Barbie movie

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Luce0331 said:
I’m surprised to see so much love for Simu Liu on this thread as he’s homophobic and racist according to Twitter
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I don't have much of an issue with the 'homophobic' tweet. He is technically right. Paedophilia is the same as any other sexual attraction. People don't wake up and choose it. His carelessness was comparing to only homosexual and not heterosexual.

But that's him, I don't think he is all that bright and certainly doesn't think before he speaks. He threw a tantrum when Bob Chapek said release shang chi was an experiment to see cinemas viability in pandemic, referring to releasing soon after covid. Simu went off on a rant about Asian projects aren't an experiment and are viable. Missing the point and context completely. Nothing to do with race, all to do with the future of cinema when up to that point t they'd been releasing on Disney plus during pandemic.
 
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I saw it last night. Spoilers below.

Good parts: the acting is fab (especially Margot and Ryan, both really sell it). Margot is stunning and so sweet, her grief when she realises the real world isn't perfect is touching.The sets and costumes are brilliant, lots of treats for Barbie fans. The first act, setting up Barbie land and the premise is 👨‍🍳😘 The premise (Barbie discovering that actually she didn't make the real world wonderful for girls with the sub plot of Ken discovering male dominance and quite liking it) is simple and clever. Some funny gags in the first act. Barbie meeting Ruth is a nice resolution.The weird and discontinued Barbies - genius.

Not so good parts: After the first act it gets clunky, the tone and pacing is all over the place. The script is laboured. Making Mattel 'funny' was a mistake, with Will Ferrell playing Will Ferrell as usual. The tween character is a boring trope and it isn't explained why she is so nasty (though I did wonder if her attack on Barbie was a nod to the idea that you can punch as hard as you like as long as you believe you are 'punching up'. America Ferreira's character speech is great - made me tearful - but again feels tonally off. Ken becomes pretty nasty and spiteful towards Barbie and the rest of the Kens sing 'I want to push you around' at the other Barbies. Ken's message is that he's angry that Barbie rejects his love - yes we know a lot of misogyny arises from that but even though Margot's Barbie escapes, the rest of the Barbies still have to live with these jackasses. Or was the message at the end that men could only be happy if they allowed women to dominate? TBH I had got bored by then so subtleties may have passed me by 😄 In summary, lots of great ideas and a good opportunity for a feminist message but would have benefited from cleverer writing and leaner editing.

All my opinion of course!

ETA also gutted that Micarah Tewers didn't get a cameo.
 
I saw it at the weekend. I thought it was ok. I think it was massively overhyped.

I found it boring and drawn out. Parts of it were funny. I won't be watching it again even if it were on tv in a few years. The scenes in the Mattel office with Will Ferrell were not funny at all. America Ferrera and the daughter weren't really likeable characters in that there wasn't much character developement.

The best character and actor for me was the crazy Barbie (Kate McKinnon). Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were good.

It's kind of ironic that everyone wants a photo in the box at the cinema when the scene with the box is very negative.

Edited to add that the couple in front of us walked out after 30 mins. And I saw one or two other people leave who didnt return.
 
ls240898 said:
ene
Loved the film! My boyfriend said it was “chaotic” afterwards but he’s since changed his mind (seen all the good press perhaps 👀). Something I liked was seeing all the British talent in it even though they didn’t have major speaking roles - Rob Brydon (apparently cameo because Margot loves Gavin and Stacey!), Connor Swindells, Emma Mackey, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Demetriou. It’s nice to see Brits in a big American blockbuster
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Yes seeing the Sex Education actors was a highlight, once I had realised who they were!!! I realised a lot of the film was filmed in England, so i spose it isnt that surprising! Connor Swindells and Emma Mackay did say a bit, Although I did think initially Emma was Margot playing a double role, as Physics barbie! The movie also had Emerald Fennell in it, playing the pregnant friend of Barbie! Emerald along with Margot Robbie was involved in writing and producing Promising Young woman!! (which is definitely a feminist film!)

I loved the film as well. It was both simplistic, as a movie about a doll is going to have to be, but also quite deep! The balance between living in a dream world, and the real world is interesting.
I think its a great exploration of what being a woman is all about in 2023! And even about what being a man is about, with Ken obsessed with Barbie and obsessed with patriarchy, which according to Ken seems to be all about riding horses, drinking beer and watching movies!! Ryan Gosling was brilliant at making such a 2 dimensional character seem real!

And I loved the references to other classic films, especially the Matrix, with the scene in Mattel headquarters with Barbie and the old lady, sitting drinking tea. And the all white background scene, which reminded me of Harry Potter!

And having the actor who I remember playing Ugly Betty years ago, doing the discussion about what it meant to be a woman in the real world!
 
I kinda want to go back. I'm not liking the edgy people with their Barbienheimer stuff, can they not just be Barbie pink for a moment?
I haven't seen Oppenheimer but I hear its long.
 
BigMavis said:
I kinda want to go back. I'm not liking the edgy people with their Barbienheimer stuff, can they not just be Barbie pink for a moment?
I haven't seen Oppenheimer but I hear its long.
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It is long. Objectively….. good. But would I rewatch? No. It’s in a weird position where to experience a lot of the film at its best, you have to see it in a cinema. But if not for that, it’d be a Sunday afternoon film.
I’d totally go and see barbie again though!
 
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