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ethanwedwards
Reviews
Oppenheimer (2023)
Nolan's Magnum Opus? Maybe.
Although it's still too fresh for me to come to any certain conclusions, "Oppenheimer" may be Christopher Nolan's finest film. In it, Nolan takes his visual acumen and talents for melodrama, ensemble casts and intelligent screenplays, and channels it into a true story he's obviously passionate about. While there's much to say about this film, I'll only give a few thoughts.
This film was cast perfectly. As moviegoers we may not always know how an actor feels about their role, but when a critical mass of performers really care, we can tell-and boy, is that true with this movie. Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey, Jr. May have given the performances of their career in this one, supported by perhaps a dozen other memorable characters (of course, this film had so many A-list actors it's impossible not to remember some of them).
Right on par with the acting was the screenplay and cinematography. The screenplay covers a lot of ground in a short (well... that's debatable) time: detailing key points of Oppenheimer's life, making a statement about nuclear weapons, chronicling the development of modern physics, depicting the world in transition (Picasso, Gödel, Eisenstein, even the soundtrack I'd argue), scrutinizing the American political system, etc... To facilitate this, Nolan makes excellent use of nonlinear storytelling, including a fascinating decision to depict Oppenheimer's point-of-view in color while others' are in monochrome. Like many Nolan films, there are dozens of frames I'd happily hang in a studio; but what I like even more about "Oppenheimer" is the script, which for the most part feels smart and genuine.
A couple criticisms. First, Oppenheimer is aggrandized too much. There are moments where the film suggests that Oppenheimer is the sole axis on which the world turns, because of his "genius" or "leadership" or whatever. Put simply, I don't buy it. It's too anti-egalitarian for me: Oppenheimer wasn't a superhero, he couldn't "see" what no one else could, and he certainly didn't usher in the atomic era on his own. Second-and this is small-I think the explosion could've been better.
In retrospect, it seems inevitable that Nolan would make "Oppenheimer"-his grandiose, intellectual style is a perfect match for the "Father of the Atomic Bomb". The decisions made in "Oppenheimer" were almost universally good ones, justifying this three-hour biopic in lieu of a History Channel special. And while I've been known to roll my eyes at Nolan's eternal crescendo of melodrama, this film deserves the flair. It is fear not only of what the bomb has done, but of what weapons of mass destruction could do, that allows him to direct so forcefully.
Suspiria (1977)
Funky lighting + 70's horror = massively entertaining film
"Suspiria" feels simultaneously fantastic and mediocre, but overall it's a great watch. Let me explain.
Of the positives, the most excellent aspect of this film is, hands down, the lighting and set design. Most scenes are like a mix between the weird "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" boat sequence (which, let's face it, was pretty much horror for anyone under ten) and Hitchcock's "Vertigo" (actually the director nods to the Master of Suspense elsewhere too, most noticeably in the bathroom drain zoom-out). While it does add to the suspense, even more importantly it captivates the viewer's attention. Additionally, the strange music complements the set design well, combining a Moog synthesizer with a kind of Greek lute called a "bouzouki". If that doesn't entice you to watch the film, I don't know what will.
As for the unremarkable aspects, the dialogue is not that good, nor is the acting. I thought the plot was pretty shoddy, but after doing a bit of background reading on the giallo subgenre I may just need more exposure; it's a simple plot anyway. Really, though, if you take away the lighting, set design and music from this movie, it would be a perfect candidate for "Mystery Science Theatre 3000".
When you take all the good and bad together, what you get is an incredibly entertaining film. Even the mediocre stuff adds to the likability in my opinion. So if you haven't watched it yet, I encourage you to grab your popcorn, adjust your TV's saturation, and enjoy Dario Argento's "Suspiria".
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Equal Parts Fairy Tale and Satire
One of my favorite aspects of a Tim Burton film is his penchant for oddness, and Edward Scissorhands does it well. I frequently laugh at the look on a character's face, the comedic positioning of a shot, or the "art" wrought by the eponymous character's hands, erm, scissors. What sets this movie apart from other Burton creations, however, is that it is just as much satire as it is fairy tale. Whether it's the gossipy neighbors, the desperate housewife, the controlling boyfriend, the tactless father, or the cookie-cutter homes, suburban clichés abound. These absurd caricatures often drive the plot and act as a humorous foil for Edward. Importantly, the hyper-realistic suburbia comes across as excessively tacky in contrast to Edward's genuine innocence.
Danny Elfman's score is, in my opinion, the best of his career. Saccharine and melodic, the music breathes innocence and fantasy into Edward Scissorhands. Without it, the movie wouldn't work half as well as it does.
Edward Scissorhands is classic Tim Burton - gothic themes, imaginative characters, zany acting, and a sort of German Expressionist-like aesthetic. I definitely recommend giving it a watch.