Today, we wish a happy birthday to director Christopher Nolan. Our song of the day comes from the soundtrack of Nolan’s Oscar-winning epic, Oppenheimer.
From Hans Zimmer, here is today’s song of the day.
Tag Archives: Oppenheimer
Scenes That I Love: Gary Oldman in Oppenheimer
Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to actor Gary Oldman!
My scene that I love features Gary Oldman as Harry S Truman in Oppenheimer. Oldman doesn’t get a lot of screentime in Oppenheimer but he shows what a brilliant actor can do with a small role. His casual dismissal of Oppenheimer’s guilt is one of the strongest moments in the film. (And, for those of us who found Oppenheimer, as a character, to be a bit self-asborbed, it’s a cathartic moment, as well.)
A Few Late Thoughts On The 96th Oscars
Last night, the Oscars actually ended early.
Not that early, of course. In fact, towards the end of the show, Jimmy Kimmel came out and did his usual anti-Trump schtick just to pad out the running time so that the Oscars managed to make it to the allotted 3 hour and 30 minute mark. (And yes, it is schtick. The late night hosts need Trump just as much as Trump needs them.) The thing is, though, the Oscars usually run over by a good 30 minutes. The show ending on time means that it ended early. This is the first Oscar telecast, in my lifetime, to end on time. I could actually go out and do stuff after the show ended. It was fun!
As for the show itself, it was a relatively smooth production. No one got slapped. There were no major technical snafus. As to be expected, there were a few embarrassing acceptance speeches. I thought Zone of Interest was a powerful film and I also thought Under The Skin was brilliant but I can still do without ever having to listen to Jonathan Glazer give another speech. One can only imagine how Martin Amis would have reacted to Glazer’s “speech.”
(Martin Amis wrote the novel that served as the basis for the film that won Glazer an Oscar. Amis never had much use for the wimpy or the self-important.)
Ryan Gosling’s performance of I Am Ken was the highlight of the show. Of course, then the song failed to win the Oscar. It reminded me a bit of how, in 2021, the entire broadcast was designed to end with Chadwick Boseman receiving a posthumous award, just for a confused Joaquin Phoenix to read Anthony Hopkins’s name instead. Sometimes, the voters really do just vote for who or what they think should win, regardless of the preferred narrative.
In fact, for all the hype, Barbie wasn’t much of a factor in the awards. It won one Oscar, for the song that wasn’t I Am Ken. The Academy was far more impressed with Poor Things. Still, Barbie did better than Killers of the Flower Moon, which won not a single award. Poor Things‘s Emma Stone defeating Lily Gladstone was the upset of the evening. Am I the only one who briefly got worried that Poor Things would somehow win Best Picture over Oppenheimer?
The big winner, of course, was Oppenheimer. My top film of 2023 was Past Lives but Oppenheimer was a close second. (Until Glazer gave his speech, Zone of Interest was my third pick.) Robert Downey, Jr. became the first former SNL cast member to win an acting Oscar. Christopher Nolan accepted his Oscar from Steven Spielberg, which felt like a real changing-of-the-guard moment. Cillian Murphy won Best Actor. I would have voted for Paul Giamatti but Murphy still deserves a lot of credit for holding Oppenheimer together.
Godzilla is an Oscar winner! Yay!
All in all, it was a good show. Occasionally, it was even fun. It was very efficient, as if the Academy specifically picked this year to show ABC that it actually could put on an orderly show that didn’t preempt the entire network’s programming by an extra hour. My advice for next year would be to stop doing the thing where five previous winners came out to praise the current nominees. (That bit has always felt a bit condescending and I would much rather see clips of the nominated performances.) And maybe get John Mulaney to host because Jimmy Kimmel has become just way too impressed with himself.
Now, 2023 is done. Onward to 2024!
(Actually, you know what I haven’t done, yet? I haven’t posted my picks for the best of 2023. I’ll do that this week, even though I doubt anyone cares at this point. But I’ve posted my lists every year and I’m not going to break tradition now. I just have a handful of movies to watch today and tomorrow….)
Here’s What Won At The 96th Oscars
Best Picture: Oppenheimer
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Best Actress: Emma Stone, Poor Things.
Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer
Best Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey, Jr., Oppenheimer
Best Adapted Screenplay: American Fiction
Best Original Screenplay: Anatomy of a Fall
Best Cinematography: Oppenheimer
Best Costume Design: Poor Things
Best Film Editing: Oppenheimer
Best Make-Up and Hair-Styling: Poor Things
Best Production Design: Poor Things
Best Score: Oppenheimer
Best Song: “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie
Best Sound: The Zone of Interest
Best Visual Effects: Godzilla Minus One
Best Animated Feature: The Boy and the Heron
Best Documentary Feature: 20 Days In Mariupol
Best International Film: The Zone of Interest
Best Animated Short: War Is Over: Inspired By The Music of John and Yoko
Best Documentary Short: The Last Repair Shop
Best Live Action Short: The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar
(As far as my predictions were concerned, my final sore was 14 for 22!)
My Official 2023 Oscar Predictions
It’s no guts, no glory time! (This phrase was coined, as far as it relates to the Oscars, by Sasha Stone of Awards Daily. We all use the phrase but, too often, we don’t give proper credit to the person who started the trend.) Below you’ll find my official predictions for who and what will win when the Oscars are handed out later tonight.
(Actually, this year didn’t require much in the way of guts. All of the winners seem to be pretty obvious at this point.)
Best Picture: Oppenheimer
Best Director: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Best Actor: Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer
Best Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downey, Jr., Oppenheimer
Best Adapted Screenplay: Barbie
Best Original Screenplay: Past Lives
Best Cinematography: Oppenheimer
Best Costume Design: Poor Things
Best Film Editing: Oppenheimer
Best Make-Up and Hair-Styling: Maestro
Best Production Design: Poor Things
Best Score: Killers of the Flower Moon
Best Song: “I’m Ken” from Barbie
Best Sound: Oppenheimer
Best Visual Effects: Godzilla Minus One
Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
Best Documentary Feature: 20 Days In Mariupol
Best International Film: The Zone of Interest
Best Animated Short: Our Uniform
Best Documentary Short: The Barber of Little Rock
Best Live Action Short: The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar
We’ll see how right (or wrong) I am in just a few more hours!
Lisa Marie’s Oscar Nomination Predictions
The Oscar nominations are due to be announced in a few more hours. I’m still struggling to get caught up with all of the movies that I need to see before I can post my personal Oscar nominations (expect to see them and all of my “best of 2023 lists” at the end of this month) but I have been following the precursor season and I feel confident about predicting what will be nominated in the major categories.
We’ll find out how correct I am in just a few more hours!
Best Picture
American Fiction
Barbie
The Color Purple
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest
Best Director
Greta Gerwig for Barbie
Yorgos Lanthimos for Poor Things
Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer
Alexander Payne for The Holdovers
Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon
Best Actor
Bradley Cooper in Maestro
Colman Domingo in Rustin
Paul Giamatti in The Holdover
Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction
Best Actress
Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Huller in Anatomy of a Fall
Greta Lee in Past Lives
Carey Mulligan in Maestro
Emma Stone in Poor Things
Best Supporting Actor
Willem DaFoe in Poor Things
Robert De Niro in Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey, Jr. in Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling in Barbie
Dominic Sessa in The Holdovers
Best Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt in Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks in The Color Purple
Penelope Cruz in Ferrari
Jodie Foster in Nyad
Da’Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers
Lisa Marie’s Oscar Predictions For December
Here they are! These are my final Oscar predictions for 2023. The critics groups have certainly helped to show us which films are major contenders. That said, the Guilds are even more important so I can’t wait to see who they nominate and honor in January.
Below are my predictions for December. Be sure to also check out my predictions for March and April and May and June and July and August and September and October and November!
Best Picture
American Fiction
Godzilla Minus One
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer
Past Lives
Poor Things
The Zone of Interest
(Before anyone gives me a hard time about Godzilla Minus One, I always toss in one critically acclaimed long shot so that I can brag — or perhaps even gloat — if it actually happens. Plus, everyone knows that having Godzilla at the Oscars would be entertainment gold.)
Best Director
Greta Gerwig for Barbie
Yorgos Lanthimos for Poor Things
Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer
Alexander Payne for The Holdovers
Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon
Best Actor
Bradley Cooper in Maestro
Colman Domingo in Rustin
Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction
Best Actress
Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon
Sandra Huller in Anatomy of a Fall
Greta Lee in Past Lives
Carey Mulligan in Maestro
Emma Stone in Poor Things
Best Supporting Actor
Robert De Niro in Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey, Jr. in Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling in Barbie
Charles Melton in May/December
Mark Ruffalo in Poor Things
Best Supporting Actress
Emily Blunt in Oppenheimer
Danielle Brooks in The Color Purple
Jodie Foster in Nyad
Rachel McAdams in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph in The Holdovers
Oppenheimer Wins In Nevada (Again)
On the 23rd, the Nevada Film Critics Society announced their picks for the best of 2023! Appropriately, given that he left the state with a glowing reputation, Oppenheimer was named Best Picture.
Here are the winners!
Best Film – Oppenheimer
Best Actor – Bradley Cooper (Maestro)
Best Actress – Emma Stone (Poor Things)
Best Supporting Actor – Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)
Best Supporting Actress – Julianne Moore (May December)
Best Director – Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)
Best Original Screenplay – The Holdovers (David Hemingson)
Best Adapted Screenplay – Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan, Kai Bird & Martin Sherwin)
Best Documentary – 20 Days in Mariupol
Best Animated Movie – Robot Dreams
Best Production Design – Barbie (Sarah Greenwood)
Best Cinematography – Oppenheimer (Hoyt van Hoytema)
Best Visual Effects – The Creator
The Southern Eastern Film Critics Association Honors Oppenheimer
The Southern Eastern Film Critics Association has named Oppenheimer the best of the year.
Here are their winners!
Top 10 Films of 2023
1. Oppenheimer
2. Killers of the Flower Moon
3. The Holdovers
4. Past Lives
5. Barbie
6. Poor Things
7. American Fiction
8. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
9. Anatomy of a Fall
10. The Zone of Interest
Best Actor
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer
Best Actress
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey, Jr. – Oppenheimer
Best Supporting Actress
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers
Best Ensemble
Oppenheimer
Best Director
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Best Original Screenplay
David Hemingson – The Holdovers
Best Adapted Screenplay
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer
Best Documentary
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
Best Animated Film
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Best Foreign-Language Film
Anatomy of a Fall
Best Cinematography
Hoyte Van Hoytema – Oppenheimer
Best Score
Ludwig Goransson – Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer Wins In St. Louis
The St. Louis Film Critics Association have announced their picks for the best of 2023! The winners are listed below in bold.
BEST FILM
American Fiction
Anatomy of a Fall
Barbie (RUNNER-UP)
Oppenheimer (WINNER)
The Holdovers
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
May December
Past Lives
The Zone of Interest
BEST DIRECTOR
Greta Gerwig – Barbie (RUNNER-UP)
Todd Haynes – May December
Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer (WINNER)
Martin Scorsese – Killers of the Flower Moon
Celine Song – Past Lives
BEST ACTRESS
Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon (WINNER)
Greta Lee – Past Lives
Natalie Portman – May December
Margot Robbie – Barbie (RUNNER-UP)
Emma Stone – Poor Things
BEST ACTOR
Bradley Cooper – Maestro
Leonardo DiCaprio – Killers of the Flower Moon
Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers (RUNNER-UP)
Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer (WINNER)
Jeffrey Wright – American Fiction
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Emily Blunt – Oppenheimer
Viola Davis – Air
Rachel McAdams –
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret (RUNNER-UP)
Julianne Moore – May December
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers (WINNER)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sterling K. Brown – American Fiction
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer (RUNNER-UP TIE)
Ryan Gosling – Barbie (WINNER)
Charles Melton – May December (RUNNER-UP TIE)
Dominic Sessa – The Holdovers
BEST ENSEMBLE
Asteroid City
Barbie (RUNNER-UP TIE)
The Holdovers (WINNER)
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer (RUNNER-UP TIE)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
American Fiction (RUNNER-UP)
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer (WINNER)
The Zone of Interest
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Air
Barbie (WINNER)
Anatomy of a Fall
The Holdovers (RUNNER-UP)
Past Lives
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Asteroid City (RUNNER-UP TIE)
Killers of the Flower Moon (RUNNER-UP TIE)
Maestro (RUNNER-UP TIE)
Oppenheimer (WINNER)
The Zone of Interest
BEST EDITING
The Holdovers
The Killer (RUNNER-UP)
Killers of the Flower Moon
Maestro
Oppenheimer (WINNER)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Asteroid City
Barbie (WINNER)
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things (RUNNER-UP)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Barbie (WINNER)
Killers of the Flower Moon
Oppenheimer
Poor Things (RUNNER-UP)
Priscilla
BEST MUSIC SCORE
Killers of the Flower Moon (RUNNER-UP TIE)
May December (RUNNER-UP TIE)
Oppenheimer (WINNER)
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
The Zone of Interest
BEST MUSIC SOUNDTRACK
Air
Barbie (WINNER)
The Holdovers
The Killer (RUNNER-UP)
Maestro
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Creator (WINNER)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Godzilla Minus One
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Oppenheimer (RUNNER-UP)
BEST STUNTS
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny
The Iron Claw
John Wick: Chapter 4 (RUNNER-UP)
The Killer
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (WINNER)
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
Anatomy of a Fall (WINNER)
Fallen Leaves
Perfect Days
The Teachers’ Lounge
The Zone of Interest (RUNNER-UP)
BEST ACTION MOVIE
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny
John Wick: Chapter 4 (WINNER-TIE)
The Killer
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (WINNER-TIE)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
The Boy and the Heron (RUNNER-UP)
Elemental
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Robot Dreams
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (WINNER)
BEST COMEDY
American Fiction
Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret
Barbie (RUNNER-UP)
Bottoms
The Holdovers (WINNER)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
American Symphony (WINNER-TIE)
Beyond Utopia
It Ain’t Over
Menus Plaisirs Les Troisgros
Still A Michael J. Fox Movie (WINNER-TIE)
BEST HORROR
Evil Dead Rise
Knock at the Cabin
M3GAN
Talk to Me (WINNER)
Skinamarink (RUNNER-UP)
BEST SCENE
Barbie – Gloria (America Ferrara)’s monologue on impossible standards for women (WINNER)
John Wick: Chapter 4 – Staircase Fight (RUNNER-UP)
Killers of the Flower Moon – The radio show finale
Maestro – Leonard Bernstein conducting London Symphony in Mahler’s Second Symphony in Ely Cathedral
Oppenheimer – Trinity Test
Through the Shattered Lens 