*NOTE: Showtimes mentioned in this article are for the weekend of 7/21-7/23 only

Two of the most anticipated movies of the summer are dropping on the same day, and many moviegoers are planning to do something they likely haven't done since pre-COVID... indulging in a double feature in the theater.

While you certainly can do this with any two movies, I am, of course, referring specifically to Oppenheimer -- the highly anticipated historical biopic from filmmaker Christopher Nolan -- and Barbie, the wry comedy that pays tribute to the most famous doll in the world.

I remember my fiancé pitching this to me months ago, and I found the idea attractive. I hadn't seen a double feature in the theater since Starship Troopers and the Mr. Bean movie all the way back in 1997. (Don't judge.) Oppenheimer had been on my radar for awhile, and I thought I could tolerate the Barbie movie based on the sarcastic tone they're taking with the subject matter.

A couple of things to note here: Oppenheimer is rated R (and it's a hard R) and Barbie is actually rated PG-13. So undertaking this double feature is recommended for the adults.

(For the purposes of this article, I'm strictly looking at showtimes at Rome Cinemas and Marquee Cinema in New Hartford.)

ROME CINEMAS SHOWTIMES

As you can see, Barbie is nearly 2 hours, and Oppenheimer is a beefy 3 hours.

If you want to hammer this double feature out before dinner in Rome, I'd recommend seeing the 11am Oppenheimer and immediately seeing the 2pm Barbie. This would put you out at roughly 4pm and you can go enjoy dinner somewhere. Keep in mind it's 5 straight hours at the movie theater, so either go all-in on theater snacks, or eat a big breakfast to tide you over.

You could also see the 11am Oppenheimer and see the 3pm Barbie with an hour in between to grab a bite.

MARQUEE CINEMAS NEW HARTFORD SHOWTIMES

Meanwhile, over in New Hartford, I'd recommend seeing the 12:30pm Oppenheimer (in large format) and following that up with the 3:50pm Barbie. This is what I'm doing. You'll have a brief 20 minute window in between movies... and I'm not sure what to do with that. That's not really a whole lot of time for dinner, but you may be able to grab something quick at Café Florentine or something.

THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER

Of course, you don't have to follow my suggestions. You can see one movie in the early afternoon, take a break for a meal, and go see the other at night. You also don't have to see Oppenheimer first... but based on the heavy subject matter, I'd rather cleanse my palate with the lighthearted Barbie.

Whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy your double feature, and your eye strain at the end is minimal!