Insomnia

Director Christopher Nolan is the mastermind behind the great 2002 psychological thriller "Insomnia."

Will Dormer, portrayed by Al Pacino, is an experienced police investigator with a checkered background, who is sent to an isolated Alaskan hamlet to aid local authorities in the investigation of the death of a young girl. When a spooky novelist (portrayed by Robin Williams) becomes the lead suspect, the police officer and the author all tussle for narrative control.

In many respects, Nolan's previous picture, "Memento," is a cynical tale that concludes with the conclusion that all you have seen is a perpetual culture of violence and degradation. Meanwhile, in "Insomnia," the filmmaker adheres to typical Hollywood narrative principles in which a hero's tragic sacrifice signifies a restoration of the moral order. Perhaps this transition occurred since both Nolan and his siblings didn't write the original source material. Still, "Insomnia" had the cheerful yet still solemn tone that Nolan would revisit later in his Batman movie "The Dark Knight".

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Year of Release: 2002

Stars: Al Pacino, Robin Williams