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Reviews
Oppenheimer (2023)
The Movie Constructed Like a Nuclear Bomb
It should be known that Oppenheimer is, in many ways, a massive departure from previous Christoper Nolan films, and even includes nude scenes which have gained some media controversy. (On that note, there is an absolutely bizarre sex scene in a board room.) While many Nolan films always have a profound contemplative tone that is coupled with gunshots, constant explosions and doomsday clocks, Oppenheimer most definitely appeals to a different audience that is more ruminative, introverted, and startled by loud bangs. If you are expecting a cathartic roller coaster ride, you should not be paying for admission (or an IMAX ticket for that matter). It will be a waste of your time and you can immediately reduce my rating to five stars or lower. But if you are the ruminative introverted type that loves a profound drama great enough to send you into contemplation for a time, the film will give you what you're looking for.
With that taken into consideration, the film is the ultimate portrayal of the father of the nuclear bomb. From the time your curiosity is piqued before the film, to the hours during the film that you are bombarded with its endless dramatic chaos, the film buries us in the emotions and thoughts of Oppenheimer's world. In doing so, the film invites us to consider the immeasurable consequences of the bomb as felt through Oppenheimer, but also as people who have to live in a world that constantly teeters on the verge of transforming into a radioactive wasteland. Much like the mysterious wave-particle duality of Quantum Mechanics, the movie itself is a duality. The fusion and fission of opposites defines the movie and its tortured lead protagonist. The plot itself is structured like the bomb. At the core of the film is Los Alamos, and the film's events both prior to and after it are surrounded with all the modern dysfunctions of the human being. The fallout of the test includes internal and external politics reminiscent of Julius Caesar, disordered relationships, neurotic breakdowns, endless civilian deaths. And yet in the midst of all that is also patriotism, ingenuity, victory, glory, and a willingness to put aside all kinds of differences to have the bomb before the Nazis do. And while we do not physically witness a single casualty from a bomb explosion in the entire film, this chaotic chain reaction of performances are so effectively conveyed that we don't need to see people dying to understand how dreadfully terrifying it is for man to have the power to destroy the known world. The depths to which the movie plunges you in thought comes from the exceptional performances of the film's cast, which are so adept at conveying the horrors, the guilt, the tragedy, the joy, the victory, and the dichotomy that is the nuclear bomb. Cillian Murphy's portrayal of Oppenheimer is aesthetically exceptional, reflecting Oppie's mannerisms, tone of voice, and silent charisma such that he may as well be in the 1950s black and white films of old. More than anything, Cillian exceptionally communicates Oppenheimer's dichotomies: his gentleness coupled with his power, his hubris and humility, his charm and his ugliness, his sense of moral right and his tortured conscience. Opposite of him, Robert Downey Jr. Puts aside his charismatic whimsical typecast and portrays a very serious, humorless, and subtly vicious Lewis Strauss. And although I felt Robert Downey was not nearly as convincing as Cillian, he damn well gave one of the best performances of his life. The two are supported by an all-star cast that are so effective at bringing Oppie's world to life.
The movie perfectly captures Christopher Nolan's vision: it has complexity, sophistication, and multiple timelines converging into the core of the bomb conceived in Los Alamos. For better or worse, we experience Oppenheimer totally on Nolan's terms rather than through our own cinematic sensibilities. This may feel boring to some, pretentious to others, or infinitely and morbidly fascinating for the rest of us. For the most latter group, they will be greatly rewarded.
Andor: The Eye (2022)
Tense, Cathartic, Unpredictable, and Not at All Like Star Wars
If every episode before this one seemed slow and laborious, it is because it has slowly and carefully built a tower of dominoes which is now complex and anxious to behold. Then, with perfectly organized chaos, it comes crashing down in a spectacle of awe, complete with betrayal, shots fired, fear, all while trying to escape the countdown of certain doom. "The Eye" is Andor's best episodic achievement to this point. It blends action relatable to our time here in 2022, and transfers it to a galaxy a long time ago, far far away.
There are documentary camera techniques where the camera operator clearly walks with the camera, creating a feel that is nothing like Star Wars. The colorless hues in the filming portray a deep sense of noir and realism. Of course, these are things which we see throughout the series, but they become ever the more evident when innocents are threatened, morality is cheapened, and obstacle upon obstacle is encountered and tensely and viciously navigated.
This is not your Grandpa's Star Wars. And the creators behind it will admit as much, and in fact intend as much. If there is any criticism to be had, it is exactly because of that - the somewhat campier and fantastical feel of the original Star Wars is gone. There is no mysterious otherworldly Force that controls destinies. Gone is the grand classical score of Williams, replaced with a techno score reminiscent of Bladerunner. The exotic props, sayings, and destinations of the Star Wars universe take far less stage, and you could just as easily transfer the entire plot to a modern 2022 setting and it's likely that the feel of the show would remain precisely the same. This is probably both the show's blessing and curse. It has deviated so far from the Star Wars feel that it is likely to have complaints from someone, somewhere. But if you were looking to find something that far exceeds the mediocre dribble that was the Book of Boba Fett, and you are willing to see Star Wars in a much darker light, "The Eye" has now turned "Andor" into the roller coaster ride we always wanted. Though it is my personal hope that aesthetic feel of the show does not trend in this direction, "The Eye" turns "Andor" into a remarkable achievement.