Barbenheimer: Worth The Hype? – Our Reviews

NOTE: This story was published during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the films being covered here wouldn’t exist. PopHorror fully supports the WGA and SAG-AFTRA and their efforts.

Barbenheimer was it worth the hype? In my personal opinion absolutely. It was very worthy of all the hype it is getting, Barbenheimer is the perfect movie day! My cousin and I went to see Oppenheimer first and finished the night off with Barbie. I personally think that’s the order you should see them. I have to say this was the most fun I’ve had in a long time going to the movies. We are going to be taking a look at both films and breaking them down.

Oppenheimer 

From director Christoper Nolan comes the story of American scientist, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and his role in the development of the atomic bomb. With an all-star cast of Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer and Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss, and a supporting cast consisting of Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florance Pugh, and many other talented stars.

First off, Oppenheimer does not feel like a 3-hour runtime. There was always something happening whether it was, dialog, plot, or just a close-up of stars your brain was always going, always absorbing some kind of information. You don’t really have a minute to take everything in until after the film has ended.

The acting was absolutely incredible! Cillian Murphy gives a tremendous performance as Oppenheimer, as he struggles with the creation of the atomic bomb. Murphy’s acting was so stellar that I actually cried three times during the film which was not something I was ready for. The supporting cast was just as brilliant, but Cillian Murphy really made you feel for Oppenheimer. Cillian Murphy was so good that I literally don’t know to feel about what Oppenheimer did. He made the atomic bomb to end the war and, to be fair, someone was going to make it if it wasn’t him.

Murphy has a line in the film that really stuck with me and it was, “They’re not your people they are putting into concentration camps.” I truly think Oppenheimer had good intentions, but he, unfortunately, didn’t fully realize what this would do to the world. Emily Blunt plays Kitty Oppenheimer and she doesn’t have a ton of screen time but there is a scene where she just gives it to a group of men who are trying to belittle her and her family. Robert Downey Jr. plays Strauss like the slimeball politician he was.

I’m going to give a spoiler warning as there are a few scenes I want to discuss that really stood out to me. The first scene I want to talk about is when Oppenheimer is being questioned about his relationship with Jean Tatlock, this of course coming after he was married to Kiitty Oppenheimer (Emily Blunt). We learn that Jean and Oppenheimer were having an affair and that Jean was a communist which at the time was a big no-no.

In the scene, we see them both naked while talking, which is a huge deal for Nolan as he never had nudity in his films before this. The choice to have it was so smart! You really feel for Oppenheimer and how uncomfortable and raw it is that his whole life is on display for everyone to see and that no matter what someone is always watching. Oppenheimer states he never saw Jean after that as she had killed herself… or so we are led to believe.

As Oppenheimer talks about Jean’s death he states that her suicide letter was never signed, as flashbacks are playing we see a hand holding Jean underwater, leading the audience to believe she was murdered.

The other scene that stood out to me was once Oppenheimer has created the bomb and it is tested he gives a speech. Slowly everything gets bright and horrible things are happening, people’s faces are melting, and there is a burnt corpse. It’s very intense. You are seeing that Oppenheimer is coming to the realization that maybe building the bomb was such a good thing. His thoughts are ultimately consumed by thoughts of death.

The final scene I want to talk about is when the test is finally done and the army drives away with the atomic bomb leaving Oppenheimer  standing there, you get this feeling that is like ” Oh My god this is in the hands of powerful people that can do whatever they want with it.” I suppose dread would be the word I’m looking for.

Honestly, I don’t care why you go to see this movie whether it’s for the brilliant acting, the cinematography, or the story, just please do yourself a favor and go see Oppenheimer. It’s so good and is one of those films you just have to see!

Barbie

From director Greta Gerwig comes the story of Barbie as she suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence. The film features an A-list cast of Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, with a supporting cast of Kate Mckinnon, Michael Cera, America Ferrera, Will Ferrell, and many other talented actors.

I’m just putting this out there but I think Barbie may have actually healed my inner child. I believe it was Margot Robbie that said you don’t really know what kind of movie Barbie is until you see it. Agreed! I mean, yes it’s absolutely hilarious and maybe even a little too real (Depression Barbie). This movie is for all the women and Allans out there that felt like they weren’t good enough!

Barbie is so smart it shows what it’s like to be a woman in the world, and the struggles we face every day. It truly is a love letter to women. Like I said Barbie is hilarious but it also made me tear up.

There’s a scene where Barbie is crying and saying how she isn’t Pretty anymore and she’s not “stereotypical Barbie pretty”, and how she’s not good enough for anything. which made me cry because I think everyone but especially women have all been there. I think that Barbie was a breath of fresh air that the girls of this generation needed.

There is another scene that Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie fought to keep in, and it’s Barbie sitting on a bench and she turns to look at the older lady sitting next to her (she played by Barbra Handledler who Barbie is based on.) and Barbie says, “You’re Beautiful.” It’s such a wholesome scene. Mainly because Barbie hasn’t been influenced by the real world to think aging is a bad thing.

Margot Robbie was perfect as Barbie! Honestly, this whole film was perfectly cast, Ryan Gosling brought his true Kenergy. I loved this movie so much that I have now seen it three times and it gets better every time I watch it. I think anyone who had a Barbie or was into dolls can have a good time with this movie, but also take away a very important message from it as well.

Please go and see Barbie if you want to laugh and cry and feel something. Hell even if you want to just have a fun time go and check it out, you won’t regret it!

“Humans only have one ending. Ideas live forever.”

 

Did you see one or both of these films in theaters? Which was your favorite? Tell us in the comments!