So you’ve seen the memes, and you want a non-judgemental explanation and/or spoiler-free of one or both of Oppenheimer or Barbie? You’ve come to the right place!

Billie was lucky to be invited to a preview of Oppenheimer prior to its official opening, and I saw Barbie on day one of its release in theatres. After experiencing both, I can confirm there is 100% a right way to do these movies.

Firstly, what is Barbenheimer?

On 20th July 2023, two of the biggest movies of the year were to be released worldwide– Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

Keep in mind the climate that these two HUGE Hollywood releases were entering, because as a post-Covid world we are a blockbuster and travel-starved– it’s truly no wonder that Barbenheimer became a pop-culture phenomenon.

Between Margot Robbie’s iconic fashion show across Barbie’s global press tour, and that Christopher Nolan is one of the greatest film-makers of our time (his portfolio includes the likes of Interstellar, Tenet, Inception, Dunkirk… so he’s no stranger to communicating complicated scientific ideas in an entertaining package!), this was the perfect recipe to create global hype for the release of these movies not seen since the likes of Mamma Mia and The Dark Knight (also Nolan!) launching on the same day (18th July 2008).

Mixed with the fact that Oppenheimer is pretty dark and Barbie is deliciously light, the memes write themselves:

So how do I Barbenheimer?

You MUST go Oppenheimer and THEN Barbie to feel sad, then fab.

Oppenheimer is three hours long, so ensure you pee and have some nice snacks to bring out about half-way through as a reward to keep going like you’re a cheeky little goat in the zoo!

In between Oppenheimer and Barbie, have a good break (at least an hour, or even a few days if you’ve got a hectic schedule!). Have a lil bit of group therapy over some food and drinks in between, and talk out how you feel while realising that Oppenheimer is real, before heading into Barbie for the best healing of all.

Why should I see Oppenheimer? (Spoiler-free)

The way I described Oppenheimer to a friend on the way out was “an ADHD nightmare, firstly it’s three hours long and you’ll be focussed the whole time– and then you’re waiting for a jumpscare at any second during that. But WHAT a FILM, I have to see it again.”

For those who don’t know, Oppenheimer is a docu-drama (meaning it really happened, and beautiful Hollywood stars are now portraying history) that follows scientist J Robert Oppenheimer. It follows the global race to invent the Atomic Bomb, an invention which would win WWII for the Allies.

It follows and explains a crucial scientific discovery that changed the world forever, and has implications for us even today. Even if you’re not typically a ‘science or history girlie’, I encourage you to branch out to watch filmmaking at its best.

Because if there’s anything that seeing Neil De Grasse Tyson recently in Auckland taught me, it’s that science is JUICY. Scientists bring the receipts, and Chris Nolan knows how to tell a damn story.

Why should I see Barbie? (Spoiler-free)

Because we’re all stressed and sad, and it’s about damn time we all stepped back into our childhoods for some charming inner child healing, wrapped up in an entertaining and pop-culture rich experience.

There are so many easter eggs to keep up with in this movie, I’ll be watching this for a second time this weekend with a completely different group of friends who will be experiencing it for the first time!

The casting, the fashion, the archival looks, the music, the innuendos, the social commentary, the relationships… the movie promo was right, Barbie truly IS everything.

As a mental health girly, I came out of the Barbie movie feeling represented and empowered. Take your sister, take your best friend, take your friend who’s a Mum, take your Mum, take your workmate, take your uni friend– take your tribe and enjoy. Because you deserve it, Barbie! x