Why you need to own Barbie & Oppenheimer aka Barbenheimer!

There are very few cinematic events that have captured the attentions of audiences globally, Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace in 1999, Avatar in 2009, Star Wars Episode VII – The Force Awakens in 2015, Avengers: Endgame in 2019 and Barbenheimer (Barbie + Oppenheimer = Barbenheimer) in 2023. Audiences across the globe celebrated both films, with the double feature returned. Both films have seen monumental success both critically and commercially, grossing $1.5 billion (Barbie) and $950 million (Oppenheimer) worldwide respectively. The sharp contrast between both films is why audiences celebrated both films. Barbie had the fun of a childlike daydream, with director Greta Gerwig’s signature style and social messaging, Margot Robbie’s star power and Ryan Gosling’s charisma, whilst Oppenheimer has Christopher Nolan’s epic scope, an ensemble cast that comes along once in a lifetime and an incredibly poignant story. There really was something for everyone.

Now that the dust has settled (no pun intended) on the Barbenheimer phenomenon, the question is now being asked, “do we still care about Barbenheimer?” Well to celebrate the release of both of these films on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K UHD this month, I am here to discuss that very topic and tell you why you need to own both Barbie and Oppenheimer. This discussion will remain spoiler free and if you want the quick answer, yes, we should still care, and yes you should buy these both on your preferred physical media format. But for those who are still reading, here is the long version. So, without further ado, here are four reasons why you need to own Barbie and Oppenheimer. Let’s go!

“I’m just Ken” – Barbie’s cast –

Barbie has a recognisable IP and an incredibly talented director with Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women 2019) and one of the best casts in recent memory. The films cast includes this whopping list of stars, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Issa Rae, America Ferrra, Alexandra Shipp, Michael Cera, Emma Mackey, Kate McKinnon, Simu Lui, Ncuti Gatwa, Connor Swindells, Lucy Boynton, Rob Brydon, John Cena, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Dua Lipa and Dame Helen Mirren as the narrator. It's incredible that a Barbie movie could assemble such an incredible cast. A lot of these amazing stars all play a version of Barbie and Ken, with Michael Cera also playing the one, and only, Allan. The real standouts here for me amongst this cast were our two leads. Margot Robbie gives a sombre and down-to-earth performance as the title character. It's not at all what we expected from the actress, in the best way possible. Ryan Gosling also steals the show as Ken. He is an insecure, male diva, looking to find his place in the world. Gosling plays this up for laughs, but also gives the audience a look into the fragile nature of the male ego and I think Gosling nails both sides of the spectrum, with poise and hilarity. It’s a performance for the ages. I could go on and on about how amazing this cast is, but you just need to check it out for yourself and see just how good they all are.

“Power stays in the shadows” – The ensemble cast of Oppenheimer –

Whilst on the surface, Oppenheimer appears to be a deep character study of Robert Oppenheimer, his life, his contributions to the war and the legal battle that ensued, and in many ways, it is, but it is also the story of the men and women who contributed to this moment in history. This is all brought to life by Christopher Nolan’s expertly assembled cast. Cillian Murphy’s turn as Robert Oppenheimer is one for the ages. He is fantastic and eerily similar to Oppenheimer, not in appearance, but in his demeanor and presence. Robert Downey Jr. plays Lewis Strauss in what I can only describe as a tour de force from the veteran actor. I think this may just be Downey Jr’s best performance to date, and that is saying something, as he’s been terrific before in many films, but here he just commands the screen and takes control, remaining captivating in every single frame. All the supporting players here are fantastic as well. We have Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Jason Clark, Josh Hartnett, Kenneth Branagh, Florence Pugh, Alden Ehrenreich, Josh Peck, Jack Quaid, Tony Goldwyn, James D’Arcy, David Krumholtz, Alex Wolff, Dylan Arnold, Matthew Modine, David Dastmalchian, Dane DeHaan, Benny Safdie and Casey Affleck. It’s incredible the clout and attraction Christopher Nolan has in Hollywood, to pull off something like this, with a cast as impressive as Oppenheimer’s.

“What can’t Barbie do?” – the production design and world of Barbie –

I mentioned above that Barbie really does feel like a vivid, bright daydream, but in the best possible way. Greta Gerwig works with her talented crew here to create whimsy and a modern fairy-tale of sorts. The sets feel like a Barbie world has literally come to life, with a lot of practically built sets used instead of CGI. Sure, there are CG enhancements, but the conscious decision to use sets here over CGI, was an inspired one. Production designer Sarah Greenwood (Sherlock Holmes, Beauty and The Beast (live-action), Cryano, Atonement) allows her creative style to really compliment Greta Gerwig’s vision as a director. The artificial and plastic world of Barbie makes the sharp contrast when Ken and Barbie travel to the real world all the more fun but also establishes a clear divide between fantasy and reality. It helps the fish out of water comedy land more than it would without this contrast, as we have seen the set-up for this type of humour many times before, but because of the creativity of the established world, it's really brought to life and played up for laughs. The specially curated soundtrack also helps establish the world of Barbie, with songs hand picked by a number of artists that help solidify the tone. We have music from a range of artists including; Aussie band Tame Impala, international superstars Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa and Lizzo and some original music including the endlessly catchy and my personal pic for best original song, ‘I’m Just Ken’ performed by Ken himself, Ryan Gosling. Both of these culminate to the benefit of the audience in one hell of an experience, showcasing the importance of the smaller details in a film. I can’t remember the last time a soundtrack was this sort after (side note, pick-up your copy of the Barbie soundtrack on CD and Vinyl from Sanity).

"They won't fear it until they understand it, and they won't understand it until they've used it.” – the true story behind Robert J Oppenheimer –

Christopher Nolan usually grounds his stories in realism, with an element of fantasy in the form of science fiction. The Prestige, Inception, Interstellar and Tenet are all great examples of how this formula works. However, he varies this here by telling the real-life story of Robert J. Oppenheimer, and the design and construction of the atom bomb. A story that I was unfamiliar with, but after watching the film and conducting my own research, I feel educated on and now familiar with. Nolan has based his information and research off the critically acclaimed book ‘American Prometheus’ written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin over a period of 25 years. As the film is an introspective look at Oppenheimer’s life, over a very specific moment, the lead up to the moment and ultimately the fallout of this moment. By isolating the story to this specific part of history, Nolan is inviting the audience to look further into Oppenheimer and do your own research. The sides of the story are amplified for dramatic effect, but the truth is never lost. Whilst Nolan has been more technically proficient in other films, his work here is unmatched, from a dramatic and storytelling standpoint. He truly is a modern master of his craft and none of this is lost in the release of this film from cinema to home media. It is still impressive even on a small screen.

These two films hold their own merit and are still modern masterpieces in their own right. They truly are incomparable. Sure, you can argue which one you like more, but they’re both artfully made and incredibly entertaining. Barbie and Oppenheimer are both must own films on physical media for filmgoers, casual or otherwise. You may not see a double-feature event like this ever again so you should capture the moment and add both titles to your collection and relive the cinematic moment over and over.

Both of these releases are stacked full of behind-the-scenes extras and amazing special features, once again showcasing why physical media is so important. Pick-up your copies today on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K Ultra HD and shop all things Barbie including merch, DVD’s, collectables and the amazing soundtrack on Vinyl and Christopher Nolan’s film library on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K UHD, right here at Sanity!

Long live physical media!

Buy Barbie The Movie on DVD, Blu-ray or 4K UHD here

Buy Oppenheimer on DVD, Blu-ray or 4K UHD here

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity. See more from Chris here