July 21, 2023 will go down as one of the best days in cinema after the release of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” two highly anticipated films that have had audiences enthralled from the moment they were announced.
Ever since both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” announced they will be released on the same day, it seems as if moviegoers everywhere have been breaking off into teams.
Team Oppenheimer is composed of those who exclusively want to see Christopher Nolan’s epic new three-hour film following J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), the “Father of the Atomic Bomb” which played a monumental role during World War II in 1945.
Team Barbie is filled with ecstatic fans ready to see Greta Gerwig’s explosive pink masterpiece following Barbie and Ken as they venture beyond Barbieland and into the real world.
And then there’s team Barbenheimer, which is where I reside. This team is dedicated to seeing both films and judging for themselves which is the better movie, rather than picking a side beforehand. Many theaters have accommodated for the Barbenheimer’s by scheduling double features and even creating incentives like unique menu options.
The Flicks, located in downtown Boise, Idaho, charged only $16 for their double feature and created a Barbie menu featuring “The Barbie,” a strawberry rosé spritzer and “The Ken,” a strawberry coconut italian soda with cream. Mainstream theaters like Regal came out with a limited edition pink popcorn and AMC Theaters had a pink Corvette popcorn bucket that came with a Barbie doll for sale.
The buzz around both films was undeniable, but the real test was: Are these movies actually going to live up to the hype?
After seeing both of these films, I can confidently say that both were undeniably amazing and fully satisfied all of my expectations.
Barbie: An Emotional Pink Plastic Wonderland
“Barbie,” which stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, was nothing like I expected. Going in, I suspected a cheesy storyline about a doll in the real world, but instead watched an inspirational film about the experiences of women in a male-dominated world.
In Barbieland, the Barbie’s rule the world. The politics, sports, construction and academic fields are all filled with strong women, while the Ken’s are simply there for comedic relief. In other words, the complete opposite of the real world.
Barbie’s and Ken’s are all convinced that the creation of Barbie changed the real world, and that women rule there too. When Barbie (Robbie) starts to malfunction with flat feet and bad breath, she’s told she must travel to the real world and find the girl playing with her to figure out what’s causing her these newfound problems.
Somehow, Greta Gerwig managed to fill this pink plastic explosion with the most relatable content for women of all ages. The difficulty of being a mom, a woman in a patriarchal society, and a young girl in a world where women can never win.
“Barbie” was emotional, unbelievably funny, visually stunning and full of subtle details that made all the difference. An example is how Barbies never really take the stairs, they just float from the top of the Dream House to the ground, because no one makes their dolls take the stairs.
All of the Barbie’s food and drinks are fake, their cars have no engines and their showers have no water. Because why would they? These small details make the film all the more relatable for anyone who has played with Barbies.
It’s no debate how amazing Margot Robbie’s performance was, but no one came close to Ryan Gosling’s performance as Ken. Ken’s whole life purpose is getting Barbie to notice him. He lives for Barbie and all he wants to be is her partner.
Every time Ken graces the screen, you’re guaranteed to just about die of laughter. His excitement everytime Barbie says hello to him, his awe when he realizes that “men rule” in the real world and his unforgettable song, “I’m Just Ken,” which you can listen to on Youtube — don’t worry, the video contains no spoilers and was released as a teaser for “Barbie” prior to it’s release.
According to IMDB, “Barbie” is rated PG-13 for “suggestive references and brief language,” meaning this is not a movie for young kids. There are some jokes with adult humor, like when Ken (Gosling) and Ken (Simu Liu) get in a fight and keep threatening to “beach” each other off. Which makes sense, because their job is “just beach.”
Try not to assume this movie is little kid friendly just because you see the name Barbie. Read the parent’s guide and follow the rating advisory and make sure the movie is right for you and your young ones.
Greta Gerwig has proven once again that she knows how to make an unforgettable award winning film. With her two prior movies, “Lady Bird” and “Little Women,” Gerwig is the director to follow right now. But despite her brilliant directing and Robbie and Gosling’s perfect performances, “Barbie” is still getting a few mixed reviews.
The negative reviews are few and far between. As of July 25, 2023, “Barbie” has a Rotten Tomatoes critics rating of 90% and an audience rating of 86%, so take each negative review with a grain of salt. Give “Barbie” a chance and I can assure you that in one way or another, it will not disappoint.
In its opening weekend, “Barbie” grossed $155 million domestically and $337 million worldwide. In addition, it quickly broke records and according to Forbes, “The much-hyped, critically praised Barbie is the highest-grossing opening weekend for a female director at the domestic box office…”
“Barbie” is worth every second and every penny. You will laugh, you will cry and you will leave the theater feeling so appreciative of the women in your life.
Oppenheimer: An Unforgettable Venture into History
Christipher Nolan is a well renowned and award-winning director, famous for his films “Inception,” “Interstellar” and “Dunkirk,” all of which have exceptional reviews. His latest box office hit is “Oppenheimer,” a film following J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), the man known as the “Father of the Atomic Bomb.”
During the film, the audience is taken on a three-hour journey through Oppenheimer’s life, all the way from his early years as a student studying quantum mechanics in Germany, to life after World War II as a husband and father to two kids.
“Oppenheimer” switches between two perspectives and two timelines, which can get confusing if you’re not giving the film your full attention. However, Nolan finds an easy way to differentiate between perspectives. Oppenheimer’s perspective is filmed in full color, but the other — belonging to Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.) — is filmed in black and white.
Lewis Stauss was a member of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and after World War II, he strongly advocated for the advancement and creation of more nuclear and hydrogen bombs. Oppenheimer, on the other hand, became against nuclear weapons after seeing the impact it had on the world.
The dual perspectives didn’t seem entirely necessary, but it was fascinating to see both characters and their actions play out and slowly come together until finally you see their significance. The two perspectives worked extremely well side-by-side and even without context, it’s easy to differentiate whose side is whose.
From the beginning, the visuals in the movie are spectacular. It is filled with blurs and bursts of colors paired with intense instrumentals that leave you feeling mesmerized, even though they never quite explain what they’re meant to be.
Computer generated images (CGI) did not play a role in the de-aging and aging of Cillian Murphy, the explosions from the atomic bombs or the color whirls. The lack of CGI in the film makes everything all the more impressive, because everything you see is real.
Although the purpose of the movie wasn’t necessarily to educate, it certainly does a great job at it. As a member of a younger generation, I was not fully aware of the taboo against communism during World War II and how negative it was to even be a suspected member.
The communist party was a large part of “Oppenheimer,” and played a role in how Oppenheimer was perceived to the public, because although he was never a communist, he did go to party meetings in support of friends and family.
That educational aspect, along with the history behind how Oppenheimer became a part of the Manhattan Project, was a big factor in what made the movie so interesting. There wasn’t a lot of action, and the script wasn’t special but the history was fascinating.
The acting also stood out, which was expected with the highly impressive cast. Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Matt Damon and plenty more all came together to create personable characters with rich personalities. No matter your generation, you’re bound to spot at least one actor you know and love. In fact, it started to feel like a game of “Where’s Waldo,” and I kept wondering: Who’s going to pop up next?
According to IMDB, “Oppenheimer” is rated R for “some sexuality, nudity and language.” “Oppenheimer” is an intense movie that focuses on very heavy subjects, so viewers should be prepared prior to seeing the film. But if you’re prepared for that subject matter, “Oppenheimer” is sure to wow you — and it seems most audiences agree.
On Rotten Tomatoes, “Oppenheimer” currently has a critic score of 94% and an audience score of 93%, and one thing seems clear — Everyone agrees that Nolan has outdone himself once again.
Although “Oppenheimer” isn’t as lighthearted as its release day opponent, it’s still an amazing film that will move audiences while simultaneously educating them on one of the world’s darkest times.
The Final Consensus
While both films were exceptional, one must reign supreme. “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” both made for enjoyable theater experiences, but “Barbie” was far superior in my opinion.
It came down to two things: How I felt watching the movie, and how I felt after the movie.
During “Barbie,” I was taken on a roller coaster of emotions. I laughed, I cried, I felt empowered and I felt more connected to my childhood self than I have in a long time. The movie flowed at a nice pace and never felt too slow or boring. In fact, it felt quite the opposite.
In an extreme contrast, throughout “Oppenheimer,” I mostly felt bored. Nolan’s decision to make the run time exactly three hours was one that ultimately did more harm than good. The film was slow and many insignificant scenes could have been cut to hold the audience’s attention longer.
Nolan seemed so dedicated to covering almost every aspect of Oppenheimer’s life that some scenes were so choppy and filled with awkward dialogue. It was unfortunate to feel bored during such a highly anticipated movie.
As for my post-movie thoughts, I left “Barbie” with a smile on my face and within 20 minutes, I had already bought tickets to see it again and recommended it to all my friends.
“Oppenheimer” left me with two thoughts. The first one being: “I need to watch that again with subtitles,” and the second being: “Wow, I really want to see “Barbie” again.”
“Oppenheimer” is a great movie, but “Barbie” is an experience, and that makes all the difference.
Both films are worth seeing, but if you have to prioritize one over the other, I would recommend “Barbie” a million times over again.
