Margaret's Nearly Monthly News: July/Aug Edition!
It's Barbenheimer's world, and we just live in it.
I saw Barbie first, in a theater full of people of all genders dressed in their pink best, and Oppenheimer a few days later in glorious 70mm, surrounded by teenagers and film nerds.
At a certain level, it's kind of silly to compare these two films. They were never intended to be in conversation with each other, and on the surface, they don't have much in common beyond a compelling couple portmanteau and a release date. And yet, there's a scene early in Oppenheimer where Strauss refers to Einstein as the greatest living physicist. Oppenheimer corrects him: "He was the greatest mind of his generation. This is a new world."
Oppenheimer may prove to be Nolan's masterpiece. I suspect it will get nominated for all the awards, and I won't even be mad about it.
Barbie, however, is a new world, and I very much look forward to seeing what comes through the door she (Gerwig? Barbie? Both?) has opened.
From my Desk
I'm still on strike! As we close in on day 100 of the WGA labor action, I am confident that if it were possible to invoke occult forces by walking counterclockwise around Disney Studios and chanting, Cthulhu would have risen by now. As it stands, our sidewalk negotiations (now joined by SAG-AFTRA, yay!) continue, but there's little sign the AMPTP plans to return to the table soon (boo).
What I'm Reading and Watching
It's the summer of Star Trek here at the NMN! I've been watching Season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and reading Star Trek: Godshock volume 1 by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, illustrated by Oleg Chudakov, Joe Eisma, and Ramon Rosanas.
The comic and series share my love of 90s era Trek in a way that warms my little heart, but both still feel fresh and contemporary, including some much-appreciated updates on the representation front.
From the Cutting Room Floor of the Duolingo Dystopia.
It might be a dystopia, but home prices are quite reasonable. Utility costs for a castle are probably through the roof through.
You might want to call in an inspector before you make an offer, Falstaff. At that price, utilities might not be the only thing that's been through the roof.
Then again, maybe that's a bonus for bears?
And That's the Nearly Monthly News!
I hope you've enjoyed this special summer edition of the NMN. Or winter edition, if you're reading this in the Southern hemisphere. (Hi, Adam!) Questions? Comments? Hot real estate tips? Drop me a line! Otherwise, I'll see you next month!