There is, perhaps, no other director in Hollywood at this moment in time that is as marketable as Christopher Nolan. Lauded for his visionary epics, Nolan began his filmmaking career with his directorial debut of the independent neo-noir film, Following, in 1998. But it was the epic Dark Knight trilogy, a grounded and modern take on the Batman mythos, where Nolan truly made his mark on mainstream cinema. In the years and film projects that followed, Nolan has only exponentially grown in popularity due to his riveting, and at times, mind-bending sci-fi narratives in movies like The Prestige, Inception, and the Matthew McConaughey-led Interstellar.
In recent years, Nolan has also embarked on a quest to bring historical premises to the big screen. In 2017, the director recreated the wild and chaotic action of the Dunkirk evacuation during World War II. Currently, The Odyssey is enjoying a massively successful run in theaters depicting the fantastical events of the famous ancient Greek poem the film is named after. But many might recall that Nolan’s last dalliance with cinematic splendor was the incredible biographical film depicting the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist credited with helping craft the first nuclear weapon during World War II.
The Odyssey
Trivia challenge
From the shores of Troy to the halls of Ithaca — how well do you know
Homer’s epic tale of the long way home?
CharactersMythologyMonstersJourneysEpic Poetry
Who is the central hero of the Odyssey, trying to return home after the fall of
Troy?
Correct! Odysseus, king of Ithaca, is the cunning hero at the heart of
Homer’s epic. Known for his intelligence and resourcefulness, his name has even given us the word
‘odyssey’ to describe any long, eventful journey.
Not quite — the answer is Odysseus. While Achilles and Agamemnon are
prominent figures in the Iliad, the Odyssey follows Odysseus specifically on his decade-long struggle to
return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
What type of creature is Polyphemus, whom Odysseus blinds in order to escape his
cave?
Correct! Polyphemus is a Cyclops, one of a race of one-eyed giants and
the son of Poseidon. Odysseus blinds him with a sharpened stake and escapes by hiding under the bellies
of the giant’s sheep — a classic moment of cunning over brute strength.
Not quite — Polyphemus is a Cyclops, a one-eyed giant and son of the sea
god Poseidon. Odysseus escapes his cave by blinding him and slipping away beneath his sheep, but
Poseidon’s fury over his son’s fate hounds Odysseus for much of the rest of the journey.
Which goddess is Odysseus’s most consistent divine protector throughout the Odyssey?
Correct! Athena, goddess of wisdom and warfare, champions Odysseus
throughout the epic. Her support makes sense given that both she and Odysseus are celebrated for their
cleverness — she even disguises herself and others multiple times to help him on his way.
Not quite — it’s Athena, the goddess of wisdom. She is Odysseus’s divine
patron and appears repeatedly throughout the epic, guiding him, disguising him, and even intervening on
his behalf with Zeus and Poseidon to help him reach home safely.
On whose island does Odysseus spend seven years as a reluctant lover before being
allowed to leave?
Correct! Calypso, a nymph who lives on the island of Ogygia, detains
Odysseus for seven years, offering him immortality in exchange for staying with her. It is only when
Zeus sends Hermes with a direct command that she reluctantly releases him.
Not quite — the answer is Calypso, a sea nymph on the island of Ogygia.
Circe is a common mix-up, as Odysseus also stays with her for a year, but it is Calypso who keeps him
for seven years and offers him eternal life if he will remain by her side.
In what literary device does the Odyssey begin, starting the story in the middle of
the action rather than at the very beginning?
Correct! The Odyssey opens in medias res — Latin for ‘into the middle of
things’ — a hallmark of classical epic poetry. The Trojan War is already over, Odysseus has been
wandering for years, and we join the story as his son Telemachus is coming of age and seeking news of
his father.
Not quite — the technique is called in medias res, meaning the story
begins in the middle of events already underway. It’s a defining feature of Homeric epic; rather than
starting at the beginning of Odysseus’s journey, we join events already in motion and learn earlier
details through flashbacks and storytelling.
What is the name of Odysseus’s faithful wife, who delays remarrying by unravelling
her weaving each night?
Correct! Penelope is one of literature’s most celebrated figures of
loyalty and cleverness. She tells her suitors she will choose a new husband once she finishes weaving a
funeral shroud — but secretly unravels her work each night, buying time for Odysseus to return.
Not quite — the answer is Penelope. Clytemnestra is a common mix-up, as
she is the unfaithful wife of Agamemnon in the same mythological cycle. Penelope is Odysseus’s devoted
wife, whose nightly unravelling of her weaving is a famous symbol of fidelity and quiet resistance.
Odysseus is warned to sail between two dangerous threats — the six-headed monster
Scylla and what treacherous whirlpool?
Correct! Charybdis is a deadly whirlpool monster that could swallow
Odysseus’s entire ship. Forced to choose between the two threats, he steers closer to Scylla, losing six
men but saving the vessel — giving rise to the phrase ‘between Scylla and Charybdis,’ meaning a choice
between two equally bad options.
Not quite — the whirlpool is Charybdis. Together, Scylla and Charybdis
represented an impossible dilemma for ancient sailors, and navigating between them is one of the
Odyssey’s most dramatic episodes. The phrase has survived to this day as a metaphor for being caught
between two terrible choices.
How does Odysseus ultimately prove his identity to the suitors and reclaim his home
upon returning to Ithaca?
Correct! Penelope holds an archery contest, promising to marry whichever
suitor can string Odysseus’s mighty bow and shoot an arrow through the rings of twelve axe handles. None
of the suitors can even string it — but Odysseus, still in disguise, does so effortlessly and then turns
the bow on the suitors themselves.
Not quite — the answer is the archery contest with the great bow.
Penelope devises the test, unknowingly giving her disguised husband the perfect opportunity. After
Odysseus strings the bow and fires through all twelve axe handles, he reveals himself and, with the help
of Telemachus and loyal servants, slaughters the suitors who had plagued his household.
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Oppenheimer is now streaming for free
Don’t miss Cilian Murphy’s Oscar-winning performance
Oppenheimer became a pop culture sensation upon its release in 2023. For a time, it was all anyone could talk about. Famously, it was released alongside Barbie, birthing the socially-trending term “Barbenheimer” for movie-goers driven to theaters by these two polar opposite films. It’s a fusion that ultimately kept these two giant movies from harming each other monetarily and instead hyped the demand for double feature viewings, granting both films wild success. This, coupled with an Oscar-winning performance from Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders, 28 Days Later) and Nolan’s striking cinematography made Oppenheimer a landmark film. Let’s not forget that Nolan also walked away with an Academy Award for his directorial effort. Oppenheimer dominated the Oscars that year.
Now, you can stream this incredible feature for free. Oppenheimer is available to watch on Fandango at Home. Formerly Vudu until Fandango’s acquisition, Fandango at Home is also an app that can be found on most smart devices. Like Prime Video, you can rent or purchase movies and shows on demand through this service and create your own digital library. But the service does also offer its own set of freebies (that stream with ads, of course). Oppenheimer is the newest addition to Fandango’s free library. So, if you recently watched The Odyssey and are still craving more from the same powerhouse filmmaker, this is your best chance to watch the movie at no cost to you.
Fandango at Home is a great place to watch excellent movies
There are more historical dramas for free on the service
If you like Oppenheimer and are a fan of biographical or historical dramas, Fandango at Home does, in fact, have more free options in these categories. Hacksaw Ridge is another period piece set during the height of World War II. This 2016 film stars Andrew Garfield (The Social Network, The Amazing Spider-Man) as Desmond Doss, a real-life combat medic during World War II who made a name for himself as a conscientious objector. It’s the harrowing story of a man who still performs his duty as a medic in the heat of battle without taking up arms to defend himself.
There are a few other great films offered by the service that represent historical settings and themes but are entirely fictional dramas. The Help is one such film which stars Emma Stone (La La Land), Viola Davis (The Woman King), and Octavia Spencer (Ma) in a 1960s period piece centered around the culture and treatment of African American domestic workers in that era. There is also the 1990 Civil War film Dances With Wolves. This movie stars Kevin Costner in the role of a Union army lieutenant who meets a group of Lakota Native Americans during his travels. Believe it or not, Dances With Wolves is also Kevin Costner’s directorial debut. It’s a classic film worth seeing if you’ve never before had the opportunity. Don’t discount Fandango at Home as only a paid video-on-demand service. While it doesn’t have large free libraries like other streaming services, there are absolute gems that appear in its catalog from time to time that are worth your attention.
Oppenheimer
- Release Date
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July 21, 2023
- Runtime
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181 minutes
- Director
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Christopher Nolan
- Writers
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Christopher Nolan
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Cillian Murphy
J. Robert Oppenheimer
-
Emily Blunt
Kitty Oppenheimer
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Robert Downey Jr.
Lewis Strauss
