Greta Gerwig's Barbie

From the Reddit page

The movie's already a poignant message about how men suck, are easily manipulated, and the world would be better run by women who don't fight themselves. You can enjoy the movie in a tongue and cheek sense because its central themes about identity and empowerment aren't truly inflammatory. For each bit of "men suck" that a woman can easily grasp it's not the kind of "Men absolutely suck" that makes us guys uncomfortable and defensive, if that makes sense. Like how a black person can laugh at black jokes because, to some extent, they're funny and semi-accurate despite the historical discomfort surrounding the joke itself.

Making a "family" cut where you take all of the female agency out is a downright absurd overreaction that validates this film's sharper criticisms of men in general. Whether you agree with it or not.

And as one of the comments said, it sounds like the Misognyst/Homophobic Cut moreso than the Family Cut.

I believe that requires you to believe Ken=All Men and Barbie=All Women.

And the audience to believe they aren't mocking the shallow stereotypes of both.

Actually I would argue that Kens are both men and women and Barbies are both men and women at different points.

Otherwise I repeat: Why? Just why make let alone post this edit? What makes someone think that is a good idea?

I mean, probably they're sexist assholes with fragile egos.

True.

I would agree Bull. The point is definitely seeing gender roles flipped on both sides to the point that it really shouldn't matter while also not completely ignoring them either. That the existential separation at times is a very good thing while not totally forgetting it either.

"Borderline trollbait"? How is it borderline when it is obviously a horrible, hateful output?

Yeah. It sounds pretty sexist and ill-meaning.

It's just deliberate outrage bait.

The fact that it was even brought up seems to be to stir up meaningless drama, especially since the person who posted it here has never posted anything else in this entire thread.

That's…suspicious.

Anyway, what part of the movie did Speed Trap play in? I don't remember it.

That's me both changing the lightning Rod of a topic and keeping us on track too.

Edited by futuremoviewriter on Sep 18th 2023 at 8:41:42 AM

I think Speed Drive was when Barbie was running away from the executives at Mattel HQ? Only seen the movie once so I'm not sure.

It was not my intention to cause drama, I don't appreciate this accusation

I haven't posted much in the thread because I hadn't even seen it yet up to this point. I have now and as I'm a fan editor I wanted to see if anyone had edited it, and these sorts of edits are often topical. There is no 'sus' behaviour at work here.

I enjoyed the original movie and didn't take issue with it at all, I think an edit is possible, mostly for pacing than anything 'political', but it's a very short movie anyway, quickening the pacing would mean the movie is over before you had a chance to sit down

Edited by Zarius on Sep 19th 2023 at 3:43:14 AM

Apologies. Didn't mean to be like that.

Speed DRIVE. That's right. Thanks.

I figured it was indeed the escape from Mattel scene.

That movie pretty makes it clear from the start that it does not take itself seriously, and things are so absurd from the start to the end that it takes some serious work to get offended^note OK, I was offended at the idea that the Snyder Cut was a Bro thing, but mostly because it seems to imply that superhero movies are a Bro thing. And this edit seems to make the film completely nonsensical (and not in a good way) and a lot less funny.

It does have its flaws, sure (the unbrainwashing felt like a cop-out to me and a bit Anvilicious, and the humans characters are underdeveloped), but apart from that it manages to actually be a lot more balanced in its criticisms that it could have. Censoring it feels to me more dumb than anything.

One thing I wanted more of was for the songs to turn into twisted dark parodies, like the "Hey Barbie" track. It's the only one that does this and it'd have been great if the film had an uphill battle with it's own score.

Or maybe do a reverse of that and make "What I Was Made For" towards the end more hopeful and reflective of Barbie's transformation (I know, an uplifting Billie Ellish song is too much to ask for), since I don't think using the song for that sequence fits all that well.

Edited by Zarius on Sep 19th 2023 at 11:52:02 AM

The movie went to a surprisingly deeper place than expected and it's definitely worthy of praise. Was listening to that song on its own recently and you definitely wouldn't know the connection based on it by itself. That's not a detraction though certainly, not at all.

The song was even played twice, once in the film, then during the credits. I know there's a few films that have done that, but I can't quite name examples due to a fuzzier-than-usual memory.

Plenty of movies play a song during the film and then again during the credits.

For those who heard the song before seeing the movie, what impression it give you going in?

I like the video she made for it more than the song itself, I wasn't around many girls who were 'orderly' with their dolls so it was nice to see that side of young collectors reflected in the video, with it of course not going to plan the longer the video went on.

The song comments on feelings one has in a high society or celebrity environment, where you're classified, labelled, and treated like someone owns you lock and stock. I found it's use towards the end of the film, after Stereotype Barbie unshackles herself from all of that and begins to transition to a 'real' personality, a bit of a late insertion. It'd have fit after the first confrontation with Ken though.

Edited by Zarius on Sep 24th 2023 at 8:27:24 AM

The song's relatable to anyone questioning their own existence/purpose and hoping they stand for something in the end. The desire to want to find oneself and find meaning and happiness is very important to life. With that being a major aspect of the film, there's no wonder it's in there and was "made for" it. Haha.

Just watched this movie couple days ago with my family.

There are many things I want to say, but all around I think it was a great movie - although not without its flaws - that deserved its massive success.

During the viewings, there were at least five times that made me really think, such as the "I'm a man with no power. Does that make me a woman?" line.

Also, one of the most unexpected surprises from the movie, at least for me, was Allan being the best fistfighter among all the male characters.

The movie being about dolls tailor-made to very specific roles and showing the real life beyond that is in no way shape or form that simple really does help sells things in such a way you wouldn't anticipate. That a disillusioned mother's reflection of that would be projected onto who was probably the most relatable and identifiable of those dolls does also drive the point home further. That so many types in both worlds be represented and those universal issues any real person faces be in there is definitely a major contributing factor to the movie's massive success this year.

That any kid who played with Barbies or knew someone who played with Barbies is gonna have an opinion both going in and going out? Hard to be more appealing than that.

…They are making a Barbenheimer movie. Like a literal actual Barbenheimer movie.

A b-movie film maker is making a movie about a doll that creates an atomic bomb.

Hollywood Reporter broke the story here: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/barbenheimer-low-budget-comedy-film-charles-band-1235636257/

Because of course Charles "I directed The Gingerdead Man" Band is behind this.

Gonna be a creative idea to say the least. I'm sure he wouldn't be the first one to think of it considering how much the meme took off this summer.