Christopher Nolan’s biopic of the father of the atomic bomb has been a cultural triumph. Besides its artistic achievements—it has racked up awards and shined again at last night’s Oscars—the film touched a deep nerve in society and reignited public conversations around nuclear risks that we’ve not seen since the end of the Cold War. … Read more
The Big Picture Cillian Murphy delivers a strong performance as J. Robert Oppenheimer, capturing his growing guilt and inner turmoil. The pivotal speech scene in a multipurpose room effectively portrays Oppenheimer’s guilt and moral qualms, using visuals to advance the story. The scene parallels the atomic bomb test, with the crowd’s enthusiasm and the disintegrating … Read more
The Large Image Christopher Nolan’s dedication to taking pictures on IMAX cameras and his use of shifting side ratios in Oppenheimer showcase his distinctive strategy to filmmaking. The huge and full-screen side ratios in Oppenheimer serve totally different narrative functions, capturing each the target historic backdrop and the subjective experiences of the characters. The shifting … Read more
In search of his counsel, Arjuna asks Krishna to disclose his common type. Krishna obliges, and in verse 12 of the Gita he manifests as a chic, terrifying being of many mouths and eyes. It’s this second that entered Oppenheimer’s thoughts in July 1945. “If the radiance of a thousand suns had been to burst … Read more