Movies Update: ‘Barbie,’ ‘Oppenheimer’ and More

Plus, the latest on the actors' and writers' strikes.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story July 21, 2023 By Gabe Cohn Hi, film fans! My colleague Manohla Dargis thought of Palm Springs in the 1960s when she saw the topsy-turvy, Baskin-Robbins-chic world in which Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie is set. (Barbie Land carries "an aesthetic that could be called bubble-gum midcentury modern," she wrote in her New York Times review.) Me? I thought of those fake American desert towns built decades ago to test atomic bombs. Perhaps I was in more of an "Oppenheimer" head space. Yes, "Barbenheimer" weekend is upon us, as Gerwig's "Barbie," inspired by the American doll, and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," about the American physicist who helped develop the atomic bomb during World War II, open side-by-side in theaters. Have you taken the quiz we put together to help you choose which film to see? (Moviegoers weighing whether the answer should be "neither," in solidarity with the striking actors' and writers' unions, may take comfort in the fact that neither union has called for a boycott.) Of "Barbie," Dargis wrote that Gerwig "does much within the material's inherently commercial parameters, though it isn't until the finale — capped by a sharply funny, philosophically expansive last line — that you see the 'Barbie' that could have been." On the other hand — the one hovering over the big red button — "Oppenheimer," Dargis wrote, is a "staggering" film that "condenses a titanic shift in consciousness into three haunted hours." We have interviews with the "Barbie" stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, and with Nolan, who not only directed "Oppenheimer" but wrote the screenplay, too. Here's another quiz for you: Which of the below quotes is from the "Barbie" interview, and which is from the "Oppenheimer" one? "It was a hard thing to prep for in a way because you can't go shadow him." "I wanted it to be a strong interpretation, a very personal interpretation." The answers may surprise you. Enjoy the movies. Warner Bros. 'Barbie' Review: Out of the Box and On the Road She's in the driver's seat, headed for uncharted territory (flat feet!). But there are limits to how much dimension even Greta Gerwig can give this branded material. By Manohla Dargis Universal Pictures CRITIC'S PICK 'Oppenheimer' Review: A Man for Our Time Christopher Nolan's complex, vivid portrait of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the "father of the atomic bomb," is a brilliant achievement in formal and conceptual terms. By Manohla Dargis Warner Bros. ("Barbie"); Universal Pictures ("Oppenheimer") Can't Decide Whether to See 'Barbie,' 'Oppenheimer' or Both? Our Barbenheimer Quiz Can Help. Answer these five questions about the biggest moviegoing weekend of the year. By Melena Ryzik Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CRITICS' PICKS Parrish Lewis/Netflix CRITIC'S PICK 'They Cloned Tyrone' Review: There's Only One John Boyega In Juel Taylor's imaginative sci-fi movie, Boyega teams up with Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris to find the forces undermining their community. By Robert Daniels Adult Swim CRITIC'S PICK 'The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart' Review: Return of the Glorious Weirdos A beloved Adult Swim cartoon comes back to tie up some loose ends. By Danielle Dowling Jia Neng Li/Dekanalog CRITIC'S PICK 'Streetwise' Review: A Bleak Upbringing in a Brutal Town In Na Jiazuo's striking directorial debut, young people inhabit a place seemingly made up of those who owe money and the thugs who try to beat it out of them. By Glenn Kenny CNN Films CRITIC'S PICK 'Glitch: The Rise & Fall of HQ Trivia' Review: Grandiose Pursuits The fraught behind-the-scenes drama of the short-lived quiz game app is chronicled in this smart, briskly funny documentary. By Calum Marsh Film Movement CRITIC'S PICK 'Return to Dust' Review: Grit Against All Odds Li Ruijun's newest feature is a touching portrait of love and resiliency that doubles as a critique of China's ruling class. By Austin Considine MOVIE REVIEWS Netflix 'The Deepest Breath' Review: A Perilous Drop Into the Ocean Astonishing underwater footage elevates this documentary about two people drawn to the extreme sport of free diving. By Natalia Winkelman BRITDOC Films 'While We Watched' Review: A Lament and a Battle Cry This documentary about the veteran broadcast journalist Ravish Kumar is less an inspiring tale than a wake-up call for India. By Devika Girish Tim Cowie/Apple TV+ 'Stephen Curry: Underrated' Review: Court Transcript Initially considered too short and too scrawny, Curry went on to be an N.B.A. superstar. But there's little that feels fresh or spontaneous in this earnest portrait. By Ben Kenigsberg Amazon Prime 'Bawaal' Review: Getting Some Perspective In this Bollywood production, a narcissistic history teacher reconnects with his wife on a trip through Europe. By Beatrice Loayza Quiver Distribution 'Fear the Night' Review: Party Raid Neil LaBute's new thriller, starring Maggie Q, feels stapled together from a pile of threadbare tropes. By Jeannette Catsoulis Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT NEWS & FEATURES Mark Abramson for The New York Times Actors and Hollywood Studios 'Remain Far Apart' on Crucial Issues The actors' union and the organization that bargains on behalf of the studios traded statements underscoring how much work needs to be done to reach an agreement. By John Koblin Erik Tanner for The New York Times No One Can Needle Tom Cruise Like Henry Czerny Can A star of the first "Mission: Impossible" film makes a welcome return 25 years later, bringing a delight in exposition that few actors can match. By Kyle Buchanan Gabriel Saravia/A24; Maya Iman/Focus Features Two Filmmakers, Two Dramas and the Pain of the Foster-Care System The directors of "Earth Mama" and "A Thousand and One" compare notes on complex portraits of Black motherhood that reject '90s stereotypes. By Salamishah Tillet STREAMING RECOMMENDATIONS Ludovica Isidori Five Horror Movies to Stream Now This month's picks include dream stalkers, trickster demons and angry little monsters in the woods. By Erik Piepenburg DreamWorks Pictures The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now Movies upon movies await, and you don't even have to drill down to find them. By Jason Bailey How are we doing? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. 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