Batman Begins

In Kyle’s notes, Batman Begins (2005) is the gateway film to his interest in directors as authors of their films. It’s the Christopher Nolan picture that felt “different… unique… almost intimidating” to Kyle, and reading up on Nolan afterward is where he first encountered the word “auteur.” It functions less as a film entry in its own right than as the origin point of a personal thread about directorial authorship — Nolan sits alongside the Coen Brothers, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and Rian Johnson among the directors Kyle “voraciously consumed” growing up.

Context: Batman Begins is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, the first installment of his Dark Knight trilogy, widely credited with rebooting the Batman franchise with a more grounded, psychologically realistic tone.

Where this appears

• Christopher Nolan — the film Kyle credits with introducing him to “auteur” and to viewing directors as authors of their films.