The courtroom part is integral because this isn't the story about the Atom bomb, it's about the man who created it. The story of oppenheimer isn't one where the bomb being tested is the triumphant climax and everything after is falling action, his story is arguably structured like a tragedy. He was awed and horrified once he finally came to realize what he had created out of a sense of duty for his country and his own obsession with the work he was doing. The bomb is in a sense the turning point where he realized his ambition and duty to his country had created a monster so powerful the world could scarcely comprehend, and then that same country pushed him aside and dragged him through the dirt just as soon as he was done giving them the weapon they intended to lord over the same people they accused him of sympathizing with. The part after the bomb is why his story is a tragedy. He had to come to terms with the reality that he had just created the most destructive type of weapon in history (possibly ever into the future) at the same time the country he had created that weapon for was accusing him of being a traitor, or at least a subversive who couldn't be trusted. The movie couldn't have been a genuine story of oppenheimer if they stopped the movie right before he was stabbed in the back and alienated after he had already given up so much of his humanity to serve the country that turned on him the moment he had given them what they wanted.

The last act was a condemnation of how our government uses people to get what they need and then throws them away. As a war veteran I have experienced this on a smaller scale. Oppenheimer gave the government what they demanded of him and then they tried to crucify him for doing so. He already paid with a tortured soul for life.

I think Cillian Murphy could absolutely win Best Actor for this.

The last scenes are about betrayal and guilt and are very important to the story… This movie has one of the best endings ever. It’s truly haunting.

Disappointed that you guys didn't talk enough about Cillian Murphy, he CARRIED the film being in almost every frame, he acted in a very natural, not flashy way that let you into the narrative ans made you know what he was feeling and if there's anyone that deserves an Oscar for this movie it is hands down him.

This is probably the best weekend for cinema in a long time. Two different but impactful best picture nominees saving the box office.

I have to say the performance that quite surprised me was RDJ, I knew he was gonna be great but I didn’t know how great, his performance and Character gave me Salieri from Amadeus vibes. Cillian Murphy was Phenomenal and Outstanding, definitely thinks these two should at the very least be nominated, I think this is the best movie I’ve seen in awhile ❤ ps. I saw an advanced Screening

Loved your guys’s review. I think the point of the two women is to show Oppy’s non-commital tendencies. Throughout the film he struggles morally with practically everything in his life but it never seems like he picks a side, and each of the women in his life push him to choose SOMETHING. Also, it’s made clear that Pugh’s character was the only person Oppy could ever open up to and bare himself to. It’s why he was so shaken by her passing. They saw each other and had an intimacy he never had with anyone else.

Cinema is winning. What a time to be alive

At first I wondered what was the relevance of the Strauss character because Oppenheimer was looking more at the big picture. And then I realize this movie was all about throwing bombs - a small piece that becomes destructive. Just like how Oppenheimer poisons the apple but had the moral conviction of retrieving it back, Strauss destroys Oppenheimer's chances of gaining political influence because of a small grudge involving Einstein, then Rami Malek's character which we only see previously for a few minutes speaking at a hearing destroying Strauss's chances of holding an administrative position.

Came for Oppenheimer review, stayed for cat

I think the best movie to watch with Oppenheimer back to back is The Wind Rises by Hayao Miyazaki because both movies have the same thematic feel, although it's an animation (and they happened during WW2). Both characters were torned about their contribution. Oppenheimer with his atomic bomb, while Jiro Horikoshi with the Zero fighter, both considered weapons of destruction during that time.

This and Napoleon are tied for my most anticipated movies in years

emily blunt is giving me kirsten dunst for potd vibes i think enough people have been waiting to nominate her

Some of the shots and sequences in this were so visceral that I felt all the air leave my lungs. If you've seen the movie you know what I mean.

Florence Pugh’s character (Jean) just seemed like an obligatory sexual component. And after the movie, I googled Oppenheimer and apparently Jean was the daughter of another Berkeley professor. Jean was also a medical doctor (psychiatrist). In the movie, it just seems like she’s some eye candy groupie chick who can’t keep her clothes on. Emily Blunt’s character also very one dimensional, stereotypical suffering alcoholic wife of the mad scientist. That annoyed me. Otherwise the film was excellent, although a bit longer than it needs to be and a few things that bugged me.😊

Agree on score, bro went atomic with the horns and violin - insane

Emily Blunt didnt shine until the last 30 minutes. Florence was compelling, they just were not fully written. There wont even be an opportunity for either of them can to get a Best Actress nod, which im fine with. Just flesh them out more

How in the heck is Billie Eilish involved in Barbieheimer 😂 I knew she had “What Was I Made For?” for Barbie but I didn’t know she also has a song for Oppenheimer too

Interesting, I found the first act too slow but loved the third act. I think the science vs politics is such an important discussion

I’d argue that the screenplay has a chance to win because interviews have said how Chris Nolan wrote this screenplay in the first person which hasn’t really been done before. Not to mention it has a lot of that classic old- school Nolan dialogue.

Dunkirk is Christopher Nolan best movie for me

"My cores were shaken and my bones were chilled". Probably the most real statement you could make after experiencing this film. Thanks guys for giving another great review fr

If Scorsese drops the ball this is Nolans to lose. Cillian's entire performance is his Oscar moment. Im so over this need to nominate or reward someone who has that 1 explosive scene (oops, I did that).

You never cried at The Prestige? Interstellar? Not even Inception????

Your reviews are always great

Nolan is a reliably solid director. This film merely reinforces that trend.

I have a question, its not about Oppenheimer but what do you guys think about upcoming movie of Spanish director Rodrigo Cortes executive produced by Martin Scorsese “Escape”? It’s starring Mario Casas, you guys think he could get an Oscar Nomination next year?

An Oscar nomination for the cat.

Well, I just don't get why people do not find the politics of labeling the father of the atonic bomb as a spy or unpatriotic to be very very disturbing, which is the point of the politics Nolan brought in.

I called Robert Downey Jr in December because an article came out from Nolan saying how amazing Murphy and Downey Jr were. Out of all the actors in the movie he only specified those two

I'm glad both of you gave a 9/10 rating to this movie just like I did in my review. In my opinion is Nolan's best work and I think the race for the Best Directing Oscar is going to be between him and Scorsese. Two legends.

i also feel like Nolan wanted to do a complete opposite of how he made Tenet where this one you are able to follow where he took his time every frame so the viewers aren't confused (tho still as a viewer total focus is still required). I am also impressed he's added more comedic relieve/ humor moments throughout the movie in the right places more than what he's done before. The build up to the bomb testing moment was literally an optimal movie going experience - the way my eyes went wide, in awe, and just WOW'ed.

I really enjoyed this video. Thanks for sharing!!

I'm incredibly excited to see Oppenheimer. And I'm glad to see that it's getting amazing reviews. I'm also excited to see Color Purple, Killers of the Flower Moon and Dune 2. I'm planning to see Oppenheimer in Imax as well as Dune 2.

I have to wait until next Thursday night to see this

I also thought Emily had far less screen time than I had for some reason assumed she would have. It also wasn't varied, as you say a lot of it was her looking on sadly at the state of her husband or his philandering, I would've liked to see more of who she was during her interview. Jean I feel we didn't get near enough time to understand as a person or why Oppenheimer felt the way he did about her. A lot of her dialogue was confusing and contradictory and probing and she didn't reveal a lot about her own intentions other than that she needed him and was desperately lonely. Maybe that's just my take but I would have liked to know her more. I guess maybe Oppenheimer didn't understand her either if this is meant to be his point of view.

Only thing i don't like about oscar talk is traditionally everyone waits to oscar bait season and many earlier on films get neglected. Glad everything everywhere broke that trend, hope this does as well

Great review guys ! Thanks

BARBENHEIMER WEEKEND LET'S GO

Same ratings, general feelings and awards thoughts as I have on first watch. Excited to let it digest and see it again, though. Good work, fellas.

Oppenheimer will get a Best Picture nomination. Nolan will be fighting for Director (I'm rooting for him the most to win). Cillian will be going up against his Inception co-star Leo in Best Actor. Downey Jr probably gets in for Supporting Actor. It will be in for Adapted Screenplay, Sound, Production Design, Score, Editing, and Cinematography. Might not get in for Visual Effects after Nolan's "There is no CGI at all" comments, but then Top Gun Maverick got a nom so who knows. We will likely see Oppenheimer get between 9-12 nominations.

Terrific review. Completely agree with needing more from Oppenheimer's love interests. More of that and maybe less of the 3rd act, altho I enjoyed the 3rd act and experiencing how a vindictive bureaucrat can bring down a national hero. It was part of Oppenheimer's arch and needed to be explored. Definitely one of Nolan's best. For me it's an 8.5/10.

Finally summer releases feel like what they are supposed to feel. Between Barbie and oppenheimer and even Mission Impossible DR. The summer movies have arrived. Who knew that audiences love watching well made movies.

Cole, I think I know exactly where you mean that the movie peaked, as I was thinking the exact same thing when I got to that moment and I thought maybe the film was winding down (they took my phone away at the screening, so I had no way of knowing how far into the movie we were by that point), and I was originally a little annoyed that the film kept going, but I found Robert Downey Jr so compelling as Lewis Strauss that eventually that section of the movie won me over (and given that it's adapted from a book called American Prometheus, to further parallel this man with the myth of Prometheus, we need to see that section of his life). I do wish it had been shorter, but I never found it boring (even if at times I did feel I was struggling to keep up... not being a physicist can do that). I'm not usually a fan of Christopher Nolan. I feel his style is usually ill-suited for the stories he chooses to tell, and often feel he should loosen up his style and make it feel like he's having more fun with his material. This is the perfect marriage of style and material, and like Justin says, he did exactly what I wanted him to do with this, and even a few things I was not expecting (I also feel how much Nolan connects with Oppenheimer, but it never feels hagiographic in the slightest). Also, yes, Cillian Murphy is terrific and I'm happy Nolan finally gave him a lead role.

I think we need to stop this running thing about Nolan and the female characters in his movies. Both were brilliantly written and served different purposes. Nolan tried to show how every relationship, intimate or otherwise, shaped Oppenheimer as a person and the influence each of them had in every significant moment of his life. And both actresses delivered their respective parts impeccably. Emily Blunt should at least get an oscar nomination for this performance. Just flawless acting even with the limited screen time. One of the best and most underrated actresses in modern cinema. Other than that, in my opinion the third act wasn't lacking in any way. I can see why it could probably be less interesting for some people but for me it was as good as the two first. Also, I'm getting kind of tired of the hype about RDJ. Now, don't get me wrong he was great and I am a big fan of his but because he is the most famous of the cast and he was stuck behind this iron man helmet for so long people only talk about his performance and other actors like Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt are getting overlooked even though they were just as good...

Just watched it. It's amazing, very emotional and sobering movie.

Robert Downey Jr winning the razzy redeemer award lol

At first I was annoyed at the score because you coudnt get a moment of quiet reflection. But i realized it did its job in creating a mood - the movie becomes a thriller. Because the whole thing felt like a ticking time bomb - after all they were on a deadline to create a weapon in a war. And then the only moment of silence when the music wasnt playing was the detonation.

I was really disappointed with the film. Nolan has a real issue with writing narrative. It’s an issue that constantly occurs in his films (Tenet was a mess while Inception and Interstellar could have had an hour cut and you wouldn’t have missed anything. Skip this and read the book (American Prometheus).

Curious to know what scene you’re referring to as the best scene of Nolan’s career. I have an idea, but I’m not sure!

I was probably expecting too much, but it didn’t quite reach my expectations (story was too unfocused being my main complaint). Still my number 3 movie of the year (behind Spider-Man and Asteroid City), but I was expecting it to be number 2, maybe even number 1.

great review as always :)

It was disappointing. Not bad but I was expecting greater from Nolan. I disagree about the score and missed Zimmer.

I actually think Nolan will win Adapted Screenplay. Oppenheimer is basically Social Network and The Imitation Game. And they both won Adapted. This is the kind of movie that they award.

the score and sound alone is a reason to watch oppenheimer, it's one of the best ive ever experienced on a theater

How was the sound mix? Miss any dialogue drowned out by the score in typical Nolan fashion?

First watch of your channel. Great review.

It's about science versus politics. Robert Downey Jr is kind of an extension of Truman. The scientists did the work, but the ambitions of the politicians decided the outcome of how that work was put into use.

The third act is the next step of any scientific process, from theory to practice. It's a killer of moral dilemmas. The topics are NOT cold; they are life and death. But then, I grew up waiting for atomic bombs to drop: at night, during the day, at home, at camp, and at school., all the time, any time--Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missle Crisis, JFK Assassination as an Air Force bomber flew overhead breaking the sound barrier. A generation of 10-year-olds with existential angst whose parents could not really promise they were safe.

I've never been more jealous of a cat.

what was the colonel pash scene about?

My only issue with the film comes down to taste and preference... Most of the time, i truly despise nonlinear storytelling, and this was one of the times where it impacted my viewing experience. I feel like the movie was really good without it, but i feel it would have been even better with linear storytelling. But, I'm just a random person on youtube, not a Christopher Nolan. Just my preference, and Nolan really has embraced that format of storytelling lately.

Is it worth a 2 hour drive to the IMAX theater closest to me? Would I be truly missing out if I saw it in a regular theater?

Oppenheimer is definitely gonna get the most Oscar nominations of the season

Would there be a barbie review?

Seeing it on Saturday… AFTER Barbie! Can’t wait.

💥 welcome back, cat!

I cried like a biatch during Interstellar.

I have finally seen Nolan movie Oppenheimer in cinemas and I loved so much! Such a great movie 10/10 My favorite Nolan movie of all time with The Dark Knight and Interstellar

I think you forgot to mention Gary Oldman.... he had like, what, 2 mins screen time but his performance blew every other performances out of the park. I wouldn't be surprised if he beats Robert Downey Jr for supporting nod, pretty much like a Judie Dench win from 1999....

Someone needs to make the Oppenheimer cut of Oppenheimer

You guys needed to watch it twice. You obviously missed a lot of the historical context which is given, if you pay close attention to the dialogue. The kangaroo court, a highlight of the film, shows how Strauss manipulated O’s ruin. You thought it was unnecessary?! This film requires you to concentrate and to THINK about what you’re seeing and hearing.

rewarding actors leaving Marvel is a good strategy

If Dune Part 2 gets pushed back to 2024 by Warner Bros (as is currently rumoured,) Oppenheimer will demolish the techs, they'll be running unopposed. Director will also be looking very strong for Nolan, who I believe is yet to win?

I heard that the film has prolonged full frontal nude scenes, is it true? I was thinking about taking my little sister but maybe I should switch to Barbie instead, ironically she is not interested in Barbie.

brother bro looks like jeremy allen white in this one

Is it hard to understand the movie? Or easy to follow?

How this film peaked too early? Sometimes you’re literally grasping for straws. The investigating part of it’s absolutely thrilling and compelling, and ties the characters motives perfectly. It’s absolutely nerve wracking, engaging and it feels like a climax in an action film. Sometimes I really think Critics have a difficulty really enjoying films because they’re too worried looking for flaws. Perfect is Titane.

I have a feeling those who were not into Dunkirk and First Men, won't like Oppenheimer as a whole.

After a rewatch, Cillian Murphy has to win. Editing has to win. Score has to win. Sound has to win. Screenplay won’t win but it should.

Just saw it last night, and I have a bit of an unpopular opinion… I was a bit deceived. I thought that there was lacking a lot of characterization, and I wasn’t a fan of the editing. For me, the scenes were too short in the first act, and it was difficult to grasp anything from them…. Maybe they had too much material, and were cutting as much as they could to reduce run time, but it made it difficult for me to follow the story, and care for the characters. In this manner, Florence Pugh was severely underutilized, and even Emily Blunt’s character sort of fell flat. Despite all this, I still enjoyed the score, sound, and cinematography very much. The explosion scene is one of the best cinematic moments in history, but overall, I feel like the story wasn’t what I had hoped. Perhaps focusing so much on the courtroom drama just didn’t work for me and wasn’t what I expected.

Has Florence wandered in from her Las Vegas movie?

This year forcfilms is AMAZINGGGG good for Cinema

Pains these guys that this movie wasn’t a Belgian Silent Movie about a cobbler stuck in a closet from the 1930s

Finally people are coming back to real cinema from over the dumb superhero movies hangover.

11:18 what scene?!!

Best Actor, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Score. Easily. Best Picture is still up in the air.

Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Actor: Murphy, Supporting Actor: Downing, Sound Editing, Score, Blunt could get a Supporting nod just from the interrogation scene alone but still a maybe. Matt Damon is good, but eh wouldn't agree with a nomination.

Costumes and PD go to Barbie I do have to say Oppenheimer is top 3 contender in director and picture I have Scorsese Song Nolan Killers of the flower moon Past lives Oppenheimer My fourth place goes to dune part 2

I've loved every Nolan movie except for Dunkirk which I was deeply disappointed in. He completely didn't get across the beauty of regular British civilians crossing the channel to bring their soldiers home. That is the most inspiration story of WWII and his version fell flat.

Did not live up to the hype for me. I liked the moral questions it raised. However, I found the characters to be very unlikable and did not understand why black and white was used for some scenes. Also, I thought the sound was going to give me a headache. I did not like the cutting and the lights either.

So good !!!

YEP. Felt the exact same way about the two female characters. I thought they were pretty badly written, because you don't really get to know or understand them at all. They don't feel like real nor important people. Only Emily gets to really show who the character is towards the end, and I really enjoyed that part.

How many oscar nomination??13??

You're right, it does a little too much and runs a little too long, but with a rewatch you catch a lot more of what the director was going for.

Is it necessary to watch in IMAX? it's all sold out

just saw oppenheimer last nite & finally ~ totally engrossing ~ as a child in grade one during the cuban missile crisis we as little kids practiced in classroom drills to get under our desks in case of a nuclear bomb ~ i was a boomer who grew up with this threat & scare my whole life ~ i think its interesting that following younger generations are just feeling this a bit now with this movie ~ but i wanted to talk about the last part of the movie after the test & bomb drop ~ as a lover of politics & history i actually found this the most interesting because i wasnt able to figure out the strauss set up for oppenheimers take down ~ spent a good part of today doing some research on all of that & the facts i learned made it even more interesting ~ definitely want to see it all again especially the strauss confirmation hearing & also his kangaroo court private hearing set up to bring down oppenheimer ~ phew ! ~ better than a made up plot ~ & considering politics really all not that surprising ~

Thumbs up for the cat~👍

This movie is designed to provoke thought and discussion on the ethics of having these weapons. It's especially germane to the current events in Ukraine. As for the political angle in the third act (noting that I haven't re-watched yet), I get the impression it's an indictment of McCarthyism and the which-hunts that it spawned. These politicians only saw the world in black and white, where our characters are all operating in shades of grey. Having leftist viewpoints obviously didn't automatically make one a communist, but having a communist mistress at the time would have been suspicious during the Cold War's early years when the nuclear paranoia was palpable. I will definitely have to see this film again a few more times to fully understand it. It is Nolan, after all.