No one bats much of an eye when two major summer blockbuster films have the same release date but the internet has become infatuated with 2023’s offerings.
Barbie and Oppenheimer were both released on Friday, July 21, catching the attention of the world given their wildly differing subject matters.
From the creation of arguably the world’s most devastating invention to a plastic doll, the two Hollywood movies definitely contrast.
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This has led to internet memes and gags being made about the films, with the event jokingly being referred to as ‘Barbenheimer’.
I was looking forward to both movies and decided to see both on the opening weekend with my housemate Julian.
Starting off on Friday, we decided to watch Barbie first and came dressed for the occasion with a ‘Barbenheimer’ t-shirt for myself.
Julian, who was celebrating his birthday weekend, had been bought a £1 tiara by friends to watch the film in style.
We went to a packed out Cineworld screen at Regent Circus and were transported to the whimsy land of Barbie.
Starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the film tells the story of the world’s most famous doll and what would happen should she fall into the real world.
It brought up many political issues in a unique way which gave it a fresh feel throughout, laced with comedy and fourth wall breaks.
Many of those leaving the cinema also spoke of how much they had enjoyed Greta Gerwig’s film with some even singing the Aqua’s iconic Barbie song.
The fun did not stop there though as we travelled to catch Christopher Nolan’s historical epic, Oppenheimer, at the Shaw Ridge Cineworld.
Again, the outfit was planned meticulously with suits worn to give a full feeling of the time period we were venturing to.
Starring Cillian Murphy as the titular character, the film tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, founder of the atomic bomb.
The gasps throughout the Swindon crowd as the bomb exploded were infectious with the whole room captivated.
I loved the film, albeit being nearly three hours long, and thought that the sensitive subject matter was handled superbly well.
With the recent closure of the Empire Cinema in Swindon, our enjoyable experience served as a reminder of just how important the experience is.
Streaming services are a wonderful entertainment platform but nothing quite beats seeing Barbie fly or the atomic bomb’s explosion on the big screen.
Although different, the two films provide entertainment to the fullest and make for an extremely memorable summer of cinema.
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