Oppenheimer and Barbie

If you would have told me last year that I would use both of those names in a title of a post I would have called you crazy but here we are.

I saw both movies this week.

Oppenheimer is a fantastic movie. I already knew the history but the movie gave it life and it was compelling. However, as I was watching it I was reminded about just how fickle governments can be with those that help them as I remembered what the British government did to Alan Turing.

Both Oppenheimer and Turing were vital in the war efforts for the US and Britain. 

Without Turing's breaking of the Enigma machine it is probable that the British would have been knocked out of the war in 1943. You see, Alan Turing's work allowed the British to hear what the German navy command was saying to its U-Boats. That was huge factor in the allies winning the Battle of the Atlantic. Indeed, this historian would say it was the deciding factor. Without it the pressure on Britain would have come to a head in 1943 and they would have had to sue for peace. Which, of course, would have lead to a post-war history much different than the one we got.

It can be argued that Robert Oppenheimer saved the lives of 10s of thousands and maybe 100s of thousands of US servicemen and likely many more Japanese. The atomic bombs finally convinced the Japanese of the futility of continuing the war. 

Neither of these facts saved either one from the wrath of their governments once the war ended and they were deemed undesirable. Or more accurately, neither of these facts saved them from the machinations of narrow minded, stupid politicians. 

I found the Barbie movie to be uneven. Some parts made me laugh out loud while I found other parts just plain weird. Really I found the movie to be "meh".

I can see why some on the right are pissed at the movie though. The feminist message of the movie is about as subtle as a kick in the crotch. Then again, since Barbie has always been about teaching girls that they can be just about anything they want to be I have to ask why anybody would be surprised by the movie's message. 

Being a democracy everybody has a right to disagree with the movie's message but the over-the-top reaction of some on the right reflects more on them than on the movie. Here's a thought, why don't you come up with arguments to refute the message instead of crying about it? 

The reason of course, is because it cannot be refuted. The simple fact is the world has been run by men for the benefit of men for thousands of years. That has not changed but the feminist movement started nibbling away at the edges of that reality about 50 years ago and many men resent that. I have never understood why as nothing has fundamentally changed but I guess even a little change frightens some men. 

Personally, I have no problem with it.

I would highly recommend Oppenheimer. I would suggest you make of point of seeing it.

Barbie was enjoyable in some places but not in others but I would still say it is worth seeing if you have the opportunity.