SPLITTING ATOMS by Phil Congleton

As Phil Meets The Movies moves through each month of 2023, here on Digging Star Wars, we will explore as many areas of film history as we can. The movies high-lighted in each article have certain connections or similarities to each other, resulting in a common theme or thread. At times, Phil Meets The Movies 2023, just like Digging Star Wars, will explore the films and the creators of those films, who eventually inspired the Star Wars saga and vice-versa. That is in our new Inspired Star Wars section, found later on in the article. Half of the theme for each month, is based off of our pick, from new releases in the movie theaters. The other half of the theme is based on the movies we picked, from our Film366 film list. This July will see director Christopher Nolan release his new docu-drama, about the creation of the atom bomb, as part of the Manhattan Project, during World War II. It is also a biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientific leader of the Manhattan Project. So, with the release of Oppenheimer (2023), we will also look into other moments in film history, that feature the splitting of the atom. 

 

Now that we have made it halfway through the year, I am going to change-up the format a little bit here at Phil Meets The Movies. This article will begin featuring more movies, but in a more rapid-style manner, so we can cover more territory. It'll include more movie titles to talk about, with a little bit less of me, rambling on, too much. So, since the cat is out of the bag on what our new theatrical release will be, let's start this month off with a couple of new releases for July, 2023.

Phil at the Movies 2023 List on Letterboxd

Oppenheimer (2023)

The new Christopher Nolan film keys in on a pivotal moment in world history. July is a good time to release this film, because on July 16th, 1945, during the Manhattan Project, the first detonation test of the atomic bomb happened, in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Phil's Full Review of Oppenheimer (2023), on Letterboxd

Phil's Grade - A (9.4) = 4 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 9 IMDB

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

The fifth Indiana Jones movie is the best it can be, when its main character is an 80 year old, action-hero. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), is better than the fourth film, so it ends up being a good apology for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2005). This film is as good as the second film, but nowhere near meets the quality and level of the first or third films.

Phil's Grade - C (7.1) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

This film wasn't as good as the first film, but trying to top Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), was probably going to be a tough job anyway. The first film was almost, near-perfect. This one still captures the great animation and beautifully, stylized backgrounds, seen in the first film, but misses the mark, with too much going on in the story, all at once, in an already cluttered script. There is definitely something missing in this film, but it still is a strong effort and definitely worth seeing. 

Phil's Grade - C+ (7.6) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB

Phil's Film366 Film List for July on Letterboxd

Mothra VS Godzilla (1964)

You can't do an article about atomic bomb movies without mentioning the 1954, Japanese classic, Gojira. On July 7th, 1901, Japanese, special effects legend and creator of Godzilla, Eiji Tsuburaya, was born in Fukushima, Japan. In my opinion (not counting the original 1954 classic), this film, Mothra VS Godzilla (1964), is the best of the classic, Showa era kaiju films. Remember, always watch the Japanese versions with English subtitles, however, the American version of this film is pretty good. They actually shot an extra scene for the U.S. film version.

Phil's Full Review of Mothra VS Godzilla (1964), on Letterboxd

Phil's Grade - C+ (7.6) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB

 

Fat Man and Little Boy (1989)

Now comes the original Oppenheimer movie. This film is on our Film366 film list for July, because on July 16th, 1945, the Manhattan Project commenced its first detonation test of the atomic bomb. In this film, Matt Damon's General Leslie Groves is played by Paul Newman. It is really interesting seeing both actors' different approaches to the character.  

Phil's Full Review of Fat Man and Little Boy (1989), on Letterboxd

Phil's Grade - C (6.9) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB

In the Shadow of the Moon (2007)

July 20th, 1969 is a very important moment in world history. It was the day when Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. It was the first time in history, that humans walked on the lunar landscape. The best way to enjoy that moment in history, is watching this award winning, British-produced documentary, about America landing on the Moon.

Phil's Full Review of In the Shadow of the Moon (2007), on Letterboxd

Phil's Grade - B+ (8.7) = 4 Stars Letterboxd / 8 IMDB

The Blob (1958)

Earlier in July, I went to Blobfest 2023, so I have to mention The Blob (1958). Watching this film in the 21st century adds a new dimension to this independently produced film from 1958. When you think of all the other science fiction movies, that came out during the post-Atomic Age genre of 1950s cinema, this one is actually unique and was a fresh idea, compared to the others. Instead of space aliens, radiated altered humans or giant birds and lizards, this film is about a ball of goo, that absorbs human beings into its mass. The Blob (1958), may have archaic, practical effects, that came from an older era, but there is no doubt about the influence on science-fiction and pop-culture, as a whole, that The Blob (1958), has had. You should have heard the excitement in the audience at Blobfest 2023. The fun starts with the beginning theme song.

Phil's Full Review of the Blob (1958), on Letterboxd

Phil's Grade - C (6.9) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB

Crack in the World (1965)

In Crack in the World (1965), scientists try an experiment, to see if they can utilize the inner core of the planet, as a way to help mankind's resource issues, by shooting an atomic bomb, into the protective layer surrounding the core. By doing this, they can use the core as an unlimited energy-source and solve many of mankind's problems. It is another worse-case scenario involving the spectre of the atomic bomb.   

Phil's Grade - C- (6.5) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB

Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

First off, I just want to say, Peter Graves. I somehow managed to put-together a Peter Graves double feature for you this month, without even thinking about it. Our last two films, in this article, feature Graves' work. He returns for this movie, after his hilarious turn in the first Airplane (1980), movie. Airplane II: The Sequel (1982), satirizes a lot of other movies and TV shows, like Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and ET: The Extraterrestrial (1982). It pays a great shout-out to Star Wars, by opening up the film with a prologue crawl, just like the ones seen before every Star Wars movie. The funny part is, director Ken Finkleman, plays over-top of the crawl, the theme song to Battlestar Galactica. This is on the heels of an inside joke about how Battlestar Galactica was always accused of being a Star Wars rip-off, back in the late 1970s.

Phil's Full Review of Airplane II: The Sequel (1982), on Letterboxd

Phil's Grade - C+ (7.3) = 3 1/2 Stars Letterboxd / 7 IMDB

Phil's List of Movie Fails, That Still Deserve a Watch, on Letterboxd

Killers from Space (1954)

Your second Peter Graves film is from 1954, is a low-budget, independent film and was distributed by RKO Pictures. The same people who gave you Citizen Kane (1941), King Kong (1933) and many other classics. This was one of the more low-budget films, distributed by RKO, during one of their numerous transition periods, they went through, over their history. This film opens up with an atomic bomb explosion (well stock footage of one anyway). It's a great B-movie for our theme this month, but it's a shame the special effects, sound effects, make-up, costumes and music are so bad. Directed by Billy Wilder's brother Lee, I still recommend seeing the film, because you have to see it to believe it. It does have a point, but is hampered by, too many visits to the pet reptile tank. Everytime I've seen this film, over the past 40 years, all I can think of is, "poor, poor, Peter Graves".

Phils Full Review of Killers from Space (1954), on Letterboxd

Phil's Grade - F+ (3.9) = 2 Stars Letterboxd / 4 IMDB

Photo by Henry Mich

As mentioned earlier in this article, in my review of The Blob (1958), here are Chris and I at Blobfest 2023. Back in January of this year, Chris had an article he wrote on The Blob (1958) published in the media journal Artifact Analysis.

Phil Meets The Movies will be back in August. 

About the Author

Phil Congleton is a lifelong film buff, who worked in television for 30 years and produced a few, small independent films in the 1990s. He is co-creator of Film366 with Chris Mich and curator of Phil Meets the Movies. Now retired, Phil commits his time to promoting the movies and the art of film. You can read more about Phil's film reviews on Letterboxd.