Review: "Tenet" is a Messy Achievement in Time and Regret

Scene from Tenet (2020)

*NOTE: Contains vague spoilers

Even as a human construct, time is a precious commodity. It is a constant reminder that we are mortal, that one day we will run out of time. Nobody has done more to explore man's relationship to this structure than director Christopher Nolan. Going back to his sophomore film Memento, he has continually explored the compromise of an uncertain future with a past we are quickly forgetting. We exist in the moment, and it's unclear how fragile the road ahead will be. He's made it into an art form, turning space travel into these time trials with Interstellar, and (most cleverly) history into its own maze of madness with Dunkirk. One can argue that his peak exploration of time came with Inception, when a dream within a dream found time-shifting in new and innovative was, finding him at his biggest galaxy brain, quite literally. This is the epitome of Nolan. We just have to trust him to handle our time wisely.

In what has been called an "in-law" sequel by actor John David Washington, Tenet is his most exciting and strange movie yet. Not since The Dark  Knight Rises has he been so off-kilter, taking risks that don't always land. Still, it's what makes it one of his most interesting movies, finding time moving forward and backward, usually at the same time. There has been nothing like Tenet, though mostly because few directors have the competency of Nolan to make it work. It's a miracle that this works as well as it does. It may not all make sense, but it's the perfect example of what cinema should be: constantly challenging expectations, meddling with the unknown, and thinking about it for years upon years. Tenet is one of his most imperfect movies, but it's one that asks to be talked about, and in that right makes it one of his most enjoyable films to nitpick maybe even get a physics degree. To like Tenet is difficult, though rewarding to those nerdy enough to do so. Press play and sit back. Don't expect to get it all on the first watch. Just know you'll be spending a lot of time here, if you want to.

Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #11-14

Scene from The Fighter (2010)

As 2019 reached its end, another decade of cinema had passed. It's amazing to think about how things have evolved since 2010 when the biggest controversies were about recognizing genre movies. Things look different now, especially as genre films like The Shape of Water and Parasite are winning Best Picture and the voting body looks incredibly different with each passing year. With this period in the books, it feels like a good time to celebrate their accomplishments by ranking all 88 titles nominated for Best Picture from worst to best with the goal of seeing which films are more likely to stand the test of time. Join me every Saturday and Sunday as I count them down, five at a time. It's going to be a fun summer looking back on what was, especially as we prepare for the decade ahead and an even more interesting diversity that we haven't even begun to think of.

Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #15-19

Scene from Boyhood (2014)

As 2019 reached its end, another decade of cinema had passed. It's amazing to think about how things have evolved since 2010 when the biggest controversies were about recognizing genre movies. Things look different now, especially as genre films like The Shape of Water and Parasite are winning Best Picture and the voting body looks incredibly different with each passing year. With this period in the books, it feels like a good time to celebrate their accomplishments by ranking all 88 titles nominated for Best Picture from worst to best with the goal of seeing which films are more likely to stand the test of time. Join me every Saturday and Sunday as I count them down, five at a time. It's going to be a fun summer looking back on what was, especially as we prepare for the decade ahead and an even more interesting diversity that we haven't even begun to think of.

"Tenet" is Back On in 70 Countries This August

Scene from Tenet (2020)

Well, it didn't take long for Christopher Nolan to fall back on his old ways. It was recently announced that Tenet was going to be postponed indefinitely. It made sense all things considered. However, it looks like theaters may be opening back up sometime soon. While America may still be a state of fluctuation, there is a good chance that audiences around the world will be getting to see the film a whole lot sooner. Yes, after some deliberation it's been revealed that Tenet will be playing in theaters this August... it just depends on where you live and how willing you are to risk your health. 

At Long Last, "Tenet" is Delayed Indefinitely

Scene from Tenet (202?)

For many, the upcoming release of Tenet was going to be a beacon of hope. After months of the theatrical experience being permanently uprooted (at least stateside), many saw this summer going differently. July would come around and with it a return to a normal, watching the latest Christopher Nolan movie with such aplomb that one can't help but remember why we went to the movies in the first place. Well, there's some bad news. First, it was announced that the film was being pushed back to August. Then in a move made just this week, Tenet is on indefinite hiatus. It's something that is a bit sad, but also a perfect ironic note. More than anything Tenet taking this long to be postponed is a sign of a ridiculous hubris that could never be fulfilled. It's a sign of  how much still needs to be done before theaters can open, which is a great bummer.

Nolan Isn't Giving Up On Theaters With New "Tenet" Trailer

Scene from Tenet (2020)

Leave it to Christopher Nolan to not even do the pandemic conventionally. While Tenet has gotten by on an unconventional marketing strategy reminiscent of Inception, it's more the reality that it's the only major summer release still scheduled to be released theatrically. In a time where everyone is going to streaming, Nolan still believes that the world will be returning to normal by this summer. One can hope that's true because there's plenty to love about his latest, especially in the visual department. The latest trailer is another cacophony of wonderful mystery, bringing the clearest version of the story so far. Even then, it's still full of mysteries that you'll probably not understand until the third watch. 

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Dunkirk" (2017)

Scene from Dunkirk (2017)

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

Nolan Performs a Timely Stealth Mission with the Official "Tenet" Trailer

Scene from Tenet (2020)

In case you haven't been to the theaters in the past six months, you'll be surprised to know that Christopher Nolan has a new movie coming out next year. In a move that's largely unprecedented, the first teaser for Tenet premiered in theaters and miraculously avoided any official version on the internet. Even if it didn't generate a consistent buzz, it at least managed to create a need to be at a certain place at a certain time and wonder in ways that most movie marketing won't allow in this day and age. After months of guessing what this movie is about, it's finally revealed an official trailer on the internet. The issue is that while some questions about what Tenet is have been answered, several more have only begun to surface. It's a Nolan trailer, and that means you'll want to watch this a few times before making up your mind on what's going on.

After 10 Years, "The Dark Knight" Continues to Be a Milestone in Superhero Cinema

Scene from The Dark Knight

It's sort of a cliche, but it's hard to describe the impact of director Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight without stating the obvious: it started with a bang. The camera entered the world of Gotham by zooming in on a window shattering, on the other side is a group of men in clown masks running through the plan, which is essentially a game of last man standing. With each piece of the puzzle unlocked, another person dies. Nobody knows who the mastermind is, nor will they really until it's too late. It's a world that superhero cinema wasn't used to, as even Nolan's previous D.C. movie Batman Begins didn't think to go this dark, finding a world where order was finally meeting chaos, as portrayed by a 28-year-old actor who unfortunately had died earlier in 2008 only to deliver (to date) the only superhero performance that was so revered that it got a posthumous Oscar win. The Dark Knight was a behemoth in 2008 and set the template for a new era of "dark and gritty" cinema that followed. It was unafraid to take risks, and in the process solidified the mythos of Nolan's godlike hold on the blockbuster. It changed cinema, plain and simple.

Composing Greatness: #5. Oscars 2018 Edition - "Dunkirk"

Scene from Dunkirk

Welcome to a very special edition of Composing Greatness. In this limited series, I will be looking at the five scores nominated for this year's Best Original Score category. To avoid favoritism, the list will be done in alphabetical order of composers and feature the same guidelines as the original series. This is meant to explore the music behind the great films of 2017, and provide insight into what makes each of them special and whether or not they deserved to be nominated at all. Join me all week as I listen to the  music, leave some thoughts, and hopefully sway you to check out these wonderful, wonderful scores.

Review: "Dunkirk" is the Greatest War Movie Since "Saving Private Ryan"

Tom Hardy

Director Christopher Nolan's latest Dunkirk opens on a bit of an intimate shot. As a group of English soldiers run towards safety, fliers fall from the sky. It's a threat from the Nazis that is made more difficult by the reality that they're on an island and an air strike would likely kill the 400,000 men like sitting ducks. There's desperation and uncertainty in the air as they finally approach that safety: a beach where the rest of the film will take place. The Nazis have made escape nigh impossible without a torpedo to the side of a ship. Much like Nolan's other films, there is a mystery at play. How do these men survive against an unseen enemy? By finally tackling a nonfiction story, Nolan has managed to centralize his tendencies as a director and delivered one of the most breathtaking, horrifying, and gorgeous cinematic experiences of the decade. It's a film that molds the war genre to Nolan's whim, and in the process makes something both reverential of classic cinema and a sign of a new horizon ahead. 

Theory Thursday: Adam West is the Best Live Action Batman

Adam West

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

Super Delegates: Harvey Dent in "The Dark Knight" (2008)

Aaron Eckhart in The Dark Knight

Welcome to Super Delegates, a bi-monthly column released on Tuesdays and are done in part to recognize politics on film, specifically in regards to Oscar-nominated works. With this being an election year in the United States, it feels like a good time to revisit film history's vast relationship with politicians of any era and determine what makes them interesting while potentially connecting them to the modern era. The series plans to run until the end of this 2016 election cycle, so stay tuned for every installment and feel free to share your thoughts on films worthy of discussion in the comments section.

The First "Dunkirk" Trailer Sees Nolan Going Into a Mysterious War

Scene from Dunkirk

Whether or not Christopher Nolan's track record reflects it, he is one of those directors whose every film is worthy of Oscar buzz. Considering that he's only gotten one Best Picture nomination (Inception) in his lengthy career, this notion may not be entirely sound, but becomes clear when you understand what he's doing on a blockbuster level. He's often heady and creates cinema that is challenging while also being awe-inspiring and timeless. Not all of his films necessarily succeed at this, but even the problematic Interstellar has more than its fair share of moments. With his follow-up to the out of this world epic, he decides to go to war with Dunkirk. Today the first trailer dropped for the film, and it has everything that makes a Nolan teaser one of the best things to ever happen to trailers. 

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012)

Christian Bale in The Dark Knight Rises

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

Why I Don't Believe That "Mad Max: Fury Road" Will Get a Best Picture Nomination

Scene from Mad Max: Fury Road

There's no denying the unpredictable impact that director George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road has had on the zeitgeist. It's become its own cultural phenomenon with people adopting the lingo and calling Charlize Theron's Furiosa one of the greatest female characters of the year. It's a film made by a mad man and one that is just as entertaining as the notion. However, there's one thing that I could never quite get on board with. For everyone calling this the Best Movie of 2015, I don't think that it transcends to The Academy. While they have added Tom Hardy to their members list, their latest push to make it a Best Picture contender feels a little... off. It's fun, but I have trouble embracing this campaign as anything but wishful thinking.

Will Disney's Remakes Ever Be Serious Oscar Contenders?

Scene from The Jungle Book

In 1939, Walt Disney won an Honorary Oscar for his work on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. With an astounding 22 wins within his lifetime (and 4 within a single evening), it was the perfect sign that Disney Studios was here to stay. Over the years, they have cornered the market on box office and acclaim simultaneously, creating some of the most iconic works in animated film history. Even if it took until 1991 for them to receive a Best Picture nomination with Beauty and the Beast, the studio has maintained an enviable consistency. With today's release of the first trailer for director Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book, it feels like a good time to argue one thing: will their recent adaptations of old classics hold any prestige in the years to follow? 

Birthday Take: Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight" (2008)

Heath Ledger

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

Review: "Interstellar" is a Heady Trip Through Space with a Few Bumps Along the Way

There is a moment in the first hour of director Christopher Nolan's space epic Interstellar that achieves something awe-inspiring. It is the enviable quality to overwhelm the senses while transgressing story and creating something beautiful. As Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) drives away from his family, who he may never see again, there's focus on him driving away spliced with scenes of his fate, a space shuttle, taking off. The symbolism is rich and covers so much ground without telling too much about Cooper's psyche. The moment is replicated a few minutes later as scientist Professor Brand (Michael Caine) reads a Dylan Thomas piece over the vast empty wasteland of space. Despite a slow beginning and an arbitrary plot progression, the moments became warranted quickly with some of the most beautiful, artistic directions that Nolan has ever gone in. It felt that for a moment like he would make the ultimate space epic, at least since 2001: A Space Odyssey (though probably more lowbrow). The issue is that once the film hit this high, it failed to maintain it and by the conclusion, it turned into something of a mess. The lofty goals that were laid out now served as ridiculous themes unable to be worked out logically. Interstellar is a flawed epic full of wonderful moments that tragically lose sight in the final 40 minutes.

A Look at the Divisive Early Opinions of "Interstellar"

Matthew McConaughey

Want to know the merits of director Christopher Nolan? His current film Interstellar, set for release on November 7, currently holds 75% on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. While this rating is sure to go up or down, the early reviews have warranted it as his lowest rated film to date. It's a rather impressive move considering his place as one of the modern era's masters of the blockbuster. This means that unlike all of his peers, his films are all generally accepted as good-to-great. With the first batch of reviews coming in, here's a look at how the race has changed (or not) with what we know.