When did you last see a film

in the cinema itself?

I ask because people around me are talking about "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" and, more often than not, saying they hope they can avoid seeing either of them. 

Those of them who have granddaughters may find it difficult to avoid "Barbie". Several of the women have said "the men can go on their own" with respect to Oppenheimer.  

If I had to choose between the two I would choose Oppenheimer. The "Barbie" trailer I saw between the two segments of news I watch made me squirm.

It also took me back years. My maternal grandmother bought a Barbie doll. She loved it. She thought it was wonderful. She made clothes for it, clothes she thought were modern and fashionable. "Nana", as we were expected to call her, was older than I am now. I remember her excitement as she showed us this thing. Middle Cat and I were expected to share in this excitement and her enthusiasm. 

"Real people don't look like that," was Middle Cat's comment. She was absolutely and devastatingly correct. I was behind Nana. I grinned and nodded. When Nana turned to me looking for support I could not give it. "I don't like dolls much."

Nana said we were "ungrateful" and we didn't love her. This was so close to the truth I felt uncomfortable. We tried to love her but she was not a lovable person. The world had to revolve around her, around her and what she wanted. 

We would go and visit after that and Nana always had more Barbie accessories, just smaller and (presumably) cheaper accessories. It is unlikely she could have afforded too much of that bright pink. She bought Barbie a boyfriend.  She told us his name was Ken and "they are so happy together. They are going to get married." Of course they never did. 

When Nana died it was her SIL who helped our mother clear out Nana's clothes and give the better things to charity. They found the Barbie doll and a "wardrobe" made from two shoe boxes. There were apparently rows of tiny dresses, many of them evening dresses. There were all sorts of handbags and hats as well, all in a round box. 

My great-aunt described these to me later, "I wondered if you girls might want them but your mother said no. She threw the whole lot in the bin."

Looking back of course I can see that Nana, a bitter woman with a weight problem and nobody she could call a friend, wanted to be like the glamorous and popular doll. What she didn't realise is that if she had bought a normal doll and tried to teach us to make clothes for that we would have loved her for doing it. 

The film doesn't appeal at all. The last one I saw in a cinema was many years ago. I might go back sometime but I am just as happy to wait and see them on a DVD - but not Barbie or Oppenheimer.