On July 21, the two biggest movies of the year both hit the big screen: Barbie and Oppenheimer. 

Who would have guessed that America’s favorite childhood friend would have come to life? Well, she did. And, she made close to $1.4 billion doing so. The Warner Bros. Picture Barbie–starring actress Margot Robbie–achieved a box office success of $1.34 billion, making it the top-grossing movie of 2023 so far.

Universal Studios’ Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy, was released on the same day as Barbie and grossed $891 million. Both of these money makers realized major success, not only with the pocketbook but also with viewer reviews. Some are referring to the Barbie movie as an “unforgettable” and “empowering” movie with an important message to offer its audience. Those on the pink bandwagon suggest that it promotes a feminist message. But, despite its popularity, opponents contend that the movie is just “plastic.”

Oppenheimer, on the other hand, is touted as a “brilliant” and “impactful” film, offering far more substance than its Blonde Bombshell counterpart. Junior Zaria Stevens seems to agree with these reviews. “Oppenheimer had a specific intensity to it that just drew me in.” Stevens expresses that Oppenheimer was three hours of her time well spent. “I would, for sure, watch it again.” However, Junior Khyri Lancaster had a similar experience while watching Barbie. “The movie was an emotional roller coaster that I’m sure many women and girls can relate to,” admits Lancaster. “It’s the most popular movie of the year for a reason–and I don’t regret watching it.”

While critics seem to pit one film against the other in a winner-take-all battle, movie goers prove that they are not bound to such limited tastes. In fact, more than 200,000 viewers bought tickets for both Barbie and Oppenheimer–watching them back-to-back on opening day. These fans have even transformed the respective titles into the perfect portmanteau: Barbenheimer.

The summer of 2023 gave movie goers two movies that were as dramatically different as black is to white. However, one might choose this color commentary instead: Both proved to be financially in the black, leaving producers, actors, and audiences in the pink! Now, isn’t that fantabulous!