Oppenheimer Is the ‘Best, Most Important Film of This Century,’ Says Paul Schrader

July 18, 2023

Filmmaker Paul Schrader has called Oppenheimer the “best, most important film of this century.”

Schrader has written films like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull and directed movies like First Reformed and The Card Counter. He has been revered for his filmmaking career, but he started his career as a film critic. To this day, he regularly shares his thoughts on new movies on Facebook.

He recently shared his thoughts on Christopher Nolan’s new historical thriller Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy as the father of the atomic bomb. “The best, most important film of this century,” he says. “If you see one film in cinemas this year it should be Oppenheimer. I’m not a Nolan groupie but this one blows the doors off the hinges.”

When does the Oppenheimer review embargo lift?

The Oppenheimer embargo lifts on Wednesday, July 19, at 12:00 pm EST/9:00 am PST.

The cast includes Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett, Kenneth Branagh, Dane DeHaan, Alden Ehrenreich, Matthew Modine, Jack Quaid, David Dastmalachina, Jason Clarke, Josh Peck, Devon Bostick, Gary Oldman, and Casey Affleck.

Oppenheimer releases on Friday, July 21, 2023, by Universal Pictures.

Jonathan Sim is a film critic and filmmaker born and raised in New York City. He is a member of the Critics Choice Association and Hollywood Creative Alliance, and has been featured in The Hollywood Reporter, Newsweek, and Radio Times.

He has met/interviewed some of the leading figures in Hollywood, including Christopher Nolan, Zendaya, Liam Neeson, and Denis Villeneueve. He also works as a screenwriter, director, and producer on independent short films.