I'm generally a big fan of Christopher Nolan's work but even then I feel like I underestimated him before watching this film. A staggering accomplishment. This easily could have been an Oscar-bait biopic but Oppenheimer still feels undoubtedly like a Nolan movie. Nolan's growth as a director is especially apparent here as he has maintained his signature style but as a way of strengthening the themes of the movie rather than becoming a distraction. Multiple timelines are still present in this film like any other Nolan film but they are done in a way that feels justified and allow us to understand how different events in his life relate to each other.

Additionally, I'm really impressed by the way Nolan handles the politics of the atomic bomb in this film. Many skeptics were afraid that Oppenheimer would be little more than a glorification of the man who created one of the most dangerous weapons ever but it is so funny how untrue that turned out to be. It's such a scathing indictment on not only Oppenheimer but the entire American government and anyone who was involved in making the bomb/dropping the bombs on Japan.

As a big analog-head, I've always admired Nolan for pushing the boundaries of analog filmmaking. Nolan has always been one of the pioneers of using IMAX for feature films, and for a long time, this was always seen as an impossible feat since IMAX cameras are so fucking loud you pretty much have to ADR your entire scene, which makes filming dialogue-heavy scenes needlessly complicated (side note: IMAX is actually now working on different prototype cameras that can shoot 15/70 IMAX film in a much quieter way, which should is pretty exciting).

I think even if Nolan just shot on IMAX as a gimmick, it would be pretty exciting technologically, but seeing scenes like the Trinity test and the sweeping landscapes of Los Alamos proves that Oppenheimer is a prime example of how a movie with no action and big set-pieces can still justify being shot on large format. This is something I don't think I've seen people talk about much but close-ups shots in IMAX just looks incredible. A film/sensor size this large yields a pretty razor-thin depth of field, and Nolan takes full advantage of that. Dare I say the close-ups here are on-par with how Barry Jenkins shoots faces. Close-up shots of Oppenheimer drift in and out of focus as he moves. Head shots are shot at such a wide aperture that Kitty's eyes are in focus but her cheeks are literally already starting to blur. It's just such a stunningly unique look.