I didn't write about it in my brief review of the movie, but the nuke explosion in "Oppenheimer" really did suck (what the hell happened, Nolan?), especially when compared to all of the true-life footage of nuke explosions available to the public. You can also learn a lot about nuclear explosions from the video below.
Did you see "Oppenheimer" in IMAX by any chance? I'm asking because in an IMAX cinema the nuke was pretty powerful--or at least I thought it was. I suspect it might have been less impressive in a non-IMAX setting. It also may depend on what you're looking for in your nukes.
ReplyDeleteIt also may depend on what you're looking for in your nukes.
DeleteI think that's the kicker.
Saw the movie at home on my Mac's screen. Not the same as IMAX at all, but not nothing, either, especially with headphones channeling the sound right into your brain.
Yeah, Nolan is famous for filming his stuff specifically to be viewed in IMAX format. And it really does make a difference. "Dunkirk" is another one that blew me away on IMAX, but when I later saw it on a smaller screen I experienced a severe lack of whelming.
ReplyDeleteNow, you might say that it is a weakness of a film to only really be enjoyable in a specific format, but some films lean into the spectacle. That's just another aspect of filmmaking. It's probably not the most important aspect for me (story and character are much more important, I think), but I always enjoy a feast for the eyes.
(Now that I'm thinking of films that only really work on IMAX, I'm reminded of "Gravity." Again, that was another one I first saw on an IMAX screen and was blown away, only to be later disappointed by the same film on a much smaller screen. Novelty is probably also a factor, but I saw LOTR: ROTK four times in the cinema when it came out, and every single time I felt a huge adrenaline rush during the charge of the Rohirrim at the battle for Minas Tirith. So I do think the big screen makes a difference, whether it's IMAX or not. (We saw "F1" on a regular (cinema) screen with surround sound, for example, and I'm betting that the racing scenes wouldn't have nearly the same impact on a computer screen. (And here's another nested parenthetical for good measure.)))
No argument from me. I need only think of "Dune, Part 2." The worm-riding scene is cool enough on my home screen, but it's a massive experience when seen on one of the biggest screens at the Lotte World Tower multiplex. I'll probably see "Project Hail Mary" on one of those screens when it comes out.
DeleteYeah, that'll be one for the big screen. Looking forward to that. I'm wondering if I should read the book beforehand or go in fresh and then read the book later. That's what I did with "The Martian" (the latter, I mean).
DeleteAlways a dilemma—book first or movie first? I'd recommend reading the book first, though, because I'm not totally sold on the idea that the movie's going to be the best adaptation. The book, however, while not perfect, is great. I've already reread it several times.
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