Citation City

Oppenheimer 25 > The Big Picture

Book

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

Movie

Oppenheimer / The Dark Knight / Memento / Insomnia / Batman Begins / The Prestige / Inception / The Dark Knight Rises / Interstellar / Dunkirk / Tenet / Fatman and Little Boy / The Godfather / Titanic / Stagecoach / Young Mr. Lincoln / Drums Along the Mohawk / Grapes of Wrath / Citizen Kane / How Green Was My Valley / Lawrence of Arabia / The Zone of Interest / The Flash / Amadeus / Lincoln / Steve Jobs / The Brutalist

Person

Sean Fennessy / Amanda Dobbins / Christopher Nolan / Guy Pearce / Heath Ledger / Aaron Eckhart / Leonardo DiCaprio / Michael Caine / Timothee Chalamet / Matthew McConaughey / Kenneth Branagh / Mark Rylance / Tom Hardy / Cillian Murphy / John David Washington / Elizabeth Debicki / Robert Pattinson / James Cameron / Francis Ford Coppola / Steven Spielberg / Stanley Kubrick / Jennifer Lame / Ludwig Goransson / Hoyte van Hoytema / Robert Downey Jr. / Lewis Strauss / David Krumholtz / Kai Bird / Martin Sherwin / Paul Newman / Dwight Schultz / Matt Damon / Jonathan Nolan / Scarlett Johansson / Quentin Tarantino / Ben Affleck / George Clooney / Jack Sanders / Aaron Sorkin / Corey Jefferson

Studio

Marvel

Behavioral Patterns

insights

  • Christopher Nolan's evolution as a filmmaker - Sean observes how Nolan has become more comfortable letting audiences grapple with complex ideas without excessive exposition, citing Dunkirk, Tenet, and Oppenheimer as examples. - Sean Fennessy

  • Oppenheimer's thematic depth - Sean analyzes how the film explores themes of good versus evil, loyalty, and paranoia, connecting them to Nolan's broader body of work. - Sean Fennessy

  • Oppenheimer as a subjective film - Hosts discuss the film's focus on Oppenheimer's perspective and its lack of representation of those directly affected by the bomb, acknowledging both the strengths and limitations of this approach. - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

  • The impact of Oppenheimer on IMAX cinema - Hosts discuss how Oppenheimer's success contributed to a resurgence of interest in the IMAX format and large-scale filmmaking experiences. - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

deep dives

  • Christopher Nolan's filmography - Hosts thoroughly discuss each of Nolan's 11 films released in the 21st century, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and relevance to the discussion. (Estimated time: 20+ minutes) - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

  • Oppenheimer's merits - Detailed discussion of the film's technical achievements, Cillian Murphy's performance, its themes, and its historical context. (Estimated time: 15+ minutes) - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

  • Oppenheimer's legacy and comparison to other films - Hosts discuss the film's potential long-term impact and compare it to classics like Lawrence of Arabia and Citizen Kane. (Estimated time: 5+ minutes) - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

most debated

  • Inclusion of a Christopher Nolan film in the 25 for 25 list - Hosts initially disagreed on whether any of Nolan's films deserved a spot, and if so, which one. Amanda initially didn't want any, while Sean championed The Dark Knight and later Oppenheimer. - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

  • The Dark Knight's merits compared to Oppenheimer - While both hosts agreed The Dark Knight is excellent, Sean ultimately felt Oppenheimer was a better representation of Nolan's work and more deserving of the list slot. - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

  • Christopher Nolan as the defining filmmaker of the 21st century - Sean posed this question, and Amanda agreed he's highly significant but perhaps not *the* defining figure. - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

funny moments

  • Amanda's trolling nature (perceived by Sean) - Sean jokingly accuses Amanda of being a troll for initially excluding Nolan films, leading to playful banter. (Type: light teasing) - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

  • The Prestige and Scarlett Johansson's character - Sean sarcastically questions the sophistication and strength of Johansson's character in The Prestige, prompting laughter. (Type: sarcastic) - Sean Fennessy

  • Interstellar and Michael Caine - Amanda jokes about why Michael Caine's character couldn't simply bring the children to the US, a plot point in Interstellar. (Type: observational/absurdist) - Amanda Dobbins

  • Tenet's plot - Hosts engage in humorous back-and-forth about the convoluted, time-bending plot of Tenet, with Amanda admitting she loves the film despite not understanding it. (Type: self-deprecating/absurdist) - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

  • History class ending before covering the atomic bomb - Sean jokes about how history classes often run out of time before reaching important events like the atomic bomb. (Type: observational) - Sean Fennessy

  • Ben Affleck and George Clooney's Batman cameos - Hosts jokingly compare these cameos in The Flash. (Type: referential/absurdist) - Sean Fennessy, Amanda Dobbins

personal connections

  • Sean's early experience with Memento - Sean shares how Memento was a pivotal film for him, marking a significant moment in his appreciation of filmmaking. - Sean Fennessy

  • Sean's involvement with The Dark Knight Tests podcast - He mentions being an executive producer of the show, highlighting his personal connection to the Batman universe. - Sean Fennessy