Katie Busby | Entertainment Editor

Barbie, released July of this year, was categorized pre-release as the ‘fun part’ of the internet phenomenon that is ‘Barbenheimer’— the theatrical portmanteau of the titles of Barbie and Oppenheimer. Aside from the hype around a fun, pink, feminist movie, the soundtrack, featuring the likes of Dua Lipa, Ice Spice, and Nicki Minaj, further increased anticipation for the movie. However, now this viewpoint is shifting as this thought-provoking movie hits close to home for many while also being so quintessentially Barbie. Director Greta Gerwig managed to surprise audiences with the true values of this movie, and Barbie quickly garnered a large fan base not just from the camp and nostalgia embodied in the film but also its relatability. Themes of self discovery and identity are prevalent throughout different character arcs and experiences such as Ken finding his identity away from his codependency and Barbie embracing the imperfections of ‘the real world’. Barbie is made for women in a way that is so emotionally raw and powerful; it’s a sharp and refreshing contrast to many of the movies seen on the big screen today that cater towards the male gaze. This movie is made for those who know the struggles displayed in this movie, who can see themselves in the relationships portrayed on screen, and who wish life could be as simple as Barbie Land, but still feel united and find joy in the beauty of the relationships they have with women around them.

Victor Martinez | Sports Editor

Given the massive scale of the atomic bomb’s moral and societal implications, making a great movie out of delving into the psyche of its brilliant yet tortured creator is no easy task. However, Christopher Nolan was able to make what may be the best of his filmography out of this seemingly impossible task in this summer’s Oppenheimer.

The film is a nonlinear epic that follows the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer as he advances from one of the first American professors of quantum physics, to head of the Manhattan Project, to the morally-conflicted destroyer of worlds— all while his personal fears that the atomic bomb would set off a world-destroying chain reaction escalate as the movie progresses.

For most of its three-hour runtime, the film is surprisingly well-paced. Nolan’s signature orchestral, goosebump-inducing soundtrack, and awe-inspiring cinematic effects only add to the film’s already captivating experience of complex metaphysical concepts and moral dilemmas playing out on the big screen. 

Elevating Nolan’s script and storytelling is the film’s ensemble cast, particularly the perfectly cast Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. as Oppenheimer and his bitter rival Lewis Strauss, with Murphy shining in his first lead role on the big screen and at times carrying scenes with his eyes and visage alone. 

While not as fun as its box office competitor Barbie, Nolan has outdone himself with Oppenheimer and made a film comparable to his previous works, which many consider to be cinematic masterpieces.