# Oppenheimer (2023 Christopher Nolan film) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [July 21, 2023, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361 "2023-07-21T18:47:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/1 "2023-07-21T18:47:38Z")
I thought there should be a full thread about this rather than just in the “Movies Seen Recently” thread. Opens today, though I saw it last night in 70mm IMAX and am going back to see it again tonight! Incredible film, Cillian Murphy has to be the front-runner for Best Actor. Absolutely riveting from start to finish. I also think it’s so great that a 3-hour long R-rated historical drama is doing so well at the box office, taking in $10.5 million just last night (which since the film is 3 hours means just two showings.) Anyone else see it yet or plan to? The IMAX showings near me are almost entirely sold out til Aug 16! ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/2 "2023-07-21T19:01:24Z")
I really liked it but I’m curious how it will do at the box office. There are a _lot_ of scenes of guys talking science and politics in classrooms and Senate hearings and backroom inquiries. I can’t imagine the _Barbie_ crowd will enjoy it very much…but I’d love to be proven wrong. Also, _YIKES_ at the Florence Pugh scenes. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/3 "2023-07-21T19:14:32Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I really liked it but I’m curious how it will do at the box office. There are a _lot_ of scenes of guys talking science and politics in classrooms and Senate hearings and backroom inquiries. I can’t imagine the _Barbie_ crowd will enjoy it very much…but I’d love to be proven wrong. Current predictions are Barbie at $150 million and Oppenheimer at $50-60 million for the weekend. Which I’m sure some will say “Barbie won”, but that’s actually an amazing number for a 3 hour long R Rated Drama. It’ll probably make more than Dunkirk did it’s opening weekend. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/4 "2023-07-21T19:15:25Z")
I will watch it the day it hits Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/5 "2023-07-21T21:43:32Z")
The subject matter is certainly something that’s right up my alley. Well, for Netflix or Amazon, and not from Christopher Nolan, and certainly not something I’d rush to an IMAX for. I’m a reluctant fan of Christopher Nolan – he makes good movies, but I don’t subscribe to the hype that his topics as mind-bending as most of the younger kids on the internet make them out to be. So, I’m curious. What’s a Christopher Nolan bio-pic look like? Should I really go to an IMAX? Should I go see it in a normal cinema? Maybe see it in the drive-in if it’s the second show and everyone else falls asleep? Or just wait to see it in the comfort of my home? I’m seeing a lot of hype for this movie, yet nothing in the way of details about what makes it special. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/6 "2023-07-21T22:04:46Z")
Haven’t seen it yet, but I read an interview with Nolan. He was talking about how he wanted to do the Trinity Test without CGI as much as possible. I halfway expected him to say they set off a small nuclear weapon to get the footage. I’ll be very interested to see this as the Manhattan Project is one of my areas of interest. Richard Rhodes’ book on the subject is incredible. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/7 "2023-07-21T22:22:44Z")
I’m looking forward to seeing the movie eventually but I’m amused that some percent of the audience wants to see both this and the Barbie movie. Even my 24-year-old niece plans to watch both. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/8 "2023-07-21T22:47:54Z")
Definitely want to catch this in the theatre but wonder if it’s going to be the kind of movie like Schindler’s List was in that it being 3 hours of heavy subject matter everyone will want to see it once, will have great things to say about it, but will never feel the need to sit through it a second time. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/9 "2023-07-21T22:53:50Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > but will never feel the need to sit through it a second time Except OP, for one ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/10 "2023-07-21T23:22:39Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Even my 24-year-old niece plans to watch both. There seems to be a LOT of social (and maybe even traditional) media hype around the idea of a “Barbieheimer” double feature experience. The juxtaposition of these two movies coming out together has created an interest among some people that may have not otherwise had any interest in a three-hour historical drama. Likewise, there may even be some Oppenheimer people who wouldn’t have considered Barbie, but are intrigued by the novelty of of all. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2023, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/11 "2023-07-21T23:48:20Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Likewise, there may even be some Oppenheimer people who wouldn’t have considered Barbie, but are intrigued by the novelty of of all. Well, before the fall of Berlin, the original idea for Oppenheimer and others was to drop the bomb on the heads of Nazis like [Klaus Barbie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Barbie)… … What?!? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/12 "2023-07-22T02:24:15Z")
> [@Limmin](#): > > > [@Hampshire](#): > > > > but will never feel the need to sit through it a second time > > Except OP, for one Ha, yup! I actually felt like I immediately needed to see it again to better understand a lot of the information given since it is a **dense** , talky movie. I liked it even more the second time! ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/13 "2023-07-22T03:01:48Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Should I really go to an IMAX? I would definitely recommend seeing this in IMAX or at least on the biggest screen you can, as well as for full theatrical sound, if only the “The Scene”. It is a brilliant film, capturing the complex personalities and characters in one of history’s watermark accomplishments (for good or ill). The acting is spot on throughout and you never feel like you are sitting through a 3-hour movie. The OP mentions sold out performances. I held off until this morning to book an afternoon IMAX showing and when I went into the app to buy a ticket at the biggest AMC IMAX in the area, there were only a handful of seats (that weren’t in the first two rows). I checked other showings through the weekend, and they were also pretty much sold out. I haven’t seen that in any of the IMAX films I’ve seen this year, even the Marvel films. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/14 "2023-07-22T03:13:49Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I can’t imagine the _Barbie_ crowd will enjoy it very much… > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m looking forward to seeing the movie eventually but I’m amused that some percent of the audience wants to see both this and the Barbie movie I genuinely want to see both. When they come to cable/streaming of course, because fuck movie theatres. Barbie looks like great fun (and actually a bit thoughtful, according to one review I read). Oppenheimer looks fascinating. I am more perplexed by people that don’t want to see both - what kind of weirdos are all of you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/15 "2023-07-22T03:44:01Z")
I’m conflicted. On one hand, a movie about Oppenheimer is exactly something I’d love to watch. On the other, Nolan is an over-hyped hack with his head so far up his own ass that I long ago swore him off. Granted his movies are usually really well done, but there’s always at least one huge stupid thing that ruins all the movies that I’ve seen from him. I’ll be reading yinz’guys reviews. But if I can ask how you normally feel about Nolan’s movies, then I can better calibrate my expectations. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/16 "2023-07-22T03:44:39Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > > [@Stephe96](#): > > > > I can’t imagine the _Barbie_ crowd will enjoy it very much… > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > I’m looking forward to seeing the movie eventually but I’m amused that some percent of the audience wants to see both this and the Barbie movie > > I genuinely want to see both. I want to see both. My Bachelors is in Physics from Berkeley and some of the scientists from those days were still around when I was an undergrad (Heisenberg even visited and gave a _well attended_ seminar), so of course I’m going to see Oppenheimer. Greta Gerwig is a director on the ascent, with a quirky approach that always brings something worthwhile to her films. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/17 "2023-07-22T04:22:57Z")
Good grief. Is there an intermission in a 3 hr movie? Normally I’d just wait to buy a Blu Ray so I can watch it in creature comfort and “rewind” if I miss something. I’ve been so turned off by gratuitous CG that I find the big screen usually makes it worse. But this sounds like a Cinerama kind of experience. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/18 "2023-07-22T09:27:11Z")
I plan to see Oppenheimer. I wasn’t sure if I’d want to see it in IMAX, but from comments upthread, okay, IMAX it is. But… why would I want to see Barbie? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/19 "2023-07-22T11:26:19Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > But… why would I want to see Barbie? It’s basically supposed to be a live action _Lego Movie_. I won’t be seeing it in the theater, but I will catch it on streaming. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2023, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361/20 "2023-07-22T13:49:14Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’ve been so turned off by gratuitous CG that I find the big screen usually makes it worse. Well then this should be right up your alley because there is no CG in the film, it’s all practical effects. Even the atomic bomb. > **[Christopher Nolan Explains Why There's No CGI in 'Oppenheimer'](https://collider.com/oppenheimer-no-cgi-christopher-nolan-explained/)** > > "I think computer graphics, they’re very versatile, they can do all kinds of things, but they tend to feel a bit safe." [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oppenheimer-2023-christopher-nolan-film/987361.md?page=2)