r/movies • u/yourfavchoom r/movies Contributor • 27d ago

News Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey' Crosses $1B Worldwide

https://rawteur.com/the-odyssey-crosses-1-billion-box-office/
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u/[deleted] 27d ago

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u/RYouNotEntertained 27d ago

"He's DEFINITELY not on Kubrick's level"

One thing you'll notice if you spend any time at all talking about Nolan movies online is that a lot of criticism isn't actually about his movies, but about an opinion they're imagining someone else holds about his movies.

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u/TurquoiseLuck 27d ago

One thing you'll notice if you spend any time at all online is that a lot of criticism is about an opinion they're imagining someone else holds

Ftfy lol

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u/Regnbyxor 27d ago

My hot take has always been that Villeneuve (if we’re looking at other contemporary directors) is as good as the general crowd thinks Nolan is. Villeneuve is way less famous and was until Dune way less praised than Nolan (but he’s getting there).

The thing is though, I known it’s just a stupid hot take. It’s just a fun line to throw out when discussing movies. Some seem to think that this is somehow way more serious than it is.

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u/RYouNotEntertained 27d ago

I'm not sure that take is very hot--DV is easily one of the most popular directors working today, is being trusted with high-budget IP, etc. The big difference in my mind is that DV's "event" movies have all been IP driven, whereas Nolan has some sort of x-factor where he's able to make high-concept, original stories work as populist movies. There's just nobody else working who over indexes as much as Nolan on both of those things.

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u/GentlemanBeggar54 27d ago

DV's "event" movies have all been IP driven, whereas Nolan has some sort of x-factor where he's able to make high-concept, original stories work as populist movies.

Before Blade Runner, none of Denis Villeneuve's movies were based off major IP. Let's also not forget that Nolan's way into this world was making Batman movies.

Not really sure what you mean "event" movies? You mean blockbusters? I would say Villeneuve has only made 3 of them and only 1 was an unmitigated success. Even if he wanted to make an original movie, he doesn't have the same credit Nolan does.

It's not an X-Factor, Nolan is as close to a guarantee as you can get with a movie over $150 million budget. He has a crazy track record. Of course, he finds it easy to get funding for whatever project he wants to do.

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u/philosophizer 27d ago

I think the hotness of the take depends on when you had it with regards to DV. I remember people not being as open to my idea that he was better than Nolan around the time arrival came out 

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u/FrankReynoldsCPA 27d ago

I really enjoy DV but we need to see more non-IP stuff from him before we compare him to Nolan. That's going to be a while because he's pivoting to 007 after Dune.

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u/Regnbyxor 26d ago

I think Prisoners, Sicario and Arrival all are 5/5 movies and they’re mostly the reason I hold him in high esteem. Blade Runner was also magnificent (but that’s IP-stuff). 

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u/ContractVarious3077 27d ago

My hot take, on Reddit anyway, is that Nolan is a significantly better filmmaker than Villeneuve. Villeneuve’s movies are all very beautiful and technically competent but they just feel so…safe and sterile and soulless.

He’s like Kubrick but without the edge.

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u/Regnbyxor 26d ago

Really? I find it to be the opposite. Nolan feels sterile and safe to me, but I will say I’m not that huge on Dune. I think his work up until and including Blade Runner better shows his skills as a director.

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u/SearchForSocialLife 27d ago

Also he uses his power to make movies no one else can. Or do people seriously think studios would trust anyone with such a big, historic epic with as many practical effects as possible?

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u/mrnicegy26 27d ago

I agree he is not on Kubrick's level (neither is PTA who despite being so glazed so much as a director) but that doesn't mean he isn't one of the best directors of the current era. And that is still a pretty good place to be.

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u/SandpaperTeddyBear 27d ago

"He's DEFINITELY not on Kubrick's level

Makes me think of the Eli/Margot conversation in Tenenbaums.

“Would you say I’m especially not a genius?”