Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the renowned filmmakers of the current generation. His films are admired by critics and audiences due to his unique style of exploring dysfunctional characters and themes of alienation and redemption. With films like Boogie Nights, Punch-Drunk Love, Magnolia, There Will Be Blood, The Master, Inherent Vice, and Phantom Thread, he has established himself as one of the most unique voices in cinema. He has also been vocal about the state of films in the current climate and how audiences have started being creative and selective in what they want to see on the big screen.
One of the huge success stories of 2023 is undoubtedly Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. The ‘Barbenheimer’ phenomenon created a huge awareness and hype for the film to general audiences and it has led to the film becoming the third highest-grossing film of the year. Many filmmakers have commented on how this signals a bright future for cinemas and Anderson seems to be the newest candidate to sing praises of the film and Nolan.
Paul Thomas Anderson Calls Oppenheimer Success “Nature’s Way of Healing”
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer received widespread acclaim from critics and audiences when it was released this year. It has become a very strong awards contender in various acting and technical categories. Its huge commercial success is also seen as a big hope for the future of cinema, just like Tom Cruise did last year with Top Gun: Maverick. Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson has reflected on the success of the film and how Nolan has brought back the magic and power of cinema. He told AP News,
“When a filmmaker as strong as Chris is pointing a finger at you and telling you where to go…you listen…and audiences have been rewarded for it. I know some film buffs who drove from El Paso to Dallas to see the film properly. That’s about 18 hours round trip. I don’t think there’s anyone who could disagree – seeing ‘Oppenheimer’ on film is superior in every single way. Not to mention, people are tired of asking, ‘Why would I go to a movie theater to watch TV?’ Good question…you don’t have to anymore. I would call this is nature’s way of healing”
Nolan’s wife and producer of the film Emma Thomas also talked about the audiences’ love and support for the film. She also pointed (via AP News) out how Nolan’s filmmaking technique in the film has inspired other studios to implement them in their films as well. She said,
“It was packed, like it was 7pm, Friday night, opening weekend. But what was fantastic was seeing the broad range of people in that screening. It was younger people, it was older people. That excitement in theaters is why we make movies. We have teenagers and everyone’s sort of dismissing them as potential audiences. They think they’re just not into longform storytelling or big ideas and that’s complete nonsense. It’s just been incredibly touching, honestly, to hear people talk about the film and hear about young people going to see it multiple times.
Chris has always talked a lot about the formats and wanting people to see the best version possible, as far as the way that he intended the film to be seen. … Now I’m hearing that there are other studios who are interested in putting their films out on those film screens,” she said. “It’s not that we think that film is the only way. Every project is different and requires a different toolkit. We’ve always just wanted filmmakers to have that option”
Oppenheimer has currently grossed $912 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing biopic of all time.
Denis Villeneuve Has Also Praised The Brilliance of Oppenheimer
Dune Director Denis Villeneuve also chimed in speaking about how Christopher Nolan has created something unique for audiences. He praised Nolan for elevating the use of IMAX cameras and using them effectively throughout the film’s story. He told AP News,
“The future of cinema is IMAX and the large formats. The audience wants to see something that they cannot have at home, that they cannot have on streaming. They want to experience an event. But where it is right now has blown the roof off of my projection. “It’s a three-hour movie about people talking about nuclear physics”
Through the film, Universal and Nolan have created something extraordinary that went on to become a huge success and one that will stand the test of time.
Oppenheimer is still running in theaters.
Source: AP News
