Something to watch tonight: Monday 25 March
Oppenheimer (Nolan, 2023)
Today’s suggestion might not be the most surprising or novel one, but the fact that the recent winner of seven Oscars has now hit the streaming services seems worthy of note.
I recently re-watched Oppenheimer at home (my first viewing was in an IMAX cinema) to see whether it held up and my conclusion is that, like a lot of Nolan’s films, it’s better second time around. I spent less time trying to work out what was going on and more time appreciating it.
My original response was written quickly for RNZ and I said this:
And, Nolan being Nolan, there is also a bit of a puzzle to be solved as a key piece of information is withheld from us until the end, a piece of information that unlocks all of the giant themes the film has been wrestling with and provides an unsettling but dramatically satisfying conclusion. Satisfying but manipulative all the same.
The second (in grainy black and white) is about one of those politicians, Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), attempting to win a cabinet position in 1959 and finally having to deal with the fallout from his own battles with Oppenheimer.
This might seem like an odd place to put your attention: a relatively minor contretemps between two proud and headstrong men over the future of atomic energy and planet killing weapons but Nolan - and the book American Prometheus upon which the film is based - sees this battle as the first skirmish in an ideological anti-science movement which has reached a point where evidence and facts are now underdogs in almost every debate.
Nolan brings all his skills to play in this film which is composed largely of men in suits and ties debating and it is quite thrilling to see a big screen epic take those things seriously. There is spectacle - of course - but the giant closeups of the contradictory genius's monumental cheekbones are the great special effect here.
Where to watch Oppenheimer
Aotearoa and Australia: Streaming on Netflix (in 4K no less)
Canada: Streaming on Prime Video
USA: Streaming on Peacock
UK: Digital rental from the usual outlets
Further reading
You might recall that a month ago we had a guest post from subscriber JJW with highlights of an epic article he had written about watching the extended versions of The Lord of the Rings trilogy in a Melbourne cinema.
The extended version of his article was due to be posted on David Farrier’s Webworm newsletter but has taken an extended amount of time to actually appear.
Jackson’s article is only for paid subscribers to Webworm and, while I would obviously recommend you go ahead and become one, my preference is that you pay for a subscription here first. That would make me very happy.
I've actually been thinking about re-watching Oppenheimer - I've only seen it once to date. Your note that is better a second time is encouraging to hear!