I left the movie theater and I still cannot believe they approved this script for a Barbie movie. Brilliant!
SUCH INCREDIBLE MOVIE <3 loved watching
The best movie of 2023. No doubt.
A masterpiece, I don't have too many words
Made me cry “mothers stand still do their daughters can see how far they’ve come”
I initially went because it looked like a silly goofy time but it ended up being one of my favorite movies this year
The interplay between the movie and the commentary by the other women in the theater was exquisite.
Put off seeing this movie because of all the hype. Then I bought it and have watched it several times since.
Hilarious. Poignant. Fanciful. Real.
Truly beyond my wildest expectations.
Just watched the Barbie movie, and I am truly impressed. The film takes a brave and much-needed step forward, beautifully embodying messages of self value, empowerment, resilience, and self-confidence. Hats off to the creators!
Yesterday I went to the theatre and watched BARBIE. Here is my review:
First of all, when it was announced that this project was in production I had no desire, whatsoever, to see it, despite the fact that I usually love Margot Robbie’s offbeat roles. There were no Barbies in my childhood. There were however dolls, that to this day trigger childhood sexual abuse traumatic responses. In my mind I thought, “REALLY a whole movie about a pink plastic doll?! How sold out is Hollywood to big merchandisers?”
Then, the film was released… I saw that America Ferrera was attached to the project. She has a voice that I respect. Why would she lend her cred to this project?
Then I heard the Twitter backlash by conservative male reviews…
Then, I heard Simu Liu’s comment, “Whatever you think this movie is, you are probably wrong.”
Then, one of my Discord groups started buzzing about it…
Then, I heard that Greta Gerwig was the engine behind the machine...
So, I went… and I was totally blown away…. If I were going to sum up this movie in one visual I would say it is like looking into a surreal mirror, the image is strangely distorted, but absolutely true.
The number of actors that signed up for this project speaks for itself. As each made their cameos I had a little start of recognition.
The dialogue is dense with social awareness in totally obtuse presentations. Even the easy pop songs are loaded with anachronistic lyrics.
I’m going to stop expressing my awe now, not because I’ve run out of things to say, but because there is so much more for the movie to tell, so go, see it yourself. I dare you.
I give this film a 10 (masterpiece of cultural commentary, masked as a fun summer romp) out of 10. [Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy]. In theatres now.
Never was a fan of Barbie growing up but this movie is so important. When Barbie and Ken got into the real world , I started crying and didn't stop until near the end. I wasn't expecting a movie with such a strong statement. I'm happy young girls are watching this. It can get the reflexion about feminism further
A cinematic achievement in ICONIC casting, set designs, music, wardrobe and visual insanity. Everything about Barbie is aesthetically pleasing, entertaining and emotionally crushing... a film that has everything! From dolls having an identity crisis, a really weird Barbie, Will Ferrell as the head of Mattel, a planned choreography for a bespoked Dua Lipa song and outrageously funny satires about patriarchy, toxic masculinity, comercial stereotypes, depression and beloved childhood memories. A pop tart party experience by director Greta Gerwig where everyone is welcome and doesn't feel at all cliché or cringey... on the contrary, the entire film is the celebration of an icon and a positive message about what it really means to discover purpose, existencialism in the modern ages and female empowerment for all generations.
Sure are a bunch of angry men in the reviews for this, who totally missed the entire point of the whole movie. Which part upset you, was it America Ferrera explaining the complete truth of what it's like to be an average woman in the world, or was it the Kens having their brief control taken away because they're not bright enough to wield control effectively because they're literally just there to accompany Barbie?
Great music, great story, great acting, visually awesome to watch! My mom and I haven't laughed as much as we did during this movie in weeks, it was a blast from start to finish, with a multitude of excellent, plain-spoken points about life for women, men, and all humans. Greta Gerwig can pretty much do whatever she wants now after this enormous success.
"Barbie" surprised me in the best way possible, earning an impressive A+ and a 96% rating. This film, often overlooked by those who assumed it was solely for a feminine audience, proved to be a true cultural phenomenon. It follows Barbie, who starts to question her existence and embarks on an adventure to the real world with Ken to find a solution. The striking cinematography and impeccable set designs complemented the outstanding performances, especially Ryan Gosling's humorous portrayal. What sets this film apart is its intelligent exploration of gender inequality and patriarchy, offering valuable messages for both men and women.
While some may argue about Will Ferrell's role, it doesn't detract from the overall excellence. In a surprising twist, "Barbie" holds my highest rating for the year, surpassing other notable titles. It's a must-watch, offering depth and importance that resonates far beyond Barbie Land.
This movie is undoubtedly a tearjerker. Greta truly knows how to create masterpieces. I appreciate that this film delves into and elucidates both sides of the story, which essentially embodies the essence of feminism. If someone were to inquire about feminism, I'd recommend they watch this movie.
Moreover, the humor in this film is consistently excellent, from the opening scene to the very end. The comedic lines are perfectly timed, and the actors, especially Margot Robbie, deliver outstanding performances. It's not easy to shed a single tear from just one eye, and that's a testament to her remarkable acting.
Additionally, the soundtrack adds to the overall excellence of the film. Lastly, the production design is incredible. Kudos to the production design team for their outstanding work. This film has definitely earned a spot among my all-time favorite movies. Congratulations to the entire team; they deserve all the praise they receive from audiences.
Hilarious and brilliantly written. Masterpiece.
if your humour leans towards the bizarre, THIS is the movie for you
Just watched this movie a 3rd time.
It's so good :ribbon: can't wait to get this on blu-ray
Ever notice how men are the only ones commenting that it’s bad? Cause they don’t get it - they think it’s got too many themes too many mixed up ideas, too many Paradoxes. But that’s what this movie is about. This movie is about growing up as a woman, cis and trans, and how paradoxical it is. This is about how women and men alike are forced to fit into these images and when they don’t they’re hurt. Yes there were problems with the films (some jokes didn’t land, the Mattel criticism seemed unfinished, etc) but the idea that the film was “bad” and something you shouldn’t want because it “hated men” (or you know told men to not base their worth on a woman’s validation - but whatever right) is a crazy idea
Espetacular songs, jokes and roles. Ryan Gosling has impeccable physical humor. Allan is the best character.
10yo’s review: Cute clothes. Cute House. Too much Ken. Too much singing. Too much abs. Ken is complicated and gay. Too much crying.
Margot Robbie is a gift to cinema. This movie is a gift to our society. It's enjoyable and fun but part way through it become a pretty good commentary on our society and how men and women treat each other. It talks about capitalism, consumerism, feminism, the patriarchy, men's mental health, and how wrong we get the simple act of living sometimes. I'm sure there's gonna be people who think this is ultra woke, but maybe (and ironically), that's some people need.
[9.2/10] There are parts of Barbie that aren’t for me. I am a guy. A “Ken” to use the film’s own lingo. I don’t know what it’s like to be a woman. I don't know what it’s like to face those challenges myself. So much of the film is about that experience, both the idealized version that Barbieland represents, and the sometimes harsh reality of it our unwitting doll protagonist crashes into in the real world. I can appreciate some of those things secondhand, and even be compelled by them, but they’re not going to resonate with me the same way they will for someone who’s been through it.
There are parts of Barbie that are very much for me as a guy. As someone whose high school Xanga page used to autoplay “Push” by Matchbox 20, some of the comedic tweaks of masculinity hit a little too close to home. I’ve waxed rhapsodic about The Godfather ad nauseam. I’ve played music “at” girls I liked. And more seriously, in my wayward youth, I treated romantic partners like a solution to my problems rather than ends unto themselves. The film’s playful jabs, and its more serious critiques, are on point, and will resonate even if you’re the target of them.
There are parts of Barbie that are for me as someone who simply appreciates when a film has a distinctive look and feel all its own. Director/co-writer/three-for-three visionary Greta Gerwig and her collaborators construct an incredible world for their title character. Translating a doll’s playspace for the big screen could easily go terribly awry. But their realization of Barbieland is stunning in how vibrant and creative it feels. Everything from the layout of Barbie’s neighborhood, to the movements of the characters, to the texture of the ground give this unique realm a tremendous sense of place. The details big and small are a brilliant example of how to blend the realism of modern film with the bizarre but endearing unreality of such a specific setting.
There are parts of Barbie that are for me as a lover of out there, postmodern camp. WIth that locale comes the wild cosmology of the film: a neat mishmash of a land of imagination crashing into the problems of modern life, of spritely cartoon characters finding unexpected cracks in their paradise, of goofy figures playing their roles to the hilt without a hint of irony, and of a wide-ranging satire that spoofs the gendered elements of society and the peculiar quirks of a toy box world at the same time. Bright colors, wild schemes, beachside battles, song-and-dance numbers, wide-eyed characters, undeniable weirdos, all wrapped in a candy-coated shell. If Barbie hadn't already dominated the box office, it would be destined to be a cult classic.
And as that box office take suggests, here are parts of Barbie that are for anyone. I’d argue they’re the most important parts. I may not know what it’s like to be a woman. But I know what it’s like to grow up. Beyond the gender critiques that swirl around the film, this is, first and foremost, a story about steadily realizing that the world is bigger, more challenging, and more complicated than the ones we perceived and imagined as children.
Through a nigh-magical bond with the young woman who played with her, our protagonist, Stereotypical Barbie, starts to think about death. She starts to feel existential dread. She deals with stress and fear and unease and even (gasp) cellulite. The most piercing aspect of Gerwig’s third feature is how it uses the doll’s awakening conceit to analogize both the humbling, terrifying broadening of perspective we get as we grow up, and the generational motion sickness we get from looking back at what enchanted us, what inspired us, when we were younger.
In that, Barbie is insightful. It is hilarious. It is delightful. It is inventive as all hell. And it is deeply profound.
What’s doubly impressive about all this is that the call is coming from inside the house. If Gerwig, for example, made a thinly-veiled “Malibu Stacy” movie, we’d praise it as subversive. Somehow, though, this is an official branded release that deconstructs and reconstructs the gender politics that Barbie reinforced and then evolved with, that satirizes the Mattel Corporation itself (headed here by one of Will Ferrell’s trademark manchildren characters), takes square aim at the patriarchy, and uses the existence of genitalia to symbolize self-actualization. To convince the powers that be to cosign such a transgressive take on a beloved icon is an achievement beyond the art itself.
How could the suits say no to talent like that though. With her Oscar-nominated pedigree, Gerwig brings the same reimagining virtuosity and millennial vanguard she showed off in Little Women. Margot Robbie simply is Barbie, embodying the blithely joyous icon, and then nailing the subtle and shattering changes that came as she slowly feels the weight of the world beyond her shores. Ryan Gosling nearly steals the show with his committedly weird, blithely blinkered, and yet somehow pathos-ridden take on Ken. Comedy vets like Kate McKinnon and Michael Cera bring wry laughs in perfect casting as “Weird Barbie” and just plain “Alan” respectively. And the diversity of the denizens in Barbie’s world is plus that aids in the sense that damn near everyone here is perfectly cast, no matter how big or small the role.
Despite its incredible successes, the film is not perfect. In places, it feels unfocused. Barbie strives to cover a lot of thematic ground in less than two hours. As a result, even though it remains stellar on a scene-to-scene basis, sometimes it comes off disjointed as a whole. While many of its criticisms are right on target, some feel like the male equivalent of “bitches be shoppin’”-style observations. That sense of caricature in some sequences fits the heightened tone of the film, but can seem comparatively shallow to the movie’s more incisive critiques and observations. Late in the film, those critiques and observations start arriving in what amounts to a few blunt spoken essays, rather than arising organically from the situation.
And yet, this is a film of great nuance. Despite the sense of Ken as a blithe, patriarchy promoting dope, the script has genuine sympathy for him, and even uses him to explore gendered marginalization in the context of Barbieland. It plays in the space of motherhood, examining the challenges and expectations that can drive parents and children apart but also the beauty and understanding that brings them back together. It manages to encompass nearly every part of the conversation around Barbie, while also internalizing them to one person’s journey of self-discovering in a way that feels surprisingly natural.
That comes from the sheer boldness and ambition of the story. A doll “malfunctioning” from her owner’s existential quandaries, barging into the real world and coming back shaken by it, with layers of meta commentary and Charlie Kaufman-esque recursive self-reflection, is a hell of a thing to try, let alone pull off with flying (mostly pink) colors the way Gerwig does.
What holds it all together is the way this story comes down to Barbie herself as a protagonist. After psychological tugs and troubles that are a metaphor for the growing, scary understanding we all develop over time, Barbie breaks down. She’s ready to give up in the face of it. She’s lifted up by someone who gives voice to the challenges and contradictions, but in the end, after this enlightenment, isn’t sure what she wants.
The conceit of making her creator a godlike figure, there to bless her and open doors for her, is one of the film’s canniest choices. In Rhea Perlman’s pitch perfect rendition of Barbie inventor Ruth Handler, Barbie has a mother, one who symbolizes the goal not just of feminism, but for all parents -- to try to make the lives of their children a little safer, a little kinder, a little better than theirs were.
So Ruth gives her child the gift of vision, a chance to see and feel the breadth of experiences that await her if she leaves the safety of Barbieland and a safe childhood view of the world, and trades it for the world of adulthood, with all of its terrors and pitfalls, but also a waterfall of joys, fellowship, and wonders. That closing sequence, set to Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?”, is the bravura crescendo of the film that surprised and moved me.
It is a cinematic showpiece to capture, well, life, and beyond that, the sublime, terrifying choice to embrace that complex array of experiences, good and bad, that await you. To accept that, to countenance the overwhelming scope of existence, knowing that it will overtake you and that it will end, is an act of profound courage, and a gobsmacking thing to successfully convey on the silver screen.
No matter who you are, you feel that plight. You feel that awe. You feel the spiritual catharsis of a doll who knowingly becomes a person, and scarier yet, a grown-up, with all that comes with both. You feel the hardship and hope of choosing to live in a messy and imperfect world and to be messy and imperfect. And that part of Barbie is for everyone.
How they got away with that final line, I don't know.
[PS. If you think this preached 'matriarchy', then you clearly didn't understand it.]
Thought it was really good, wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. Both the comedy and plot landed for me. The 4th wall breaking and ending were both a bit weird, but I still thought it was a solid movie.
Me experiencing this movie: laughing happy tears and hurting my jaw one moment, sobbing silently in my seat the next. This was everything I hoped it would be and more.
Barbenheimer: Part 2 of 2
This was never going to be a your average summer blockbuster given the incredibly overqualified cast and crew involved. However, having just finished it, I am still blown away by how far they pushed it. Is it too highbrow and intellectual for its own good? Maybe, I don't see this gaining universal praise from the general audience, but I'd say that's a good thing. I have yet to come across an accurate read of this film by the online outrage economy (or middle aged nerdy Youtube critics, for that matter), so perhaps it's not as preachy or on the nose as thought by some. This thing is directed with such vision and precision, for my money it's the boldest blockbuster I've seen in a long time. Gerwig and her team truly knock it out of the park here: the set design for Barbieland is amazing and colorful (the shitty lighting and lack of liquids are great touches), the campy-yet-sincere humor feels very fresh, there are interesting references to filmmakers like Jacques Tati and Wes Anderson, it has razor sharp commentary and so many memorable scenes. The script feels well read and clever, taking its obvious influences (The Truman Show, The Lego Movie, Toy Story and Elf, to name a few) in a different direction than what's expected. It proves that you can still use meta and self-referential tropes as long as they're executed tastefully. It's also brewing with themes and subtext, trusting the viewer to read between the lines and find the detailed nuances in the script (well, for the most part). Will Ferrell doesn't even serve a real narrative purpose, but conceptually he makes the film a lot more interesting. During the third act it occasionally starts to spell things out a little too much through clunky monologues, which I'd argue is its only real flaw. Besides that, I thought this was a blast. Robbie, Gosling and Ferrera all deliver nuanced, funny and at times emotional performances, there's not a single dull moment and it's one of the rare blockbusters where the production value actually shows up on the screen. Major props to Robbie and Gerwig as producers for getting it made, I almost can't believe some of this stuff survived Mattel’s pr division as well as the Hollywood system.
8.5/10
all these patriarchy kens in this comment section lmao
So. Much. Fun!
Colorful, cheery, emotional, serious, sad and really the perfect balance between all of these, I never felt like it was too much of either. Barbie adresses powerful themes on identity, gender dynamics, steriotypes, job functions, self-worth, self-confidence, patriarchy, searching for a purpose, toxic masculinity... I never expected it to be that layered and deep. It's a satire and also very self-aware in moments, i'm someone that detests musicals but I loved every musical scene and dance number. The comedy was on point.
Margot Robbie obliterated it, she shows such a wide range of emotions I really can't see anyone else in the role. Ryan Gosling's Ken steals the show often and again I can't see anyone else in the role. Two excellent performances! The fake-looking colorful Barbieland set is perfection I couldn't get enough of it they should do a theme park with it or something.
A negative would be the creator lady, it feels like she came out of absolutely nowhere and what's with that weird room? Will Ferrell and his acolytes didn't add much but at the same time, their scenes were fun and funny so why not. When Gloria and Sasha came in I was a bit worried it would go in an obvious and nowadays overdone way but they turned out to be an excellent addition and it adds layers to the story.
So many emotions watching this, it felt like a gut punch at times but I loved it. I could rewatch this plenty. Ken I get more?!
This movie doesn’t make sense and that is a compliment!!!
A surprisingly funny examination of what it means to be a woman, with some serious Ryan Gosling Big Dick Kenergy.
A very thought provoking movie, disguised as a light hearted affair. Robbie and Ferrera are just sublime, McKinnon is just perfect as she always is and the Ken's are great too. With such a powerful message and some stellar casting, it's very disappointing to not see Best Director and Best Actress not get a nod at the Oscars. Great movie, really enjoyable.
Such a well-made movie. People complain about irrelevant things when everything in this movie is relevant to Barbie. The soundtrack could have been better, but other than that, it's funny, sad, relatable, inspiring, amazing, and the acting is pure Barbie land.
Excellent movie. I was not expecting that.
My second favorite movie about bottom surgery.
Also, oh my god, that scene at the bus stop. Seeing real life, real people, real beauty for the first time. "Achey, but good."
Proof you only need twelve minutes of deadly, heart-destroying perfection in two hours provided the rest is gleeful enough. When Will Ferrell is the least funny and most boring character in a movie, life is good.
Does feel like some of the captivating raw edges are shaved off relative to Gerwig's other work - naturally, given the budget and licensing, but I was foolishly hoping for like 20% more Lady-Bird-esque gut-punching honesty somewhere in here. (Gerwig probably does get closer than anyone else would.)
The queer subtext is delightful and it's so dumb that the rules of global blockbusters keep it 100% subtextual in 2023 (and that the subtextuality still doesn't save the film from rabid conservative backlash). I still bear a tiny tiny grudge against Gerwig for the flighty-gay-hurts-a-girl's-feelings uncomfortable moments in Lady Bird, and Allan's portrayal feels a little like a channeling of the same vibe. Plus there's a fine like between camp and ha-ha-let's-laugh-at-faggotry that the film IMO didn't perfectly navigate, but whatever, close enough, the queer cast totally kills it.
I don't get The Discourse about this movie that is critical of its feminism. People are attempting to read the movie's politics as if every line of dialogue was an essay written by Gerwig published in The Atlantic? Does no one in 2023 understand that art and polemic are usually different things? That if you are experiencing art or entertainment primarily for its contributions to The Discourse, you are missing 99% of what it's saying? Do they not realize how taking a movie that treats femininity as a subject as necessarily being a political statement about femininity requires a narrow & shallow view of femininity? It feels like these people are weirdly performing the same media consumption experience as the basement-dwelling dudes who criticize the existence of POC or female or queer characters as political propaganda. Yes, please, use art & entertainment to illustrate your feminist analysis, but spend your one wild and precious life developing an analysis of something beyond a movie please.
A little bit Lego movie, largely a 'what is life' journey Take tissues!
If Margot, America or Gerwig don't take Oscars for making you cry. the world should just end!
Annoyances. Michael Keaton didn't get to reprise his Toy Story 3 role. aqua song wasn't the proper one.
This was an excellent film that left me emotionally stretched in just the right way. It's an adult movie with childhood references (not a kids' film at all), and seems pitched at people roughly my age (Matchbox 20 referenced as a track for wooing is too close for comfort!) It superbly voices the internal contradictions women need to navigate to be accepted. It works hard not to centre Ken, even while his role is a critical counterpoint, but also gives a little airtime to how much a male-dominated world makes it hard to be a man too.
In fact using Ken—an obviously one-dimensional doll of a man—as the very literal face of the very literal patriarchy neatly sidesteps any "but not all men" reactions getting in the way of the message. (I think they also rolled in some incel representation into his persona, giving him his own mini-arc to self-understanding and maturity.)
The writing is out of this world, the pacing is spot on, and Margot Robbie utterly nails the role — especially the emotional and physical aspects of being a doll in a way that playfully nods to the many ways that children play with Barbie.
I remember wondering on a few occasions how the plot was going to resolve without requiring Ken to "win", be "defeated", or overly-centred. I shouldn't have worried; the battle and show number, followed by Ken being very emotionally mature while he faces his immaturity towards his relationship with Barbie was excellent!
It's a wonderful film that I'd encourage everyone to see. It's hard to watch, as a man—feeling responsible for so many challenges women face—but Barbie doesn't judge, it voices. It's a message that informs me, helps me, as well as entertaining me, but it isn't meant for me; the extent to which my fiancée felt seen, understood and perfectly spoken on behalf of is this movie, and why it deserves all the praise it's getting.
From: https://byjp.me/posts/reviews/movies/barbie/
I only have one word for this... SUBLIME
This was so sad but also so much fun and so self-aware. I really loved everything about this. It did have me in tears multiple times, so real. Kate McKinnon had so many funny moments, her comedy alone is worth the watch.
Barbie is funny, campy, extravagant, sincere and emotional. Even in its comedic moments it doesn't hold back on the commentary. Sometimes subtle, sometimes in-your-face, pointing on how the world regards and frames femininity and masculinity, trying to put them in a box, but also on the urge to break out of those boxes and discover yourself beyond how you were told you should be. America Ferrera's monologue stands out among the many genuinely deep parts of the film.
Hits a little too close to home at some points. I laughed, I cried, you get it all in Barbieland.
My only complaints are
1) too much Ken honestly and
2) the whole patriarchy thing felt a little rushed and weird. I know they were trying to prove that the patriarchy hurts men too but I think they missed that mark.
Otherwise I had fun watching this and I hope it managed to open some minds.
A good moral, I absolutely did not expect that, and I am pleasantly surprised by the result!
This one just like a version of Wnews Video.
So the big question is was Barbie over hyped? The answer is Yes.
By like 1-2%. It's a fun movie. It might help that I don't feel like I was bombarded with advertising for the movie. I didn't watch the trailer when it dropped and unlike other movies I wasn't being sneaky assaulted with the trailer and BTS stuff all the time so I was able go into it basically virgin. I kept seeing Oppenheimer/Barbie hype but honestly I had seen more Oppenheimer footage and teasers than Barbie and I continue to have negative interest in Oppenheimer. I keep meaning to watch the trailer because I'll never watch the movie but I just forget that's how little I care for it. I don't expect Barbie to be my movie of the year but I did at least want to see it.
It doesn't have the emotional punch of say "Promising Young Woman" or the charming subversion of "The Craft" or the beautiful nuance of "Stepmom" or the instant classic status of "Clueless". But what it does have in some ways more than some of those others is just pure entertaining factor. It's just an enjoyable movie. There are some theatre laughs there are some watching by yourself laughs. The barbie movie knows what it is and it stays in it's lane and excels at it. Even the dragging Feminism 101 speech in the middle of the movie that doesn't really seem to fit tonally with the rest of the movie, works. And more importantly it doesn't drag down the rest of the movie. Even if that one tiny short clip is 'bad'. The movie quickly picks up again. There are a few cameos but they're mostly so quick you don't really care.
Margot Robbie.. not my taste and in this role I didn't find her that compelling as an actress. But the writing and direction are excellent. Everyone else shined. And by no means am I suggesting Margot was awful. She wasn't. Gosling takes Ken in a direction that I wasn't expecting. It's almost like someone was in his ear saying "You never go full Zoolander". It's not what I would have expected from Ken but it worked.
Overall the movie is fun enough for a rewatch and substantial enough to make you not be embarrassed to do so.
It's going up against movies like M3GAN, Shin Ultraman, Women Talking, Black Panther 2, Creed III, John Wick 4, Polite Society, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse, The Blackening, Joy Ride and Mission Impossible 7. Among the best films in the year. Barbie fits right in. If anyone were to put this in their top slot of the year. I don't see a problem with that.
The movie feels like an 8/10 but I bump it up to a 9/10 because it just doesn't try to be what it's not. The barbie movie really gets points for knowing what it is and being exactly that and that kind of restraint is admirable.
the start of this movie had me turning to my side & thinking "did we really just pay actual money to see this" and, i've honestly felt that way at least three times i think, but honestly, throughout the movie, it gets so much better, and it had me laughing in moments i didn't even expect to laugh
set design & costumes did a sensational job, as expected, truly great work ngl
& Margot Robbie was amazing, i honestly wouldn't be surprised if this movie won an award or two, it might actually deserve it
with all that said;
Barbie. Best cinematic experience & piece of film ever produced by mankind. a literal 10/10 for me.
Loved this movie! Lots of laughing out loud for me. Loved how Ken’s job was “beach.” I mean!! I thought it was a kids movie- oops! But I think I liked it more than the kids. I definitely understood it better than they did. The Mattel board was the weak link, and they did not need to come to Barbie land. I also wish the Barbies could have figured out a way to find equality instead of keeping the Kens down like women are kept down in the “real world.” Otherwise a slam dunk!
genuinely so fun. went places that I didn't expect, clearly enjoyed what it was doing. one of those films where its clear the cast were having fun. plus A24 actually pay their cast and agreed to the union requests.
also definite trans allegory going on. not the main theme but easy reading to make of it. felt validating
I didn’t have much expectations for this movie. I was expecting to dislike it or just feel meh about it but I ended up really enjoying it! It tackled tough topics with a delicacy while still having humor. I really enjoyed this movie!
Rated a Connor 10, normal 8.6
I went for the laughs and left the movie theater with an existential crisis. I loved it <3
Every thing it needed to say, it said. Every story it needed to tell, it told. Every message it needed to deliver, it delivered. And it said, told, and delivered everything perfectly. And hilariously.
Honestly, I don’t really know how to do much of a review of it because anything I come up with will be a disservice.
Loved the movie, hated the ending. Who the hell would choose to be human over a Barbie :sob:
This is such a funny and entertaining movie. Although it's really hilarious it is also really sad and deep. The movie covers a real life problem and the message is conveyed really well. Great acting performance by Margot Robbie. One thing I did not like was that the soundtrack was just not there at some point but there were still some really good songs e.g. "I'm just Ken".
My personal rating:
-Plot (Story Arc and Plausibility): 7/10
-Attraction (Premise & Entertainment Value): 7.5/10
-Theme (Identity & Depth): 7.5/10
-Acting (Characters & Performance): 7/10
-Dialogue (Storytelling & Context): 7/10
-Cinematography (Visual Language & Lighting, Setting, and Wardrobe): 8/10
-Editing (Pace & Effects): 6.5/10
-Soundtrack (Sound Design & Film Score): 7/10
-Directing (Vision & Execution): 8/10
-The “It” Factor (One-of-a-Kind & Transcendent): 8.5/10Overall: 7/10 || 74/100
There are three layers to this movie:
feminism
If you take the movie at face value, it is a feminist movie with a feminist message. It talks to women at several times, saying the world is still patriarchal and the fight is still not over. It's also a critique of third wave feminism, endorsing femininity and beauty and recapturing the meaning of womanhood. It is pink and girly because they are women.
It also addresses feminism for men. Ken is an incel that cannot be happy without living the fantasy relationship with an idealized woman. He gives up simping and accepts his masculinity, not because of simping or resentment.Critique of feminism
Going deeper, the movie talks bad about radical feminism. Ken thinks patriarchy means he gets everything for being a man but gets rejected and made fun of in every attempt, making barbieland a matriarchal utopia and the real world not so patriarchal after all. This addresses the false idea some women have that being a man makes you privileged and an opressor. Ken is also a mirror for real life women. He finds out about patriarchy and turns into a revolutionary. This is an attack on revolutionary feminist that find out about feminism and think it is about destroying men and society to build barbieland. It points to their naivety.liberal movie
As in classical liberalism, it endorses individuality and freedom. As many have said in, Barbie chooses the real world and its imperfections instead of barbieland.
Barbieland is a longhouse with no privacy, no meaning and no agency. It is a proxy for neverland, a perfect fantasy world of dreams. Barbie thinks about death and it starts to break the veil of beauty and perfection.
Ken is the only individual with some bit of a mind and personality, but after he learns about patriarchy, he becomes a caricature and literally a nobody in a sea of kens. This shows how ideology and social movements overtake individuality and turns everyone in mindless minions.
Does this film have an agenda? Yes it does.
Do incels complaining about it have a point? They do not.
The main theme is women empowerment, sure. But note how important for the story was Gosling's Ken understanding he can be who he wants to be, independently from him being "Barbie's Ken". Could this story work without the Barbie franchise? Probably not. Why? Because, just like the film self-awarely points out, Barbie dolls were simultaneously strengthening socially undesired stereotypes about women, but at the same time they were about girls learning they can live independent of men and following their own dreams.
The film feels weird at times but overall is a fine comedy with a message, that while put straight out there, may not necessarily be obvious to all viewers. Generally an enjoyable watch.
"If you love Barbie. If you hate Barbie. This movie is for you."
At least that's what the trailers say. But as someone who doesn't belong to either group, I can confirm that you'll have fun even without a love-hate attitude towards the doll. As a fan of Greta Gerwig, this didn't surprise me either. Since it was announced that she was chosen as director for the Barbie film, one could foresee that the film would turn out to be more profound than it could have been.
However, "Barbie" is not entirely free of criticism. I definitely felt the advertising message in numerous places. It is, to some extent, surprising how many jokes the company Mattel has allowed on their account. But that is, of course, exactly the strategy. In the end, it's all about selling Barbie dolls. But the merchandise approach is omnipresent in most other big-budget Hollywood productions, so I can overlook it for the most part here as well.
What really convinced me about the film were two primary factors: the great production design and the clever screenplay. "Barbie" looks really fantastic with its excess of pink and plastic feel. The Barbie world and the real world are a perfect contrast. The screenplay, which Gerwig co-wrote with her partner Noah Baumbach, in turn offers room for numerous different approaches. Thus, at some points the film is a biting satire, while at other moments it is heartfelt, hilarious, feminist, existentialist, or totally absurd. Gerwig and Baumbach teach the audience several life lessons at once, most of which have depth. The film is thus, fortunately, so much more than just a commercial.
But "Barbie" is also a complete success because of its strong cast. That Margot Robbie is a good choice for the lead should come as no surprise to anyone. I also appreciate the fact that she finally doesn't play the "slightly crazy" character for a change. Ironically, though, the real star of the film is probably Ryan Gosling as Ken, who has already demonstrated fantastic timing in comedy several times in the past. Here, he's so good that he might even have a shot in the Oscar race.
All in all, my verdict is positive across the board. "Barbie" is a film that is one of the better examples of mainstream summer cinema. Above all, its high level of creativity sets it apart from the competition. I can only recommend everyone give this film a chance. It really doesn't matter at all whether you hate Barbie, love her, or don't care about her.
A great film, with a fun story full of references and many funny moments. It also effectively addresses the issues that women still face in society.
I know saying this goes against the entire point of the movie, but holy shit, Margot Robbie is genuinely so insanely gorgeous:weary::heart:
“Barbie" is a delightful film that successfully blends humor with a heartwarming message. The movie captures your attention with its witty moments and leaves you with a sense of positivity. The storyline, combined with the charming characters, draws you into Barbie's world and keeps you engaged throughout. While some aspects might be familiar, the film's unique twist and overall execution make it a standout. With its combination of humor and a touching message, "Barbie" earns a solid 4 out of 5 rating. It's a feel-good watch that's perfect for anyone seeking an enjoyable cinematic experience.
Ken steals the movie. I absolutely love Ken's discovery of the patriarchy. I also don't understand why the movie is getting bad reviews for being woke. I think it is a "light" movie about serious topics and I find it very valuable for men.
Go watch the movie and put your big egos aside. Take the horse if you need to, to keep you company or to feel more manly.
The details in the film are very well done. Mattel takes a beating but can once again rub their hands together, because the "Margot Robbie Barbie doll" seems to be selling well in the meantime.
The dialogues about the patriarchy are hilarious, they were, alongside the occasionally slightly too silly humor, the real highlight of the film. The film would be completely successful if the current CEO of Mattel resigns, a woman of color takes the lead, and no more stereotypical Barbies are made in the future.
A funny moment in the theater: During the credits, a man wearing a pink cowboy hat walked towards the exit and said (clearly annoyed) in our direction, "I wasted two hours of my life," to which the woman walking a meter behind him said to us, "I thought it was a fun film!"
This is a good movie and well worth seeing.
Look, obviously, I'm not the primary intended audience for this movie, but the messages it gives (and booooy does it have a lot to say) are well laid out and IMO quite well balanced. The furthest thing possible from the "radical feminist propaganda" some of the other commenters would have you believe it is. It does have an obvious feminist message, and perhaps it is a bit heavy-handed at times, but it doesn't say anything that I think any reasonable person would disagree with. By the end it surprisingly even delivers some well-meaning and nicely landed messages to people outside of their target audience.
Look, if you think the movie is some kind of propaganda piece or a man-bashing endeavour, I urge you to rewatch it with a bit of a more critical mindset, and you might find that it is actually saying a lot of the opposite of what you thought it was saying.
On a less serious note, the jokes are quite funny, and they mostly land well, even the ones aimed squarely at men like me. I had a bunch of laugh-out-loud moments in the cinema and almost lost it quite a few times. The set and costume design is like...really good. REALLY REALLY GOOD. The acting is excellent, at least from Robbie and Gosling. Easter eggs everywhere.
Waiting for gender abolitionist Barbie
A really complex movie that really shows just how important Barbie has been to the world. I do think that some relationships in the movie were very underdeveloped and kind of thrown in, but the main story with Barbie was told very well. Ken was also amazing in his role and there to remind everyone that you are kenough.
Brilliant blend of comedy and a stark look at the state we're in. Margot Robbie absolutely shines and the supporting cast really bring it.
Props for it calling out both me AND my date. Her for the Pride and Prejudice rewatches and me for the Snyder Cut fixation :see_no_evil: loved it.
A Mockery to Neo Feminism
A loud fuzz and buzz on Barbie being too woke and pro feminism before it was released.
Then when it was released, it went berserk in the beginning with neo feminists and woke activists campaigning for Barbie.
Then, it clicked. Barbie tells the reality of neo feminism and woke movement were nothing but empty promises, unbased, and have no future.
Why do you thing Mattel agreed to sponsored this film? Mattel knew.
Pink, cinematic, Chevy, complex ideas, and fully committed casts!
Like the Transformers franchise, the filmmakers seem uninterested in appealing to the core demographic that actually play with the toys and more to those who used to play with them. Nostalgia can only get you so far, and that's where the comparison thankfully ends because at least the approach here has produced a film that is funny and clever enough to both critique and celebrate the toys that are brought to life here. The film has plenty to say about feminism and masculinity in modern society, but it does so with humour and heart and never forgets to keep the focus on the characters themselves. Robbie is perfectly cast of course and both Gosling and Ferrera are standouts.
we're all barbie girls, in a barbie world
This is probably the most famous movie of 2023, so I won’t spend too much time on my review. I think this is an effective approach at creating a more meaningful message-driven story from something that could have easily just been a toy commercial in someone else’s hands. The production design is gorgeous, and Ryan Gosling was super entertaining. Still, it is Greta Gerwig’s weakest movie to date, with some of the messaging feeling defanged and a bit toothless at times due to the studio constraints.
The cast is great but Ryan Gosling is hilarious and steals the show in a non-stop girl power movie. Where women don’t need men.
The screenwriter of this is doing the same thing to Disney’s live action Snow White. Though they do over do that a bit here. With Barbie even pretty cruel to Ken.
This is an entertaining movie nevertheless. The same screenwriter just shouldn’t do that with everything. Especially Snow White which sounds like it disrespects Walt Disney’s film.
When I saw the first trailer I was like do we need this? But actually watching the movie, it's really great
Easily deserves several Academy's Oscar (screenplay, production design, fashion, so7ns, music and so on)... it's by far the 2023's movie. Top!
Amazing!
Great movie, but doesn't really live up to its hype. Dance moments felt very unnecessary and boring and I personally love musicals and dance moments (bollywood's festival/celebration dance songs are peak).
I am a fan of Greta Gerwig, but the comedy and blockbuster aspect of this movie dilutes the message it wants to send out to an average movie watcher.
Greta Gerwig is a hit and miss for me, but this was a great hit! I'm off to sing "I'm just Ken" until I'm blue in the face.
Super entertaining and enjoyable film that refreshingly doesn’t take itself too seriously. I did initially think the ending was a bit “weak” because the movie pushes against norms or promotes so many ideas, but doesn’t end up doing much about any of them. However, like I said, it doesn’t take itself so seriously so why should I expect it to be so serious? Plus, the more I thought about it, the more the ending makes sense. I appreciate movies that I can continue to think about after the fact.
There was a lot of humor, and I didn’t think it was forced in. It was satirical, it was self aware, and it was excellently written and acted.
If pink was a colour, then this movie would — oh, wait...
It's hilarious!! I spent at least 70% of this laughing. It's an amazing commentary on sexism and patriarchy in general, as well as the discrepancy between intention and reality. Allen is a BAMF. It was also a nice touch to have the Kens united after a fight.
Some of the dialogue is a little on the nose and the reactions are dramatic but that's what made it so funny and amazing to watch.
What a fun movie! I was scared that Barbie would become extreme feminist propaganda, but it touches so many other subjects too and does it in the best way possible: not too seriously. We knew from the first leaked photo that the casting was perfect, but seeing it play out like this exceeded my expectations. I lol'd a few times in the cinema. It has so many stupid jokes (I mean that in the best way possible), that I would be really surprised if anyone didn't laugh at least once. True, I don't agree with every message they try to tell, but it's so much fun that I don't even really care. I just enjoyed the ride.
Dude, I loved it!
The last scenes resonate so well with me.
Also, I liked that Emma Mackey is there!
Margot Robbie looks so young here.
And Ryan Gosling is ideal for Ken's role. I've seen him in Scooby Doo as Fred and he was exactly Ken!
Bold concept, amazing writing, awesome visuals, great songs and courageously acted with fun and smarts.
8/10 Very great!
Fun, fantastic film with a dash of existential crisis thrown in. I did not have high hopes for this kind of IP-based material, but I should have known that Gerwig would make something meaningful and at times profound. I loved the sense of humor throughout and cheered at the moments of patriarchy-smashing and self-empowerment. I watched it in a theater with noisy kids, so I wasn't able to fully connect with the quiet ending--need a rewatch. But what I was able to focus on, I loved.
Own the camp and it’s pretty awesome. They got super close to nailing something most people couldn’t even imagine. I just think it quite didn’t reach the tippy top. Apart from stereotypical Barbie’s story, the other plot points don’t full resolve. Nevertheless, incredible movie and a phenomenon, of course.
I laughed really hard, despite myself
I live to feel the heat of my wife eyes… with a music from Billie Eilish playing in the background
Loved the Kenergy of Ryan Gosling! (Also, the two major Kens and the Allan all being Canadian was awesome!) Margot was spot on, America was perfect, Hari and Kate were hilarious, Rhea was beautiful! The practical sets were incredible to see! The colour, the choreo, the music, the fun!! And the heart! And I love that this has created a movie-going experience that we haven’t had in popular culture for years and I hope it helps bring people back to the cinema. Hi, Barbie! :sparkling_heart:
Like the neural network in my penis: it's amazing they could fit something so complex and invigorating in something so short and funny.
It's incredible how well Tightrope Barbie walls the line between self-aware, meta, self-deprecating, insightful, product placement and uplifting. There may have been one two many speeches for my taste, but most of the film is as entertaining as my... analogy at the top of the review.
Horses are just men extenders.
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Barbie’:
It started off strong and wonderfully ridiculous. It should have stayed ridiculous. Instead, they tried wayyy too hard to convey some deep message that got lost in the shuffle. There was a missed opportunity to be incredibly poignant but, once it became Kens vs. Barbies, it became rather cheesy.
As impeccable and otherworldly-endearing as Robbie is, I feel like Gosling was the one who really shined here. He delivered the best laughs, solidly, and he’s generally SUCH a terrific performer. I loved his little ditty and almost forgot about his La La Land skills.
I really liked the music! Lizzo’s intro was hysterical, the dance scenes were super fun, and I can’t get Billie Eilish’s closing ballad out of my head.
Bonus Thought: I see you, Allan.
Ryan Gosling should do more comedy.
Not as good as the marketing made me believe, but I loved the Ken's song. Ryan Gosling is so good man
"Humans have only one ending. Ideas live for ever."
By the way people talked about this I thought we had another La La Land or Parasite on our hands. I'd say this movie hits the nail on the head on a lot of things, but overall I wasn't blown away. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling killed it though.
It was a pretty OK movie, but not worth the hype. Good marketing though. Ps. Hari Nef is actual an pretty good actor. Great strong male performance !
:heart:x7
I wasn't exactly sure what to expect with this movie. At first, because of all the musical numbers, i started to regret watching it. But then it got more interesting. What I want to know is - did Kate McKinnon do her own splits or was there a stunt double?
How I rate:
1-3 :heart: = seriously! don't waste your time
4-6 :heart: = you may or may not enjoy this
7-8 :heart: = I expect you will like this too
9-10 :heart: = movies and TV shows I really love!
Ironically, this movie lost a lot of its charm once the real world seeped into the barbie world. It got too whiny and weepy for my taste. Otherwise, it was a really fun ride. One worth watching on a big screen and a theatre FULL of people.
Side note: a lot of people gave Ryan flack for being "too" old for Ken and LET ME TELL YOU. No one! AND I MEAN NO ONE could've played him better. His performance was an absolute DELIGHT. Might be controversial, but Ken was the best part about Barbie.
The Rorschach Test of Feminism movies lmao
Pros
+Funny as hell
+Acting from Gosling and Robbie was phenomenal (The rest were fine but nothing noteworthy)
+Interesting story arc that is both super traditional but also very contrarian, it works in the context of this specific movie
+The color palette- Barbieland is obviously very bright and pink/blue but the outer world is exceptionally gray and the movie does a fantastic jobs with using costume design to communicate inner feelings
+The opening scene does a phenomenal job at introducing the basics of what barbie is supposed to be and why she feels so important in a fun 2001:ASO reference
+Every single scene with Ken in the real world was phenomenal
Cons
-The Will Farrell character really meant nothing to the story and felt like they added it on just to have another big name in the credits
-Major scene at the end where Barbie #1 (Margot Robbie) shuts down due to anxiety and is somehow comforted by the mother figure telling her that Women have to put up with tons of shit on the daily to even live a normal life doesn't make sense for multiple reasons. Reason #1: The Barbies lived in a Feminist "Utopia" up until now so none of the things she ranted about should make sense to any of them outside of Barbie #1 and even then she spent like 12 hours in the real world so it shouldn't make sense to her either. Reason #2, is that the barbies under the Kendom weren't experiencing that at all, the Kens were just like having fun with their fellow Kens while the barbies complimented them and handed them "brewskis" while they redistributed the land more fairly. All of the actual jobs in Barbieland are meaningless so who gives a shit if the president is now a cheerleader.
-This is where the film becomes a Rorschach test. The Kens literally did nothing wrong. I know the Barbieland is supposed to be a sort of reverse Chauvinist world but the Kens literally do not have homes and their entire life is just whether Barbies even acknowledge them, that's fucked up man. Even in the most Patriarchal societies Women aren't sleeping in the fucking wild. Gosling Ken (I'll just say Ken #1) starts to talk about how he feels more accepted in the real world and Barbie is just ignores him completely. She literally could have stopped the Ken Uprising if she even paid any attention whatsoever to what he was feeling. It's a problem throughout the movie where the female characters literally don't give two shits about what the Kens are feeling or going through, even the humans who are supposed to be oppressed by patriarchy. Ken #1 even says at the end that he didn't even like being in power (they kind of ruin this moment by saying he just did it because of some weird imagined connection to horses but whatever). The brainwashing part also made no fucking sense, Ken distributed patriarchy like (and yes they actually say this) Smallpox??? What the fuck? This isn't just stupid, it's super lazy writing. Also if they're trying to make it feel like the Kendom was bad then they shouldn't have made all of the Barbies happy in it lmao. The Barbies are literally fine with the whole thing outside of Weird Barbie (who btw is also an outcast from barbieland) and two weird Kens (one of whom is Sugar Daddy Ken...). I don't want to come off like it's a good thing the Patriarchy exists but the movie really makes it feel that way.
-Alan is a little bitch cuck. His entire personality is to be Ken's friend, shame he's actually just a Barbie orbiter
--------- I wanted to separate this part because it's not just weird and lazy but actually super fucked up to teach real people to do this. The barbies decide after a bit that in order to defeat the Kens they need to first free the other Barbies from the "Brainwashing" by literally just brainwashing them back to thinking they're what they were before the Ken Revolution. That part is fine and expected. But the second part is getting them to fight the other Kens by EMOTIONALLY MANIPULATING THEM. What the absolute fuck? This is a terrible lesson to teach young girls. This starts by taking advantage of the Kens mansplaining things to them that they ask for help for (aka the Barbies say they struggle with something easy and the Kens are just generally helpful). Then the second part is agreeing to be in a relationship (in which the writing gives the Barbies an out by making it an long term/distance casual girlfriend or whatever) with Kens and then purposely leading them on, then ignoring them and making them jealous by giving other Kens attention which gets them to fight their fellow Kens. Then While they're fighting the Barbies vote down changes to the Barbieland constitution. Like you couldn't have come up with a more meaningful way to distract a bunch of brainless Kens than to emotionally annihilate them? FUCK THE BARBIES!
-The ending totally fucks up Ken #1's character arc by saying he only liked Patriarchy because he thought it had to do with Horses. I think it was right that Barbie and him didn't fall in love but my dude had wayyyyyyyyyy more reason to start the Ken revolution than the Barbies had to do anything they did. The entirety of what Barbie "accomplished" was re-oppressing the Kens and accepting that she has cellulite and thinks about death
Again, you kind of see things differently depending on the perspective you have in life but it definitely felt weird that a feminist movie, could in any way be interpreted as the female mains mostly being scumbags. I know this reads as very negative but my negatives are all about very specific plot points and their failure to be consistent with the message of the movie. I did enjoy it a lot and think the majority of it was extremely funny and fun. It just had a number of big "what the fuck are they doing?" moments
Really fun movie, wasn't expecting much but got exactly what is expected from it. Silly fun, and a nice message by the end.
The movie is not special but is definitely not bad and does entertain
Barbie is a breath of fresh air. It's a brilliant conceit with stunning visuals, incisive writing, imaginative direction, and pitch-perfect performances. It'll go down as a cultural touchstone, but not a classic, IMO. What holds it back is its complete abandonment of any world-building. To be fair, at several points, writers Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach tell us via different characters that none of the "How" and "Why" questions are important; and what's left off of the page in the way of table-setting leaves plenty of room for sly political jabs & feminist manifestos. (The takedown of Citizens United & Trump's Border Wall in particular are beautifully rendered.) Unfortunately, without this connective tissue the movie can feel like a collection of awesome scenes that are only tangentially related to each other, and the final 10 minutes (which should have been 5) do not feel earned... I know that this can feel a bit nit-picky, but my nerd brain craves rules for my cinematic universes, and I just couldn't help but keep bumping up against the lack of any while I was watching this movie, no matter how many times it (rightfully) criticized Mattel, capitalism, consumerism, the objectification of women, and the patriarchy.
That said, I still had lots of fun and laughed out loud quite a bit. Margot Robbie is absolutely brilliant as Stereotypical Barbie. She's a Toy Story character come to life, and you root for her the whole way- right up until her final line, when she exudes unmitigated joy at doing something that most women (I imagine) see as a chore, at best. What's more, the wattage of her star power goes toe-to-toe with - and matches - Ryan Gosling's turn as Ken. He absolutely knocks it out of the park, giving a heartfelt complexity to a story arc that is, arguably, more transformative that that of Barbie's (up until the final 10 minutes, anyway). And the secondary characters from Barbieland all shine, with Simu Liu & Kingsley Ben-Adir standing out from the (very talented) crowd.
The world needs Barbie the movie, even with all of it's imperfections, and even if it hasn't convinced me that it needs the toy itself.
It was a good movie with more story than expected! Was it highest grossing movie of the year good? No. It is not something I will be watching again anytime soon. I’m still shocked they managed to get a cast as big as this for a Barbie movie!
Rating: 3/5 - 75% - Worth Watching
Shout by IdaratesBlockedParentSpoilers2023-07-21T08:09:39Z
This movie was so well made, the PERFECT mix between comedic relief and serious topics. I had no idea what it was going to be about when I went into it, and already a few minutes in I’m finding myself sobbing when Barbie tells the old lady that she is beautiful. This movie not only brings up the serious questions about inequality and unrealistic beauty standards - but also discuss what being human is and how we should all just love eachother. Also the obvious references to Elf and the fact that Will Ferell was in it was just the cherry on top for me :)