Posted by By Calvin Maher, Staff Writer
As a fan of the director Greta Gerwig, I was ecstatic to hear about the “Barbie” movie, frantically trying to get my friends as excited as I was, to little avail. But with time, I joyfully watched it grow to be among the most anticipated movies of the year, and soon, everyone was just as excited as I was. After watching it, someone asked me an interesting question. When was the last time going to the movies was this fun?
Talking to older people I often hear about movies that “everybody saw,” and I always feel jealous of movie events that felt so significant. Jealous of blockbusters that meant something. I’ve always felt like our generation didn’t have as many movies like that. Which is why “Barbie” felt so special. It felt like a movie that people were happy to go to the theater and watch. People were excited about movies again, and that felt important. And it wasn’t just because it was a blockbuster, it was legitimately fun. When researching Barbie’s success, I came across an IndieWire survey claiming that nearly one in four “Barbie” viewers (22% of the 1800+ surveyed) had not seen a movie in theaters since before the pandemic. I was very happy to see that people were getting excited about movies again. Especially a movie as fun as this.
“Nearly one in four “Barbie” viewers (22% of the 1800+ surveyed) had not seen a movie in theaters since before the pandemic.”
IndieWire
In addition to its cultural significance, the movie itself is just amazing. It was consistently hilarious. Going into it, I was a little skeptical of the humor, but I was met with great joke after great joke. It helps that the cast and crew were clearly having such a fun time making it. The fun vibe of the movie felt so real because it was radiating from everyone involved. Margot Robbie was an excellent lead. She brought a lot of life to the plastic character and made Barbie feel life-like. For a movie so maximalist and over-the-top, she made the character surprisingly relatable. Ryan Gosling was as iconic as ever as Ken. He mastered the art of being absurd and over-the-top while still fitting the rest of the film very well. He and Margot Robbie both had excellent comedic timing, allowing for some incredibly witty dialogue and memorable conversations. America Ferrera’s performance, while not quite as funny, still had a lot of heart and added a lot to the film. There were also a number of memorable and likable side characters, like Alan, Weird Barbie, and the Mattel CEO just to name a few.
The directing was also quite skillful. It’s rare that you see genuinely good cinematography in a comedy movie, but Great Gerwig really knew what she was doing. The framing and camera motion gave a very specific and strange feeling to Barbieland, in a way that contrasted the scenes in the real world. The camerawork also wonderfully complemented the set design. Everything from the Mattel building to the “mojo-dojo-casa-house” felt memorable and iconic.
These sets also made for some awesome choreography. I’ve always loved a good dance scene, and “Barbie” has some of the best. “Dance the Night” was excellent, but “I’m Just Ken” was next-level. The latter is one of my favorite scenes from a movie in recent memory. I liked the movie already, but when Ryan Gosling started singing, I realized it was something special. It honestly solidifies the movie, and leads to a very meaningful ending.
And of course, it’s hard to talk about “Barbie” without at least mentioning the events of Barbenheimer, when “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” were released on the same day. I think it’s indicative of the variety available in modern movies. The Godfather director, Francis Ford Coppola, called Barbenheimer “a victory for cinema.” He claims the success of movies like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” without the attachment of franchises or cinematic universes “wonderful and illuminating.” He, and experts like him, suspect and up-and-coming “golden age” for the movie industry.
Overall it was a great film. Equally funny, well made, and genuinely thoughtful. The acting, directing, and sense of humor all made for an awesome and exciting theater experience. The movie itself was incredible, but part of what’s so great about “Barbie” is that it goes beyond its own quality. In addition to being so great, what I really loved about it was that it made movies feel exciting again. For that, it’s a must-watch.
The Maroon 