Oppenheimer & Barbie

[vipa]

The movies Oppenheimer and Barbie are getting a lot of press, and have become something of the odd couple of the day. I saw Oppenheimer and  loved it. Intense, absorbing and thought provoking. Cillian Murphy is amazing as Oppenheimer and, IMO it's a movie best seen on the big screen. Well worth all three hours, and I don't say that about many things! I haven't seen the Barbie movie, and have no plan do. If anyone does please report.

[dirac]

Thanks for posting, vipa. I have heard mostly good things about both movies, although like you I have no plans to see Barbie anytime soon, no judgment on anyone who's rushing to the theater for it.  Murphy is too short for Oppenheimer (sorry, it's important) but otherwise I would think him well cast. I'm looking forward to it.

[Quiggin]

Oppenheimer looks intriguing. Kind of weird though, the points of equivalency the press finds in the two movies.

I once came across a note from Jean Tatlock written in August of 1943, while doing research on Dorothy Baker. About "Trio" Tatlock says, "I read your novel last weekend and thought it was such a beautiful job that I want to tell you so ... If you and Howard ever get to San Francisco, I'm working at the Mount Zion Psychiatric Clinic. Cordially ... "

Tatlock is especially interested in how sympathetically Baker treated one of the characters despite her "phoniness and insatiability." Phoniness was a big thing then – think of "Cather in the Rye" – maybe a variation of "imposter syndrome." Wonder if it plays out in the movie in any way.

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Quiggin

[On Pointe]

I tried to see Barbie this past weekend,  but there were simply no tickets to be had at any theater.  (As a struggling would be screenwriter and member of SAG AFTRA,  I try to see everything.). As it is,  Barbie has broken this year's box office record for an opening weekend.  This is tremendously important to the film industry which is still in recovery from the pandemic.   And this success really boosted the career of Greta Gerwig,  Barbie's director and screenwriter.  Thousands of Barbie fans bought tickets to Oppenheimer for the same day,  the so-called "Barbenheimer" effect.  So the rising tide lifted both boats.

Because of my need to see everything,  I will also see Oppenheimer,  even though I am not a fan of Christopher Nolan's films.  I know I'm supposed to love them but I just don't.

[dirac]

I can't get unduly excited about Barbie, which sight unseen strikes me as an exercise in trying to have it both ways (shameless marketing gimmickry designed to sell movie tickets and dolls combined with self-conscious feminist we're-onto-ourselves irony so Greta Gerwig can cash in and feel okay about it). That said, I'd rather have Gerwig behind the camera than in front of it and this kind of success for female filmmakers is a Good Thing overall. I welcome different views and look forward to your take, On Pointe, and those of others who go to see it.

I'm more enthusiastic about the success of Oppenheimer because it looks to be a big hit not built around comic books or children's toys, and I have a existing interest in the subject. Some good actors have played Oppenheimer, I think my favorite being David Strathairn in the television movie Day One.

[dirac]

18 hours ago, Quiggin said:

Oppenheimer looks intriguing. Kind of weird though, the points of equivalency the press finds in the two movies.

I once came across a note from Jean Tatlock written in August of 1943, while doing research on Dorothy Baker. About "Trio" Tatlock says, "I read your novel last weekend and thought it was such a beautiful job that I want to tell you so ... If you and Howard ever get to San Francisco, I'm working at the Mount Zion Psychiatric Clinic. Cordially ... "

Tatlock is especially interested in how sympathetically Baker treated one of the characters despite her "phoniness and insatiability." Phoniness was a big thing then – think of "Cather in the Rye" – maybe a variation of "imposter syndrome." Wonder if it plays out in the movie in any way.

 

Sorry, Quiggin, I missed this when I last posted. I had actually never heard of Dorothy Baker or "Trio." I will have to read it.

Tatlock sounds like a most interesting woman. She was portrayed by the late Natasha Richardson in "Fat Man and Little Boy," but apart from  a scene exhorting her lover to hold onto his ideals, she didn't have much to play, although she looked lovely. It will be interesting to see if they do better by Florence Pugh.

[Quiggin]

5 hours ago, dirac said:

Tatlock sounds like a most interesting woman. She was portrayed by the late Natasha Richardson in "Fat Man and Little Boy," but apart from  a scene exhorting her lover to hold onto his ideals, she didn't have much to play, although she looked lovely.

Thanks, I didn't know about "Fat Man." I thought the Dorothy Baker connection might help fill out something of Tatlock's bisexuality, especially her sympathy for Pauline who becomes the misfit of the three. "Trio" doesn't hold up that well and I wouldn't recommend it, but "Cassandra at the Wedding," which has gotten a critical second wind, is worth a go. Baker's family-life circle in Berkeley included David Park, Tom Gunn and Mark Schorer, who was Suki Schorer's father, and later, Mercedes McCambridge.

Also wanted to note that Ken & Barbie have been attractive subjects for filmmakers before Barbie. Todd Haynes used Barbie dolls in his film about Karen Carpenter, and Gloria Katz, who was the  co-writer of American Grafitti and one of the Indiana Jones, made a very droll student film at UCLA with Ken and Barbie lying on a couch after sex and talking about how bored with life they were. It sounds as if this time around the filmmakers are treading the fine line between irony and belovedness.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Quiggin

[volcanohunter]

In case it hasn't been mentioned elsewhere, the Metropolian Opera is making its cinema broadcast of John Adams' Doctor Atomic available to stream free of charge until July 27.

https://www.metopera.org/season/on-demand/opera/?upc=811357012130

[dirac]

20 hours ago, Quiggin said:

Thanks, I didn't know about "Fat Man." I thought the Dorothy Baker connection might help fill out something of Tatlock's bisexuality, especially her sympathy for Pauline who becomes the misfit of the three. "Trio" doesn't hold up that well and I wouldn't recommend it, but "Cassandra at the Wedding," which has gotten a critical second wind, is worth a go. Baker's family-life circle in Berkeley included David Park, Tom Gunn and Mark Schorer, who was Suki Schorer's father, and later, Mercedes McCambridge.

Also wanted to note that Ken & Barbie have been attractive subjects for filmmakers before Barbie. Todd Haynes used Barbie dolls in his film about Karen Carpenter, and Gloria Katz, who was the  co-writer of American Grafitti and one of the Indiana Jones, made a very droll student film at UCLA with Ken and Barbie lying on a couch after sex and talking about how bored with life they were. It sounds as if this time around the filmmakers are treading the fine line between irony and belovedness.

I just bought "Cassandra at the Wedding."

Interesting that Tatlock's sexuality was ambiguous. Something of the sort might have been said about Oppenheimer.  He and Linus Pauling were briefly great friends, until Oppenheimer made Pauling uneasy with gifts of florid poetry and not one but two rings, very odd presents from one man to another in that context. Eventually JRO propositioned Pauling's wife Ava Helen, who promptly reported it to Linus, ending the two men's planned collaboration on chemical bonding and the friendship. Ava Helen later said she thought she was just a surrogate for Linus. Ava Helen was herself very politically active in leftist/liberal causes.

I saw a bootleg of the Haynes movie, "Superstar," on YouTube a long time ago. Really original work. Don't know if it 's still available there.

[dirac]

Any more reports on either movie? (I'm seeing "Oppenheimer" this weekend.)

[On Pointe]

I saw Barbie at a matinee showing in one of the larger theaters in an AMC multiplex.  The theater was full,  mostly women,  of all ages,  primed for a good time.  The film works on several levels,  as comedy,  social commentary,  fantasy,  but it's essentially satire,  and it mostly hits the mark.  There must be a lot of good sports at Mattel,  because rather than glorifying the corporation's leadership,  they're portrayed as clueless,  money grubbing buffoons.  But there is one scene at Mattel headquarters  that I found quite touching.

The world building is fantastic.  I never played with Barbies as a child,  but who wouldn't want to live in Barbieland,  even with all that Pepto Bismol pink?  The actors give wholehearted,  unironic performances,  especially Ryan Gosling,  and that's the main reason the film works.  The situation is ridiculous,  the angst of self-awareness descending on to plastic dolls,  but the actors commit.  It's not a perfect film,  but it's a personal triumph for Greta Gerwig,  who has written and directed a huge box office winner that vaults her to the top of the mostly all boys Hollywood A list directors' club.  It's easy to forget that there was a concerted effort to sabotage Barbie with negative review bombing and Twitter trolling before it was released,  as there is for every female-led project.  (The hatred of women in today's society seems off the charts.). The gamers and fan boys started it and now it's right wing pundits who decry its supposed feminist messaging.  (It even passes the Bechdel test!).

I think Barbie is a massive hit because it unabashedly plays to its target audience,  and that audience  finally has a big screen movie without a comic book superhero in sight.  There are a lot of solid laughs.  It's very entertaining.

For me,  Oppenheimer is what's known in Hollywood as a "tough sit".  I really don't want to see this movie,  but I feel obligated.  I could be surprised - I actually enjoyed Tar,  a long film that a lot of people loathed.  But movie ticket prices are high,  and rather than paying for Oppenheimer,  I will probably wait for the screener that SAG members are sent  before voting opens for the SAG Awards.

[matilda]

Oppenheimer felt about a half hour too long, especially the last section. Nolan is most successful when telling the story of the bomb's development, testing, deployment, and impact. I felt the communist witch-hunt subplot dragged. The film is overall worth seeing on the big screen.

Barbie was brilliant. Sharp, witty, highly original, and equally enjoyable for Gerwig's more indie fanbase and the masses. It's cleverly self-aware about its corporate identity. The movie resonates across generations. Don't miss it!

[dirac]

Quote

There must be a lot of good sports at Mattel,  because rather than glorifying the corporation's leadership,  they're portrayed as clueless,  money grubbing buffoons. 

Clueless, money grubbing buffoons laughing all the way to the bank. I imagine it's worth taking a joke or two to launch yourself into the business.

Quote

The gamble now looks like a smart one. The hyper-saturated trailers for “Barbie” have sparked endless memes, and interest in the film’s aesthetic sensibility, which mimics the look of Mattel play sets, is so intense that the hashtag #Barbiecore trended on TikTok for months. The movie, which opens in mid-July, is tracking to be one of the blockbusters of the summer. Meanwhile, Mattel has amassed a long slate of other projects. Daniel Kaluuya, for example, has agreed to produce a feature about Barney, the purple dinosaur......

That said, yours and matilda's postive comments are food for thought.

[SandyMcKean]

Well, I saw them both on consecutive days and loved both. Oppenheimer wasn't 1 minute too long as far as I was concerned. Saw it with digital IMAX....highly recommend IMAX for this movie. I'll say it.....Cillian Murphy will be getting the Oscar for this....no question in my mind. Acting was terrific all the way around (Robert Downey Jr also hit it out of the park....welcome back Robert!). I recommend a little research on the historical players and dates before you see the movie. I thought the jumps in time (as well as jumps btwn color and B&W) very effective except I got confused occasionally, and a little research would have fixed that. Didn't expect that much from Barbie, but I was at the theater anyway to see an encore of the Met's Akhnaten, so I stopped by....why not? WOW, was I surprised. Amazing movie on many, many levels: visually stunning, acting superb (Gosling was on fire), the most clever satire imaginable, direction spot on, top drawer writing, fantastic commentary on today's social issues......and funny, funny, funny! As a guy's guy, I probably can't appreciate it as much as I might have. Makes me wish to be a 10 year old girl for a day (68 years ago now  ) playing with my Barbie collection. Put your biases aside and see this movie.....I'll be seeing it again.

Edited August 6, 2023 by SandyMcKean