Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos believes that big films can be enjoyed on mobile devices or streaming platforms the same way they are enjoyed in cinemas. Previously, Sarandos faced a lot of criticism online after he mentioned that his son watched the 1962 classic “Lawrence of Arabia” on his mobile device.

Some of the movies he claimed could be enjoyed if watched on a streamer or phone are last year’s “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” Sarandos’s claims made no sense to “Oppenheimer” cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema. In an interview with TMZ, Hoyte Van Hoytema stated that a phone screen doesn’t hold a candle to the traditional theatrical experience.

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The “Oppenheimer” cinematographer shared that movies are being produced with the big screens in mind. He said filmmakers specifically curate the experiences. He further said that seeing movies on streaming platforms like Netflix feels like being subjected to the streamer’s whim.

Just so viewers won’t think that Hoytema has an issue with Sarandos, he revealed that he, too, has watched movies on a pocket-sized screen, but it wasn’t an amazing experience for him. He further said that streaming movies on small screens shouldn’t be made the norm as it wouldn’t help viewers appreciate the artistic intent of the movie.

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Despite his claims, he stated that it isn’t in his place to tell people how to enjoy their movies. Sarando’s stance on how big films are to be seen is quite personal to Hoytema, so he shared a piece of his mind. According to Hoytema, when he creates cinematic moments, he pours his heart and soul into them.

So, whoever feels it’s right for them to watch his movies on small mobile devices, compromising color depth and resolution is simply disrespecting his craft. On the other hand, when Sarandos spoke with the New York Times, he said that Hoytemas’ “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” would still have been popular if they had been released on Netflix.

On March 11, 2024, the Switzerland-born cinematographer talked with the hosts of Breaking the Boundaries of Reality. On the show, Hoytema talked about “Oppenheimer.” The renowned cinematographer said he’s gotten used to not expecting any easy script from Christopher Nolan.

He mentioned that whenever he gets a call from Nolan, and he says there’s a script, he already knows he’d leave the house feeling flabbergasted. Hoytema explained, “You always know that you’re in for a crazy adventure and that it’s going to take up most of the rest of your year.”

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Hoytema explained that the movie is based on American Prometheus, and it’s a 3-hour movie about J. Robert Oppenheimer. The film was centered around Oppenheimer’s life and how he single-handedly worked to create the world’s first atomic bomb. Ironically, the physicist spent the latter part of his life full of regret for creating nuclear weapons.

This is because nuclear weapons are now being used for unlawful purposes. Cillian Murphy played Oppenheimer and was nominated for the Oscar for Best Leading Actor, which he eventually won for his role. The movie is Nolan’s longest and first black-and-white movie shot using an IMAX film camera.

Hoytema has been working with Nolan since 2014 when he shot “Interstellar.” The cinematographer received his first Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography for Nolan’s World War II action thriller “Dunkirk” (2017). “Oppenheimer” is Hoytema and Nolan’s fourth project as a team since they started working together.

At the 96th Academy Awards, Oppenheimer won 7 out of 13 awards it was nominated for. The actor who played Oppenheimer won an award for Best Actor and Picture. Nolan won an award for Best Director, and Hoytema won an award for Best Cinematography. This isn’t Hoytema’s first award nomination since he began working with Nolan.

However, this year’s Oscar awards would be his first win. While Hoytema went on stage to receive his award, he left a message for aspiring filmmakers. Hoytema said, “Please try shooting that incredible new hit thing called celluloid. It’s much easier, they think, and it makes things look so much better.”

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