Damn it, you guys are legit giving me chills. Have to wait another 48 hours!

Full thoughts after getting home...

Again, this is why you go to the movies.

The entire experience was just non-stop intensity. This is not a typical war film where you get a back story of the men who fought. There is no real character development. However, through the people you are introduced to throughout the movie, you can feel the desperate atmosphere that had over taken that part of the word in 1940.

I enjoyed the Nolan perfected non-linear format. It was interesting and unique to watch the storylines come together and notice scenes from Farrier's view out of his cockpit be shown moments later through the eyes of the family on the civilian boat. Also, the dog fighting scenes were the best part. Tom Hardy played those scenes perfectly with his eyes.

Nolan deserves the lion's share of credit, and deservedly so, but Hans Zimmer...what more can be said other than that guy is simply a wizard with the scores he puts together. The lack of dialogue was made up with the never ending, almost haunting, music. That tick, tick, tick in the background was so unsettling. The music reverberated through everyone's body in the theatre. The score set the tone for every scene and played up emotions of dread and suspense like no other movie experience I've felt.

The cinematography was great, there were some beautiful shots from those planes. And it sounds cheesy, but to see all those people band together for one cause was really inspiring. This movie is unforgettable, and it isn't a movie to rent at redbox, it needs to be seen in the theatre.

"We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."

That was an amazing movie.

The thing that stands out most for me is Zimmer's score. It is a separate sensory entity of the movie. From the earliest moments the score is there, building in its intensity and really capturing a major theme in this story - we know the Allied Expeditionary Force is trapped between the English Channel and the Nazi Wehrmacht, so how long do they have before the Germans attack? There is a ticking sound built into the score that gives this theme an ever-present sense of anxiety and dread. This is easily some of Zimmer's best work.

Nolan also nailed the,aerial scenes. I told my wife that at this point in the air war, dogfighting tactics were still being developed. Often a pilot would retain focus on a vanquished target for a bit too long, never seeing another present threat. And what is it with Tom Harry's eyes? He gave a hell of a performance as fighter pilot Farrier, largely seen through only his goggles and with the oxygen mask covering the rest of his face. I felt like I was right there in the cockpit with him. I guess this should not have been a surprise given his performance as Bane a few years ago.

The history seemed reasonably depicted. I am familiar with the story, being a WWII nut, but had always wondered what it would have really looked like with a ragtag fleet of pleasure boats, etc, sailing into war. I think Nolan gave us a great picture of how this might have looked.

I can certainly see how the story alignment might be confusing or even off-putting, but there was no trickery here. They spell out the different time lines and then do an amazing job of weaving those into one coherent piec. There is some repetition as we occasionally see events already presented from a different perspective.

Dunkirk lives up to my expectations.

STUPENDOUS SPECTACULAR AG said:

---

Quote:

---

Do we really need another WW2 film?

---

No, we don't. I'm extremely disappointed Nolan is doing this. WW2 is way over done, regardless of the fact that there are countless old sentimental types who will still pay to see every movie about it. I wish Nolan would stick to scifi.

---

Simply can't wait to see it tomorrow. Great to hear everyone's take
This has been one of my favorite stories from WW 2 since I was a kid.

Not movie related, but grew up with the story of Dunkirk.
One of the large ships used in the evacuation suffered major damage. With a major gash on one side it was taking on too much water.
To utilize it, bricks were loaded below on one side to try and offset the damage on the other side and "limp" home.

After delivering soldiers home, it was patched up.

It then traveled to the shipyard in Orange, Tx to be repaired fully. Believe it or. It Orange was a big player in the shipping big industry then.


When the ship arrived the bricks were being tossed in the water.
My great grandfather was told the story behind them and ended up having them loaded in trucks to be taken to property he had in town.
Once there, they were used to build a road on his land.

Loved hearing my grandfather, who would serve in the Pacific on the Richmond, tell the Dunkirk story while walking on those bricks.

I know...cool story, etc.

Looking forward to tomorrow night....

Just got home from the movie...wow, amazing.
Hardly any dialogue, yet has you engaged from opening to end credits with an incredible score. Nolan telling the story with 3 stories in 3 different timelines definitely makes you pay attention. I highly recommend watching in IMAX. This has been the one movie all summer I've been anticipating to see and it didn't disappoint.

Pretty much a perfect film. The intensity is full bore the entire way through. It's under 2 hours which is nice because it really is non stop stress. Love the different perspectives. This is definitely a movie where the score and sound mixing add to it. Everyone who wants to see this film should do so in a theater. Simply amazing sound.

Quote:

---

Pretty much a perfect film

---

My friend asked what I thought after I got out. Being someone who usually takes mental critical notes when watching a movie(even ones I like), I sent him this....

After sleeping on it, this is my best of 2017 so far. The technical side of the film is magnificent (I second all the endorsements of how beautiful the movie is shot, but again to me the sound was the real highlight). Also as a history fan, the ending was perfect for me.

Quote:

---

Almost Top Gun level stuff

---

This comparison was inevitable. I believe Nolan blew Top Gun away. He captured WWII dogfighting completely. Pilots really did encounter issues getting their landing gear down, and it was a hand crank that they had to work at fast in order to do so. There was nothing on these aircraft that was automated, push-button stuff like we would find on a modern day jet. I know that when discussing airplanes, the vast majority of folks will ohhhh and ahhhh over jet fighters - I do at every such Kyle Field fly-by - but for me the WWII warbirds is simply a more interesting airplane. You could not eliminate a target that your eyes could not see; you had to be better or luckier than your opponent to shoot him down. Nolan depicted that quite well.

And of course Armond White gives it a negative review while calling Valerian a masterpiece on the level of Metropolis. So far this year, he has panned Logan, Wonder Woman, GotG2, Get Out, Spider-Man, John Wick, and Planet of the Apes but praised the last Transformers movie. He also named King Arthur and The Great Wall among his 10 best so far for 2017.

SITTING IN IMAX 70MM WAITING FOR THE SHOW TO START MY BODY IS READY NOLAN AND ZIMMER