Kat Wojsiat ('24) and Caleb Tiedemann ('25)
Now, normally, movie reviews are Caleb’s thing. However, the Barbie review obviously had to be written by a woman, so here I am. The Barbie movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, took the world by storm this summer. I spent the summer interning in London, where there was a Barbie pink telephone booth on the bank of the Thames River for a week! I have never seen such astounding, impressive, and overpowering marketing as I have with this movie. It did wonders for the color pink. It brought a sense of community to all women in a way that was desperately needed after the division brought on by quarantine- and yes, I did get dressed up in pink to go watch it.
While in the movie, I was thoroughly entertained. I thought it was cute, hilarious, and very enjoyable. The set was highly impressive, the acting was great, and the plot was fascinating. However, the more I reflected on the movie, the more problems I found. The plot, however, had a few holes (how on earth did a grown woman dressed as a pink cowgirl just walk into a school?!), and I think that America Ferreira’s speech did not live up to its potential- that is just a personal opinion, though. But my biggest problem with this movie is actually quite controversial- I think it was rather anti-feminist. Hear me out! In Barbieland, men basically hold the position that women did just a few decades ago. The Kens aren’t even allowed to have houses to sleep in! After the Kens try to earn some equal treatment (and unfortunately take it too far), instead of trying to find some middle ground of equality, the Barbies’ response is just, “You are Kenough.” They aren’t even allowed to have representation in the Supreme Court! If the beg for equality between men and women had no further outcome than “you’re enough” in the real world, I wouldn’t even be allowed to write this review right now! (And yes, I understand that it took many attempts and centuries to get to where we are today, but keep in mind that Barbieland is meant to be a perfect world.) I think the movie had a chance to express feminism in a real and meaningful way to those not impacted by it, and it missed that opportunity. Other than these few shortcomings, I think the movie was a great experience and an excellent performance by all (especially Michael Cera as Allen!)
Barbie: 7/10
Oppenheimer is nothing short of a masterpiece. Christopher Nolan delivers in every possible way. This movie was my first ever IMAX experience, and WOW, what a picture! From start to finish, Nolan thrusts you into the harrowing stress of Oppenheimer’s mind. His obsessions, his passions, his regrets, his sadness, and all of his deepest emotions are on display for the audience to see. Cillian Murphy plays Robert J. Oppenheimer and gives an awe-inspiring performance. There is so much conveyed in his silence, his blank stares, and his remorseful mannerisms. Robert Downey Jr. plays Lewis Strauss, and also gives an excellent performance, rivaling Murphy’s quiet genius with vengeful jealousy. Nolan managed to make every single actor bare their heart and soul on this screen. Very few movies impact me the way that this did. The contrast of joy from the masses happy that the war ended against the realization of the evil that was created by the atom bomb. This contrast of morality and ethics is where the movie truly shines.
Never before have I understood and related on an emotional level the catastrophe and horror of an atomic weapon. This movie has some of the best camerawork ever. The editing is stellar- the pasting together and switching perspectives on a dime encapsulates a feeling of stress and anxiety. Ludwig Goransson’s score permeates every single scene. It is loud and prominent, and it raises the tension and stakes to the max. The contrast of color and black and white gave a whole new layer to the film; it added to the political game and power plays that get used to achieve such devastating power. The juxtaposition of color and passion in such a project that would help win the war contrasted with the black-and-white harsh reality of its after effects drove certain elements home harder than Nolan had any right to. The mere fact that any government has these weapons at their ready and can start a war or annihilate millions in a matter of seconds is horrifying. This movie masters every single technical aspect in a way that I do not think I have ever seen before. I very strongly encourage everyone to see this film as it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will leave you thinking about the morality, the ethics, and the philosophy behind such a weapon.
Oppenheimer: 10/10