It’s the summer of science as Oppenheimer continues to make a seismic explosion in pop culture. Along with Barbie (Barbenheimer), Oppenheimer is bringing audiences back to the theater in waves. As of July 31, Oppenheimer has surpassed $400 million worldwide at the box office. For a three-hour dialogue-heavy biopic, that box office number is astounding.
After watching Christopher Nolan’s thriller about the “father of the atomic bomb,” there is an increased interest in biopics, World War II stories, nuclear war, and science dramas. Many of these films are available on Netflix. If you liked Oppenheimer, you should check out these three movies that are currently available on the popular streaming service.
The Imitation Game (2014)
Like Oppenheimer’s treatment in the United States, England was unfair and unkind to Alan Turing post-World War II. Like Oppy, Turing played an integral role in swinging the war in favor of the Allies. The Imitation Game depicts Turing’s codebreaking work at Bletchley Park during WWII.
Directed by Morten Tyldum, Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Turing, a British mathematician and computer scientist recruited to work for the British government in 1939. Because of his interest in cryptography, Turing and a team of cryptanalysts are tasked with deciphering the Enigma machine, the cipher device used by the Nazis to send secret messages. With an intriguing premise and Oscar-worthy performance by Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game manages to craft a WWII thriller that’s exciting without ever depicting a battle on-screen.
Stream The Imitation Game on Netflix.
Dunkirk (2017)
Before Oppenheimer, many critics and fans cited 2017’s Dunkirk as Nolan’s masterpiece. Set during WWII, the war thriller depicts the Dunkirk evacuation from the perspective of a group of Allied soldiers on land, in the air, and at sea. Dunkirk features a large ensemble cast, including Nolan’s frequent collaborators in Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy (who plays the title role in Oppenheimer), Kenneth Branagh, along with Fionn Whitehead, Harry Styles, Mark Rylance, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, and Barry Keoghan
Nolan uses his signature nonlinear narrative to jump back and forth between the past and the present, interconnecting all the stories by the end of the film. It’s a masterful film that went on to win three Oscars on eight nominations, with Nolan finally be nominated for Best Director for the first time.
Stream Dunkirk on Netflix.
All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
War is hell, and nothing illustrates that point more than All Quiet on the Western Front. Based on Erich Maria Remarque’s classic novel, All Quiet on the Western Front chronicles life in World War I from the German perspective. Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer), a young and ambitious soldier, enlists in the German army with a group of friends three years into WWI.
Before his time in the German army, Paul believes in the romanticism of war, believing he will become a hero by the end of his service. Within one day, Paul quickly realizes that war is brutal and unforgiving. Trench warfare opens Paul’s eyes to the viciousness of war as he witnesses death on a daily basis. With a haunting score and memorable battle sequences, All Quiet on the Western Front is a timeless story about the jarring realities of war and the negative effect it can have on soldiers.
Stream All Quiet on the Western Front on Netflix.
