AT THE MOVIES

by Isy Jordan

Oppenheimer
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, and more.


The story of American scientist, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.

You know you want to see a movie when you're willing to sit through 3 hours -- hoping it will be worth it in the end. If it tells you anything, I've seen it twice -- once in IMAX and one in RPX. Was it worth it? Yes, it was.

I'm a huge fan of Christopher Nolan. I loved Memento and The Prestige. I love his particular style and honestly, this film is his greatest accomplishment to date. And that's saying a lot. With all of the VFX and special effects taking over traditional filmmaking methods, Nolan opted to build true-to-life sets without the help of any digital wizardry. Oppenheimer is cinematic genius combined with an amazing story that truly made a huge impact on our world. It's personal and divisive, stunning and thought-provoking.

A lot of work and care went into the story and it's treated well by an amazingly brilliant cast and a scor that was sublime. The director strikes a delicate balance between the personal relationships of the characters and the impactful scenes lighting up the screen. You don't notice you're there for three hours. And the surprise ending has your anxiety riding high even as you scramble to justify it all in your mind. Was it the right call? Or were the events in the film the catalysts for our eventual doom?

This is an excellent film. The best I've seen in a few years. It's rated R for disturbing images and brief nudity and sexual content. By all means, see it in the theatre if you possibly can. It's more of an experience than a film and it will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Isy