Not to defend Java, but some examples seem just unfair:

    if (nullableVariable != null) {
        boolean success = nullableVariable.someMethodCall()
        if (success) {
            return success
        } else {
            return fallbackIfNullMethodCall()
        }
    } else {
        return fallbackIfNullMethodCall()
    }

    // Wouldn't that work just as well ?
    if (nullableVariable != null) {
      return nullableVariable.someMethodCall() || fallbackIfNullMethodCall();
    }
    return fallbackIfNullMethodCall();

Ok, that is still more cluter than the kotlin elvis operator, but more fair, isn't it?