Oppenheimer has reopened bomb debate in US; in Japan, it’s more complex

Oppenheimer has reopened bomb debate in US; in Japan, it’s more complex
Cillian Murphy in a scene from Oppenheimer. (Image: Universal Pictures/AP)
Bloomberg
By Gearoid ReidyWhat can we learn from a country’s choice of when – or whether – to screen World War II drama Oppenheimer? Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster biopic was released in the US just after the anniversary of the Trinity test, the culmination of the Manhattan Project on July 16, 1945, that paved the way for the postwar Pax Americana. In South Korea, it will hit screens on National Liberation Day, which marks Tokyo’s Aug 15 surrender in World War II – something the bomb is credited with. And in Japa...

More The Life

My Net Worth: George Adams, professional director
The Life

My Net Worth: George Adams, professional director

A Coca-Cola leadership role lured the Northern Irishman to NZ.

Riley Kennedy 06 Jul 2025
Review: Brick Bay's Glass House restaurant is a feast for the senses
The Life

Review: Brick Bay's Glass House restaurant is a feast for the senses

A sculpture trail flanking a bush boardwalk is a bonus attraction for diners.

Helen van Berkel 06 Jul 2025
None more black? Range Rover blacks out the Sport SV
The Life

None more black? Range Rover blacks out the Sport SV

'How much more black could this be? The answer is none. None more black.'

Pentagon pizza index: slice of the action or cheesy story?
The Life

Pentagon pizza index: slice of the action or cheesy story?

US armed forces supremo among social media site's 200,000-plus followers.