That Hollywood Hype Machine: Barbie and Oppenheimer

That Hollywood Hype Machine was in over drive hyping up  the Barbie and Oppenheimer releases.

Suspiciously so.

Recent releases don't seem to have done too well, so I guess a Nolan film, even though Tenet didn't do well, was what they set their hopes on. The subject matter  also has a YOU ES AY, YOU ES AY, YOU ES AY, aspect to it  for that additional tribalism push.  Americans may have a different drive to see these films. 

Having seen all the documentaries about the Manhattan Project many years ago, I found the hype strange and actually inappropriate. So the head guy may have been conflicted, but really, many others got it worse from the results. 

So I haven't seen the film, and if/when it is released in Japan is unknown, due to the subject matter, which is a very real issue in Japan. And rightly so.

But the pre-release  reviews were too vague and gushing and all included YOU MUST SEE THIS! Maybe a condition of seeing the film early to include that, and keep their status as a critic in this new world of streaming? They refer to IMAX, in camera effects and the brilliance of the director.

The Oppenheimer Trailer makes the movie look like it is actually about a certain aspect of the story. In reality, the movie isn't about that at all, but the reviews didn't mention any of that. It is more: 

A character study of the man, his relationships and security clearance. The IMAX makes those close ups and the acting especially obvious.  Academy Awards expected for many actors in the film. 

Wasn't expecting much from Barbie, but from all accounts, that may have the more significant cultural impact. Barbie went to the moon before women were allowed to have credit cards. Very cleaver, funny and has a bigger box office than Oppenheimer. 

Not planning on seeing any of these films at the moment.  But the more I hear about them, the more that will change. Probably Barbie first, it start August 11th here.

I haven't seen Nolan's Dunkirk, critics call his best film.  I have issues with his films I have seen though. Rewatched Interstellar again just a couple of weeks ago. It looks great, but plot/ story/ emotion issues annoy me about it.  Inception, looked great with the bending city and all, but the dream, within a dream, within a dream didn't get me on board, and kicked me out of the world he made for being just random rules and illogical. Nolan may be brilliant, but there seem to be more than a few that see "non-linear time" or "big science" and that automagically makes the films more highly rated than they should be. But hey, they are just Hollywood Entertainment, and not important.

The RED SCARE still seems very much a thing in America, where even what is actually universally available in the rest of the world, HEALTH CARE FOR ALL, is considered by many in America to be Communism,,,

But having said all that, the crowds have flocked to these films, so That Hollywood Hype Machine has done its job. 

Update Aug 9: After the initial Hype blitz, there ARE other views now.  This guy is also Australian, and I have a feeling that has something to do with the different viewpoint. I've had Americans living in Japan, where I do, tell me American POV == Western POV, and I just know that isn't true much of the time.  He states his issues with all of Nolan films, and I have the same issues.  He also still recommends you go see it, though even though it is overrated, as it is still better than most films Hollywood makes.