93/100

”Is anyone ever going to tell the truth about what's happening here?”

Simply put, this is monumental is almost every way. A film so captivating and compelling to watch that for the entire runtime I sat in an almost trance in what I was watching. Christopher Nolan not only allowed himself to be engrossed in creating a film that left so much on the screen. This really does feel like a huge culmination of everything that he’s worked towards and there is no denying how much you can tell from watching it. From the first few seconds watching and listening to this start I knew it was going to be something unforgettable.

Christopher Nolan is easily my all-time favorite director and it’s no secret that each one of his films I’ve given a very great rating for, I mean the man just cannot miss for me so initially my anticipation for this was through the roof. Then, suddenly I just was so ready for this that I forgot about it? I don’t know if that makes sense but the week or so leading up to this I had only seen the first trailer and I was so ready for it that it completely left my mind. Until I sat down and experienced something that was completely unexpected and watching it unfold left me genuinely speechless. The way he wove each integral moment in Oppenheimer’s life splicing these surreal thoughts and images like we’re watching his mind at work created this dynamic of both insane attention and fear of what’s going to unfold here.

The way editor Jennifer Lame creates the film is nothing sort of excellence. There is no doubt in my mind of the most important aspects of this film is the way Lame is able, not only to create that sense of horror or paranoia that’s in Oppenheimer’s head, but so many times I literally felt it in my bones. Maybe that’s just the Dolby theater helping with that, but seriously it was unnerving and yet, I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. That’s not even mentioning the way that certain acts in this are portrayed. The theater sequence with clapping (you know if you know) is one of the best of the year. I’m sitting in awe and terror and disgust and horror and so many times I just sat in silence engrossed in a film that I didn’t think would have this big of an effect on me.

This is also done more effectively through the simple and pure fact that Cillian Murphy is an absolute unit here. A performance that while I thought would be great, it was in different ways. The best way I feel like to describe the way Murphy is here is that he isn’t so much *doing* something remarkable, the way he does it is remarkable. If that makes sense. Like watching the way he acts and reacts to everything around him and his facial expressions and the hollow look he has is something of such brilliance that I knew he’s had in him, just needed this film to really break it out. That’s on top of a career-rejuvenating performance from RDJ. Such a different performance, but one equally compelling in all the wrong (best?) ways.

Plus! The entire side cast is fantastic as well. Specially Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, & Alden Ehrenreich. Blunt specifically I really liked here. A more subtle way but against Murphy is works like a charm. Pugh is always great too. I mean I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed in a film she’s in? Again not only does the supporting cast create the film as much as Murphy but the way they interact with each other as well is what brings it all together. How could I not love this? Nolan is a master and everyone knows it. So many memorable moments; the Trinity Test, the final testimony, the literal last scene. God so much greatness. Oppenheimer is surly the best film of the year so far and man is it something special.

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Also appearing in all of the lists here.