before

Everyday i wake up, open KZfaq and watch videos about Christopher Nolan & then sleep well 😍😍

It’s funny how the Academy seems to love Nolan and NOMINATING his movies (especially on a technical level), but it’s only on THIS film does it seem that they want to give him his flowers. I know a lot of people love Nolan and think he’s one of the current gods of the industry. I’m somewhere more in the middle on him, in that I think he’s strong on a technical and visual level and really seems to love and support the art of film, but I think he tends to overcomplicate the writing to where not too many understand it. I wish him the best with this though.

The impact of being released as a double billing with Barbie shouldn't be underestimated. Barbenheimer was a phenomenon that no one could have predicted. And between the strikes and a reluctant cast to do unnecessary publicity Barbie was doing a lot of the heavy publicity lifting for them. Oppenheimer really did bask in Barbies glow and brought more people to watch it than would have done without the memes. By itself I suspect it would have done numbers a bit better than Tenant but not as high as Dunkirk. Without that story it starts being a bit more of an interesting race.

Thank you brian you make chritopher nolyan video before oscar cermony ❤❤❤ I am with the holdovers diroctor

Timing Is Everything

The greatest director of the 21st century ❤

Great way to start the elusive oscar for directors series with Nolan one of our greats. I’m happy that he’s not only getting a career win but actually winning for one of his best works!

Nolan hasn’t won because he didn’t make any Oscar-friendly genre film until recently. His earlier film like the dark knight, inception and interstellar are not typical Oscar movie. It is not coincidental his first directing nomination was for a historical war movie Dunkirk and his first win will be for a biopic. Those genre got him treated seriously by the academy

Yes, I can believe you've done over 20 elusive Oscars because I've watched every second! Paul Giamatti, Steve Buscemi, Donald Sutherland, Tim Roth, Samuel l Jackson, Kurt Russell, Don Cheadle would be awesome choices. Directors have soooooo many terrific choices too, so I'd love to see those. Even some of the tighter races in the 70s. Great stuff!

To add some context to his Dunkirk loss, that year (and 2010) was a very competitive awards season, with Lady Bird, Three Billboards, Get Out, Phantom Thread, Shape of Water and CMBYN all being very strong contenders, so it made sense that Dunkirk would not emerge on top. Im guessing the preferential ballot valued a more beloved/liked movie across the board, so thats how Shape of Water won.

I remember back when watching the 2008 Oscar nominees and being so pissed that “The Dark Knight” got snubbed for both Best Picture and Best Director! I was very annoyed that they’d chosen “The Reader” for the fifth spot instead! It really reasserted the stereotype that Oscar members were all old and boring who couldn’t get past their genre bias and too easily won over by the generic “Oscar bait” type films! Nolan should’ve been nominated in Best Director for “Memento”, “The Dark Knight”, and “Inception”.

Nice quick title change... 😊

Very exciting! He deserves it!

1:19 You said it man congrats to Nolan!

His film got some of the best editing, he is a top director. He does not focus on characters like Tarantino tho more the film as a whole

Praise Nolan!

I've been a big Nolan fan since I first saw his movies. I thought Inception and Interstellar were great, but Dunkirk and Tenet felt lacking, but Oppenheimer was just perfect.

I got news for you my friend ;))) Nolan won, lesgggoooo

Oppenheimer is a very good movie and deserves to win Best Picture. Yet for me it’s not even in the top 4 of Christopher Nolan’s best movies. Inception, Interstellar, Dark Knight, Dunkirk are better in my opinion.

I ponder to think of Brian's follow up video if in the off chance that the Best Director Oscar goes to Jonathan Glazer or Yorgos Lanthimos. If I learned one thing with watching the Academy Awards for the last 50 years is that there is no such thing as "certainty"

Te imagina una película de Nolan acerca del viaje a la Luna?? OMG!

The reader ( feeling ) was my Jamie Lee Curtis winning last year that same feeling as how I felt when Jamie Lee Curtis won

Villeneuve is next. Too many good films and ONE nomination for best director, it's his time.

Time for more Directors # ELUSIVE OSCAR! Great content! How about Hitchcock as well as Paul Thomas Anderson!

Can you make one of these for Sigourney Weaver?

And finally he bags it ...... mission accomplished.

Great video! Its going to feel full circle for Nolan winning Best Director and Picture for Oppenheimer considering how much Dark Knight was one of the big factors for increasing the number of slots in the Best Picture race. In my opinion, Dark knight not getting a Best Picture slot is one of the biggest snubs ever and Nolan shouldve gotten in for Director and arguably won

Kobe 🥺

He got both

Please do one for alferd hitcekok

Wish you’d included “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3” as well in the list of movies that brought people back to theatres after pandemic.

Wow. What a journey. Next should be Denis Villeneuve

Denis Villeneuve is the new Christopher Nolan.

I realise 'Barbie' is only her third feature, but I look forward to seeing your eventual 'Elusive Oscar' video for Greta Gerwig. She is definitely deserving of awards recognition :)

He won

Movie got 7 wins! It would’ve been awesome if he won for the adapted script and I think Blunt was robbed. Stone’s performance was mainly comical and revealing. Nothing complicated compared to the range Blunt portrayed but its still a solid win for Nolan and his team

15 years in the making.

Where is David Fincher and Carey Mulligan?

Isn’t “war films” and “biopics” also a genre? Why the tag “genre film” often used in a pejorative way in Awards circles reserved for sci-fi films?

I truly believe Nolan was snubbed for best director nominations for Inception and possibly The Dark Knight

I mean even if for some reason Oppenheimer failed to win best picture, that director award is a 100% lock to win

Everyone just chill. Nolan will win in a couple of hours.