Barbenheimer: The Royalty of the Oscar Race
The internet was taken by storm when it was announced that Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer would be released on the same day, July 21, 2023. The zippy, lively, comedic, and colorful Barbie and the dark, intense, dramatic, and biographical Oppenheimer make a unique double feature– one where both films have seriously different tones. This drastic tonal difference sprouted a plethora of memes, tweets, and posts online, but what indeed drew audiences to the box office, outside of name recognition, was that we got two big, original movies on the same day.
Due to COVID-19, fewer films have succeeded financially, and it was refreshing to see daily headlines about the millions of dollars each was making. Now that several months have passed, Barbie has reached nearly $1.5B while Oppenheimer has nearly reached $1B. It’s time to predict how these films will likely succeed regarding awards.
While studio movies and comedies don’t tend to receive Best Picture Oscar nominations, I think Barbie definitely will. It’s a film that appeals to the current industry by discussing ideas of societal binaries, gender roles, and finding one’s identity. The film also has stunning technical elements that will likely land it nominations in categories such as Best Production Design and Best Costume Design. The Barbieland that the production designers and set decorators built is entirely composed of original sets. Little to no computer-generated imagery or green-screen photography is used, allowing the film to have a cartoonishly artistic sensibility. Jacqueline Durran’s costumes in the film are unforgettable and not only pay homage to the original costumes of the Barbie and Ken dolls, but also find ways to make them more modern and trendy.
Greta Gerwig’s previous two films, Lady Bird and Little Women, both received nominations for Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and various acting categories. While I’m not confident that Margot Robbie will secure a Best Actress nomination for her performance as the titular character, I’m sure that Ryan Gosling will receive a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his memorable turn as Ken. He brings so much humor and personality to Ken while simultaneously deconstructing the idea of what Ken is supposed to be. Once it was revealed that Gosling was cast, many criticized the decision, claiming that he was “too old” for the part. However, this worked intensely in the film’s favor as Gerwig's satirical nature to the project emphasizes the need to have Ken portrayed in a different light than he is amongst the dolls. The fact that Ken appears older than someone who is in their mid-20s makes Gosling’s performance a lot more ironic and comedically successful.
Similarly, Billy Goodykoontz of the Arizona Republic labeled Oppenheimer as a “technically dazzling achievement.” In its three-hour runtime, Nolan crafted an experimental and epic biographical drama. Ludwig Goransson’s score, which plays over nearly every scene, has been trending on TikTok and Instagram reels over the past few months, with a specific love for the track “Can You Hear the Music.” This, along with Hoyte Von Hoytema’s striking cinematography, Jennifer Lame’s breathtakingly quick editing, and Richard King’s haunting sound design, will likely receive Academy Award nominations and probably win.
Oppenheimer is also the current frontrunner for Best Picture and Best Director, as Christopher Nolan is receiving some of the most significant praise of his career, and he has never won an Academy Award. Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt are strong contenders for winning the Academy Awards for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. All three have great chances since none of them have ever won before, and Murphy and Blunt have never even been nominated before. With Oppenheimer’s status as one of the most critically and commercially successful films of the year combined and the Academy’s love for awarding actors and directors who have never won, I would not be surprised if it took home all of these prestigious honors.
“Barbenheimer” weekend will become one of the most important in the history of theatrical cinema. It’s not every day that we get two original, bold, and beloved films from two exceptional filmmakers released on the same day, so it’s inevitable that Oppenheimer and Barbie will be the king and the queen of the 96th Academy Awards.
