Film Greta Gerwig's BARBIE (Margot Robbie/Ryan Gosling)

[Red_Aaron]

Watched it last night, it's solid enough

Musical set pieces, art design and costume all excellent. Robbie is brilliant as always, not sure why so much fuss over Goslin - he was fine but nothing any number of actors couldn't do just as well or better

The message, it's design and the obvious Mattel influence struggled to coexist at times and I found some parts jarring

Obviously this was always going to want to have it's cake and eat it - that's standard fare for these modern satires that end up not being satire . It wants to be a serious and strong feminist message for young girls but it also wants to make knowing cynical nods at 40 and 50 somethings unfortunately for me they ran close to undermining their own message - the best of pixar this definitely isn't

Also [insert generic why are all modern movies so fckin long rant]. You could easily cut 30 mins and lose nothing

 

[Bobski]

It's pretty good, My Nieces loved it, visually striking, some very funny jokes, Robbie is amazing, Gosling as well and I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining Cera was. A bit long and some of the messaging was starting to grate, but I attribute that to the movie maybe being a couple of years too late. The type of messaging central to this movie has been so prevalent in all media recently I have become a bit bored with it.

But decent fun.

 

[NLunited]

The marketing for this is pretty insane. If you google Barbie the page turns pink with sparkles. If they get big numbers good on them.

You need a better browser mate

 

[crappycraperson]

Last 25% of the movie was a chore to sit through. It was fun and engaging before that. Definitely 10-15 mins too long and needed to find a way around having to lecture audience at different points, especially since it had done a fine job showcasing it message without relying on some Sorkinseque outburst.

 

[Walrus]

Saw it tonight with the missus having not engaged with any of the hype or teasers - I went in pretty much blind, other than having heard a few comments about misandry and/or misogyny. Thought it was a decent flick, definitely a few laugh-out-loud moments, didnt really care for the ending or last 20 mins roughly, although im not sure exactly where else they couldve gone with it.

 

[decorativeed]

I asked you what you think is more likely (you didn't answer by the way): that a bunch of people rushed to watch a movie they had little interest in and then genuinely thought it was as bad as a movie can possibly be, or that a significant chunk of those 13.5 percent are people who haven't watched the film but have decided to hate it in advance for other reasons. In general, I'd say that if you're giving a film 1 out of 10 stars, you probably didn't give it an unbiased chance (given that very few movies are that bad), so when 1/10 reviews make up a significant portion of the total, I think it's reasonable to assume some of it is politically motivated. And what might annoy some people about a movie based on a toy doll for millennial girls which carries feminist messages? It's not a crazy conspiracy theory, we've seen it with plenty of similar movies before.

And no, I'm not suggesting that you are a misogynist for not being interested in this film. You referred specifically to IMDb reviews and I responded specifically to that. If anything I think the vibe from some in this thread seems more like a generational thing than a gender thing (given that among my male millennial friends, most seem eager to see this film).

You're absolutely spot on in your assessment. I really doubt massive numbers of people have gone to watch it first day and thought it was as bad as a film could possibly be. Review bombing by the more reactionary and insecure members of society (young men in the main) is very real.

I've rated a tiny number of films a 1 in my life (Plan 9 from Outer Space and Superman IV, for example), and even films I've found terribly disappointing or boring still manage to scrape a 3.

 

[Mogget]

I really fecking enjoyed it and preferred it over Oppenheimer

I thought Gosling was great and his Ken was the best part of the film for me, which sort of goes against the spirit of the film

 

[Stobzilla]

I thought it was really good. My partner enjoyed it as well.

The Godfather bit had me and her dying, that one landed almost too close to home

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Plenty of not good films get good reviews these days. Movie reviewers get sucked into culture war, just like everyone else.

I’m not saying this is a not good movie, by the way. It’s possible it’s good. Although unlikely. Seeing as it looks so fecking shite. It won’t be getting any of my money, that’s for sure.

That’s besides the point which is that it clearly has an audience and hence is both commercially doing well and getting a pretty strong critical reception. So while it’s fine to dislike it or feel it’s not for you (anyone), clearly the bemusement about its general existence was woefully misplaced.

 

[Jippy]

Would you watch it first or second if you're doing the Barbenheimer?

 

[Mogget]

Would you watch it first or second if you're doing the Barbenheimer?

Definitely second, that's how I did it. Ending on Oppenheimer would be far too depressing

 

[Scandi Red]

 

[Champ]

Why are people going to watch this film?

Genuinely interested to hear why grown adults would want to watch it.

 

[decorativeed]

Why are people going to watch this film?

Genuinely interested to hear why grown adults would want to watch it.

I was in Manchester on Friday and there were loads of people walking around in pink and in varying degrees of fancy dress clearly going to this. Seemed to me like they were - gasp - trying to enjoy themselves during one of the shittiest times I've ever known in my life.

 

[Champ]

I was in Manchester on Friday and there were loads of people walking around in pink and in varying degrees of fancy dress clearly going to this. Seemed to me like they were - gasp - trying to enjoy themselves during one of the shittiest times I've ever known in my life.

Is this really a thing though, grown adults dressing up pretending to be dolls?
Cosplay is fine, but at a cinema?

 

[FlawlessThaw]

Why are people going to watch this film?

Genuinely interested to hear why grown adults would want to watch it.

It seems like the film is aimed at people who grew up with Barbie rather than those who currently play with it.

I haven’t seen it yet though.

 

[Bobski]

Why are people going to watch this film?

Genuinely interested to hear why grown adults would want to watch it.

Barbenheimer really is a thing. Social media memes became a marketing ploy that the audience rolled with. I took my nieces to see Barbie (long standing tradition, thankfully they have tired of the Marvel horseshit) and stayed on myself to see Oppenheimer.

It helps that neither is just a tired sequel.

 

[NotThatSoph]

Why are people going to watch this film?

Genuinely interested to hear why grown adults would want to watch it.

You're a grown adult who plays Nintendo, right?

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Why are people going to watch this film?

Genuinely interested to hear why grown adults would want to watch it.

Why wouldn't they? Do you know a bit about the director, and her husband with whom she co-wrote the film?

 

[decorativeed]

Is this really a thing though, grown adults dressing up pretending to be dolls?
Cosplay is fine, but at a cinema?

Why not? They weren't really pretending to be dolls, just a lot of people wearing a lot of pink, kind of a party atmosphere.

 

[Champ]

You're a grown adult who plays Nintendo, right?

Very rarely,

I just don't get the attraction of an adult wanting to watch a film about a doll. It doesn't compute with me.
It doesn't seem like an 'adult' film (for want of a better term!)

 

[marktan]

Very rarely,

I just don't get the attraction of an adult wanting to watch a film about a doll. It doesn't compute with me.
It doesn't seem like an 'adult' film (for want of a better term!)

I think it's more the curiosity factor, of how they're making a film about a doll, with two actors in Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling having a lot of credit in the bank. It's something novel, something different from the usual marvel or sequel fare. Greta the director also has a lot of credit in the bank as her films so far have been very good.

Also should note that whilst it's primarily known for the dolls, Barbie actually has lots of popular animated film releases so it's more akin to an already established animated film series. My younger sisters used to watch those when they were younger. It's no surprise it's got natural legs as the first live action film, and then of course the whole viral thing with Oppenheimer giving it more legs.

 

[sullydnl]

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[afrocentricity]

Who is watching this? Nobody I know has any overt interest in this, unsurprisingly. What is the makeup of the audience? Women and their (coerced) partners?

 

[Moby]

Who is watching this? Nobody I know has any overt interest in this, unsurprisingly. What is the makeup of the audience? Women and their (coerced) partners?

I know plenty of friends, generally men in their 30s going for it. As will I.

 

[sullydnl]

Who is watching this? Nobody I know has any overt interest in this, unsurprisingly. What is the makeup of the audience? Women and their (coerced) partners?

From the above Variety article:

Initial crowds were 65% female, which is notable because men usually account for similar audience majority when any movie generates over $100 million in its debut.

 

[Suv666]

Anything that makes the Ben Shapiros lose their mind is a win in my books

Will definitely be checking this out

 

[afrocentricity]

From the above Variety article:

In line with what I thought, cheers

 

[Rooney in Paris]

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Great for her, deserved!

In line with what I thought, cheers

It's not really though, is it?

 

[villain]

Who is watching this? Nobody I know has any overt interest in this, unsurprisingly. What is the makeup of the audience? Women and their (coerced) partners?

oh no you’ve become one of the miserables

 

[Desert Eagle]

Who is watching this? Nobody I know has any overt interest in this, unsurprisingly. What is the makeup of the audience? Women and their (coerced) partners?

You don't know any women?

 

[B20]

I'd like to see it. But then, I don't feel the need to shout "no homo" after saying that either.

 

[B20]

Who is watching this? Nobody I know has any overt interest in this, unsurprisingly. What is the makeup of the audience? Women and their (coerced) partners?

You need to broaden your circle of known people.

 

[Amar__]

I don't mind people watching it, it"s a good cast and there are lot of shite movies I've seen in cinema, but what I find fascinating is that someone will pick Barbie in the same week they are showing MI and Oppenheimer.

 

[afrocentricity]

You don't know any women?

I know plenty, and it hasn't come up in conversation, and I haven't asked them about it. I don't know what to say is it really a surprise? Maybe, they are secretly Barbie fans, maybe I have become what I hate @villian

You need to broaden your circle of known people.

Do I really though? Do I need to seek out people who want to see Barbie?

 

[Red_Aaron]

I don't mind people watching it, it"s a good cast and there are lot of shite movies I've seen in cinema, but what I find fascinating is that someone will pick Barbie in the same week they are showing MI and Oppenheimer.

Because sometimes people just want a bit of brainless fun to unwind with at the end of the week

Oppenheimer is 3 hours long and the majority of it is men sat in an office talking. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to seeing it but I'll watch it at home, with my feet up and a bottle of wine

MI I have no interest in

 

[padzilla]

This film is going to be huge because of the appeal to the female market, I don't know any woman who isn't psyched to see it. There is a cynical part of me that feels that it was a slam dunk of a hit that's all about the marketing appeal - especially in today's world.

 

[Ish]

I know plenty, and it hasn't come up in conversation, and I haven't asked them about it. I don't know what to say is it really a surprise? Maybe, they are secretly Barbie fans, maybe I have become what I hate @villian


Do I really though? Do I need to seek out people who want to see Barbie?

I don't think what you said was so controversial. I know a few people going - my Exco team (7 of us) at work are all female (except me) and 2 of them are planning a movie trip next weekend to watch Barbie and i might actually join. So i do know a handful of people going, but they are all female. Nothing controversial about that.

I am (probably) going because a) i like movies; b) i like the cast; c) i like Gerwig as a director; d) i have the opportunity to go with colleagues on a fun day out & e) score points taking the missus along. I'd assume there'd be a few men in any one of these categories.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I don't mind people watching it, it"s a good cast and there are lot of shite movies I've seen in cinema, but what I find fascinating is that someone will pick Barbie in the same week they are showing MI and Oppenheimer.

It's a much more creative and original film than MI. Felt somewhat rehashed and boring - which Barbie, from a cinematographic perspective, really isn't.

Because sometimes people just want a bit of brainless fun to unwind with at the end of the week

Oppenheimer is 3 hours long and the majority of it is men sat in an office talking. Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to seeing it but I'll watch it at home, with my feet up and a bottle of wine

MI I have no interest in

Barbie really isn't just that - it has a lot to say under the surface, much more than MI which totally fits the "brainless fun" bill.

 

[Sarni]

Why are people going to watch this film?

Genuinely interested to hear why grown adults would want to watch it.

Is there really any reason why people should stop enjoying certain things because they are 'adult'?

Always found it quite amusing how people feel this need to appear amazingly grown up by refusing to indulge in activities that are 'beneath them'. If you want to do something, just do that thing and not think whether it makes you look less grown up.

Many of the things I enjoy now at 34 are pretty much the same things I enjoyed at 24 and at 14.