Barbenheimer: Should you watch ‘Barbie’ or ‘Oppenheimer’ first?

Barbie and Oppenheimer, it’s been well established by now, are the twin poles of our cinema-going summer.

We’re very lucky to live in a time when we can look forward to major new blockbusters from great filmmakers that promise more than just Tom Cruise riding a motorbike out of a plane, and also have the option of watching Tom Cruise ride a motorbike out of a plane. And the good news is that you don’t have to choose — like Cruise himself(opens in a new tab), you can plan to see both Barbie and Oppenheimer, and munch your popcorn comfortably in the knowledge that you have not chosen to bolster the opening-weekend box office of Christopher Nolan’s sweeping period piece over Greta Gerwig’s feminist fever dream (or vice versa). And if you really want Films to be the real winner on the day? Why, you’re going to see them both. On the day.

Yes, the Barbenheimer(opens in a new tab) double feature is a thing; as of this past Monday, over 20,000 AMC Stubs members alone had purchased tickets to both films on the same day, in what Mashable’s Elena Cavender describes as “a five hour commitment to the bit”.

But once you’ve committed, you have another decision to make. Time remains linear, and you are but one person. One has to be first. Which will it be?

We’ll update this post when more of the Mashable team have seen both films, to include our expert opinions on the vibes. Here’s what we think so far.

Wait, why has Barbie vs Oppenheimer become a meme?

Because it’s inherently funny and good that 2023’s brightest, pinkest movie, one based on a plastic toy, is dropping on the same day as a super-serious biopic about the “Now I am become Death, destroyer of worlds” A-bomb guy. It’s funny that these two projects by two of the most beloved and acclaimed contemporary filmmakers under 60, each of them with something genuinely meaningful to say about a history-making figure in 20th century American culture, will be playing in neighboring cinemas, forcing movie lovers to pick a vibe.

It’s that meme of the two houses(opens in a new tab). It’s the duality of man (or of Ken). The two genders(opens in a new tab). The two wolves inside us all. We crave contradiction and revel in contrast.

Credit: Universal Pictures

Do you guys ever think about dying?

Seriously, do you? Is your baseline emotional state “a bit fragile” or “feelings are for the weak, son”? Do you enjoy pondering the nature of being, and man’s inhumanity to man? Are you the kind of person who likes their entertainment on the escapist side, or one who’ll casually throw on a Nicholas Roeg film to zone out to (my partner has literally done this, they exist)?

All jokes aside, this is art we’re talking about, and we’ll all have our own responses to it. Oppenheimer might hit you as a gorgeously shot, directed, and acted biopic of a dark chapter in history, and little more than that, whereas Barbie could be a sneak attack of IP-fuelled mega-feelings that hits you, personally, like a Pixar movie and Little Women combined. The former probably won’t have anything resembling a feel-good ending, but there’s no guarantee that the existential crisis Gerwig and star Margot Robbie have promised us is going to provide the sugar-sweet relief you may need after Oppenheimer.

Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Let your heart (and your bladder) lead the way

There’s a productivity analogy called “eating the frog” — if you had to eat a frog every day, wouldn’t you tend to get it out of the way first thing rather than dreading it all day? The idea is that if there’s something that might not be fun, do it first, and have the more-fun things to look forward to. If that’s your kind of thinking, do Bobby before Barbie. Oppenheimer is getting incredible buzz, but “fun” probably isn’t the word.

That said, if you’re more jazzed for Nolan’s historical opus than the Mattel-approved PG satire, by all means start your day with that and move on to Gerwig’s clever confection for some lighter viewing. It depends on what you’re honestly looking forward to more: Start with the film you want to go into with the freshest, cleanest slate.

“Watching films back-to-back feels like a bit of a lost art-appreciation experience,” says Mashable film editor Kristy Puchko. “But as someone who does this frequently (thanks to the rigors of film festivals!), my advice is give yourself a bit of breathing room in between showtimes. Whether you opt for Barbie then Oppenheimer or Oppenheimer then Barbie, build a good hour in between to exit the theaters, hydrate, maybe use the restroom, get a sandwich, chat with your friends or fellow double-feature attendees in the lobby. That’ll allow you the mental space to truly appreciate what both Nolan and Gerwig are bringing to the big screen in [their own] ways. Relish. Relax. Then revel!”

It’s also worth noting that Oppenheimer runs for three full hours, whereas Barbie is just two. Only you know whether your bladder is better equipped to handle that 180-minute stretch earlier or later in the day.

What are critics saying about Barbie?

Barbie has premiered in LA and London so far, with review embargoes clearly still in place. Still, a couple of folks have shared their first thoughts.

TL;DR? It’s smart, perfectly cast, and very funny.

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What are critics saying about Oppenheimer?

Press screenings are mostly happening later than for Barbie, and in some cities are even being scheduled at the same time, forcing critics to choose. (Rude.) Mashable UK editor Shannon Connellan has seen it, though, and praised it while staring hard at the review embargo — you’ll have to wait a little longer for Mashable’s full review.

TL;DR? It might be Nolan’s greatest film, and it will fuck you up real good.

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The verdict: Which should I see first?

It’s too early to say, young padawan. We’re slightly leaning Oppenheimer first, Barbie second, but our guess is still as good as yours. If you’re joining the masses on opening weekend, follow your heart — if your local cinémathèque hasn’t decided for you with its double-feature scheduling.