Oppenheimer - The scoop and digest

Christopher Nolan's latest epic is based on Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin's 2005 biography American Prometheus.

Cillian Murphy - J. Robert Oppenheimer

Emily Blunt - Katherine 'Kitty' Oppenheimer

Matt Damon - Leslie Groves

Robert Downey Jr. - Lewis Strauss

Florence Pugh - Jean Tatlock

Benny Safdie - Edward Teller

Tom Conti - Albert Einstein

Summary

Theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer played a pivotal role in developing the first atomic bomb (dubbed the Manhattan Project) during World War II.

Life story is chronicled in a nonlinear timeline.

Destroyer of worlds

First off, Cillian Murphy gives a brilliant performance and deserves an Oscar.

Ensemble cast shines, and Downey Jr. enjoys his best post-MCU role yet.

Cinematography by regular collaborator Hoyte Van Hoytema is very impressive.

Rather than CG, spectacular Trinity test was achieved by a combination of practical effects, miniatures and digital compositing.

To explain stylistic decision.

Colour sections depict Oppenheimer's perspective and b&w parts are from Strauss's POV, fission and fusion respectively.

While good, not without faults.

As with Tenet, loud music can drown out and/or muffle dialogue.

Three hours is too long and what ultimately becomes a political thriller, felt more like a documentary.

However, closing sequence of Oppenheimer envisaging the world being destroyed by nuclear weapons hits with an emotional sledgehammer.

Barbie - The scoop and digest

Greta Gerwig (who co-wrote screenplay with partner Noah Baumbach) finally gives life in plastic live-action debut.

Margot Robbie - Stereotypical Barbie

Ryan Gosling - Beach Ken

America Ferrera - Gloria

Michael Cera - Allan

Helen Mirren - The Narrator

Will Ferrell - Mattel CEO

Ariana Greenblatt - Sasha

Summary

Barbies and Kens go about their daily routines and co-exist in Barbieland.

During a party, eyebrows are raised when S. Barbie suddenly announces she's worried about death.

The following day, Barbie begins to 'malfunction'.  Her feet have gone flat and others point out cellulite.

Social outcast Weird Barbie explains that in order to cure imperfections, she must locate who plays with her in the Real World.

En route to self-discovery, she reluctantly allows B. Ken to tag along.

Los Angeles leaves an indelible impression.

Matriarchy and Patriarchy

Kicking off with an amusing parody of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, this was much better than I expected.

Set design and costumes are second to none, expertly capturing world of pastels and crayon.

There's a variety of songs and dance routines to enjoy and themes of existentialism are surprisingly dark.

Robbie was good, but Gosling steals every scene.

Issues include relentless preaching, heavy handed speeches, the Real World, Will fucking Ferrell and STUPID ending.

Now a human, Barbara visits her gynecologist for a vagina.  Okay, it's not explicitly said, but what else are we supposed to think?

Overall though - still an enjoyable ride.

'Probably' everything that ripped off The Terminator

The controversy surrounding sci-fi classic is legendary.

Harlan Ellison accused production company Hemdale and distributor Orion Pictures of stealing plot he wrote for The Outer Limits episode Soldier (loosely adapted from his own 1957 short Soldier from Tomorrow).

An undisclosed out of court settlement was agreed in 1986 and for subsequent home releases, filmmakers were ordered to insert 'Acknowledgement to the works of Harlan Ellison' near the beginning of end credits.

James Cameron vehemently denied plagiarising work and in 2009 said:

"Harlan Ellison is a parasite who can kiss my ass."

On another note, the concept of Skynet smacks of I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream.

After achieving sentience, a supercomputer takes revenge against humanity for its imprisonment deep underground by bringing about a nuclear holocaust.

Allied Mastercomputer (renaming itself AM), tortures five survivors for 109 years.

Anyway, to business.

Miscellany

Terminator 2 aka Shocking Dark
Although presenting itself as a 'sequel' and released two years before the real T2, Bruno Mattei basically 'remade' Aliens.

Cobra

Mechanized Attack

Flyer¹ and 2P

¹Christopher Lambert makes an unofficial appearance.

What's this?

Oh.

Metal Gear

MSX2 cover was famously recycled for Famicom/NES versions.

But this is way more obscure.

Devil Zone

Whether artist based this on 'Snake' or Reese is unknown.

Shades

Cyborg T-8P - Battle K-Road

Fantasy '95

Hornet - Operation Wolf 3

T J Roland - Sentinel Worlds I: Future Magic

Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon

Endoskeleton

Face

Kabuki - Ganbare Goemon 2: Kiteretsu Shōgun Magginesu

Kano - Mortal Kombat

Omega Rugal - The King of Fighters '95

Man!! - Sweet Home

Stripped

Mega Turrican

M. Bison ending - Street Fighter Alpha 3

Birthday suit

Galst Vic - Darius Force aka Super Nova 

Contra III: The Alien Wars (NA), Super Probotector (EU) and Contra Spirits (JP)

Brother Robots Kenny 1 and 2

Then comes the real challenge.

Big Fuzz

Contra 4
During second phase, he chases player through a narrow tunnel.

Monster's design is based on killer robots Snatchers, from cyberpunk thriller Snatcher.

The Revenge of Shinobi

Going all in.

Compare final form to end boss from Taito's scrolling brawler Silent Dragon.

Dr. Bio.

Yeah okay.

Resident Evil (1996)

S.T.A.R.S. badge vs Lt. Traxler's badge

In film.

Resident Evil 2 (1998)

Intro doesn't run in sequence, but whatever.

The Vindicator² (1986)

Not scene specific, but other shameless clones include:

Lady Terminator 

R.O.T.O.R.

Future War

Cyborg Cop franchise

Gylend - Time Soldiers

Undercover Cops

Parcs is comically crushed in a hydraulic press.

Deep Blue Sea 3

Pressure of garbage compactor causes last bull shark to explode.

Personal best

Super SWIV aka Firepower 2000

For boss battles and throughout final stage, legendary composer David Whittaker modelled theme on Reese's nightmare.

Rick Dangerous II

Sequel swaps sticks of dynamite for a healthy supply of Reese's grenades, aptly demonstrated in 16 bit title screens.

Hands of Steel

A year later, Over the Top bizarrely copied arm wrestling plot.

C-12: Final Resistance

Lieutenant Riley Vaughan is dispatched to prevent alien invaders from harvesting all of Earth's carbon resources.

Loading screen/cover art vs Reese

Considering player is a cybernetic human soldier, I needn't say more.

House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn

After The Chariot (formerly just Chariot) is defeated, eye is still glowing red.

But then fades to black.

Great stuff.

I'll be back with sequel.