My life is, and will be for the next few weeks, mostly devoted to one movie, and it's a truly spectacular film.
Still, don't get me wrong, although Oppenheimer is a top pick for best picture so far this year, and it should clearly be nominated, we still have 1/3rd of a year left, a Scorsese movie on the horizon, and there is a movie that's already stuck in my head as a viable competitor for me.
Past Lives and Oppenheimer could bring the best picture debate back to something resembling 1977/78, when Annie Hall beat Star Wars.
Obviously, this is far from a perfect comparison -- Oppenheimer is neither sci-fi nor fantasy, and Past Lives isn't nearly the comedy that Annie Hall was.
Still, you've got big versus small. You've got two movies aiming to do entirely different things, and doing those things masterfully. Oppenheimer left me in awe, while Past Lives left me in tears.
Both films deserve a ton of praise an recognition. Right now, they stand atop my list of the best films of the year so far.
Oppenheimer is obviously still in theaters; so, go see it. Past Lives is probably completely out of theaters at this point -- see it however you can.