During the summer, a date which was foretold by legend, came to fruition; July 21, 2023. On this date, both Barbie and Oppenheimer released to fans worldwide.
(left to right) Nicholas Wolfson, Weston Millet, Thomas Rogers and Tyler Boyer, at an opening weekend viewing of Barbie.
In the months leading up to this fateful day, many made jokes and memes on social media about the two polar opposite movies being released, making comparisons from the very dark and real-world situation Oppenheimer describes, and the very bright (and yet very real) situation that Barbie offers.
Oppenheimer follows the story of the real life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb, and it was targeted at a much more mature audience.
Barbie, however, follows the story of a Barbie doll entering the real world and coming to terms with society. The movie had a very pink aesthetic in comparison to the darker aesthetic seen in Oppenheimer, a movie which quite literally changes cinematography to enter a black and white visual style. So why then, do these movies go so well together?
One of the appeals of the trend was an excuse to dress up. I remember when I went to see Barbie back in July, the lobby was a sea of pink. I have not seen a theater that packed since the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Everyone in the lobby was wearing pink (me included). There was also the occasional suit and tie with hat, evidently being worn by someone eager to see Oppenheimer.
Barbie was an exceptional movie that was both emotional and funny, and was objectively the best movie of the summer, and further, the year. The ability this movie had to go from immediately being very heartwarming and funny to immediately become very serious and real was impressive.
The soundtrack was phenomenal, and the costuming/set design was top notch, truly making it look like you were watching someone play with dolls, even more impressively the way the cinematography and actor posture changes when the characters go to the real world.
Barbie is currently the highest grossing Warner Bros. movie of all time, and it can be assumed that the high sales can be attributed even partially to the out of this world hype around the movie.
Oppenheimer was also a very impressive film. However, one could argue that the movie was paced poorly. But ultimately, the movie will be remembered for its impressive soundtrack and use of practical effects, among other major factors.
Ultimately, Barbie is the superior film. Many people won’t want to admit that, and that’s fine. Barbie however was simply a more enjoyable watch. People were also more passionate about the release of Barbie, even shown in the much higher box office sales, and for good reason.
However, both movies arguably changed cinema for the better, and the effects of both movies releasing will be felt for decades to come. The idea of releasing two polar opposite films will likely be mimicked in attempt to raise a similar hype in the future. But no matter how hard they try, it’s unlikely any movies will be able to build up even close to as heavy of a hype.
Oppenheimer is a dialogue heavy movie having a great actor an incredible score by Ludwig Goransson.
Photo courtesy of Nick Wolfson
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