Who’s excited about the Barbie movie?

[NotUrsula]

America Ferrera stole the movie, IMO. I hope she gets an Oscar nod as well. ("Uh, yeah, it was Dad.")
Also, if the Art Direction doesn't win it will be a travesty.

One weird thing: in the theater where we saw it, all of the trailers (except for Hunger Games) were for little kids' films; stuff meant for preschoolers. Either someone really wasn't paying attention to what the Barbie movie is, or they figure most of the audience is 30-something moms.

PS: the guitar scene had every grown woman in our theatre in stitches, while I could see all the young teens and men looking around like "what's the joke?"

 

[BlovesC]

ryan's "I'm just Ken" song has been stuck in my head for an embarrassingly long time now

 

[Southernmiss]

Saw it yesterday. Loved it. Dh dozed at one point.

Would have loved to see it with my 21 year old daughter.

She saw it where she is and loved it, too.

 

[mom2rtk]

Saw it with my 22 year old daughter last week (she had seen it with a friend on opening day). Loved it. Spoke to me in ways I'm sure are different from the ways it spoke to her. Actually an emotional experience. Had a lovely dinner after and had a chance to talk about it.

 

[Marrila]

I watched it this afternoon with my husband. We both really enjoyed it. Greta Gerwig gave us a movie that was both thoughtful and fun!

 

[Diznygrl]

America Ferrera stole the movie, IMO. I hope she gets an Oscar nod as well. ("Uh, yeah, it was Dad.")
Also, if the Art Direction doesn't win it will be a travesty.

One weird thing: in the theater where we saw it, all of the trailers (except for Hunger Games) were for little kids' films; stuff meant for preschoolers. Either someone really wasn't paying attention to what the Barbie movie is, or they figure most of the audience is 30-something moms.

PS: the guitar scene had every grown woman in our theatre in stitches, while I could see all the young teens and men looking around like "what's the joke?"

I took note of that too. Most of the trailers were for cartoons and I was thinking, "Ummm, hey theater, you do know that the movie we're about to see is rated PG-13, right?" Then the last two trailers were for more mature movies...Priscilla and something else I can't remember. It was just really strange. I figured that they felt enough parents would just ignore the rating and take their small kids to see a movie about Barbie anyway so they might as well throw in trailers geared toward them.


I haven't been to a movie theater in six years but felt compelled to go see Barbie and I'm glad I did! I loved it so much!

 

[AustinTink]

Barbie set another record by becoming the highest grossing Warner Brothers domestic release of all time, surpassing Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.

 

[mumto3girls]

I saw Barbie Friday night with my youngest two daughters (19 and 16). DD19 was my Barbie girl. I think she would still tell you her best Christmas was the year she got the Barbie Dreamhouse. She loved the movie. DD16 said she liked it and it was better than she expected. I liked it as well. I am generally not a movie person and particularly not in a theater. I am usually uncomfortable, legs feel jumpy and restless and once I get comfortable I fall asleep even if I am really interested in the movie. I made sure I was well rested, we went to a theater with reclining seats and dressed well. I stayed awake, the reclining seats eliminated my restlessness and it was an enjoyable experience. I thought Margot Robbie was excellent as was Ryan Gosling (although his age was a bit distracting to me at first). I enjoyed looking at all the props and scenes and thought the message was powerful. A great movie for moms to see with their daughters. And the conversations afterwards were also worthwhile.

 

[Karin1984]

I saw already some early predictions for the Oscars for 2024. Barbie for best picture, Greta Gerwig for best director and Ryan Gosling for best supporting actor are on several lists.
While I loved Margot Robbie, I am not sure I think of her role as oscar worthy. She did a great job, but I think great writing is what made her shine. She had fantastic material to work with.

And I just hope that Ryan Gosling will performance "I am just Ken" at the ceremony.

 

[gmi3804]

I saw already some early predictions for the Oscars for 2024. Barbie for best picture, Greta Gerwig for best director and Ryan Gosling for best supporting actor are on several lists.
While I loved Margot Robbie, I am not sure I think of her role as oscar worthy. She did a great job, but I think great writing is what made her shine. She had fantastic material to work with.

And I just hope that Ryan Gosling will performance "I am just Ken" at the ceremony.

I wonder how many of those predictions would be the same had the movie not made a ton of money. Of course smaller films have gotten award nominations and wins, but for a film that got a Metacritic score of 80, it seems like box office numbers are driving the predictions.

 

[Karin1984]

I wonder how many of those predictions would be the same had the movie not made a ton of money. Of course smaller films have gotten award nominations and wins, but for a film that got a Metacritic score of 80, it seems like box office numbers are driving the predictions.

It is making good money because to a lot of people Barbie is a good movie.

People, probably many women, recognize themselves more in this movie and its themes than other movies. It is doing well because it resonates on some level. And that it does resonate is not just nostalgia, the script is incredibly well written. Cast and script elevate each other.

And this is hard to do for a comedy. Moving someone with big emotions on the negative side, anger or sadness, is much easier than moving someone through something positive.

Overall the press is positive. So whether it is an 8 or an 8.8 like Oppenheimer, at this level 0.8 difference is more about preference.

Oppenheimer handles big themed linked to World War 2, which always does well with critics. Would Oppenheimer get such good reviews if his story didn't like to this important historical event?

 

[gmi3804]

It is making good money because to a lot of people Barbie is a good movie.

People, probably many women, recognize themselves more in this movie and its themes than other movies. It is doing well because it resonates on some level. And that it does resonate is not just nostalgia, the script is incredibly well written. Cast and script elevate each other.

And this is hard to do for a comedy. Moving someone with big emotions on the negative side, anger or sadness, is much easier than moving someone through something positive.

Overall the press is positive. So whether it is an 8 or an 8.8 like Oppenheimer, at this level 0.8 difference is more about preference.

Oppenheimer handles big themed linked to World War 2, which always does well with critics. Would Oppenheimer get such good reviews if his story didn't like to this important historical event?

I wasn't wondering about why it's making so much money. And I really didn't ask anything.

 

[Karin1984]

I wasn't wondering about why it's making so much money. My post is still above.

Yeah, then I am not really getting what you were after.

Is it that a popular movie cannot be good enough for award recognition?

Which is valid as it often more 'artistic' movies that get rewarded over popular.

 

[gmi3804]

Yeah, then I am not really getting what you were after.

Is it that a popular movie cannot be good enough for award recognition?

No. It's that movies that make a lot of money tend to get recognized where they wouldn't if they weren't so successful.

 

[Marrila]

I saw Barbie Friday night with my youngest two daughters (19 and 16). DD19 was my Barbie girl. I think she would still tell you her best Christmas was the year she got the Barbie Dreamhouse. She loved the movie. DD16 said she liked it and it was better than she expected. I liked it as well. I am generally not a movie person and particularly not in a theater. I am usually uncomfortable, legs feel jumpy and restless and once I get comfortable I fall asleep even if I am really interested in the movie. I made sure I was well rested, we went to a theater with reclining seats and dressed well. I stayed awake, the reclining seats eliminated my restlessness and it was an enjoyable experience. I thought Margot Robbie was excellent as was Ryan Gosling (although his age was a bit distracting to me at first). I enjoyed looking at all the props and scenes and thought the message was powerful. A great movie for moms to see with their daughters. And the conversations afterwards were also worthwhile.

I agree with you. It's interesting to take something that's been around awhile and now ponder it in a new way.
It's a special movie, particularly that it can spark thoughtful intergenerational conversation.

 

[wvjules]

I would love if "I'm Just Ken" was performed at an awards show! It would be so fun to watch.

 

[Scouter]

We all had a Weird Barbie like that, didn’t we!

My cat made my weird Barbies. She would suck and chew on the hair and chomp on the feet while I was sleeping.

 

[Scouter]

I told my husband the same thing. I already want to see it again. I could have started it again as soon as the credits ended.


Yes, gentle is the right way to put it. It’s gentle and overwhelmingly optimistic.

I was that one woman in our theater.

Me too! (but there were others for sure!)

 

[Scouter]

I heard this interview tonight on NPR with the Indigo Girls whose hit song Closer to Fine is featured heavily (and surprisingly) in the movie. They were shocked that they were asked to participate in the film but given the philosophical nature of the movie, I think the song fits. Enjoy.

https://www.npr.org/2023/07/25/1190066375/the-indigo-girls-find-themselves-in-a-barbie-world

I thought that was them! I haven't listened to them in years but meant to check into it later if it was the Indigo Girls. They're pretty awesome!

 

[AustinTink]

I saw already some early predictions for the Oscars for 2024. Barbie for best picture, Greta Gerwig for best director and Ryan Gosling for best supporting actor are on several lists.
While I loved Margot Robbie, I am not sure I think of her role as oscar worthy. She did a great job, but I think great writing is what made her shine. She had fantastic material to work with.

And I just hope that Ryan Gosling will performance "I am just Ken" at the ceremony.

I think Greta Gerwig is a shoe-in for best director and Ryan Gosling will easily win best supporting actor. I predict America Ferreira will at least be nominated, if not win, best supporting actress. Not sure about best picture. Academy voters rarely vote for a comedy (yes, it’s much more than a comedy, but still) for best picture. I think Oppenheimer will take best pic.