👸 She’s everything. He’s just Oppenheimer.

It’s Thursday, Boston.

🍭 It’s also National Lollipop Day! And Blue Owl Rooftop Bar is celebrating all summer long with a new Tootsie Pop-inspired cocktail called “Hey Toots.” It’s got scotch, latte syrup, coffee liquor, pineapple, lemon, and of course, a Tootsie Pop.

👀 What’s on tap today:

• It’s moist out there

• Bowling beer love child

• R.I.P. Turtle Swamp

Up first...

MOVIES

Barbenheimer is upon us

T-minus one day until Barbie vs. Oppenheimer. Or, if you’re planning on a double feature, Barbenheimer. The diametrically opposed summer blockbusters are hitting theaters Friday, and reviews are starting to pour in.

But given the pink craze underway in Boston, we thought we’d take an early trip to the theater to see what all the Barbie fuss was about. And we, along with our Globe and Boston.com colleagues, were not disappointed:

💅 Quick overview: The film is set in the matriarchal utopia of Barbie Land, where the Barbies spend their days holding jobs such as doctors, lawyers, the presidency, and the entire Supreme Court, while the Kens traipse about on the beach. But one day, Stereotypical Barbie’s (played by Margot Robbie) perfectly choreographed dance party is interrupted by an intrusive thought about dying. The next day, her pointed feet fall flat. Simply put, she’s having an existential crisis, and in order to understand what’s fully going on, she must venture into the real world (Los Angeles). And so the fun begins.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ from The B-Side. What appears to be just another pink-laden chick flick on the outside is an incredibly poignant, self-aware, and at times, tear-inducing social commentary on the inside. OK, it’s also super fun and had me smiling ear-to-ear for most of its two-hour run. Barbie’s trailers deliberately don’t give too much away (other than the fabulous costumes and set design), making its surprises so delightful. The moment that stands out the most to me is when a Mattel employee (America Ferrara) delivers a pointed feminist monologue that perfectly captures the razor-thin tightrope women have to walk in the real world (in the least cringey way possible).

⭐⭐⭐⭐ from the Boston Globe. Film critic Odie Henderson raved about Barbie in his review, calling it “one of this year’s best movies.” It’s a visually stunning, hilarious comedy that offers “potentially divisive satire of patriarchal rules and women’s roles.” And while it appears to be about Barbie’s existential crisis, for Henderson, the real surprise is how it focuses on Ken and his run-in with the patriarchy in the real world.

⭐⭐⭐ from Boston.com. Reporter Kevin Slane thought it was “one of the weirdest” and “most subversive, unexpected summer blockbusters in recent memory.” In a similar way to her take on the 2019 version of Little Women, director Greta Gerwig “has taken a cultural touchstone of many young girls’ lives and created something entirely new and distinctly her own.” Slane also reviewed Oppenheimer, and while he gave it a half star more than Barbie, he admitted he would prefer to watch Barbie again.

QUICK QUESTION!

🎀 Are you team Barbie or Oppenheimer?

CITY

Quick & dirty headlines

😓 This humidity is, quite literally, sticking around this summer. You’re not imagining things: Boston’s weather has been more humid than usual this month. The city’s dew point has hovered in the high 60s and low 70s throughout July (note: the higher the dew point, the stickier it will feel). For context, the average dew point this time of year is around 61. And while we may get a few dry spells here and there, based on the current pattern, expect the high humidity to continue until further notice.

🎳 A bowling alley and a beer garden had a baby in Charlestown. And they named it Urban Wild. The massive 25,000 square-foot space is home to a restaurant, bar, 10-pin bowling alley, outdoor patio, and stage. It just opened in Hood Park this week and is taking walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis. Plus, the lanes, restaurant, and bar will be open until 2 a.m. Their website won’t be up until next week, so if you need a vibe check, take a peek at this video on its launch.

🍕 One of the (alleged) best pizza joints in the U.S. is coming to Boston. According to their website, Sally’s Apizza, a Connecticut restaurant, is planning to open a location in the Seaport District sometime in 2024. This will be the second locale in the Greater Boston area, as their Woburn Village location is slated to open this year. Sally’s is best known for their tomato sauce and a chewy, crispy crust with a little char. So if you eat with your eyes, here’s a TikTok review from Conn. natives who think this spot is anything but overrated.

😭 R.I.P. Turtle Swamp Brewing. It’s a sad day for local craft beer lovers. After six years, the beloved JP taproom and brewery announced it will be closing its doors on August 19 (or really, whenever the beer runs out). They were best known for their crowd favorites like the Orange Line New England IPA and JP porter. While the reason behind the closure remains unclear, the co-founders expressed their deep gratitude for the community and their patrons in a goodbye post. So if you’re in the neighborhood, stop by for one last pint.

ONE LAST THING

A questionable lobster roll salad

Sweetgreen has entered the lobster roll business. Or rather, the lobster roll salad business (emphasis on the salad).

For a limited time only, the fast-casual spot is serving a lobster roll salad for $25 at Boston-area restaurants. So some Boston.com staff members decided to give it a go, and their reviews were … mixed.

Overall, they thought it tasted pretty good. The herby flavors from the Green Goddess dressing were key to the salad’s success, and the buttery focaccia croutons meant to imitate the flavor of a toast brioche bun were a nice touch. But for $25, it was a little skimpy on the meat.

When asked if they think Boston needs a $25 Sweetgreen lobster roll salad, their answer was a resounding, “no.” Sports reporter Khari Thompson summed it up pretty perfectly: “If I’m paying more than $20 for lunch, it better be amazingly delicious.”

🦞 Thanks for reading! Asking a New Englander to pay $25 for a salad dressing cup’s worth of lobster meat is, frankly, insulting.

💃 Keep up with us @BostonBSide on IG, TikTok, and Twitter. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].