The ‘’Barbenheimer’’ phenomenon took the world by storm this summer as millions flocked to the theaters to watch the blockbuster films ‘’Barbie’’ and ‘’Oppenheimer.’’ Now, as the initial hype over the films has died down, students remain unsure on the movie theater experience, and whether newer, advanced visuals are enough to draw audiences in despite a lack of novelty.
“I thought ‘Barbenheimer’ did live up to the hype,” freshman Aniruddh Birmani said. “The graphics in ‘Oppenheimer’ were really good and original, and they’re getting better in movies in general.”
According to The Bulwark, the attractiveness of ‘’Barbie’’ and ‘’Oppenheimer’’ could be attributed to their distinct, unique looks, especially when viewed from the big screen. Other popular movies released in 2023, such as “Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse’’ and ‘’John Wick: Chapter 4’’ were also said to have an “incredibly unique style to them.’’
“The better visuals made me a little more interested in watching movies at the theater,’’ sophomore Ria Kumar said.
University College London also states that theaters provide social interaction and immersive film experiences, which tend to have a positive impact on stress management.
“I find it nice to just go and watch movies at the theater with all my friends,’’ sophomore Srithan Bobbala said. ‘’It’s a nice way to hang out, and something that can’t be recreated at home.’’
Despite the benefits, a 2019 Stephen Fellows study found that the number of young Americans going to the movies had decreased by 10% from 2009-2018. Although pricing was thought to be a contributor, several other factors, notably a loss of movie originality, were thought to have also played a role in the decrease.
“With ‘Barbie,’ I really liked the little points they talked about, especially about the topic of weight, and how the characters tell each other to become healthier, not simply skinnier,’’ Kumar said. “However, I’ve seen these ideas with a lot of movies recently. As a woman myself, I love the concept of women empowerment, but I think after a while seeing the same things in movies starts to become boring and cliche.”
According to a 2020 Digg Study, the movie industry has seen a large influx of movies purely based on already existing films, concepts and characters over the past few years, resulting in less interest amongst audiences. After the onset of the pandemic, even more younger people began to opt out of theaters altogether.
“A lot of [movies] just don’t have a proper unique plot, and the writer’s strike definitely had an effect on TV in general,’’ Bobbala said.
Big Think, a website that provides discussions with experts from various fields including films, also reports that many modern movies have done away with the storytelling aspect that movies used to produce. As well as re-using old plots, it’s stated that they are too focused on computer-generated imagery, or CGI, and not enough on character development.
“These new advancements make movies longer, which makes them more complex,” Birmani said. “But more complex stories does not automatically make them good stories.’’
Still, some students remain hopeful that the ‘’Barbenheimer phenomenon’’ could shape the beginning of a new era, not only for theaters, but the movie industry in general. An article by No Film School, a popular filmmaking website online, states that among other things, the use of original storylines, characters and visual art in both ‘’Barbie’’ and ‘’Oppenheimer’’ should serve as a lesson to Hollywood filmmakers when creating high-quality films that appeal to younger audiences.
‘’When I go to the theater, me and my friends want a good choice,’’ Birmani said. ‘’The movie should give a [new] experience, and I want to see that in the future.’’
