Christopher Nolan - One of the finest director in Hollywood... Ace of trump...A British-American film director, screenwriter and producer.
As of October 2011[update], Nolan's films have earned a total over nearly USD$ 1.2 billion at the box office according to boxofficemojo.com
Just look at his track record.. what a successful graph...
1998 Following
2000 Memento
2002 Insomnia
2005 Batman Begins
2006 The Prestige
2008 The Dark Knight
2010 Inception
He knows the curious nerve of viewer so where to hit hammer.
What are the themes which excite audience most? People do not know much about sleep, dreams, magic, memory thats why they want to be lost in them.
Nolan's movies give perfect perspective what viewers want to see but they don't know what they want. He has got 21 academy award nominations for his movies and won 6 of them.
He selects topic very carefully for his movies. This is the "check-mate" step for viewer. Viewer is not able to understand this trick and it's mind becomes helpless in front of fascination.
Memory - Memory is the theme which we do not know much about it's working but it attracts us. Memento (2002) is the movie about person who has short-term memory loss. Nolan used every confusing condition ( I would like to say Fine Editing) in the movie so viewer could lose its own memory.you should have excellent memory to understand movie otherwise there is no difference between the central character and you.
Sleep and Dreams - There is mutual coordination between both and Nolan represents it perfectly
in movie Inception (2010). What a fine concept...The three things I can't forget about this movie.
1) Layers of Dreams and in every deep layer, time is slower than previous.
2) If you fall from the chair.. it means its over.
3) and totem-a spinning top which perpetually spins in the dream state.
Magic - Magic has increased curiosity of human since edges. so this time one more fine concept by ace director... The Prestige (2006)... Magic and reality behind it. He defined three important parts of a magic trick, Pledge, Turn & Prestige and the movie was about Third part... The Prestige.He brought a old concept with new polish... Rivalry ( The Pledge). A rivalry between two magicians who disrupt each other's acts but there was TURN in the movie... the real magic. And viewer was surprised to see the ending (The Prestige).
The batman series - The batman series was a fine artwork by him. How he developed the simple story in his magnificent way. 
Batman Begins(2005) was applauded by critics. Even his every film was applauded by critics. he has got more than 80% every time by critics. The next adventure was The dark Knight (2008). It was more successful than previous but this time central character was not batman, this time it was a Villain... JOKER. Not only he got every one's attention but a academy award too.Future Project:
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)