So as you know I used to be an avid cinema goer before the pandemic but then found it hard to get back in to a routine again after. It just seemed like it was a better option to stay at home and watch movies in the comfort off my home
However, slowly I started going back to the cinema seeing the odd film here and there.
But it was "Oppenheimer" that I was most eagerly anticipating with it being marketed for months as the big block buster of Summer 2023. I've probably been planning since January to go and see this film.
However...... didn't Warner Brothers go and open "Barbie" on the same weekend as "Oppenheimer" so they ended up going head to head. And this lead to a huge worldwide cinema experience of "Barbenheimer" where cinema goers all over the world went to both of the films back to back.
For me, I went to see Barbie firstly on opening weekend and then I went to Oppenheimer yesterday evening.
So.....which one was the winner for me?! Well read below to see.....
Barbie at the Savoy
With sold out shows in most of the Dublin cinemas, my friend booked our tickets on Tuesday, for a 6pm Saturday showing of Barbie in the Savoy. However, the gods were against us, with our train to the city from Dun Laoghaire experiencing a big delay. It was also bucketing rain so we eventually arrived to the cinema, 20 minutes late for the film and soaking wet!
We changed our tickets for a Sunday afternoon showing and then went and dried off over cocktails in the hotel next to the cinema. Not a bad thing to do of a Saturday after a day in work!
And then it was take 2 when we met up again the next day to see Barbie at a 1.40pm showing - again it was raining heavily so I was glad to be in the theatre for the afternoon.
However, perhaps I had been hyped up by rave reviews of Barbie, and the let down of not getting to see it on Saturday, but overall I didn't think it lived up to my expectations. That's not to say that I didn't think it was good, and that I found it entertaining. There were certain parts and characters that were really great (Hello Ken, loving your Kenergy!) but in a lot of ways I felt it was just an average film aside from some standout moments in it. It's been received well with big audience figures so perhaps it just wasn't to my taste which is not to say that it won't be yours! With that in mind, I wouldn't say not to see it as generally movie taste is highly subjective and personal to each viewer.
Oppenheimer at the Omniplex
For Oppenheimer, we went yesterday evening, having booked our tickets on Friday for a Saturday 7.40pm showing in the Omniplex Rathmines. With this "Maxx" screening nearly sold out, we ended up with seats in second row, towards the middle.
I thought Oppenheimer was excellent - great pace to it, brilliant cinematography and all in all everything that you would expect in a big blockbuster movie.
And although Barbie was the winner in the opening weekend viewer results, Oppenheimer was the winner for me.
After the movie which finished close to 11pm, we cycled home (it's all downhill) which is always a good ending to any night out at the cinema!
