OPPENHEIMER : Tuesday 25th July 2023.

'OPPENHEIMER' which I saw at my local independent movie theatre this week is an MA15+ Rated American biographical war drama film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Christopher Nolan, and is based on the 2005 biography 'American Prometheus' by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Christopher Nolan's prior film making credits take in his debut with 'Following' in 1998 then 'Momento' in 2000, 'Insomnia' in 2002, 'Inception' in 2010, 'Interstellar' in 2014, 'Dunkirk' in 2017, 'Tenet' in 2020 with the 'Batman' trilogy in between time in 2005, 2008 and 2012. The film cost US$100M to produce, saw its World Premiere showcasing in Paris on 11th July, was released in the UK, the USA and here in Australia last week, has so far grossed US$242M and has garnered universal critical acclaim.

The film opens in 1926 with a dishevelled looking 22-year-old J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) who has trouble sleeping at night and grapples with homesickness and anxiety while studying under the British experimental physicist Patrick Blackett (James D'Arcy) at the Cavendish Laboratory in the University of Cambridge, England. Oppenheimer finds Blackett demanding and injects an apple he leaves on his desk with cyanide which visiting scientist Niels Bohr (Kenneth Branagh) almost bites into but not before Oppenheimer thrusts it out of his hand and into a waste bin. Oppenheimer completes his PhD in physics at the University of Gottingen in Germany, where he is introduced to Werner Heisenberg (Matthias Schweighofer). He returns to the US, in the hope of expanding quantum physics research, and starts teaching at the University of California, Berkeley and the California Institute of Technology. During this period, he meets Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh), a member of the US Communist Party with whom he has an on-again off-again affair until her eventual suicide in 1944, and later his future wife Katherine 'Kitty' Puening (Emily Blunt), a biologist and ex-Communist whom Oppenheimer married in 1940 and with whom he has two children.

US Army General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon) enlists Oppenheimer to spearhead the Manhattan Project in order to develop an atomic bomb after Oppenheimer assures Groves that he has no communist sympathies. Oppenheimer, a Jew, is particularly focused on the Nazis and the very likely possibility that they have their own nuclear weapons programme underway, headed up by Werner Heisenberg. 

Oppenheimer recruits a scientific team that includes Edward Teller (Benny Safdie), Isidor Isaac Rabi (David Krumholtz) and David L. Hill (Rami Malek), to a purpose built town in the middle of nowhere at Los Alamos, New Mexico, to begin work on secretly creating the atomic bomb. During the development, Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein (Tom Conti) discuss how such a bomb could possibly trigger a chain reaction that has the potential to destroy the world. Oppenheimer also learns of a possible Soviet spy within his ranks who has potentially leaked the Manhattan Project's secretive intelligence data to the Russians.

When Germany surrenders in May 1945 some project scientists cast doubt over the bomb's continued importance. The bomb is completed and the initial 'Trinity' test is successfully conducted on 16th July 1945 just before the Potsdam Conference involving Winston Churchill, Harry S. Truman and Joseph Stalin which began on 17th July in Potsdam, Germany. US President Harry S. Truman (Gary Oldman) decides to drop atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6th and 9th August 1945 respectively forcing Japan's surrender and thrusting Oppenheimer into the public eye as the 'father of the atomic bomb'. Haunted by the immense destruction and suffering the bombs caused, Oppenheimer personally urges Truman to use restraint in developing even more powerful weapons, saying that he has 'blood on his hands'. Truman perceives Oppenheimer's anxiety as a weakness, and states that, as President, he alone bears responsibility for the bomb's use. Upon leaving the Oval Office feeling very dejected Truman says to his aide that he doesn't ever want to see that 'scientist crybaby again'. Oppenheimer continues feeling intense remorse.

Oppenheimer is outspoken, in government circles, about any further nuclear development, especially of the hydrogen bomb, positioning him against Teller. His steadfast opinions become a point of contention amid the escalating Cold War with the Soviet Union. Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jnr.), chairman of the US Atomic Energy Commission, has a personal beef against Oppenheimer for publicly dismissing his concerns over the export of radioisotopes and, as per Strauss' belief, badmouthing him to Einstein. 

At a four week kangaroo court hearing in 1954 intended to remove Oppenheimer from any and all political influence, and as largely cross examined by Roger Robb (Jason Clarke), Oppenheimer is betrayed by Teller's and other associates' testimony, including the final nail in the coffin delivered by William L. Borden (David Dastmalchian),stating that he firmly believed that J. Robert Oppenheimer was an agent of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile Strauss exploits Oppenheimer's associations with current and former communists such as Tatlock and Oppenheimer's brother Frank (Dylan Arnold).

Despite Rabi and several other allies testifying in Oppenheimer's defence, Oppenheimer's security clearance is revoked by a vote of 2 -1 although his loyalty to the United States was not brought into question. However, this did damage his public image and reduced to zero his policy influence. Later, at Strauss' Senate confirmation hearing as Secretary of Commerce, Hill exposes Strauss' personal motives in engineering Oppenheimer's downfall, which results in Strauss' confirmation being denied.

In 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson presents Oppenheimer the Enrico Fermi Award (awarded to honour scientists of international stature for their lifetime achievement in the development, use, or production of energy) as a gesture of political rehabilitation. It is revealed that Oppenheimer and Einstein's earlier conversation was not about Strauss but rather nuclear weapons and their far-reaching impacts ultimately. Oppenheimer muses whether the Trinity test, to a large extent, his creation, could launch a chain reaction of events that could lead to a nuclear holocaust. 

'Oppenheimer' is possibly Christopher Nolan's best film offering yet, and that's saying something given the quality of his varied back catalogue over the past twenty or so years. Here he has crafted a film that is well scripted, stunningly photographed, and packed with emotion, intrigue, a stellar ensemble cast and an underlying message that is just as important today as it was almost eighty years ago. Cillian Murphy gives a tour-de-force performance as the torn and troubled Oppenheimer wrestling with his own inner demons over the magnitude of his creation and the implications for all of humankind, and is more than ably supported by Emily Blunt, Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jnr. This is a compelling film that tells the story of war, the people wielding the power and who you can ultimately trust that needs to be viewed on the biggest screen you can get to. It deserves all the accolades bestowed upon it come awards season, and despite it being largely a dialogue driven drama grips the attention from the get go, until the final half hour where the story drags just a little - but don't let that put you off. One of the must see films of the year for sure. Also starring Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Dane DeHaan, Matthew Modine, Scott Grimes, Alden Ehrenreich, James Remar and Olivia Thirlby.

'Oppenheimer' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 20th July 2023

The 27th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival kicks off on Thursday 20th July and runs through until Wednesday 9th August. This genre film festival has been based mainly in Montreal, Canada since its founding in 1996, and focuses on niche, B-rated and low budget movies in various genres, from horror to science-fiction. By virtue of the reputation developed over the last two decades, Fantasia has been called the 'most outstanding and largest genre film festival in North America'. Its mission is to promote genre, anti-Hollywood cinema and assist independent filmmakers. Every year the programme offers master-classes and special screenings, as well as World and American Premieres, press-conferences and meetings with Actors and Directors. 

Fantasia's flagship juried section is the Cheval Noir, with the competition winners being awarded with the festival's mascot statuette, a mighty black pegasus. This section showcases a global selection of of varied genre works from new and established, groundbreaking and unconventional auteurs. There are thirteen feature films being screened within this section this year, and these are as follows :-

* 'Aporia' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Jared Moshe, this drama Sci-Fi has its World Premiere screening.

* 'The Red Rooms' - from Canada and Written and Directed by Pascal Plante, this thriller is Fantasia's Opening Night Film and sees its North American Premiere.

* 'Femme' - from the UK and Written and Directed by Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping, this drama, horror, thriller LGBTQIA+ film stars George Mackay and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett in its North American Premiere. 

* 'Hippo' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Mark H. Rapaport, this drama, comedy, thriller fantasy film sees its World Premiere showcasing. 

* 'Insomniacs After School' - from Japan and Co-Written and Directed by Chihiro Ikeda, this drama family romance film has its International Premiere.

* 'Lovely, Dark and Deep' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Teresa Sutherland, this horror film stars Georgina Campbell and has its World Premiere viewing.

* 'Ms. Apocalypse' - from South Korea and Written and Directed by Lim Sun-ae, this drama film has its World Premiere.

* 'Phantom' - from South Korea and Written and Directed by Lee Hae-young, this spy action thriller film has its North American Premier showcasing.

* 'River' - from Japan and Directed by Junta Yamaguchi, this comedy Sci-Fi film sees its North American Premiere screening.

* 'Stay Online' - from Ukraine and Co-Written and Directed by Eva Strelnikova, this drama action film is the first Ukrainian feature film to have been shot since the beginning of the ongoing Russian invasion, and sees its World Premiere viewing.

* 'Tiger Stripes' - from Germany, Taiwan, France and Malaysia and Written and Directed by Amanda Nell Eu, this fantasy film has its North American Premiere. 

* 'Vincent Must Die' - from France and Directed by Stephan Castang, this thriller film sees its North American Premiere.

* 'Where the Devil Roams' - from the USA and Written, Directed and starring John Adams, Zelda Adams and Toby Poser, this horror film has its World Premier screening.

For the full synopsis of the aforementioned films, plus the films showing in the other competitive strands - including the New Flesh Competition for Best First Feature, the International Short Film Competition, the Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation and the Camera Lucida, plus the special tribute of the Cheval Noir Career Award to be presented to Nicolas Cage - the 'remarkable performer responsible for bringing life to some of the most fascinating people to grace the big screen in some of the most extraordinary films ever made'. Cage's latest film offering 'Sympathy for the Devil' is also being screened in its World Premiere viewing. The Closing Night Film is 'We Are Zombies' from Canada and France and is Written and Directed by Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell and also sees its World Premiere. Get all the details plus a whole lot more good stuff, from the official website at : https://fantasiafestival.com/fr which you can translate into English at the click of a button. 

This week then to tease you out to your local big screen Odeon on a cold mid-Winter's evening, we have three new movies coming your way, and we kick off with an epic biographical drama offering from an acclaimed Director with an all star cast that tells the story of the theoretical physicist who helped develop the first nuclear weapons. Next up is fantasy comedy offering from another acclaimed Director and also featuring an ensemble cast that sees a doll living in Barbieland, who’s forced to leave due to her so-called imperfections, and then embarking on an adventure in the real world; before closing out the week with a French drama film centering one man's ambition to become one of the top pastry chef's in the land. 

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the three latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the coming week.

'OPPENHEIMER' (Rated MA15+) - this American biographical war drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Christopher Nolan, and is based on the 2005 biography 'American Prometheus' by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Christopher Nolan's prior film making credits take in his debut with 'Following' in 1998 then 'Momento' in 2000, 'Insomnia' in 2002, 'Inception' in 2010, 'Interstellar' in 2014, 'Dunkirk' in 2017, 'Tenet' in 2020 with the 'Batman' trilogy in between time in 2005, 2008 and 2012. The film cost US$100M to produce and is released in the UK, the USA and here in Australia this week. 

This is the story of American scientist and theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and his role in the development of the atomic bomb, that ultimately would bring an end to WWII, and herald in the nuclear age. Also starring an ensemble cast that takes in Emily Blunt as Oppenheimer's wife, biologist and botanist Katherine 'Kitty' Oppenheimer, Matt Damon as General Leslie Groves Jr., Director of the Manhattan Project, and Robert Downey, Jr. as Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the US Atomic Energy Commission. In addition, there is also Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh, Benny Safdie, Dane DeHaan, Matthew Modine, Jason Clarke, David Dastmalchian, Gary Oldman, Olivia Thirlby and Tom Conti. 

'BARBIE' (Rated PG) - is a much hyped fantasy comedy film Co-Written by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach and Directed by Greta Gerwig and is based on the Barbie fashion dolls by the world's second largest toy maker, Mattel. The film is the first live-action Barbie film after many computer-animated direct-to-video and streaming TV films. Greta Gerwig's previous feature film making credits are her debut with Joe Swanberg on 'Nights and Weekends' in 2008, before her breakout 'Lady Bird' in 2017, and then 'Little Women' in 2019. Here then, Barbie (Margot Robbie, who also Co-Produces here) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) are having the time of their lives in the colourful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world on a journey of self discovery they soon learn of the joys and perils of living among humans. Also starring Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Emma Mackey and Dua Lipa as alternate versions of Barbie, and Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu and John Cena as alternate versions of Ken together with Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, Rhea Perlman and America Ferrera. The film cost US$100M to produce, saw its World Premiere screening in Los Angeles earlier this month and is released worldwide from this week. 

'SUGAR AND STARS' (Rated M) - this French drama film is Directed by Sebastien Tulard in his feature film making debut. The film centres upon Yazid (Riadh Belaiche) who for as long as her can remember, has had one big passion - that of pastry making and cooking up delicious desserts for his adoptive family. At night before drifting off to sleep he would stare longingly at the pictures of his favourite pastry chefs on the wall – propelled forward by his dream of becoming a great chef just like his heroes. Securing an apprenticeship at a prestigious Parisian restaurant, he must suddenly learn to navigate the elitist pastry world under the guidance of the chefs he so idolises. Throughout his journey, Yazid must grapple with homelessness, family issues and a lack of belonging, completely set on his goal – to compete for Paris at the International Pastry Championships. With his talent and the support of true friends, Yazid might just be one step closer to finding the secret ingredient to achieving his dreams – against all odds. This film saw its World Premiere in Epernay, France in mid-January this year, went on general release in its native France in late February, saw its Australian Premiere at the French Film Festival in early March and is now on general release here in Australia from this week. 

With three new release movie offerings this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-