Oppenheimer blows up

One of the most anticipated films this summer, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, is expecting to blow up the box office here when it opens July 21.

New Mexicans might have more interest in the film, where the historical events of the Manhattan Project depicted in the movie took place in the still secretive town of Los Alamos and at the Trinity test site near modern-day White Sands National Park (the movie was filmed in New Mexico, too).

Nolan continued to build the anticipation for the film, as he announced in late May that a 70mm IMAX special edition of the film would be released in theaters worldwide, 23 of those in the U.S.

“The sharpness and the clarity and the depth of the image is unparalleled,” Nolan told the Associated Press in early June. “The headline, for me, is by shooting on IMAX 70mm film, you’re really letting the screen disappear. You’re getting a feeling of 3D without the glasses. You’ve got a huge screen and you’re filling the peripheral vision of the audience. You’re immersing them in the world of the film.”

The closest locations to Santa Fe to see 70mm IMAX screenings of Oppenheimer include Tempe, Arizona; Dallas; and San Antonio.

While the 70mm edition may be too far to travel for, the Center for Contemporary Arts announced that it will host the 35mm screenings of the film, starting July 21 through August 10. CCA is the only authorized theater in New Mexico to screen the 35mm version.

Both IMAX screenings and standard formats of Oppenheimer will premiere on July 21. — Anthony Romero-kleve

Visit imax.com for showtimes and ticket information.