3. 12 Angry Men
Of all the films which come with a strong recommendation from Christopher Nolan, 12 Angry Men is the one which sits most at odds with his own filmography. Sidney Lumet's film is far removed from Nolan's sense of visual grandeur, replete with claustrophobic sets and tight close ups. Still, it's a truly fantastic film and Nolan's inclusion of it on his list of great movies shouldn't come as a surprise. 12 Angry Men possesses a psychological depth any filmmaker would dream of matching, as the titular men of the jury debate over the fate of a young Hispanic boy accused of stabbing his father to death. Conflicting personalities form the essential backbone of much character development in movies, and Lumet's mastery of this dynamic is something any aspiring filmmaker could learn a great deal from.