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The Reviews Are In For "Oppenheimer" And Critics Are Saying It's Incredible

It's so funny how every 3-4 years, Christopher Nolan comes out of hibernation to save cinema. Even his last film "Tenet," which was probably his weakest film in a long time, was still better than 99% of movies I see. I've been more excited for "Oppenheimer" than anything he's put out recently because it seems like he's returning to his roots to a certain extent. Don't get me wrong, the film still has all the Nolan staples, awesome cinematography, a great musical score, and epic direction, but it is a bit more character focused than "Tenet" and "Dunkirk" was. As grand as his films are in scale, his character stuff has always drawn me in. It's one of the big reasons why "Interstellar" connected with me the way it did. Could I explain what 100% of the plot is? No, but I knew it was about a man just trying to get back to his daughter, and all that stuff won me over. I expect more of the same from "Oppenheimer."

There are Christopher Nolan movies that I'm not crazy about. "Tenet" was really lacking with the character stuff. But even at his worst, his movies feel important. The juxtaposition between watching a Nolan film vs. watching a movie directed by any other director in Hollywood is staggering. This will be a hot take, but Christopher Nolan, to me, is what most people think Dennis Villeneuve is. I acknowledge that Villeneuve is a remarkable visual Director, but his movies are so fucking hollow and dull to me. And regardless of my opinions, I don't see his movies enduring the way Nolan's films have. It's been 15 years, and people still discuss "The Dark Knight." It's been 13 years, and people still discuss "Inception." If you set out to make a classic, you will fail. Nolan sets out to make movies. They just become classics. 

As excited as I am, I'll be fair with "Oppenheimer." I won't go into any movie with my mind made up. I couldn't wait to see "Tenet" and was somewhat underwhelmed by it. I'm not a huge fan of long movies, though Nolan tends to make long runtimes fly by. But even if I am underwhelmed, I will still support it. It's an original film with a unique concept. It's a big-budget film that isn't a remake, sequel, or adaptation. That is something worth celebrating. Also, I love that people say the film plays out like a horror movie. Good, gimme all the destruction and ugliness you could ask for in a Summer blockbuster. It won't surprise me if the twist at the end is that Christopher Nolan actually constructed a real atomic bomb. I wouldn't put it past him.