The eagerly anticipated Oppenheimer from the absurdly talented Christopher Nolan — new trailer released!
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer is an IMAX®-shot epic thriller that thrusts audiences into the pulse-pounding paradox of the enigmatic man who must risk destroying the world in order to save it.
The film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt as his wife, biologist and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer. Oscar® winner Matt Damon portrays General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project, and Robert Downey, Jr. plays Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
Academy Award® nominee Florence Pugh plays psychiatrist Jean Tatlock, Benny Safdie plays theoretical physicist Edward Teller, Michael Angarano plays Robert Serber and Josh Hartnett plays pioneering American nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence.
Oppenheimer also stars Oscar® winner Rami Malek and reunites Nolan with eight-time Oscar® nominated actor, writer and filmmaker Kenneth Branagh.
The cast includes Dane DeHaan (Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets), Dylan Arnold (Halloween franchise), David Krumholtz (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Matthew Modine (The Dark Knight Rises).
The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin. The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan.
Oppenheimer is filmed in a combination of IMAX® 65mm and 65mm large-format film photography including, for the first time ever, sections in IMAX® black and white analogue photography.
Nolan’s films, including Tenet, Dunkirk, Interstellar, Inception and The Dark Knight trilogy, have earned more than $5 billion at the global box office and have been awarded 11 Oscars and 36 nominations, including two Best Picture nominations.
51 Comments
Incredible trailer ! Forget Dune 2 . Forger Killers of the Flower Moon . Forger Maestro . You’re looking at next years Best Picture winner ! As for box office Oppenheimer is three hours long which will effect the box office no matter what Barbie does !
This looks amazing!
Can’t wait for the sequel! Oppenheimer’s work on the hydrogen bomb and how it helped us win WW3 against the nasty Soviets is an even more compelling story! Can’t wait to see Red Square in Moscow blown to smithereens!
This is nothing but a fanboy pic. Which makes reasoning impossible.
Oppenheimer is an utterly fascinating figure though.
maybe – if I wanted to know more I’d read the Pulitzer winning book
I don’t see biopics to learn history.
Looks very bland to me, might just be the trailer’s tone but it looks very old-fashioned and potentially flag wavey. Barbie will eat this alive at the BO. Will make a good Sunday afternoon watch once it hits streaming/video. The IMAX will help, and the held-back detonation could be unique spectacle that generates must-see word of mouth, but a period WWII flick during the American summer minus the typical Nolan intrigue audience selling point, I’m not sold.
lol’d at that Tom Conti Einstein cameo
“Barbie will eat this alive at the BO.”
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/43c0f71c449a28d90f8a55950961dbcb4f8f09cff78955d9c0ffcc2901b39a22.gif
Barbie STILL won’t yield its release date. But there’s still 2 months for the studio to have an attack of sanity and move it up or back.
Murphy looks good. Recognition for him would be long overdue.
There is way too much Matt Damon in this trailer. And based on the quality of the performance, at least in the trailer, this is not good.
I would prefer the focus to be on the tormented Oppenheimer, not what 80% of the trailer is about.
To be honest, I’m disappointed by this trailer.
Yeah, i just don’t see the allure of this movie. It’s gonna be a long slog to get to that 15 minutes of “What did I do?” at film’s end. And, really, what’s so different about his “What did I do?” than any other participant of war? It’s not a surprise the bomb he was working on would kill a hundred thousand people. At least, to him, it shouldn’t have been.
Maybe because Nolan isn’t American he has a different perspective. We’ll see. But I’ve been underwhelmed by every one of his films I’ve seen since Memento. I’ve actually been quite bored.
I was impressed with this one. Looks like Damon will be the biggest supporting player.
playing himself!
I wish there wasn’t Matt Damon (or similarly “well-known” figure) in the cast.
It lessens the “seriousness” of the film.
This looks soooo Oscarbait that it’s distracting. Unless it offers something extra, like The King’s Speech’s visual storytelling to reinforce the message, I think it will follow Dunkirk’s route… many noms, tech wins and that’s it. Murphy could sneak in, but I somehow doubt it.
To win BP you have to move and it helps that you have an ensemble that the AMPAS members would love to cheer at the stage after winning the big one… from EEAAO to Moonlight, from CODA to Return of the King. Even The King’s Speech had a way more likeable cast than The Social Network. That’s why I am thinking Next Goal Wins is the de facto frontrunner for the win, after the trailer… if it is any good, it may become unstoppable once (if) it takes SAG Ensemble and GG Comedy/Musical… it doesn’t even need to be THAT good (Green Book), just move+ensemble
And Nolan’s characters are mostly cold, so not in the Academy’s wheelhouse.
Likeablity goes a LONG way in the preferential era.
Great trailer, and maybe this time Nolan will avoid playing timeline games or shoehorning in an utterly unecessary third act “seeeeee this is what the movie is really about” twist. At his worst with that he’s just a more technically proficient M. Night with a more insane fanboy infrastructure.
I’m guessing they’ll jump back and forth between the Manhattan Project and the HUAC hearings.
God I hope not. Haven’t HUAC hearings been done to freaking death in movies the last six decades or so?
I feel like everything in this movie has been done to death.
Looks like they’re pushing Damon instead of RDJ and Blunt instead of Pugh, but we’ll see how things shake out.
Interesting that it’s “Academy Award® nominee Florence Pugh” but not “Two Times Academy Award® nominee Robert Downey, Jr.”
NOLAN right now is the antithesis to the plague that is absolutely SUFFOCATING the life and soul and HEART of what Oscar is supposed to be about. OPPENHEIMER should be the one to beat for oscar…no to @Ryan Adams and others here who confuse obvious distinction with respect between scepticism of awards season vs . my abiity to enjoy a film even if it doesnt win oscar -despite fact my (MOST OF OUR ) favourite oscar contenders have the DOOR SLAMMED DISRESPECTFULLY TO MOST OF US -REFLECTED FROM DIMINISHING INCREDIBLE VANISHING BARELY THERE RATINGS HENCE A FLATLINING IN OSCAR APPEAL)
BUT Both Dune 2 and Oppenheimer are in ‘danger’ of being also ran contenders already- EVERYONE NEEDS THEIR EYES WIDE OPEN AS PAINFUL as it is to witness way Oscar denigrates its name and collapses into itself just to appease social media and twitter radical leftist nutjobs.
in course doing so it merely be lip service and posturing to ‘appease’ the TRUE big best picture contenders so that they dont piss off the missing what i call ‘9 million’ – the number needed to get to their new revised down ratings peak of 30 million- just accepting and not challenging status quo and going down the path oscar are- they did the host format revamp that had very limited still very underwhelming results despite improvement you know what they need to do?
THEY NEED TO STRIP BACK THEIR INCLUSIVITY DOCTRINE AND PROMOTE COMMON SENSE COS THEIR R.A.I.S.E. is driving film audiences away – i make no apology pointing it out.
Cos watch depressingly unfortunately a ‘doctrine designed to preference film based on sociological problem solving social problem solving for minorities status’ will see a potentiall Gret films like Oppenheimer and Dune 2 as ‘ has been’ contenders you kjnow why? as stated i9n R.A.I.S.E. ‘because they are not featuring mixed ethnicity cast or crew’ do most of us care about that?
The spirit and true essence for several decades is at stake this years oscars it a ONCE IN A MILLENIUM EVENT for oscar to prioritise the CORRECT CONTENDERS! when it all star mega potentially exciting set of film epics..something you think lead by the genius mega turbo charged master in Nolan and not far behind Villenue, Ridley Scott, Fincher, Gerwig, Scorsese.. the oscars may not get ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS FOR AANOTHER 25 YEARS will they squander this opportunity too? cos of their stupid beyond the pale…pro-activist far leftist propaganda?
I always been for common sense for those who still dont get me afterr 22 + years i been here….common sense does not exclude neeedd for natural evolution inc integrating where warranted where a film as per the academy’s needs has some themes that cater to minority groups i of course not against.. BUT when the minority are amplified as the majority it RUINS THE ACADEMY SHOW TUNE IN EXPERIENCE at point end of awards seasibn for us it is NOT discriminatory to go on FACTS the CORE FILM AUDIENCE ASND HENCE ACADEMY DEMOGRAPHIC SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON AGE 38- 50 yr approx age group NOT the under 30’s age group yet you look at nature oif MOST oscar winners bar minority excewptions and you be forgiven thinking oscar is totally out of touch.
They have a ONCE IN A GENERATION CHANCE this years oscars — but i expect even the MASSIVE TITANIC legacy left by Nolan to be left to dust… my scepticism comes from academy decision making i not responsible for my reactions to that…but i will try be concise bit more should duist settle my own struggles too…but DONT NOBODY HERE SUGGEST IMPLY I AGAINST RIGHTS OF MINORITY GROUPS OR ADVOCACY OF CERTAIN ISSUES TO THEM it bout best films- narrativ structure how that translates to bigger appeal amongst film audiences if it notthere well then it oscar and guilds with egg on their face.
NO EXCUSE THIS YEAR WHATSOEVER TO UNDERMNE DUNE 2 OR OPPENHEIMER, NAPOLEON OR FLOWER MOON..OR ROOSEVELT OR NEXT GOAL WINS OR AIR
NOT EVEN THE PROSECUTION OF TRUMP RECENT CONVICTION IS JUST EXCUSE FOR UNDERMINING WITH LESS OSCARS THAN THESE FILMS ESP FIRST 2 WILL DESERVE AND UNDERMINING STAR POWER AWARDS WISE OF THESE FILMS TO WEAKEN THEIR AWARDS POTYENTIAL STANDING!
Oppenheimer does indeed look and tells very timely story it al more potent just as Dr. Strangelove was for it timing of release few years after the cold war… But when you add the majestic talents of Nolan fused with some of the hottest most in form young rising stars – it really Robert Downey Jnr as a support role givne his own personal story of triumph emerging over tribulation something truly genuinely ultra rare in Hollywood to this day- he REALLY IS IRON MAN no quesiton about that forget not dismissing altogether Fraser’s undeserved unnustified win over Butlers pin point perfection of Elvis and his own redemption story– it PALES IN INSIGNIFICANCE TO THAT OF ROBERT DOWNEY JNR– who fall from grace from Hollywoods star underlines all more extraordinary path to redemption that has NEVER BEEN REPLICATED TO LEVLE OF SUCCESS HE HAD IN THIS MODERN ERA..
From a drug mule to multiple appearances in court, drug addiction and abuse, multiple torrid relationship falling apart…ot his return to Hollywood when the dust serttled after 20 years prior of extraordinary fall from grace…then powering up – literally- to become lead/ joint leader- you can argue of the avengers and his turn as IRON MAN proved to us all you can achieve anything you put your mind to!! SELDOM STARRING IN A FLOP AND went from becoming the MOST UNRELIABLE trustworthiness in the 80- mid 90’s to go to MOST DEPENDABLE DETERMINED TALENTED ACTOR of his generation that filmmakers could trust and beyond that to make IRON MAN his own. and to make Sherlock Holmes his OWN – this could well in my view deserves to be given Oscar love a redemption story IF he nails his support role in OPPENHEIMER- no reason think he wont then this is as BEST REDEMPTION STORY in hollywood that oscar can hope for and ought to embrace…
Cillian Murphy is overdue for a nomination, frankly his role as scarecrow in Batman Begins really captured even minus amplified audio effects and distortions the menace and mischief making nature of the SCARECROW but he been brilliant in everything who could forget 28 days/ weeks ltr duology a zombie classic!
Emily Blunt who singlehandedly in one role proved my scepticism wrong and REDEFINED Mary Poppins coming far closer and doing fullyt justic to Dame Julia Andrews ext5raordinary defining performance as original Mary Poppins shown the peak of her talents as Mary Poppins mkII so much so we all blown away by the precision execution and performance that we all forgiven thinking Julia Andrews was back in trhe role made her a absolue legend! but it wasnt it was Blunt- who has starred in most celebrated genre films like a Quiet Place one and two, edge of tomorrow etc..
So not since dr. Strangelove has there been a genuine attempt to recreate a literal nuclear drama encapsulating the political, social, and inventors tension of at it core really it first time ever in hollywood the mission to make the US a nuclear power through eyes and family and supporters in film of inventor of the nuclear bomb for the US such a topic ius timely it necessary and will be an experience to behold…
Cant wait i point out in my country unlike no other oscar contenders still mo nths away OPPENHEIMER WAS ADVERTISED A COLOSSAL 7 MONTHS 7 MONTHS in total by time it release in july ..i wonder why..?
“SELDOM STARRING IN A FLOP”
Dolittle has entered the chat
Branagh’s more than a nominee — his script for Belfast won.
Emily Blunt is long overdue for at least a nomination. Maybe she can make a run in supporting?
She’s basic.
I think she is one of the best actresses working today, always delivering consistently good work.
If that’s what you call basic, I’ll take basic all day.
It is, a perfectly serviceable actress who need not come under awards consideration—the female Colin Farrell, if you will.
I think she’ll have a nomination or two within the next few years.
Interested in people’s top 5 most anticipated films in the Competition line-up at Cannes 2023. My choices:
About Dry Grasses (Nuri Bilge Ceylan)
Fallen Leaves (Aki Kaurismäki)
May December (Todd Haynes)
Monster (Hirokazu Kore-eda)
The Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer)
HMs. Asteroid City (Wes Anderson); Perfect Days (Wim Wenders); Youth (Spring) (Wang Bing)
I’ll play:
May December (Todd Haynes)
Monster (Hirokazu Kore-eda)
Firebrand (Karim Aïnouz)
La Chimera (Alice Rohrwacher)
The Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer)
The Zone of Interest hasn’t played anywhere yet (at least officially), it will have its world premiere at Cannes. In fact, I think the Cannes competition has rules about where a movie can play before getting into the competition lineup where the film playing Berlinale would lead to it being ineligible to be in this competition lineup. Maybe you’re confusing it with for example Infinity Pool?
It’s funny because I thought the same thing re: Cannes eligibility when I looked it up originally, but I could’ve sworn it said it played already. This is definitely one I am excited about.
I posted my choices shortly after the lineup-announcement but I can´t remember in detail, but anyway these choices are variable:
About Dry Grasses
Fallen Leaves
May December
Zone of Interest
Monster
(damn, I changed it two times and now it just dawns on me that I mirrored your choices…)
I think I might have said something before as well but here’s what I have currently (with films from other sections and the adjacent festivals in brackets):
1. May December (Todd Haynes)
2. Club Zero (Jessica Hausner)
[Close Your Eyes (Victor Erice)]
3. La Chimera (Alice Rohrwacher)
4. The Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer)
[In Our Day (Hong Sang-soo)]
5. Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet)
Honorable Mentions: [Killers of the Flower Moon (Martin Scorsese)], Fallen Leaves (Aki Kaurismäki), [Eureka (Lisandro Alonso)], Monster (Hirokazu Kore-eda), Kidnapped (Marco Bellocchio), [Occupied City (Steve McQueen)], Youth (Spring) (Wang Bing), [Conann (Bertrand Mandico)]
And I don’t know where I could place it (because the festival feels tangential to what I’m excited about in relation to it even moreso than the other films) but I’m so thrilled that there’s a 4K restauration of Rivette’s L’amour fou, which has been practically impossible to see and even moreso in any sensible image quality.
The new film from Rohrwacher is on my list – I loved Happy as Lazarro, but wasn’t as big a fan of her previous/other work.
The new film from Erice would be high on non-Competition films. Very curious.
Could I ask you about Hausner? Amour Fou and Little Joe didn’t land for me, but others appear to feel differently.
I completely understand not being into Hausner, the sense of humor is very odd and in my opinion essential to really opening up what those films are achieving. I know people who have reacted to these movies with distaste because they didn’t think they were funny, I know people who seemingly couldn’t square the circle of the film both having a kind of silliness through the performances and the general style of the film being very restrained and seemingly serious.
I’ll try to explain what I see in the two films you mention which are also the two I’ve seen (however since it’s been a while since I’ve seen especially Little Joe, this take might change upon rewatch). I’m going to use an comparison point that I know people often use: they compare Hausner to Lanthimos and as a result find her to be a poor imitation of him. However, I feel like whereas Lanthimos applies the kind of nihilistic deadpan tone moreso for world-building and more out-and-out comedic purposes, I’d argue Hausner arrives at it through a more grounded point of view, specifically through her characters. They don’t feel to me as if they exist in as hermetically sealed a universe as Lanthimos’ characters but instead are frail, vain and susceptible to influences from the surrounding world. This brings an interesting point of view to these movies: they are in some ways movies about terrible instincts that people have but more specifically the terrible instincts are in fact merely weaknesses. Through this Hausner a surprising streak of sadness in these characters and through this keeps us engaged with them: for example the shooting in Amour Fou and the closing beat of Little Joe both feel inevitable but at the same time deeply moving because Hausner has managed to build our understanding of these characters to such a degree that we understand the depth of their realizations within those moments. And then Hausner matches this care towards these characters with a kind of acidic humor that doesn’t trivialize it but seems to moreso just emphasize the akwardness and ridiculousness of these people, people in general and any social structure or culture while at the same time giving these films a shot of energy and a unique point of view.
Interesting – thanks, Ferdinand. I don’t find all of Lanthimos’ work to be compelling, either, but I admire Dogtooth and especially The Lobster and I would say he is generally more “successful” in what you call the “nihilistic deadpan tone” (even The Favourite and The Killing of a Sacred Deer had memorable moments and were clearly the product of a clear vision and generally well-executed). Appreciate the comparison.
Another unusual/non-American comedy that I thought worked exceedingly well: Toni Erdmann (though again, not everyone was on board).
Toni Erdmann is a masterpiece. But just in case you’re bringing it up because my description of Hausner’s sense of comedy sounded similar to Ade’s, twith Toni Erdmann (and with Ade’s other films as well) we of course we move more towards cringe comedy, which isn’t quite what Hausner does in my opinion. Hausner acknowledges the akwardness of these things but I don’t think these characters necessarily dwell in it too much themselves, which removes the essence of the kind of humor that Ade’s films are built on.
And of course if we keep talking about European arthouse movies based on weird, stilted senses of humor (at least with Lanthimos and Hausner), I feel like I need to mention two masters who still delight us with new work every now and then: Roy Andersson and Aki Kaurismäki.
Agreed! Toni Erdmann was my #1 of 2016. The Living trilogy are all top 10 of their respective years and About Endlessness was in my top 5. And Kaurismäki is an underrated treasure.
Terrific conversation, Ferdinand. Have a good weekend.
You as well
“Close your eyes” is definitely one of my most anticipated films at Cannes, especially since I´ve seen “Spirit of the Beehive” a couple of weeks ago and thought it´s quite remarkable. Besides, for a moment I was confusing “Occupied City” with “Blitz” and was about to express my huge surprise it is already shown despite my previous impression it´s still pendering in terms of being a 2023 or 2024 production, just to realize the next moment that it´s a documentary about the same subject. Nonetheless, “Occupied City” is also a film I´m excited to see.
I’m not necessarily even the biggest fan of The Spirit of the Beehive (it’s exceptional but I know some people think of it as one of the greatest films of all time, which I haven’t personally ever quite been able to get behind, although I probably owe it a rewatch), I’m just kind of curious to see what happens when a director of such a massive film in the canon (as well as other works as prestigious as El Sur and The Quince Tree Sun) returns to feature filmmaking after a 30-year absence from the spotlight
Of course, “one of the greatest films of all time” seems a bit too much, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars and appreciated its empathy and the poetic quality of the directing. In terms of a “greatest films”-list I still have so many films to see. After finishing my 40s and 50s lists during the past two years I´m currently working on my 80s list (about 30 films still to see; and the 20s, 30s, 60s, 70s still to work on) – I hope I will finish an “alltime favourite list” in my lifetime! 😀
This is the essential anxiety of a cinephile in my opinion, the notion that they “haven’t seen enough”. In fact there’s a great quote about this, maybe from Serge Daney, concerning why the French New Wave emerged when it did: that it was the final point when someone could kind of watch a sort of unified film history in a way that felt compact. Instead now, a cinephile has so much to see that the only way they could maybe hope to grasp it all is lock themselves in a movie theater for 10 years. And since I think this quote was made several decades ago, I’m not sure if 10 years is enough anymore.
However, since I maybe read a tone of slight self-effaciveness in your comment, I want to say that (based on what I know you’ve seen and your general writing) I think you have a deep and robust knowledge of the artform. I hope you know that.
Thank you for your kind words, Ferdinand! I am quite aware that I have at least a robust knowledge of the artform (though I especially have not seen enough films from the 20s and 30s or haven´t seen many of those films in quite a long time) but I started to make some extensive research some years ago (pretty much the time I discovered Letterboxd with your help) in order to catch-up with many films I felt I need to see in order to feel confident enough to finish a list of my favourite films. In terms of the 40s and 50s for example I limited my watchlists to 100-120 films for each decade (I also checked your lists since you have really a remarkable knowledge and have seen many films I didn´t even hear about!) I needed to see again or needed to see for the first time in order to have all fresh in my mind. Thus I needed maybe 8-10 months for each list (since I of course did not only see films from those decades during that time and didn´t feel the need to hurry up – it was meant as a longtime project from the start). To make it short, I´m pretty sure I will finish the remaining lists in about 2-3 years and will be able to make a “best of all times” list after that. Funny thing is of course, that those lists do only reflect my taste at the specific time I compile them, but those rankings are per se fluid of course and I actually think that´s a great thing – it would be depressing to think I am done with film history and have no goals left 😀
I always keep coming back to how great I think the idea of your project is: it’s finite but still expansive, there are clear goals that are manageable middle goals to achieve yet are not too simple that they feel irrelevant and they lead to something concrete to measure the achievement (the lists). I’ve over the years tried to have similar goals but I think I’ve mostly split the elements of your idea in two: I have a time-related attempt of seeing at least 20 films from each year (basically for the purposes of making those Letterboxd yearly top 10 lists) but that is kind of a never-ending thing because certain years are particularly bothersome to figure out (I’ve struggled with finishing 1978 for a while now) and then I have these kind of “watch all films from this list” projects but those are very set because you can’t curate the list of films based on your own interests (I’ve for example over the past month really again tried to emphasize films in Schneider’s 1,001 Movies book, which I’ve literally been working on since I was 13 years old but I still have over 350 films to go in terms of the expanded 1,250 film version of it)
Your project to have Top 10 lists for each year seems to me very ambitious and attractive, this is probably my next project after having finished Best of lists for each decade since the 1920s. I started my annual Top 10 lists with the year 1990 but I feel I should start to work on more previous years. Regarding the book by Schneider you mentioned: I was not studying that book in order to compile my decade lists but on various Best of lists I found on the Internet, Sights and Sounds, Cannes competition lineups, Academy Awards of course, Cahier du Cinema Top 10s and lists on Letterboxd. It was so much fun to do the research and decide what’s most appealing for me to put on my list – many films I discovered through working on this project, and of course I constantly update the lists whenever I am pointed to a film that I somehow forgot to include (for example I only became aware of Spirit of the Beehive because Erices new film is shown at Cannes).
There is something to be said about most memorable masterpiece oscar winners in new millennium EACH ONE had a standout landmark unforgettable centrepiece…
1. People are keen to bag GLADIATOR for no reason other than to pretend that better oscar winner is one that ou8ght to be written to perfeciton…but this is a shallow pretentious argument against a film that delivered what few oscar winners have delivered in new millenium for non sequel non franchise : 3 absolute stand out cinematic golden moments: a) The opening battle agains the Barbarians by the Roman Legions- seldom outside of LORD OF THE RINGS DO YOU SEE such musical visual spectacle in sync with every caterpault every clash between forces, every column of archers assembled and every explosion of firey rocks exploding in background…and thorughout GLADIATOR SIMPLY CRIMINAL HOW HANS ZIMMER BELTED OUT MOST STUNNING EPIC INCREDIBLY ORIGINAL CLASSICALLY INSPIRED SCORE HE DID SHOULD HAVE WON SCORE OSCAR COS TO THIS DAY FOR STANDALONE FILM IT AMONGST GREATEST MUSIC SCORES FOR OSCAR WINNER EVER!
b) THE RISE OF MAXIMUS to courting public fame in the Collosseum- when he lead his troops (ironically) against the recreated battle of the BARBARIAN HORDE the very one he was general before captivity to defeat..and he did it again this time saluting in incredibly rousing fashion to ‘ win the crowd’ absolute pure cinematic magic undeniable!
c) apologies this should be switched with point b) the transition from the ‘slaves’ rehearsal in morrocco to the revealing in incredible vista of the gates to the beating heart of Rome with Zinners score..and the composition of every sequence and shock building to the twisted self proclaimed emperor-dictator Commodus and his family embracing the millions lining the grand entrance under the gate …
one has to wonder even back before the angry pro- obama crowd that wnated more domination in america’s insitutions whether the Academy were just even in 2000 starting frankly to be bit too distrracted in year of 2000…at oscars by their overkill embrace of Crouching Tiger even as oscar runner up…how it score was more memorable or more in sync and more defining within scenes and moments of pure magic in Gladiator is beyond me.
And i storngly suspect lot of people turth be told GLADIATOR should have won 8 oscars…damn well should [production design too… Ridley Scott did not just rely on digital recreations make no mistake about that filmmaker of his calibre and status and capacity and wisdom cinematically knows beter than to rely on recreating cinema magic purely through visual effects ESPECIALLY for a historic epic how ti didnt win cinematography is beyond me..it didnt win score or production design.. or director you knowe what? should ahve won 9 not 5.
For purpose of balance cos i know some here like to to the8ir embarassment stereotype me as being anti- more mundane drama but it really is oversimplifying it to say that.. but i point out THE GREEN BOOK more recent oscar winner..as one stood out…it was more than a race relations drama.. it was damn hell one funny one captivating road trip while staying true to history but it comedic moments were genuine authentic Farrelly best comedy writer filmmaker to this day…who left noi stone unturned and yet matched with same intensity in dramatic moments too…a all too rare positive feelk good TRUE story..that also educated us bout racial divisions in society and tensions at the time…it release whilst suspiciously timely but Farrely is not a filmmakewr just to exploit the times or circumstances…now forgive me everyone my memory bit hazy but 3 unforgettable moments here:
a) First meeting and conversation between Mortensen’s character and Mahershalla Ali’s example of differences and intruge aROUND THAT TOO… as much scene setting up what is to come and all more emorable in contrasting lifestyle and background of this most unlikely pairing
b) teaching Ali’s character to eat chicken…wow what a riot that moment was then ‘what to do with it when i eaten it?’ ‘ Mortensens charater ‘chuck it out the window’ and Ali’s reaction – priceless! oh level type of comedy just sheer delight who could forget..
c) the rationale revealed in Ali’s definind role in his character when Mortensens challenges him where the drama hits fever pitch rightfully so and moment is captured in it sincerity and profoundness the ‘ because im black’ when Mortensens character tries to pull him in the line in darkness in the cold forbidding wet..the pain and friendship at same time between Ali and Mortensen there to see captures in that moment point of racial tension and harmony between the 2 unforgettable stuff powerful and yet not at all driven by times of today but kept true to times it was set in as true story SHOULD BE!
Then i add CODA– (note veryone not just make it harder for people to stereotype me as someone i not people some of you like to think i am just for pro- big screen epics traditional old stytle hollywood soo not truth who i am) – But CODA the little film that could and DID succeed upstaging and embrarassing the oscars that year and their deluded judgement by only giving it 3 nominations and then it won 3/3 last time a film did win 100% was RETURN OF THE KING ok this much smaller margin but it no mean feat when lowest nomiunated deserved be nominated so much more upstages most nominated films..this was a year where muich like Green Book troiumph the power of positive inspirational and real scenario also gave way to something surprisingly visionary encapsulated by landmark use of sign language altering way the entire film for oscar nomnated contender film operated from start to finish…
It hard to pinpoint standout moment cos the ‘moment’ per say was the ilncusion- NOT FOR INCLUSIVITY SAKE mind you but as true trridce true acknowledgement of challenges globally in every country and chity children of deaf adults you argue of blind adults or physically disabled adults face..to present the point of view of neurotypical ‘ normal’ individual through telling a simple story of their basic goals as was case in CODA while capturing the dilemmas, challenges, frustrations of working class american family where most fmaily are disabled.. let be clear in capturing the trials and tribulations…transcended the politics of trhe US times.. anyone that says CODA is just another pc woke IDEOLOGY is sorely mistaken and deserves to be criticised big time for that.. KNOW CODA was uplifting, precise and powerful as it truly genuinely was first film of it type since arguably RAIN MAN to trly delve deep into the psyche of concundrums, dilemmas and triupmphs and tribulations between disabled and non disabled people..but all more profound arguably in CODA in a time deafness is possibly more prevalent disabiltiy.. yet the filmmaker of CODA never once SHIED away from resisting temptaiton make this really confronting that could been let human emotion and intimate moments from family to industry and work challenges broadly big pcuiture with the small picture.. and moments betwene characters.. what made entirety of CODAS journey truly oscar worthy…DONT UNDERESTIMATE OR DISMISS FACT IT WAS ONYL NOMINATED AND WON 3 MASSIVE OSCARS.. it significance and impact type of drama / comedy that cna be embraced was massive gamechanger THAT NEVER DESERVED THOUGH IT DID COS MEDIA LOVES FOCUYS EXAGGERATE SUCH HYSTERIA AS OSCAR SLAP OVERSHAODW CODAS WIN WHICH IT DID WHICH IS DAMNING INDICTMENT ON OSCAR IT WAS OSCAR THAT UNDERMINED CODAS POTENTIAL DESERVEDLY WIN ACTUING OSCARS…ORTHER JUST ONE…NOT FACT CODA WAS NOT WORTH MROE THAN THAT!
Then we get to OPPENHEIMER -Now i admit my Bias and love for Nolan aside…i dont know hoe many memorable moments of cinema magic..but being a NOLAN FILM I SAY THIS… the films theme is timely no denying it yet Nolan does not subscribe to trying to twist story in the past to something to represent literally or integrate in part problems in society today there merely be a philosophical circumstancial cooincidence in theme of film NOT by design.. the other challenge i sure objectiuve oscar watchers and within udnsutry see in awards seasion is NOLAN ABILTIY TO MAKE DARK THEMES ENTERTAINING ENGROSSING AND UNFORGETTABLE! Incpetion, The Dark Knight particularly, Interstellar in parts…Dunkirk dewifnitely but no matter subject matter Nolan never lets us die of boredom EVER NOR LET the dark themes descend into desolate bleak feeling he finds a way to constantly engross and have us on edge of our seats eagerly anticipate what happends next..
OPPENHEIMER IS NOLAN REENACTING pivotal asotnishing and yes alarming moment of history…i agree s9ome of you i hope there not timeline manipulatioon and by rights this u think be NOLANS more traditional conservative move in best most appropriate way.. make no mistake about it.. i firmly believer OPPENHEIMER could well be NOLANS best film since THE DARK KNIGHT… trailer doesnt give too much away unlike too many film studios fdilmmakers deliberate restraint and shitload suspense.. bntu we already know and can guess.. the films MASSIVE CENTREPIECE just like centrepiece moments broadly of films i recapped above is indeed detonation of America’s first nuclear bomb in the test site in the US and it literally could be the BIG momenyt build up that shapes the oscar destiny of this film…only thing it depends on really is IF oscar decide to resist pressures to go for more cheery themed film cos in their minds ya know? it reeallyt daft bleak topic no matter hjow astonishing it will be…BUT DONT UNDERESTIMATE NUMBER OF CAST INVOLVED HERE AND FACT THAT SOMETIMES BRINGING TOGETHERT OF RIGHT ACTORS FOR RIGHT ROLES AS A COLLECTIVE CNA JUST ELEVATE FILM INTO MASTERPIECE STATUS and it so ultra rare as it been in past for all star blockbustre cast to click Emily Blunt- shouldve won and oscar for her rednition of Mary Poppins alone…Cillian Murphy should vbeen oscar nominated for his tension filled performance in 28 days and weeks later…(and i still believe his msichievous pewrformance and twisted as scarecrow/ dr. crane)..ROBERT DOWNEY JNR IRON MAN / TOPNY STARK PERSONIFIED 2 time oscar nominee who cinematic journey and his most ncredible careeer turnaround since his incredibly dark hideous fall from grace publicly with prison few times and drugs etc to reclaim hi mantle fulfilling his acting destiny i still think is storngest chance of cast get another oscar nomination at least.. Rami Malek (freddie mercury right)need it say more? Matt Damon as support i didnt pick up on…
So trhere you go what u think?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/news.yahoo.com/amphtml/christopher-nolan-oppenheimer-script-written-185301230.html
Interesting link for those Oppenheimer fans … could this be first of this type be told literally entirely rightfully from central characters point of view?
Trust Nolan ever be mundane thank goodness he not.. it matter when not if Oscar hope on board the “Nolan Oscar winner ” train ..if they can put aside their excessive politics distorting utterly drowning out any sane or sound judgement ..in Oscars final outcomes like disaster last year…
Bout what I said before this post on memorable centrepiece or 2 or 3 key moments and events for Oscar contender and esp winner to really engage connect with audiences leave lasting impression beyond the point of time they see the film… EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE IY WHAT A MESS as I call.it.. totally utterly LACKED ANY key central pivotal defining moment… it was a tapestry seemingly endless damn well draining overtly ludicrous of cross collision of genre parodies that drowned our ANY meaning or purpose Pr definition of relevance within the story itself.
I really not sure what the heck AMPAS and Guild voters were snorting but at tine voting excessively for this to tune of 7 UNJUSTIFIED undeserved Oscar wins…. but whatever it was.. it made thrm see stars and talking rocks and bloated oversized donuts and heck these voters on night were so delusional… that they probably imagined they were throwing their own hot dog fingers.. yet for all EEAAO potential I admit there was was case of GONE IN 10 MINS… from start of film to 10 mins before end of film… moat of film public who care about Oscar may likely consider returning to the fold when a film wins that has a central key one -3 film moments that truly genuinely inspire leave their mark on us.. oh these we not ‘ moments ‘ I obtained in EEAAO these were gags nothing more…