Why ‘Dunkirk’ Is Leading the Oscar Race (Screen Talk Episode 157) — IndieWire’s Movie Podcast

Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” was shrouded in secrecy for months, but now there’s no denying it: Critics love this intense WWII epic, which is maximized for 70mm IMAX technology in all big screen glory.

It’s a sweeping period drama filled with memorable action sequences and a gripping survival story, exactly the kind of ingredients that would suggest it’s Oscar bound. But Nolan has never had it easy with the Academy; despite multiple wins for his films in the past, he has never been nominated in the Best Director category. What is it about “Dunkirk” that might finally break that curse?

The answer to that question is the essence of this week’s Screen Talk, as Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson scrutinize every aspect of Nolan’s latest achievement to get a sense for why it’s going over so well.

Listen to the full episode above.

Screen Talk is available on iTunes.

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