People in dazzling outfits twirl across the screen as a catchy tune plays. Across the theater, an audience waits in suspense for an earth-shattering bomb to drop. Barbie and Oppenheimer, the two hit movies of the summer, both received glowing reviews. Barbie is a film directed by Greta Gerwig about Barbieland, a land full of Barbies and Kens, and tells Barbie’s story of discovering the societal problems of the real world and her society. Meanwhile, Oppenheimer tells the tale of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the leader of the Manhattan Project to make the atomic bomb. Many movie-goers saw the films back-to-back for the ultimate “Barbenheimer” experience.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, Barbie received an audience score of 83%, and Oppenheimer scored 91%. From these numbers, it would seem that Oppenheimer has taken the lead in popularity; however, Barbie blows Oppenheimer away with the amount of revenue made. The Hollywood Reporter writes that Barbie will likely generate 90-110 million, while Oppenheimer is lower at 40-49 million.
These movies attracted teen audiences for a variety of reasons. Many teenagers seeing Barbie went in large groups and wore extravagant pink outfits, savoring the experience. Oppenheimer’s appeal comes from its suspense and impressive graphics. Teens want to see a movie that left them on the edge of their seats. Oppenheimer is also a good choice for history and science lovers. Who wouldn’t want to learn about something as deadly as an atomic bomb?
Jack Laird, a junior at Tuscarora, enjoyed the heartfelt aspects of Barbie. “I was destroyed after that movie. I did not recover that whole weekend…it was so emotional,” Laird said. The fun and upbeat aspects of the film, combined with the heartbreaking moments, made Barbie famous. “It made me rethink how my brain works and how society works,” Laird added.
Audrey Acerno, a Tuscarora student who saw Oppenheimer, said, “I thought it was very interesting, and the cinematography looked very cool.” Acerno appreciated the acting and the dramatic effect of the movie. “I was locked in,” she said. The movie made her realize “how much work is put into everything” when she saw how long it took to create the atomic bomb.
Savonah Thomas, a sophomore at Tuscarora, thoroughly enjoyed both films. “Barbie was hilarious,” Thomas commented. Regarding Oppenheimer, Thomas said, “I did like the cinematography. It was beautiful.” Both of these movies were a hit, and while it can be tempting to compare one to the other and pit them against each other, many movie watchers are fans of both of the movies. The world coined the term “Barbenheimer” for a reason: these movies of significantly different genres are must-sees.
