#dunkirk nominated

[notrandtumblin]

#christopher nolan #the dark knight #batman begins #the dark knight rises #Batman #memento #inception #dunkirk #oppenheimer #cillian murphy #prestige #insomnia #interstellar #tenet #movies #movie #directors #oscars 2024 #oscar nominations #christian bale #best director #movie polls #tumblr polls #poll #my polls

[a-forger-and-a-point-man]

Oppenheimer / immediate thoughts

ok nolan fans let's talk, i just got back.

i am very well acquainted with 20th century american history but i did not do any additional research on oppenheimer the man or the trinity test because i wanted to be surprised by the movie's narrative and imagery, so keep that in mind as you read. i'm not fact-checking for the time being... i want to go do my own reading at my leisure when it's not past midnight.

DON'T GO SEE IT IN IMAX. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND A HEADACHE. it's not inception or dunkirk or the batman films or interstellar. just go to your local theater or wait until it's available to stream. trust me on this. i'll explain why in the spoilers section below.

YOU'RE BEING WARNED. SPOILERS AHEAD.

-this was the least nolan-y film that nolan has ever made. i see more of following in it (his very first film) than i do any other project. it was definitely a bit of a different direction for him.

-this is basically a biopic of sorts about oppenheimer. it's not about the war nor is it really about the bomb. it's about an awkward, conflicted, and possibly mentally ill physics genius who seems to not know how to do much in life beyond quantum physics theory. like yes, he's got a brilliant mind, but he's far from a well-rounded, impressive human being. the guy was a hot mess long before anyone mentioned the word bomb.

-taking that into consideration, i can see how the suffering of humans (whether the navajo nation in new mexico, or the japanese people) doesn't play a role in the film. japanese victims are mentioned, but briefly in one scene. that doesn't make any of this right. in fact a more entertaining, eye-opening, and timely film should have included more of both - but i see now that nolan wanted to focus on ONE man and cillian is indeed in practically every. single. scene.

-cillian should be nominated for an oscar and win it.

-humans are very complex and you CAN both build the bomb AND feel bad about it, yes it's entirely possible and normal, but the film is still 3 hours of white guilt. i'm openly saying it. the reason you shouldn't see it in imax is because it's 3 hours of middle aged white men sitting around making terrible decisions. it's SO MUCH TALKING, jesus.

-IMAX cameras are stupidly loud, which is why most filmmakers don't use them. you can't hear dialogue. they're for action scenes. so that very much explains why i was just ITCHING for subtitles on this. so many different accents and everyone mumbling and the score was louder than their voices and ARGHHH nolan why.

-female characters are unremarkable and underused. i know nolan and i know how he uses female characters. at this point i'm convinced he just doesn't know how to write them, and he can only work with male-driven stories and you know what... fine. it is what it is. unless he brings female writers on board, nothing will change, because he can't do it himself.

-why are there sudden bare tiddies in a nolan film. fanboys, did u love it? did u get what u wanted? was that it? finally, a sex scene in a nolan film? it added nothing and i could argue it took some things away. sorry folks. entirely unnecessary.

-ok THE BEST PART was the surprise cameos. cillian was in every scene and yet he was the least famous person among big oscar winners sometimes! it was wild! i was internally screaming at gary oldman as harry truman. excellent choice to play him like the clown he was. AND EINSTEIN??? did y'all catch that or no??? i knew it right away from the voice and the kind eyes. it's the GUY FROM THE PIT IN THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. he helps bruce recover, and narrates the ascent of "the child". terrific casting! and i haven't checked IMDB yet, but is borden (not named after the character from the prestige!) played by the arkham patient from the dark knight? the one who gets shot in the leg and interrogated by harvey dent?? tell me i am recognizing the right guy! and then we had matthew modine... casey affleck... rami malek who appeared for like 3 mins maybe?! AND Y'ALL, JOSH HARTNETT????????????????? OMG my biggest crush when i was 15. that was craaaazy. but i do like seeing nolan bring back his friends... it's very much a nolan circle as we all know. and once you're in it, you're in it!

-the use of sound was VERY GOOD. the explosion actually being silent, because light reaches us before sound? but also the way the buildup was so intense and so hyped up and then just.... complete silence to reflect on the monstrosity being produced, and how nothing will be the same.

-there was a lot of train sounds to emphasize the railroad, but also... anyone notice that the stomping noise in oppenheimer's head almost felt like a train was coming through? TELL ME YOU DIDN'T THINK ABOUT COBB'S GUILTY CONSCIENCE IN INCEPTION, and how a train would ram through the dream. nolan doing an homage to himself is absolutely hysterical and i am here for it i guess.

-i'm not sure how audiences abroad will feel about all the scenes in washington with congressional testimony. does that stuff carry over well? do you get the references? it's such inside baseball, i know, and it adds so much time to the film, and yet MORE scenes with middle aged white men talking. i could have done with less of the black and white "present day" scenes and more about the impact of the bomb, or maybe more about kitty's life and how she overcame her (presumed?) alcoholism and depression.

-the casual discussion about the 11 cities shortlisted to drop the atomic bomb "but not kyoto because of its cultural importance" made people laugh in the theater as intended, but honestly like... nothing in the movie is funny. it's really heavy stuff and i still stand by the fact that the bomb should never have been produced, despite what oppenheimer and others tried to say. because even its production is incredibly dangerous. it's not just about where you fucking drop it.

-did i mention there is too much matt damon. like, too much.

-rami malek is the only person of color with a speaking role in this film. that's right.

-ok what else guys??? i wanna hear thoughts. there's a lot more but i'm so tired at this hour

#oppenheimer #christopher nolan #cillian murphy #mythoughts #christophernolan #cillianmurphy

[twopoppies]

Also with all the silly stans crying for Oscars for this movie, I was reminded of how I did see people in the fandom crying for oscars for Harry with MP. I also thought that was undeserved (I loved it but let’s be realistic, it was not Oscar level). So I was thinking about it and I really think Harry did not get enough credit for Dunkirk. I thought he was very, very impressive in Dunkirk, especially for his first movie. I even bought the damn movie. Oscar level? No, but it was his first movie and I think he was excellent. Fun fact: Nick Galitzine made it to last round auditions for Dunkirk and almost played Harry’s part. The world is so small!

Oh that’s wild. I didn’t know that. And yeah, I thought he was excellent in that role, too. He didn’t deserve an Oscar nomination for MP, but I stand by my statement that had it not been for DWD and Holivia, I think his turn in that movie would have been much better received. There are parts of it that I think about all the time. His microexpressions in certain scenes blow me away. And it’s clear he has a deep understanding of that character which made it so moving in parts. It was uneven. And there were issues I had with the script. But he was actually very good in it.

#actor Harry

[howifeltabouthim]

Saltburn: Bonkers, Balls-to-the-Wall Brilliance

It would be no exaggeration to say that Saltburn is the craziest film of the year. I've never seen anything quite like it; it's distinctive in the best possible way, even while being rich with references to other iconic works. Emerald Fennell's sophomore feature is an exploration of class differences and a comedy of wickedly bad manners. It also morphs into a surprising, devilish thriller. It's the kind of film where you can’t look away, even when (perhaps especially when) you can’t believe what you’re seeing onscreen.

Saltburn begins with Oliver Quick newly arrived at Oxford. He's a fish out of water on campus as a scholarship student. He comes from the wrong background, he doesn't wear the right clothes, and he doesn't possess the right affect to fit in with the posh students that surround him. When he does a kind turn for Felix Catton, the popular student he's admired from afar, things start looking up and he's ushered into a world of partying and camaraderie. That summer, Felix invites Oliver back to his family estate, Saltburn, and things escalate amid decadence, debauchery, and class tensions.

Saltburn is a lush cinematic experience, composed of fresh, original, shocking images. So many shots feel like discrete works of art, the kind that wouldn't seem out of place in a gilt frame on some illustrious wall, reminiscent of the artistry of Kubrick's Barry Lyndon. At the same time, they all meld together to comprise a masterpiece. The startlingly potent sensuality practically drips from the screen, catching one up in a fever dream of desire and deviancy.

Barry Keoghan plays Oliver, and really proves himself as a leading man. I’ve been following Keoghan’s career with intense interest since his one-two punch of Dunkirk and The Killing of a Sacred Deer in 2017. And boy, is he realizing his potential. He blew me away with his heartrending performance in last year’s The Banshees of Inisherin. He excels at the humorous and the harrowing, sometimes in the same scene. He’s the kind of actor who can genuinely make you laugh and break your heart. He goes all in. You feel his pain, and I know I find myself rooting for his characters even when I probably shouldn’t.

My favorite kind of performance is an unhinged performance, and Keoghan delivers an all-timer in that category. His Oliver is comparable to Mia Goth’s turn in last year’s Pearl, for sheer emotional and eccentric abandon. The extreme emotion and behavior Keoghan exhibits as Oliver is thrilling to watch. Saltburn is such a great star vehicle star for this highly unique, unusual performer who has really been given his time to shine. He commands attention and the camera captures him perfectly here: his intensity and subtlety and those arresting blue eyes. Keoghan is a truly fearless performer. If there's any justice, he'll be nominated for an Oscar for this incredible performance.

This is a great ensemble cast, which includes Jacob Elordi as Felix and Alison Oliver as Venetia, Felix's sister. Carey Mulligan provides a disarmingly sweet and funny turn in a small role. Paul Rhys is chilling as Saltburn's imperious butler. Archie Madekwe is deliciously vicious as Felix's snobby cousin, Farleigh. Richard E. Grant is on point and hilarious as the Catton patriarch. Besides Keoghan, I felt Rosamund Pike was the standout and that this was her best role to date. The part of Elspeth Catton, lady of the manor, seemed tailor-made for her. Saltburn definitely deserves to be nominated for a SAG for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. The actors all play off each other beautifully.

I’m in awe of writer/director Emerald Fennell’s artistry and uncompromising vision. I love how she lets scenes go on uncomfortably long sometimes (like in the infamous climax of Promising Young Woman) to get her point across. She’s not hemmed in by conventions of how long a disquieting scene “should” go on. She doesn’t compromise for anyone or adhere to conventional tastes.

Saltburn is told through a great framing device of Oliver recounting the events of his pivotal year at Oxford and Saltburn to an unknown listener. It keeps you guessing as to who he's relaying this tale to. There are echoes of Wuthering Heights, Brideshead Revisited, The Go-Between, and Call Me by Your Name. In other words, timeless stories that will always resonate in the culture for good reason: they’re primal and get to the heart of the human experience. Yet Fennell's narrative veers in wholly unexpected directions. To watch her pull off the trick of this narrative is a privilege indeed.

Saltburn is a sterling example of bold, unapologetic filmmaking. Emerald Fennell is a cinematic visionary and a canny provocateur. And in case all this rhapsodizing wasn't enough, just know that this movie is HOT. It's fierce and feral and it demands to be seen. Viewers are in for a sick and sexy thrill ride. It's disturbing, deliciously demented, devious, nasty, and wonderfully messed up. Please go see it in theaters: let’s help wild, invigorating, conversation-starting cinema continue to get made and theatrically released.

#saltburn #barry keoghan #movie review #emerald fennell #jacob elordi #rosamund pike #alison oliver #archie madekwe #richard e. grant #recommendation #film #movie #oscars #oscar buzz #review #writing #my writing #recommended

[denimbex1986]

Everyone gets lost in Cillian Murphy’s eyes. At the end of his latest film, “Oppenheimer,” in which he plays the titular character, Oppenheimer stands alone, staring at the pattern of rain droplets over a still pond. As the camera lingers on his face, a ring of fire begins to consume the Earth, and an immense blaze fills the whole scene. Not a sound is uttered, but the emotion conveyed in those piercing blue eyes speaks louder than words.

Murphy’s eyes that speak surely bring the character of Oppenheimer to life, even in the black and white parts of the film. “I try not to think of actors as I write, but Cillian’s eyes were the only eyes I know that can project that intensity,” Nolan said to the New York Times. This is their sixth collaboration, but the first time Murphy has played the lead. With “Oppenheimer” surpassing $900 million at the global box office — becoming one of the most acclaimed biopics to date — audiences have become as eager to learn about it’s as they are about the father of the atomic bomb.

Even though it took Hollywood a while to recognize Murphy’s potential to play a starring role, this quietly intense actor has long been celebrated in the UK and Ireland. A survey of his portfolio since his debut in 1996 reveals a daring selection of characters: Jackson Ripper, a terrorist leader in “Red Eye;” Fischer, the heir to a multi-billion empire in “Inception;” Daniel O’Donovan, an Irish republican in “The Wind That Shakes the Barley;” an anonymous, shivering soldier in “Dunkirk.” None of these names carry the same fame as the legendary physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer on screen today, but Murphy honored them all.

In order to get ready for the part of Patrick “Kitten” Barden, Murphy spent weeks working with a real-life drag queen, who took him clubbing with friends so he could study women’s body language and learn how to dress. To be able to convincingly act out Tommy Shelby, a WWI veteran, he followed a hard-hitting workout plan to look “physically imposing” for the part. The quest to achieve Oppenheimer’s chiseled cheeks and a haunted look took him to the opposite end of the spectrum. According to costar Emily Blunt, on set he would only eat one almond a day to slim down and was so immersed in the role that he skipped cast dinners. According to Murphy, “It’s not the scale, it’s the quality.” For him, great dedication is necessary in order to fully embody his characters.

Clearly, his hard work has paid off. Murphy is now the 5/4 favorite to win Best Actor at the 2024 Oscars for his performance in “Oppenheimer,” as predicted by The Online Betting Guide, and his last role as Tommy Shelby in “Peaky Blinders” earned him his first BAFTA TV Awards nomination for Leading Actor. Prior to this, he also received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for his role as a transgender woman in “Breakfast on Pluto.”

Yet Murphy did not always know he wanted to be an actor, and it took him a long time to discover his life-long passion. His father was a civil servant and his mother a French teacher, but the house was always busy — non-stop music, bookshelves filled with literature, and the radio often on. His parents sent him to an all-boys private school, where he was involved in rugby for some time before giving it up. Then, he tried for a law degree at University College Cork, but he quit that too. He devoted years to doing what his parents wished for, not necessarily what he wanted, and “he didn’t feel good enough.” After that, he had a fleeting music career before a stage production of “A Clockwork Orange” guided him to his true passion — acting.

His first breakthrough came in the 2002 movie “28 Days Later,” where he played Jim, the lone survivor of a pandemic in a desolate London. It was a modern horror classic which served as a launching pad for Murphy’s career, with Nolan later recalling the poster of Murphy with his bald head and “crazy” eyes in a conversation for Entertainment Weekly. His profile continued to grow in 2005 following his roles in several successful films, namely the Scarecrow in “The Dark Knight” and the villain in the action thriller “Red Eye.” For the last two decades, he has built strong relationships with directors such as Boyle and Nolan and continuously wowed audiences with his talent for playing dark, troubled, and tormented characters. But these complex characters are not strictly villains. As Murphy said in an interview with The Guardian, “Villains are good if they’re well written, but if it’s one note or a trope, then they are dull.” He relishes playing these complex characters and likes scripts to stretch into “all the shades” of the human spectrum.

“I can’t remember which director said it, but he said it takes 30 years to make a good actor,” he said to PORT Magazine. 27 years later, coming off the heels of a starring role in a major film, Murphy appears to have achieved his aim.

In an industry that often rewards fast success, Cillian Murphy has chosen a different path. “Peaky Blinders” made the Irish actor a household name, and Nolan’s blockbuster epic took him even further. However, Murphy continued to pursue roles which were often underrated, because it is “a film that you're very sort of proud of and excited by.” Known for his introverted personality, Murphy has chosen a quiet, normal life away from the public eye, even revealing at one point that he did not enjoy the “personality part” of being an actor. “I don’t understand why it’s expected I’ll be scintillating on a talkshow,” he said in an interview with The Guardian. He is true to his word — Murphy’s bored face during interviews has become a popular meme. Indeed, 67 million people on TikTok have watched videos on “Cillian Murphy interview zoning out,” and they can’t seem to get enough of his dissociating clips. Part of his appeal to fans seems to stem from this authenticity, in contrast with so many other celebrities who aim to please.

To Murphy, character is in fact all that matters. Murphy is satisfied with being the man in the shadows, and though he may not be as flashy as Tommy Shelby with “that charisma and swagger,” he believes that this shows that “I’m doing my job” correctly. “Cillian and Tommy are almost polar opposites,” Steven Knight, the “Peaky Blinders” creator, attested in an interview with Esquire.

As recounted in the Esquire interview, when Murphy auditioned for the role, Knight doubted whether this very thin man was the right fit for a Bringham-based gangster. Murphy said a simple yet powerful thing then: “Remember, I’m an actor.” His point was that when he enters a room, he is not Tommy Shelby. But when he is acting, he can become anyone — a gangster, a woman, or a physicist.

What is so mesmerizing about Murphy’s eyes? It is not the color, but the complex, varied emotion that is seen in each glimpse. Murphy can draw people into a story and make them think twice about it afterwards. While he has worked for close to thirty years in the acting industry, making him one of the most prolific actors, neither the standard film crew hierarchy nor his fame will keep him from choosing what truly captivates him. His success is a natural result of his unwavering pursuit and love of the craft.'

#Cillian Murphy #Steven Knight #Tommy Shelby #Peaky Blinders #Oppenheimer #Christopher Nolan #Breakfast on Pluto #Jim #28 Days Later #Jackson Rippner #Red Eye #Robert Fischer #Inception #Damien O'Donovan #The Wind That Shakes The Barley #Dunkirk #Patrick “Kitten” Braden #Emily Blunt #Golden Globes #BAFTA #Oscars #The Dark Knight #Scarecrow

[luckydiorxoxo]

Christopher Nolan has won his first ever #Oscar 

He has previously been nominated for ‘Memento’, ‘Inception’ and ‘Dunkirk’.

#christopher nolan #oppenheimer #oscars

[ultrahpfan5blog]

Barbenheimer Part 2: My thoughts on Oppenheimer.....

After a 50 min break after Barbie, I settle down to watch Oppenheimer in IMAX. I am a big fan of Nolan's movies. I haven't seen Following, but I either like or love every movie he has made. He's one of the few directors who is the star of his own movie, whether the lead actor is someone as famous as Leonardo DiCaprio or some unknowns like in Dunkirk. So I went in with high expectations and Nolan lived up to those expectations again.

Oppenheimer is a movie that leaves you shaken. I genuinely can't believe how a 3 hour movie which is all talk, ended up being so gripping that it just rushed by. This summer has seen its fair share of long movies, with a majority of summer blockbusters clocking in around 2.5 hours, but I felt the length with all of them. Not with Oppenheimer though. While I would hesitate to call it Nolan's best, its easily one of the best of the year.

What is amazing is the film is essentially two films at once. One is a movie about the construction of the bomb and the Trinity test and subsequent deployment of those bombs. The second is a courtroom drama of two legal proceedings happening at different points in time. Both movies are riveting and the structure of the movie is enthralling. The first act of the film basically acts as the first 2 acts of both movies. It sets up the characters, the various dynamics etc.... Then the second act is essentially the final act of the first movie, and the third act, if the final act of the second movie. It was a genius way to keep audience enthralled throughout.

The film is just filled with extraordinary work by everyone involved. The cinematography, costume design, product design, the practical effects, the performances, the directing etc... is all superb. I fully expect this film to get a lot of Oscar nomination come Oscar season. The characters are extremely well realized, and not just Oppenheimer or Strauss, but every single individual. There are so many known actors that appear in this film, sometimes just for a scene or two, but somehow every character is a fully realized character. I also like that Oppenheimer is portrayed as man. He has flaws, but he also has traits to be admired. Even Strauss is not portrayed as evil, just vindictive. Also, as someone who is in the Engineering field, the construction of the bomb was just fascinating to me. I loved watching legendary 20th century scientists, who are rockstars of the scientific community, depicted as people and I loved a lot of their individual interactions. The scenes between Oppenheimer and Einstein for example, were terrific. The final scene between them is genuinely terrifying. In general, the way Oppenheimer's mind is visualized is awesome.

There is not much in terms of flaws. The film is talky. For some, that may be boring. I can maybe say that the actual portrayal of the explosion, while exciting, was not as bombastic and horrifying as it could have been. There are moments in the courtroom drama part of the film, where it feels like it could have been edited down a little. And it took me about 15 minutes to get a handle on the structure of the film and the back and forth time jumps. But honestly, can't think of too much else apart from that.

The performances are incredible across the board. Cillian Murphy should be a top contender for best actor. The guy has been excellent in supporting roles for a while, but he kills it here. Apart from scenes from the Lewis Strauss confirmation hearing, he is on screen for every scene. RDJr finally breaks out of his Tony Stark skin and delivers a superb turn here. He really bursts into top gear in the final act of the film. Emily Blunt is lovely. She is largely in the background but she shines superbly when she has to be front and center towards the end. Matt Damon is immensely likable as Leslie Groves, one of Oppenheimer's true supporters outside of the scientific community. The film is littered with so many other excellent performances. Benny Safdie as Edward Teller, Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence, Kenneth Branaugh as Niels Bohr, Jason Clarke as Roger Robb, Tom Conti as Albert Einstein, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, and David Krumholtz as Isidor Isaac Rabi are all highlights in the movie. Casey Affleck walks in for a couple of scenes and sent chills down my spine with his performance. Alden Ehrenreich has a superb mini arc of his own as aide to Strauss and he has some of the most satisfying scenes in the movie where he converts to an Oppenheimer supporter as he figures out the things Strauss has done. But there are so many excellent performances in this movie that I could go on and on.

As a director, Nolan has really outdone himself. I can't make an assessment as to where this film lands in Nolan's filmography but it is towards the top of an already excellent set of films. I suspect nothing will outdo TDK trilogy and Inception for me, but this might land right behind those. All in all, a 9/10 movie.

#barbenheimer #oppenheimer #christopher nolan #cillian murphy #robert downey jr #emily blunt #matt damon #benny safdie #alden ehrenreich #florence pugh #david krumholtz #kenneth branagh #josh hartnett #jason clarke #robert oppenheimer #kitty oppenheimer #leslie groves #lewis strauss #jean tatlock #ernest lawrence #casey affleck #niels bohr #albert einstein #tom conti #isidor isaac rabi #edward teller

[maaarine]

MBTI & Directors

Christopher Nolan: INTJ

"Christopher Edward Nolan CBE (born 30 July 1970) is a British and American filmmaker.

Known for his Hollywood blockbusters with complex storytelling, Nolan is considered a leading filmmaker of the 21st century. (…)

Nolan gained international recognition with his second film, Memento (2000), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

He transitioned from independent to studio filmmaking with Insomnia (2002), and found further critical and commercial success with The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012), The Prestige (2006) and Inception (2010); the last of these earned Nolan two Oscar nominations—Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

This was followed by Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017), Tenet (2020), and Oppenheimer (2023)."

Sources: video, wiki/Christopher_Nolan

#christopher nolan #oppenheimer #intj #mbti #mbticelebs #mbtidir

[pritishsblog]

BEST DIRECTORS IN CINEMA-5

Hi everyone! This blog is going to be the 5th part of my 8 part series of who I think is the Best Director Cinema has ever seen

And today I will be talking about

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

Christopher Nolan (born July 30, 1970, London, England) is a British film director and writer acclaimed for his noirish visual aesthetic and unconventional, often highly conceptual narratives. His notable films include Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017), and several Batman movies. In 2024 Nolan won an Academy Award for best director for Oppenheimer (2023), which was also named best picture.

(Early Life)

Nolan was raised by an American mother and a British father, and his family spent time in both Chicago and London. As a child, he attended Haileybury, a boarding school just outside London. From a young age Nolan was interested in moviemaking and would use his father’s Super-8 camera to make shorts. He was influenced by George Lucas’s Star Wars trilogy and by the immersive dystopian films of Ridley Scott.After attending University College London, where he studied English literature, Nolan began directing corporate and industrial training videos. At the same time he was working on his first full-length release, Following (1998). The film centers on a writer going to dangerous lengths to find inspiration; it took Nolan 14 months to complete. On the strength of its success on the festival circuit, he and his producer wife, Emma Thomas, moved to Hollywood.

(His Famous Works)

Nolan gained international recognition with his second film, Memento (2000), and transitioned into studio filmmaking with Insomnia (2002). He became a high-profile director with The Dark Knight trilogy (2005–2012), and found further success with The Prestige (2006), Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), and Dunkirk (2017). After the release of Tenet (2020), Nolan parted ways with longtime distributor Warner Bros. Pictures, and signed with Universal Pictures for the biographical thriller Oppenheimer (2023), which won him Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture.

(Filmmaking Style)

His Filmmaking Style

Nolan's films are largely centred in metaphysical themes, exploring the concepts of time, memory and personal identity. His work is characterised by mathematically inspired ideas and images, unconventional narrative structures, materialistic perspectives, and evocative use of music and sound.Joseph Bevan wrote, "His films allow arthouse regulars to enjoy superhero flicks and multiplex crowds to engage with labyrinthine plot conceits. Nolan views himself as "an indie filmmaker working inside the studio system"

(His Filmography)

Nolan made his directorial debut in 1998 with a movie named Following (1998). He made many other films such as Memento in 2000,Insomnia in 2002. He also made the Batman Trilogy which included Bataman Begins (2005),The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). In between the Batman Trilogy he directed movies like Prestige (2006) and Inception (2010). After this Nolan directed movies such as Interstellar (2014),Dunkirk (2017),Tenet (2020) and Oppenheimer (2023).

Nolan's hand and shoe prints in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theatre

(Awards & Honors)

Nolan has won 2 Academy Awards out of the 8 nominations, 2 BAFTA's out of the 8 nominations and he has 1 Golden Globe Award out of 6 nominations.

(Sources)

And that's it for this part folks, I'll meet you with another blog about some of the Greatest Directors Cinema has ever seen. Until then

CIAO

#Oppenheimer #christopher nolan #batman #dark knight

[marisatomay]

whenever i watch dunkirk i have a little teehee a chuckle that harold stylo fans really were calling for him to get an oscar nomination for it

#there are like 10 people doing more than him fr like

[alarrytale]

I listened to a podcast and a gay man was talking about Harry queerbaiting. Unfortunately he seemed to think that Harry was queerbaiting for sure. I was expecting more nuance and that he would bring up closeted gay men but nope, he thought Harry was queerbaiting. But he mentioned that he wouldn't mind Harry using gay aesthetics if he contributed to the lgbtq+ community in a way like by activism and charity. To be an ally. It was an interesting point. Harry hasn't done this really, he just waves pride flags and dresses flamboyant. Pleasing has donated to an lgbtq+ charity before but it wasn't publicized, it didn't leave the fandom. Harry has worked with lgbtq+ designers but again it doesn't tend to leave the fandom. His queer coding doesn't get picked up outside the fandom because it's so subtle. It doesn't even get picked up much within the fandom since a lot of his fans are straight. He really needs to take bigger actions like donate publicly to lgbtq+ charities, post about pride and do some activism. More bigger things. I remember when he got nominated for a glaad award for lgbtq+ ally and he didn't even turn up. He didn't win but he could have made an appearance. There is just so much more he could do and it would probably help diminish the queerbaiting accusations.

Hi, anon!

He's done some small things over the years, like wishing the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard happy 40th birthday.

He's donated his Gucci loafers to and LGBTQ charity.

He also posted a congratulation to the US after the legalisation of gay marriage in 2015. So he has done some things, it's just been a long time since he's done anything like this and it's not widespread known information. I generally find both H and L's charity involvement and social activism lacking. They used to be so involved and do so much to put focus on important issues, now we hardly see them do anything.

I'm also not sure that all queer people will "forgive" H for queerbaiting or start to tolerate it if he starts showing ally support for the lgbtqai+ community. I also think it might be a little too late, and a very obvious attempt at damage control. It might just make things worse. Doing a lot of lgbtqai focused work will also make people question his sexuality, and he's trying to manipulate people into not questioning his sexuality. So it's all very tricky.

#queerbaiting #go gay go! #harry image #charity

[greensparty]

Thoughts on the 2024 Oscars

Just the other day I posted my Best Movies of 2023 list, so you pretty much know what I was rooting for! But here are some thoughts on tonight's awards, telecast and winners:

Best Director: Christopher Nolan - he deserved this award, but he easily should've won for Memento, The Dark Knight, Inception or Dunkirk too.

Best Actress: Emma Stone - really Academy? Lilly Gladstone should've won for Killers of the Flower Moon. That was a performance where she leaned into the silences and it was all in the eyes. While Emma Stone gave a powerhouse performance in Poor Things (an uneven movie IMHO) it was more of a showy "hey, look at me" performance. It's hard to compare both performances since they were so different but Gladstone should've won (and made history).

Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr. - Congrats to the first SNL cast member (he was in the 1985-86 season) to win an Acting Oscar. So cool to see the supporting actor from Weird Science, Back to School and A Scanner Darkly win! He probably should've won for Tropic Thunder, but he is worthy of this award for this performance!

Best Supporting Actress: Da'Vine Joy Randolph - I named The Holdovers my Best Movie of 2023 so I'm thrilled they did the right thing and at least rewarded Randolph!

Best Documentary Feature Film: 20 Days in Mariupol - I named this my Best Documentary of 2023. Big Congrats to GBH, Frontline and everyone involved with this powerful doc!

Best Animated Short Film: War Is Over - In my recent guide to the Oscar Nominated Short Films I predicted this. But big congrats to co-writer / executive producer Sean Ono Lennon. The son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono oversaw the short animated film inspired by John and Yoko's "Happy Xmas (War is Over)". I met Mr. Sean Ono Lennon when he did an in-store performance at Other Music in NYC in 2010. In Feb. 2015, I named his band Ghost of the Saber Tooth Tiger's album Midnight Sun my #1 Album of 2014. Then both The GOASTT and their leader Sean Lennon retweeted it and thanked me! I've also gotten to cover his band The Claypool Lennon Delirium here as well.

Best Live Action Short Film: The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar - another short film I predicted would win. Wes Anderson has been nominated in a lot of other categories, but it's nice to see him finally win, even if he should've won for Bottle Rocket or Rushmore!

Very cool to see Slash doing a guitar solo during "I'm Just Ken". Yes the Barbie song lost to Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell's "What Was I Made For" also from that film, but how cool was it to see the GNR guitarist ripping it up at the Oscars?!

#2024 academy awards #oscars #christopher nolan #oppenheimer #poor things #killers of the flower moon #emma stone #robert downey jr #snl #20 days in mariupol #war is over #sean lennon #the wonderful world of henry sugar #wes anderson #slash #barbie #film geek #music nerd

[stevenwexler]

OPPENHEIMER (2023). The film neither celebrates genius, tortured or otherwise, nor erases history. Rather, OPPENHEIMER *chooses* a deliberately narrow scope to *reveal* the contradictions in scientific life given that science can be political, profit-driven, and desperate. If there is hagiography it is for the idea of solidarity and dissent, not personal glory (or martyrdom). Put another way, Nolan’s depiction of one historical moment, the atomic bomb’s realization, like Nolan’s DUNKIRK (2017), omits much for the sake of its limited narrative choices, i.e., the up-close view and interweaving of A-Bomb science and Cold War-US dealings. But whereas DUNKIRK removes all political history and economy to show us soldier desperation in real-time, OPPENHEIMER permits a brief glimpse at the ideological push-and-pull between US liberalism and US communism (nominally), capitalist-bureaucratic statehood and collective resistance. That Oppenheimer’s politics (here) appear to fall somewhere inbetween should *not* be mistaken as complicity with soft radicalism (or worse, as with some readings of DARK KNIGHT RISES, Dir. Nolan’s ostensible fascism), but instead Oppenheimer’s *brilliant* understanding that we don’t know *what* communism looks like—yet—since it’s never happened. One might, however, struggle toward the theory’s realization, one of OPPENHEIMER’s sublime themes.

#oppenheimer

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

M have you watch saltburn? I don’t think i have anything with the actors(barry/Jacob) nor have i seen anything from the director. I have been seeing tiktok about the movie. I found Barry interesting if you have watched any movie with him wich one do you recommend. I just don’t want to go straight into saltburn.

I haven't seen it yet and I don't know when. I checked all the local movie theaters and it wasn't in the program and I have a feeling I'll have to wait until it gets online. Which sucks btw.

I know Jacob Elordi from Euphoria and I think he was in the Kissing Booth series which I heard he is trying really hard to distance himself from them. Which I understand, they're some teenager/silly, bad Netflix productions. And there's Priscilla as well (still haven't seen that either).

As to Barry, when I looked him up on imdb, I realized he was in a few films that I watched, but honestly, he didn't stuck in my head. He was in Dunkirk, The Killing of a Sacreed Deer, Chernobyl (all which I recommend, but perhaps not for his performance).

What I do remember him in was The Banshees of Inisherin in which he was really good, I think he even got nominated for an Oscar. But his role was more substantial as well, so that played a big part.

I'm interested in Saltburn. From the press rounds and statements, it sounds a bit crazy, but I've also read criticism that an upper class director perhaps is not best suited to make a commentary on class struggle by taking an "eat the rich" approach. And that is more style over substance. Oh well, that won't stop me, I want to see at least how good that style is, yk?

#m thoughts #saltburn

[denimbex1986]

'Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan has said he "absolutely" will not work on another film until the Hollywood strikes are resolved.

Tens of thousands of Hollywood actors have joined writers in taking industrial action, because they want streaming giants to agree to a fairer split of profits and better working conditions.

The Screen Actors Guild also wants to protect actors from being usurped by digital replicas.

Nolan admitted he was "very fortunate with the timing", as his film's premieres were held just before the strike began, meaning Oppenheimer would not be affected by industry members stopping work.

When asked if he would write another film during the strike, he told BBC Culture editor Katie Razzall: "No, absolutely. It's very important that everybody understands it is a very key moment in the relationship between working people and Hollywood.

"This is not about me, this is not about the stars of my film," the acclaimed director, writer and producer added.

"This is about jobbing actors, this is about staff writers on television programmes trying to raise a family, trying to keep food on the table."

As more production companies use streaming platforms - like Netflix and Amazon Prime - for their shows, it has changed how actors and writers get paid.

Previously every time an episode was re-run on a TV network, it would tend to involve payment, allowing those who worked on projects to get by in between jobs.

The director said the companies involved had not yet "accommodated how they're going to in this new world of streaming, and a world where they're not licensing their products out to other broadcasters - they're keeping them for themselves".

Nolan, who was Oscar-nominated five times for the films Dunkirk, Inception and Memento, added: "They have not yet offered to pay appropriately to the unions' working members, and it's very important that they do so.

"I think you'd never want a strike, you never want industrial action.

"But there are times where it's necessary. This is one of those times."

Speaking ahead of the London premiere, where several of Oppenheimer's stars left the red carpet early to strike, he explained: "It's very important to bear in mind that there are people who have been out of work for months now, as part of the writers strike, and with the actors potentially joining - a lot of people are going to suffer."

Despite the row in California, British-born Nolan has no current plans to work more in the UK, his home country, as he prefers to be "on the real locations" where his films are set.

"The UK has wonderful film studios," he explained. "It's a great place to come to shoot a film if you're going to be on sound stages."

Oppenheimer tells the story of J Robert Oppenheimer, the enigmatic Manhattan Project scientist, who had a leading role in developing the atomic bomb that made him a "destroyer of worlds".

He "gave us the power to destroy ourselves and that had never happened before", Nolan said.

Commissioned by the US Government during World War II, and believing themselves in a nuclear race with the Nazis over who would create the bomb first, in 1945 scientists in Los Alamos, New Mexico detonated a test bomb, codenamed Trinity.

Their invention was then used, controversially, to end the war, dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to devastating effect.

The film is an exploration not just of Oppenheimer's story, but of the "incredible decision" the scientists took on that first occasion.

"There's a possibility that when you push that button, you might destroy the entire world," Nolan told the BBC.

"And yet they went ahead and they pushed it. How could you make that decision? How could you take that on yourself?"

Another existential threat to civilization is AI, which is also part of the Hollywood strike and makes the Oppenheimer movie more timely.

"One of the interesting things about putting this film out is it's coming at a time when there are a lot of new technologies that people start to worry about the unintended consequences," he said.

"When you talk to leaders in the field of AI, as I do from time to time, they see this moment right now as their Oppenheimer moment. They're looking to his story to say, 'what are our responsibilities? How can we deal with the potential unintended consequences?' Sadly, for them, there are no easy answers."

Nolan is one of a rare number of Hollywood directors. His films - Interstellar, the Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception amongst them - are both blockbusters and arthouse fare; critically acclaimed and, Tenet aside, which was released during the pandemic, box office successes.

"I make the films that I really want to go to the cinema and sit down with my popcorn and watch" he says. "I started making films when I was a kid. I made Super 8 films from when I was seven or eight years old and I've never stopped".

He's a champion of the big screen who, famously, left Warner Bros for rival Universal to make Oppenheimer.

Nolan's known for wanting his films to feel authentic rather than computer-generated.

There was even a rumour doing the rounds on the internet that he had set off a real atomic bomb in New Mexico for Oppenheimer.

"We recreated the circumstances of it," he said, "obviously not using an atomic weapon. What we're trying to portray is this moment of absolute beauty and absolute terror.

"This is the moment that really changed the world."'

#Christopher Nolan #Oppenheimer #Screen Actors Guild #Amazon Prime #Netflix #Inception4 #Dunkirk #Memento #Interstellar #The Dark Knight Trilogy #Inception #Tenet

[crowdvscritic]

crowd vs. critic single take // MRS. MINIVER (1942)

Photo credits: IMDb.com

Mrs. Miniver takes place in two eras: the time before September 3, 1939 and the time after.

Before Great Britain declares war on Germany, Mr. Clem (Walter Pidgeon) and Mrs. Kay (Greer Garson) Miniver’s biggest concerns are about money. Specifically, they spend their energy convincing each other—and their upper crust neighbor Lady Beldon (Dame Mae Whitty)—their spending on little luxuries like hats and cars is worthy of their family’s middle class income. Though Lady Beldon does not care for blurring social lines, her granddaughter Carol (Teresa Wright) is more open-minded, catching the eye of the collegiate Vin Miniver (Richard Ney). But everything changes on September 3rd. Vin enlists, Clem volunteers, and Kay makes a bomb shelter comfortable for their young children. For the Minivers, World War II is not just on the battlefield on the continent—it’s here at home.

CROWD // And the Academy’s love affair with World War II begins! Mrs. Miniver is the first of 11 Best Picture winners set during or immediately after the war, which means more than 10% of the Academy’s top prizes have been dedicated to defeating the Nazis. Even among those titles, though, Mrs. Miniver is singular. Casablanca, From Here to Eternity, The Bridge on River Kwai, Patton, and The English Patient follow soldiers and resistance fighters; The Sound of Music, Schindler’s List, and The King’s Speech recount true stories of extraordinary individuals living through the conflict; and The Best Years of Our Lives and An American in Paris depict the struggle to rebuild the world afterward.

Unlike those epics, we only see the Minivers on the homefront. Vin joins the Royal Air Force, but like his mother, we only wonder what he sees from the cockpit. Clem supports the efforts at Dunkirk, but Christopher Nolan still felt the need to depict that rescue of troops in his own film because we never see Clem beyond the horizon of Britain’s shores. Yes, the episodic Miniver lacks the jet-fueled forward propulsion of Nolan’s film, but that wouldn’t be honest with the civilian experience. The family’s skirmishes with danger are few and unpredictable, and in some ways, that makes them more upsetting. When tragedy does strike, it hits a family we’ve laughed and rejoiced with around the dinner table, making this melodrama still moving today.

POPCORN POTENTIAL: 8/10

CRITIC // If there’s any criticism to be leveled at Mrs. Miniver, it’s that its affection for the titular family is blind. Character flaws? Complex motives? Who needs them when you’re trying to create a rousing morale-booster justifying a global conflict still in the court of public opinion? The Minivers and their neighbors are symbolic avatars more than well-rounded individuals, which is just one reason Winston Churchill called this film “propaganda worth a hundred battleships.” In fact, the last scene was literally re-distributed as print and radio propaganda!

Still, given that this particular fight against fascism is one with fewer moral gray areas, romanticizing these people fighting out of uniform has aged better than, say, a film about the Russian Revolution. In the history of cinema, a majority of war films focus on combat and political leaders, while Mrs. Miniver reminds us the people at home—including but not limited to the oft-disenfranchised women, children, elderly, and working classes—can be just as cudgeled by war without enlisting. They may avoid the trenches, but their food, shelter, life, and limb are just as uncertain, not to mention the future of their loved ones serving in the military. With that in mind, who’s to complain about making these hometown heroes so likable? 

It’s also difficult to fault Mrs. Miniver for idolizing its subjects when its cast and its craft are working in tandem with its vision. William Wyler, who still holds the record for the most Best Director nominations at 12, assembled a cast as winning as the parts they were playing, none more than the Garson’s Mrs. Miniver herself. Her hopeful but clear-eyed face of determination creates a center of gravity for the rest of the actors, and the compassion driving her never becomes too syrupy. 

ARTISTIC TASTE: 9/10

#Mrs. Miniver #1942 #Best Picture #Best Picture Project #Academy Awards #Oscars #Greer Garson #Crowd #Critic #Single Take #Dame Mae Whitty #Teresa Wright #Richard Ney #Walter Pidgeon #Mrs. Miniver review #Casablanca #From Here to Eternity #The Bridge on River Kwai #Patton #The English Patient #The Sound of Music #Schindler’s List #The King’s Speech #The Best Years of Our Lives #An American in Paris #Dunkirk #Christopher Nolan #8/10 #9/10