I've often written about films getting longer, and the need for more movies that can be watched in under 90 minutes.

Oppenheimer is an epic three hours long, and I didn't look at my watch once. It's been an incredible couple of weeks for cinema, with "Barbenheimer" proving to be a popular double bill for many moviegoers. I personally chose to watch them over a couple of days, and we made the trip to see Oppenheimer in 70mm at the Parkway Cinema in Barnsley. There's something magical about watching a film on proper film, with the slight risk that things could go wrong in the projection room, like the time I went to the Hollywood Plaza in Scarborough and there was a great deal of crashing about when the latest Avengers film appeared upside down on screen! 

I was worried I might nod off, given my early start for Tameside Radio's breakfast show, but honestly this is such a captivating story. Christopher Nolan has made some great movies, but I think this could well be his finest. There are several timelines running, but it's nowhere near as confusing as Tenet, which frankly left me scratching my head. The black and white scenes were shot on IMAX cameras, which I'm told is a cinema first, and the cinematography is absolutely first rate.

One scene that stuck in my mind for days afterwards starred Nolan's daughter, as an unnamed woman whose skin is shown peeling off in Oppenheimer's imagination, as the sheer force of a nuclear explosion takes hold. You'll probably know the basic premise of the movie, but nothing will prepare you for Cillian Murphy's performance, which I'd say is amongst the best I've ever seen on the big screen. He lost a fair bit of weight for the role, and apparently didn't mingle with the rest of the cast, as he was so immersed in the part.

We follow the story of a brilliant scientist who quickly realises the power of what he's unleashed. Matt Damon and Florence Pugh are both standouts, and whilst it's not an easy watch, you'll be left thinking about it afterwards for sure. The hat, the pipe, the gaunt expression, and those eyes...Cillian Murphy is in almost every scene, so it's little wonder he didn't have time for socialising. I gather the whole thing was wrapped up in less than two months, which is incredible when you see it.

Barbie is clever, funny, and much smarter than you'd expect it to be. Oppenheimer is gripping, engrossing, and a chilling look at one man's intense battle between science and morality. You wouldn't want to miss it on the big screen. If you remember Threads (before it became yet another social media network), this is Threads on acid.

Cinemas are not out of the woods yet. Despite the huge success of Barbenheimer, Vue's boss Tim Richards says there are not enough films being released, and they still haven't got to pre-pandemic levels of attendance. We can only hope that the slow recovery continues, and that the autumn brings more big releases.