Oppenheimer (new Nolan film)

[cahernandez]

Coming out 1 year from now (July 2023), about the scientist that developed the atomic bomb. A stacked cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh, Benny Safdie, Dane DeHann, Josh Harnett, Emma Dumont, and Jack Quaid. Inspired by this book, which I'm going to read:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XUBEYS...EGZY4AQAB7AY4T

Looking forward to this. My favorite Nolan films are the ones a bit more grounded in reality (Dunkirk, Memento, Dark Knight), although Inception is the exception to this rule (and maybe one could say the same thing about Dark Knight). Teaser:

[raptors661]

I really did not like his last 2 films, especially Tenet. But I'm excited for this. Hope it breaks his bad streak.

[BRoswell]

Saw the teaser before Nope (in IMAX too!) and it was pretty intense. I'm also glad to see Nolan moving back into more grounded territory with this film. I've enjoyed all his films (although I still haven't watched Tenet), but I'm more of a fan of the ones that weren't so preoccupied with spectacle (Memento, Insomnia, The Prestige). The cast for this is solid too. Cillian Murphy is always good no matter what film he's in, and I'm glad that Nolan is finally giving him a lead role after working together on and off for almost twenty years.

[elevenism]

Ok so I'm aware of Robert Oppenheimer.

I've been trying to figure out why in the holy hell this song by my (other) favorite band is called Oppenheimer, for more than 20 years.

It's just a boppy love song. Please help, if you have any ideas.
Is it secretly about the Manhattan project,.somehow?



So, regarding this movie: I've loved everything he's directed, EXCEPT Tenet. I found that one to be utterly impenetrable.

[Alexandros]

New trailer



Does anyone else find it slightly funny/off-putting that the music is making this trailer feel uplifting and inspiring? It's the kind of music I would have used in a trailer about the Apollo programme or something, not the birth of nuclear terror.

[elevenism]

I love the casting/acting/costume.

Like, I IMMEDIATELY knew this film was about, or, included Oppenheimer, within a few seconds.

[marodi]

Does anyone else find it slightly funny/off-putting that the music is making this trailer feel uplifting and inspiring? It's the kind of music I would have used in a trailer about the Apollo programme or something, not the birth of nuclear terror.

I think the answer to your question is in the trailer itself: "They won't fear it until they understand it. And they won't understand it until they've used it." Oppenheimer and Co's work is an incredible achievement in humanity's history and while it was created in the hope of ending the war sooner and saving lives (allied lives that is), the true horror of what they have done came later.

Oppenheimer himself understood almost immediately. " Now I am become Death, the Destroyer of worlds."

So yeah, the music is kind of uplifting: great work, Bob, you've done it. Let's celebrate!

The nightmares came later.

[GulDukat]

This is getting rave reviews. Going to see this on Sunday. Looks like a modern masterpiece.

[Santos L Halper]

Just got out of a showing. Incredible film. Outstanding performances from Cillian and Robert Downey Jr. not to mention the score from Ludwig Göransson. I highly recommend checking Oppenheimer out.

[Mr. Blaileen]

Oppenheimer is a masterpiece.

[caca]

Saw it today. It's going to win lots of awards, and it deserves all of them.

[dlb]

Damn, I really didn't like it, sadly and I'm not a Nolan-basher. Cinematography was amazing for sure and Cillian Murphy as well as RDJ are outstanding in this, but I didn't like how they handled the timeline and the first hour. I actually fell asleep halfway through and wanted it to end desperately during the last hour eventhough it picked up from there again. I don't really know why it did not click with me as I find the Manhattan project super interesting. Saw it on a 70mm projector as well and yes, it looks absolutely stunning, but it just didn't work for me.


I'd say everybody should still go and see it on the big screen! Now it's Barbie for me on Tuesday and then I'm only looking forward to Dune this fall.

[GulDukat]

Nothing short of a masterpiece. RDJ gave the best performance of his career and Murphy will very likely win an oscar for best actor.

[fillow]

Loved the movie. The scene where Cillian gives the speech after successful bombing is most emotional thing I've seen in years.

My only minor complaint is that I found the constant presence of tense music a bit overwhelming and unnecessary for certain trivial scenes.

[Kodiak33]

Loved the movie. The scene where Cillian gives the speech after successful bombing is most emotional thing I've seen in years.

My only minor complaint is that I found the constant presence of tense music a bit overwhelming and unnecessary for certain trivial scenes.

Agreed with the sound, otherwise I don't know how they could've done this any better. This should win every award, especially Cillian Murphy.

[GulDukat]

Gary Oldman was so good as Truman, I didn't know it was Gary Oldman.

[caca]

Gary Oldman was so good as Truman, I didn't know it was Gary Oldman.

Same. I didn’t realize it was him until I went home and checked imdb.

[GulDukat]

Same. I didn’t realize it was him until I went home and checked imdb.

He's as good as Daniel Day-Lewis.

Truman really came off looking like a total prick.

[Zur En Arrh]

He's as good as Daniel Day-Lewis.

Truman really came off looking like a total prick.

He was a prick. Smarmy prick. As far as the film goes it was breathtakingly hauting. I'm still thinking about it. It's literally haunting me throughout the day. I think we're in this spot with a.i. Right now. Just as Dr Oppenheimer was wanting to have dialogue with the Russians about not starting an arms race and a cold war (which of course wasn't listened too, in fact they want after the messenger) I think we are at that spot with a.i. I felt it was very relevant to now.

Having ranted all that nonsense as far as a film it's gorgeous. Nolan does not hand hold so I recommend having a rudimentary knowledge on all the players and politics of the time. I do feel it's the one thing that will hold it back for younger generations as aren't equipped with historical knowledge and may get bored. It's very talky, which I loved. Tension..that's the key word I'm looking for. It was very tense. All in all its deserving of every bit of praise it's getting and should be in the running for best film, actor,director, cinematography, I think it's Nolans year for best director..

Edit, didn't want to double post.

I saw some say they didn't realize it was oldman, as soon as I saw him I knew. I'm a Gary fanatic and I loved his performamce. Truman was not the Gary sinse version. He was this version.. I've read a lot about Truman and he was a little shit. One of the great tragedies of the 20th century was Henry Wallace not being Vice President when the president died. The second half of the century would of been very different.

[bobbie solo]

Loved the movie. The scene where Cillian gives the speech after successful bombing is most emotional thing I've seen in years.

My only minor complaint is that I found the constant presence of tense music a bit overwhelming and unnecessary for certain trivial scenes.

This has been a signature of Nolan & Zimmer for years and years now. I wish he'd break it up too, but I guess he shows no sign of stopping sadly.

[bobbie solo]

Seeing this in 70mm IMAX at Lincoln Center this Monday. I really wish American theaters would consider an intermission in their movies, part. with this one clocking in at three hours. We saw Black Panther 2 in Iceland last year and they do intermissions for all their movies (but only certain showings). Seems like a no brainer b/c the theaters will make more $ off concessions too. Oh well.

Won't be watching this till I see the movie but here it is for the rest of you:

[allegate]

This has been a signature of Nolan & Zimmer for years and years now. I wish he'd break it up too, but I guess he shows no sign of stopping sadly.

technically it was Ludwig Göransson but the point stands: that scene had tons of dialog that needed to be heard but Nolan's all "it's all about the creative process and if people can find something to relate to within that then that's just a bonus" so you can catch only so many words. It's kind of important that you know what's going on in that scene, it's pretty important to the end of the movie.

It was otherwise a pretty well made film and I'm sure there are going to be a lot of nominations. I just wish there were fewer names in the film. Every time there was a new person introduced and it was all "they're in profile from rear side, they're shaded by shadow, they're only showing the back" it was someone famous. Well, I guess Casey Affleck is famous? Anyway. Though the flip side of that was "oh so they got that person for one day of shooting?" certainly explains all the "so and so is in the film" and you're left wondering how that many names can be in a movie and then you see they're in it for less than five minutes.

Though Josh Hartnett was a nice surprise. On the flip side of that, Jason Clarke is always a complete asshole when I see him on screen so I can only assume he's that big of an asshole in real life. Benny Safdie played Teller and he always looked so sweaty, it was kind of off-putting. Though the scene at the end where Oppy's wife refuses to shake hands with him was funny. Gustaf Skarsgård was one that took me a few minutes to place because he wasn't wearing his eye makeup from Vikings. See what I mean about a lot of names?

Reading about Borden - the real one - and this sticks out: "In retrospect he did view the Oppenheimer matter as having had a positive effect in that people began treating scientists with less reverence."

anyway, done with random thoughts and asides. I have more but really it's just internal dialogue that isn't really important to a conversation.

[GulDukat]

I think this is the type of movie that will make more sense with a second viewing.

[Something Underneath]

Well it was certainly a modern day Nolan movie. Some ridiculously corny and awful dialogue at times,love stories devoid of any chemistry and emotion,never ending clunky exposition,ran probably at least 30minutes too long. It's cool as an 'experience' when you go see someone as good as Cillian giving it his all on the big screen,get pummelled by the sound and score and be dazzled by the effects but at it's core it's usual Nolan these days-more exhausting and about the pretense of how cerebral it all must be. People who don't watch anything but American blockbusters will get to say it's the deepest thing ever !!1!!!!

[theruiner]

Well it was certainly a modern day Nolan movie. Some ridiculously corny and awful dialogue at times,love stories devoid of any chemistry and emotion,never ending clunky exposition,ran probably at least 30minutes too long. It's cool as an 'experience' when you go see someone as good as Cillian giving it his all on the big screen,get pummelled by the sound and score and be dazzled by the effects but at it's core it's usual Nolan these days-more exhausting and about the pretense of how cerebral it all must be. People who don't watch anything but American blockbusters will get to say it's the deepest thing ever !!1!!!!

Yeah, I'm kinda with you. Christopher Nolan is my favorite director but this movie was just a big nothing for me. Like you said, no chemistry to the love stories. It wasn't compelling, it wasn't interesting, I didn't care about any of the characters. I kept waiting for it to build to something, that hopefully by the end of the movie I would say hey, it all came together! And it never did.

I did like the sound design, though. And it was neat to see on Imax. But other than that I really did not care for it much at all. Kind of a bummer, as I didn't like Tenet, either.

[Something Underneath]

Yeah, I'm kinda with you. Christopher Nolan is my favorite director but this movie was just a big nothing for me. Like you said, no chemistry to the love stories. It wasn't compelling, it wasn't interesting, I didn't care about any of the characters. I kept waiting for it to build to something, that hopefully by the end of the movie I would say hey, it all came together! And it never did.

I did like the sound design, though. And it was neat to see on Imax. But other than that I really did not care for it much at all. Kind of a bummer, as I didn't like Tenet, either.

I at least put this above Tenet because that film is just...his every flaw turned up to 11 to a point of self parody. Oppenheimer is ultimately an extremely dialogue driven courtroom drama. It doesn't need a pounding soundtrack,it doesn't need a 3 hour runtime to just keep endlessly repeating the same scenes,it doesn't need the "spectacle of practical effects and IMAX" etc etc. It needs a director/writer who still remembers what the word 'restraint' means. But hey at least he tried something new and blew millions of Hollywood cash on something that is at least a film for adults and not another vapid blockbuster based on superheros. I wasn't emotionally moved except for maybe two scenes...but that's still two more scenes than Tenet.

[allegate]

Ryan's been killing it this year.

[botley]

As far as the film goes it was breathtakingly hauting. I'm still thinking about it. It's literally haunting me throughout the day. I think we're in this spot with a.i. Right now. Just as Dr Oppenheimer was wanting to have dialogue with the Russians about not starting an arms race and a cold war (which of course wasn't listened too, in fact they want after the messenger) I think we are at that spot with a.i. I felt it was very relevant to now.

We're still at that spot with the Russian Federation about nuclear fucking war. That's why the ending of the movie is such a fucking bummer.

You want to have a nice satisfying ending where science saves the day? Too bad, we got ahead of ourselves.

[scorpiusdiamond]

I’m still not over Nolan deciding to use Oppenheimer’s most famous quote in *that* scene… really?!

[richardp]

I understood that scene to mean that he thought of Jean in that moment when it first detonated. He destroyed her world, she killed herself which he blamed himself for, and now he was unleashing the power of the A-Bomb on the world. In many ways, Jean was probably the true love of his life, not Kitty, so as he's watching the fireball ascend into the sky, he's dually thinking about destroying the world as well as Jean's world.

That was just my take on it though.