Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer was the standout critical and commercial hit of 2023, taking home seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor. You can already stream it on Peacock (as well as some of its fellow Oscar winners), but if the nearly three-hour runtime isn’t enough for you, here are ten movies like Oppenheimer worth adding to your watch list.
Dunkirk
Oppenheimer is actually Nolan’s second foray into the WWII era, with the first being his 2017 film Dunkirk. In fact, it was the highest-grossing WWII film of all time at release, surpassed only by Oppenheimer last year.
Although Cillian Murphy still makes an appearance, it’s a very different kind of film. It tells the story of the evacuation of Dunkirk, where hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers needed to be rescued from Northern France. It’s a tense thriller that relies more heavily on its cinematography to set the tone of the piece. If you enjoyed the practical effects of Oppenheimer, expect more great visuals in Dunkirk.
Unfortunately, Dunkirk isn’t currently available on any major streaming services, so you’ll have to rent a physical or digital copy to watch it.
A Beautiful Mind
Switching over to biopics, A Beautiful Mind explores the life of mathematician John Nash, who won a Nobel Prize in Economics and played a big role in the development of game theory. Directed by Ron Howard and helmed by Russell Crowe, it takes a more sympathetic approach to a biographical film, focusing on not just his work but also his personal life and how it’s all affected by his struggles with mental illness.
Like Oppenheimer, A Beautiful Mind was a commercial and critical success in 2001. You can stream it now on Starz.
The Imitation Game
Another great biopic worth watching for fans of Oppenheimer is The Imitation Game. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, it’s also a period piece that takes place during WWII. However, it focuses on mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing and his role in decrypting intercepted German intelligence using primitive computer technology.
Cumberbatch’s performance solidified his status as a world-class actor, and the film is a thrilling experience from beginning to end. It’s available to stream on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu.