Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Matt Damon in the Christopher Nolan movie ‘Oppenheimer’

It’s not every day that a biographical thriller set against the backdrop of history can build excitement ahead of its release like the Christopher Nolan produced and directed movie Oppenheimer (2023) has. Detailing the role American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer had in the development of the atomic bomb, Nolan wrote this movie based on the Pulitzer Prize winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer written by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin. The dynamic personality of Oppenheimer the man comes through with an energy equal to the explosive with which the Manhattan Project developed.

(From left, Emily Blunt as Katherine ‘Kitty’ Oppenheimer and Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in the Christopher Nolan movie Oppenheimer).

The movie-making personality of Christopher Nolan shines through his telling of the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, with the theoretical physicist’s portrayal being offered by Cillian Murphy. Alternating between black-and-white and color, using a non-linear model of accentuating the personal drama of a slowly growing explosion of the revealing the contradictions within the scientist’s personality, it strikes me as relevant that I find a parallel to the Nolan film Memento (2000), reviewed here, in the experience.

(From left, Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss and Matthew Modine as Vannevar Bush in the Christopher Nolan movie Oppenheimer).

The movie offers much based in fact surrounding the Oppenheimer biography from Cambridge, England to Los Alamos, New Mexico. We see Oppenheimer‘s security clearance hearing in 1954. Finally we Lewis Strauss‘ confirmation hearing for Secretary of Commerce from 1959. Then there are the relationships with Jean Tatlock, Katherine Oppenheimer, Frank Oppenheimer, Haakon Chevalier, Leslie Groves and scientists such as Patrick Blackett, Niels Bohr, Edward Teller, Isidor Isaac Rabi, David Hill and Albert Einstein.

(From left, Dylan Arnold as Frank Oppenheimer and Matt Damon as Leslie Groves in the Christopher Nolan movie Oppenheimer).

The epic quality of the J. Robert Oppenheimer‘s relevance stands shoulder to shoulder with the accomplishment in atomic energy, his philosophical positions on energy and political justice, and the tangled web these played on those levels alongside the notions of his public and private reputations explored with a force equal to a Christopher Nolan movie as well as the reality so strongly present in biography by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin.

(From left, Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock and Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in the Christopher Nolan movie Oppenheimer).

The story of the Trinity test, or the first detonation of a nuclear weapon, is the story that makes the Oppenheimer movie. The many layers of complexity for Oppenheimer the man, both interpersonally for him with wife Katherine Oppenheimer and mistress Jean Tatlock, thunder home in the growing tension of the detonation of the nuclear device as presented in moments of quiet and explosive sound that lead to an enthusiastic aftermath of celebration following the success of the Trinity test. That Nolan‘s treatment of the Oppenheimer story bring us back to Lewis Strauss and Albert Einstein, narratively structuring the threat of Germany, the meaning of Hiroshima, Japan and Nagasaki, Japan, and the decision of Harry S. Truman to end the Pacific conflict, within the story of Strauss, interpersonal matters of the heart, and the nature of celebrity and power with Einstein all fascinate me.

(Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer at his moment of triumph in the Christopher Nolan movie Oppenheimer. Note the US flag in reverse profile; Is this a sign of the ‘attack forward’ honor on military uniforms or a subtle commentary on the conflicted feelings of Oppenheimer at the moment of his biggest success?).

There’s little doubt for me that the power of the movie Oppenheimer is high. Offering this review 3.5-days after watching the movie leaves me a bit transfixed by the question of whether I am undervaluing or overvaluing my admiration for the achievement of what I saw in the film. Regardless, I grant Oppenheimer as produced, directed and written for film by Christopher Nolan 4.5-stars a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold and Wendy Crewson in the John Pasquin movie ‘The Santa Clause’

The interesting and gentle play of language introduces itself with today’s look into another movie for the Christmas season. The jolly and benevolent secular belief in good cheer and companionship in the United States, offers the image of Santa Claus. In offering a unique means to explore the patron of Christmas sometimes called Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, Sinterklaas, Père Noël and others, The Santa Clause (1994) introduces a clever contractual twist for a divorced father again believing in the spirit of Christmas by becoming Santa Claus.

(From left, Eric Lloyd as Charlie Calvin and Tim Allen as Scott Calvin / Santa Claus in the John Pasquin movie The Santa Clause).

John Pasquin directed The Santa Clause, which stars Tim Allen as divorced father and businessman Scott Calvin. We meet Calvin as having led a toy company in what presumably had been another successful year, yet trouble is afoot in his relationship with his son, Charlie Calvin, and Charlie’s other parents. Eric Lloyd portrayed Charlie Calvin. Wendy Crewson portrayed Laura Miller, Charlie’s biological mother. Laura is married to Dr. Neal Miller, portrayed by Judge Reinhold.

(From left, Judge Reinhold as Dr. Neal Miller and Wendy Crewson as Laura Miller in the John Pasquin movie The Santa Clause).

A large degree of cuteness ensues from these fundamental relationships, including an accident that has provides the path that introduces the Santa clause. As this wrinkle is not enough, the clause coincides with Charlie’s enhanced belief in the spirit of Christmas as well as the magnanimous nature of his father, Scott Calvin. The belief in the spirit of the holiday, as well as each other, asks many questions geared at affirming beliefs in the people and other aspects of healthy belief.

(From left, David Krumholtz as Bernard the Head Elf and Paige Tamada as Judy the Elf in the John Pasquin movie The Santa Clause).

The sense of adventure through The Santa Clause strikes a pleasant feeling of cuteness. The path to believing in the notion of Scott Calvin having been and continuing to be Santa Claus is supported by Bernard the Head Elf, Judy the Elf and Comet the reindeer. David Krumholtz and Paige Tamada portrayed Bernard the Head Elf and Judy the Elf, respectively. Frank Welker and Kerrigan Mahan voiced the reindeer.

(From left, Peter Boyle as Mr. Whittle and Larry Brandenburg as Detective Nunzio in the John Pasquin movie The Santa Clause).

The storyline includes several redeeming messages intermingled among challenges. The Santa Clause feels family friendly and cute, in addition to including an original premise that sustains the storyline cutely. I grant The Santa Clause as directed by John Pasquin 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, December 18, 2021

Jamie Foxx and the biographical film of Ray Charles, ‘Ray’

As indicated in his biographical listing on the American online music database All Music, “Ray Charles was the musician most responsible for developing soul music.” The road that led there was not an easy one, whether one hadn’t lost his eyesight at an early age. The movie Ray (2004), starring Jamie Foxx in the role as Ray Charles himself, tells a significant portion of the man’s rise and development of the music on a southern, then American, and ultimately a world stage.

(Sharon Warren as Aretha Robinson, the mother of Ray Charles, in the movie Ray).

The movie, or biographical film, named Ray offers a telling of the first couple of decades of the musical career of musician Ray Charles, who grew up as Ray Charles Robinson. We came to know the musician by his first and middle name to avoid public confusion between the musician and six time world champion boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. An early and important part of the story of the musician was the story of Ray Charles losing his eyesight and his brother as a child. Much of the resonance of that story is told through the relationship Ray Charles had with his mother, Aretha Robinson. Sharon Warren portrayed Aretha Robinson.

(From left, Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles, Kerry Washington as Della Bea Robinson, Tequan Richmond as Ray Charles, Jr. and Harry Lennix as manager Joe Adams in the movie Ray).

Jamie Foxx portrays Ray Charles as an adult throughout Ray. Kerry Washington portrays Della Bea Robinson, the mother of Ray Charles‘ son as well as his wife. After some early career shenanigans leads Ray from Florida to Seattle and a sleazy night club operation, Ray Charles takes up with a white country band that gets him into taking heroin and wearing sunglasses on stage. When Della Bea discovers the heroin habit while pregnant with the couples son, Ray Jr., an argument ensues that leads Ray into the arms and what becomes an intimate relationship with Mary Ann Fisher, portrayed by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. Della Bea, the daughter of a preacher, was not thrilled with Ray mixing gospel and soul music.

(From left, Richard Schiff as Atlantic Records‘ Jerry Wexler and Curtis Armstrong as Atlantic Records‘ Ahmet Ertegun in the movie Ray).

It is with the country band and the continuing success of Ray Charles as an individual performer that Atlantic Records signs him to become a part of their publishing house. Jerry Wexler and Ahmet Ertegun, portrayed by Richard Schiff and Curtis Armstrong, respectively, support the early rise of Ray Charles while aiming to at least keep the drug habit somewhat in check during the time of their relationship. The Raelettes come along after Atlantic Records enter the picture.

(From left, Renee Wilson as Pat Lyle, Regina King as Margie Hendricks, Kimberly J. Ardison as Ethel McRae, The Raelettes, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as vocalist Mary Ann Fisher, and Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles in the movie Ray).

The Raelettes are named for their support of the evolving act of Ray Charles. The members of the Raelettes were Pat Lyle, Margie Hendricks and Ethel McRae, portrayed in Ray by Renee Wilson, Regina King and Kimberly J. Ardison, respectively. Ray takes an immediate liking to Margie, which leads to an affair and jealousy between Margie and Mary Ann. Ray Charles grants Mary Ann Fisher a solo in this timeframe. Fisher leaves the band after the solo, striking out on her own, with a brick through the windshield of a vehicle ostensibly owned by Ray Charles for good measure. It wouldn’t be long before the success of Ray Charles leads to an amicable split with Atlantic Records as Charles gets a lucrative deal with another record label.

(From left, Ray Charles and Jamie Foxx, who portrayed Ray Charles, in the movie Ray).

The interesting tale of the new label, civil unrest over segregated concerts in Atlanta, Georgia, and Margie’s pregnancy eliciting demands from her that Ray Charles leave Della Bea and their three kids over this. Ray Charles refuses this last demand, is barred from performing in Georgia, and an incident with drug paraphernalia when landing for a concert in Canada leads to court ordered rehabilitation treatment. It’s in the throws of an argument with Della Bea over this that we learn that Margie’s story takes an unexpected turn. It is later that we learn of a pair of positive turns in the Ray Charles story that Ray comes to a close. I leave you to watch the movie to learn the rest.

(From left, Director, producer, and story writer Taylor Hackford and Jamie Foxx on set of the movie Ray).

The movie Ray was well crafted film that proved entertaining to watch with a compelling set of outcomes for the particulars involved. The twists and turns along the way weren’t all flattering, for sure, yet the presentation neither aimed nor landed on salacious. That this was true, with a ring of truth for the larger part of the story and music ringing true, felt like a strong outcome for the man and the music of Ray Charles as anything that might have come along. I rate Ray at 4.0-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, October 3, 2020