My Barbie and Skipper dolls somehow found out that the movie Barbie is now shown on Netflix, and managed to persuade me to watch it with them this afternoon...
I was a bit sceptical, but have to confess I got hooked along the way, and quite enjoyed it.
Barbieland is a matriarchal society populated chiefly by different versions of Barbie and Ken (plus a few other dolls made by the same company, but they are pretty much ignored by the dominant Barbies and Kens). The Kens all spend their days playing on the beach, while all top jobs are held by Barbies.
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| Alan (Ken's buddy) tries to make his voice heard now and then but no one really listens to him... |
One day "Stereotypical Barbie" starts to feel some worrying changes - like, when she steps out of her shoes, she suddenly (oh horror!) finds her feet turning flat...
She seeks advice from "Weird Barbie" - a doll severely disfigured from having been played with too violently by her human. She tells Barbie that to get cured, she has to find the child playing with her in the Real World. Barbie then sets off on a journey to the Real World - and finds herself joined by Ken, who hid in her car to follow her.
In the Real World they meet with various adventures, and get split up. They both end up returning to Barbieland, but separately - and with rather different ideas in their heads about what needs to be changed back there.
I'll refrain from revealing more, I think - in case you want to watch it yourself...
Happy Third Advent Sunday :)
It was a wonderful feminist film, I think. I just was irked that it didn't come up for any Oscar awards while Ken won and even got to sing his song at the program.
ReplyDeleteIt was too synthetic for my liking as a movie
ReplyDeleteI had no idea this movie is so philosophical! I LOVE how your Barbies made you watch it! Maybe it will convince them to stay in Barbieland.
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