—Women are moviegoers, too!

"Barbie," wisely, was marketed to female audiences, who showed up in droves: 69% of opening weekend audiences were women, according to exit polling service PostTrak, a number that increased to 71% on weekend two.

That the film crossed generational lines meant mothers and daughters and grandmothers and granddaughters saw it together, as well as groups of female friends, who threw on pink clothing and made a night of it.

It's no coincidence that "Barbie" went on to become the year's top grossing movie, in large part because it recognized a traditionally underserved and overlooked audience. The lesson from "Barbie" is not to make more movies about toys — although Mattel is fast tracking a "Hot Wheels" movie — but rather to make more films by and about women.

—Quality sells

"Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" are both extremely well-made movies that gave audiences something to chew on. Your mileage with either might vary, and that's fine.

But critics and audiences agreed — which doesn't always happen! — that both movies were well worth the hype. On Rotten Tomatoes, "Oppenheimer" fared better, with 93% of critics and 91% of audiences reacting positively, to "Barbie's" 88% and 83%, respectively.

There are plenty of cases of poorly reviewed movies making boatloads of money, but "Barbenheimer" was an example of two critically lauded films, built on ideas rather than effects, raking in a ton of cash. Smart movies can be hits, too.

—Christopher Nolan is the king of Hollywood

There's a generation to whom 2008's "The Dark Knight" ushered in a new era of Hollywood, and that generation has come of age in the Nolan era.

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