鈥楧unkirk鈥� won box office 鈥� is an Oscar next?
The film is now one of the 10 domestically highest-grossing movies of the year. As a historical drama, it stands in sharp contrast to such fellow Top 10 list occupiers as the remake of 'Beauty and the Beast' and superhero movies 'Wonder Woman' and 'Spider-Man: Homecoming.'
The film is now one of the 10 domestically highest-grossing movies of the year. As a historical drama, it stands in sharp contrast to such fellow Top 10 list occupiers as the remake of 'Beauty and the Beast' and superhero movies 'Wonder Woman' and 'Spider-Man: Homecoming.'
In 1940,the evacuation of Dunkirk, France, inspired celebration in Britain, and the World War II event still fascinates the moviegoing public, judging from the box-office results and awards buzz generated by the movie based on it.
鈥淒unkirk,鈥� directed by Christopher Nolan of the acclaimed 鈥淒ark Knight鈥� series and starring Fionn Whitehead, Tom Hardy, and Mark Rylance, chronicles the operation that rescued more than 300,000 men and enthralled the people of Britain. The film became a box-office hit this past summer and is now one of the 10 domestically highest-grossing movies of the year. As a historical drama, it stands in sharp contrast to such fellow Top 10 list occupiers as the remake of 鈥淏eauty and the Beast鈥� and superhero movies 鈥淲onder Woman,鈥� 鈥淪pider-Man: Homecoming,鈥� and 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.鈥�
In a summer that was full of such fare, what drew moviegoers to 鈥淒unkirk鈥�? 鈥淚 think Christopher Nolan鈥檚 name,鈥� says Mark Evan Schwartz, associate professor of screenwriting at the School of Film & Television at Loyola Marymount University. 鈥淚t鈥檚 certainly an interesting historical event ... but I think that Christopher Nolan is one of a handful of directors who have really reached star status.... I think there鈥檚 a cross-generational appeal there as well.... An older audience that sort of yearns for some history and a sort of good old-fashioned heroic war story ... would be interested in seeing it.鈥�
Now that Oscar season is approaching, many industry-watchers are considering 鈥淒unkirk鈥� a contender for best picture. (It's already received awards nominations including a Golden Globe nod for best motion picture 鈥� drama.) If nominated, the film likely would be a favorite of both academy voters and the public. However, while Professor Schwartz expects the film to get a best picture nomination, he doesn鈥檛 see it taking home the big prize. Instead, he calls it a likely winner for technical awards such as best sound editing and best sound mixing, or best score for Hans Zimmer鈥檚 work. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 one of the best-scored movies that I鈥檝e heard in a long time,鈥� he says.