The summer of 2023 was filled with endless entertainment, and many BCA students took some of their time to head to theaters for the cinematic event of the season. Starting as internet sensations, Barbie and Oppenheimer teamed up to bring in $1.36 billion and nearly $1 billion, respectively, in box office earnings.
Barbie–a satirical comedy about the popular plastic doll that was directed by Greta Gerwig – shared the same release date as Oppenheimer–a biopic by Christopher Nolan about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb”. The public described the two as complete polar opposites, quickly creating social media buzz. Media commentators, however, have pointed out parallels between the two; they explore the concept of existentialism, they both have award-winning directors, and they are each packed with an impressive A-list cast. The excitement on the internet reached many students at BCA, prompting them to view at least one of the blockbusters.
For many students, it was the first time in a while that they actually visited the movie theater.
“I don’t really go to the movie theater often, but this summer I actually went twice to see Barbie with my friends. I enjoyed the dance sequences and thought the songs were funny. It was also fun to dress up in pink,” said a sophomore in ACAHA.
Going to see Barbie was a great social experience, especially because the pandemic made the theater-viewing experience difficult. A few people stayed almost 5 hours in theaters to participate in the “Barbenheimer” double feature.
“It was fun to spend so much time at the theater, but it made me sort of restless. When it was time to watch Barbie, my attention span was already dead from Oppenheimer,” said Sofia Michaels, a sophomore in AVPA-V. This was Sofia’s first experience watching two films in one day, which was tiring but worth it. There was even an online debate on which film should be seen first and which should be seen last.
Oppenheimer, with Cillian Murphy as the lead, gained high reviews and praise from its audience. Critics and BCA students alike agreed that the film was immersive, complex, and mind-blowing. A majority of its viewers were willing to nominate it as Christopher Nolan’s finest storytelling.
Sofia said, “I liked how uniquely the storyline of Oppenheimer was structured, although it was a little difficult to follow.”
Another sophomore in AMST shared a similar feeling. “I feel like Nolan’s storytelling played a big part in the movie’s gravity. The exposition seemed a bit dull at first, but coming to realize that it was a necessary buildup for the intense, drama-filled ending just made the entire experience very satisfying.”
Barbie, starring Margot Robbie, received a lot of love and seemed to accumulate more popularity within the school. Students were pleasantly surprised by the depth and profoundness of the film.
Tiffany Hansen, a sophomore in AVPA, said, “There were a lot of good songs that went well with the scenes of the movie. My favorite was ‘What Was I Made For?’ by Billie Eilish. I’d never expect such a hopeless song to be in the soundtrack, but I think it sums up what it feels like to be human.”
To other students, it had a great combination of heart and sarcasm. Sana Kakkar, another sophomore in AVPA, humorously joked, “I thought Barbie was really eye-opening. Barbie made me feel like I’m just Ken…that I’m Kenough!”
It is clear that both Barbie and Oppenheimer were summer hits among the students of BCA. This rare coincidence also allowed the students to socialize more and enjoy their breaks. The “Barbenheimer” phenomenon was “Kenough” to start a chain reaction that would entertain the entire world!
