The Two Best SF Films Chosen by Physicists... Both Directed by This Man

Nature Survey Commemorates the "International Year of Quantum Science and Technology"
Two Christopher Nolan Films Chosen as Physicists' Favorites

A recent survey revealed that the science fiction (SF) movies most favored by physicists worldwide are "Interstellar" (2014) and "The Prestige" (2006). Both films were directed by Christopher Nolan, who won the Academy Award for Best Director for "Oppenheimer" (2023).

On October 24 (local time), the international academic journal Nature published the results of a survey conducted among physicists around the world, asking them to name their favorite SF films. The survey was held to commemorate this year being designated by the United Nations as the "International Year of Quantum Science and Technology." Although specific details such as the number of respondents, their countries, and their areas of expertise were not disclosed, respondents consistently selected Nolan's "The Prestige" and "Interstellar" as the top SF movies.

Movie 'Interstellar'

"Interstellar" follows retired NASA scientist Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) as he embarks on a mission through a wormhole to find a habitable planet near a black hole and secure a new home for humanity. Claudia de Rham, Professor of Physics at Imperial College London, commented, "This film is grounded in real scientific facts and pushes current physical theories to their limits." Kai Liu, Professor of Physics at Georgetown University, also told Nature, "I was deeply impressed by the idea that one could revisit time and space and see the universe from a completely different perspective."

Nature also reported that many physicists attended group screenings of the film when it was released. During production, Nolan enlisted the expertise of real-life physicist Kip Thorne, Professor of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy at the California Institute of Technology, as a scientific advisor to accurately reflect elements such as relativity and black holes. Three years after the film's release, in 2017, Professor Thorne was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his contributions to gravitational wave research.

Movie Poster for "The Prestige"

"The Prestige," set in late 1890s London, depicts two magicians, Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale), competing through the magic of teleportation (instantaneous movement). In the film, Borden performs his teleportation trick by hiding his identical twin, while Angier creates a teleportation device with help from real-life scientist Nikola Tesla (David Bowie). Barry Luokkala, Professor of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University, praised the film, saying, "It brilliantly rekindles the childhood fascination with magic and illusion, while boldly propelling the scientific concept of teleportation into the realm of imaginative fiction."

Other films favored by physicists include "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" (1986), "Back to the Future Part II" (1989), and "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018).