Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is finally here, and Emma Jones and Kaleem Aftab are, for once, in agreement about something: that it's a masterpiece.
In this week's episode of Cinema in One Take, we review Nolan's ambitious adaptation of Homer's epic, discussing why it works so brilliantly as both an intimate character study and a spectacular cinematic experience. We debate whether it's Nolan's greatest film, unpack Matt Damon's performance as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway's powerful Penelope, Samantha Morton's unforgettable Cersei, and whether Tom Holland delivers one of the strongest performances of his career, yes, even above Peter Parker.
We also explore the film's themes of war, homecoming, sacrifice and empire, discuss its breathtaking IMAX visuals, and ask where The Odyssey now sits among Christopher Nolan's remarkable filmography.
Plus, Kaleem reflects on his return to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival after almost two years away from festival life—and an unexpected meeting with Oscar nominee Jeffrey Wright.
In this episode:
• Our spoiler-light review of The Odyssey
• Is this Christopher Nolan's finest film?
• Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o and Samantha Morton
• A film that reflects modernity through an ancient epic
• Returning to Karlovy Vary
• An unexpected evening with Jeffrey Wright
We'd love to hear your thoughts after you've seen The Odyssey. Join the conversation on our Substack and social channels.
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