Oppenheimer (in theaters)

“Oppenheimer” may be the most straightforward movie Christopher Nolan has ever made.

It’s also one of his better ones, a deeply tense movie that pulls you into Oppenheimer’s mind on his journey to, during, and after the creation of the atomic bomb. The story is as complicated and often ambivalent as the man himself, and Cillian Murphy does a fantastic job of helping to bring him to life. The three-hour movie would benefit from being at least a half-hour shorter, but even in its excess “Oppenheimer” manages to be compelling.

Though Nolan remains a little too comfortable with unexpected time skips, Nolan does an excellent job in painting a full picture of Oppenheimer. He’s neither hero nor villain, his life’s work both his great passion and a weight that came to crush him. Nolan presents the man’s complexities without commentary, letting us paint our own picture.

Murphy uses the full extent of both his magnetism and his ability to communicate internal suffering. He makes it clear both why so many people listened to Oppenheimer and why he got in so far over his head with the government. He also offers up such a haunting expression in the final scene it will linger with you long after you’ve left the theater.

Grade: Three stars

Barbie (in theaters)

“Barbie” is both wildly ambitious and a ton of fun.

The movie wants it all just as much as the title character does, offering both candy-colored hijinks with a deep-dive look at perfectionism, being true to yourself, and what beauty really means. While the mix sometimes leaves the movie feeling a bit overstuffed, it’s also just as entertaining as I could have hoped for. It’s a jolt of childhood imagination that understands just how hard it is to grow up.

The sets and costumes are just as fantastically immersive as they seem to be from the trailers. This is truly a Barbie world, and if you’ve ever wanted to shrink down and visit one of her toy sets this is your chance. The little touches are what truly bring it all to the next level, making sure the audience’s sense of immersion is never broken.

What truly makes it all work, though, is the cast. Margot Robbie is everything I could have hoped for in Barbie, imbuing her seeming perfection with such good-hearted innocence you can’t help but root for her. No matter how beautiful she is, Robbie makes her the kind of person that would think you are just as pretty.

Though it can seem like the movie doesn’t have enough time for anyone else (it is a Barbie movie after all), a few others do stand out. Simu Liu and Kate McKinnon are both delightful in their respective roles, but the real shining star of the supporting cast is Ryan Gosling. His Ken is the himbo we’ve all been waiting for, and Gosling gives 110 percent every second he’s onscreen. This is clearly the role he was born to play, and we’re all just lucky we get the chance to experience such powerful Ken-ergy.

If you’ve ever loved Barbie, it’s an experience you won’t want to miss.

Grade: Three and a half stars

Jenniffer Wardell is an award-winning movie critic and member of the Utah Film Critics Association. Find her on Twitter at @wardellwriter or drop her a line at [email protected].