Episode 89: Barbenheimer

Cinema in Context

Barbie and Oppenheimer. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Barbie (2023) and Oppenheimer (2023). We begin by discussing the Barbenheimer phenomenon and the influences that contributed to making this cinema event happen. We talk about the musical qualities of Barbie, as well as the cinema homages. We move to discuss the representation of politics and characters in Oppenheimer. We critique elements of Barbie, including the ending, the world-building and its intended audience. We discuss the details of Oppenheimer and consider its storytelling position, its technical choices and whether the film lands. We excitedly discuss all the actors in Oppenheimer and then the various Barbie products. If you enjoy our podcast then consider joining our Patreon. Listen to an extended version of this episode, access additional minisode content and have an opportunity to join us for one-on-one discussions about your favourite films. You can find us on Patreon at: patreon.com/CinemaInContext