#also like i had mixed feelings about the barbie mania at the time

[jelliebeanbitch]

i have a feeling we’re gonna keep saying “it’s [xyz] summer!” every summer in an attempt to replicate the high — the momentous cultural revelry — of barbie summer but it’s never going to be quite the same

[screenmaven]

Film Review: BARBIE 💖

So excited to share my review on this film and what I personally took away from it.

I had to seriously take about a day, to even write this. Barbie left me feeling many things, but I have nothing bad to say about the feelings it welled up inside me. I’m actually very thankful for it.

It’s funny, heartwarming, inspiring, and has even created a few new quotes to my vocabulary. Ken’s “Beach” term and how it’s used makes me giggle and I love that dynamic. With a soundtrack that includes the Indigo Girls and Matchbox Twenty, this film definitely has a purpose. Here we go.

As someone who grew up loving Barbie and the whole slew of Barbie’s companions, I even had some of the coolest of cool houses, vans, and outfits to play out some soap operas, or what I envisioned glamour to look like. We won’t even discuss how my Jordan Knight doll got into the Barbie mix. I’ve additionally had a special place in my heart for Barbie herself. She made me feel pretty and magical as a child. My mom had one of the first Barbie’s, and I remember her showing it to me and telling me how special she was and that all girls are special, including me. That special symbolism resonated with me every-time she got me a new Barbie and through those exchanges again and again, I realized just how special they truly were. My mom also told me that I could do anything, and she also said to me that if a someone doesn’t appreciate you, then that’s their loss, but always appreciate yourself the most.

Barbie was beautiful and glamorous. Myself, as a kind of cute kid, but very awkward, and didn’t always feel the prettiest (had a very ugly duckling faze), felt so pretty and dreamy playing with my Barbies. They never judged me on my appearance, or made me feel unworthy, and I found solace and self expression through their beings. As someone who also struggled with being bullied, dismissed, and feeling like I never fit in during a pivotal time in my adolescence from many peers, Barbie’s glamour, pizazz, and I can do anything attitude, led me to embracing who I truly wanted to be. As I got older I embraced the bubbly blonde demeanor, because it’s who I felt like. Even though each of us struggle with insecurities, there’s lots of really special things within us too, and we’re probably way more critical on ourselves than we should be. So I embraced the person I felt the most like and used that to my advantage. I wasn’t going to let anyone dull my sparkle, even if they tried to diminish it. I may have on several occasions let other people snuff that gleam of wonder and love that radiates inside my heart, but I don’t forget that there is always special here. There’s special in you too. Some girls harbor the biggest hearts and that’s what Barbie is all about. It’s not about the appearance, it’s about the bright side of life. The hope in believing, the hope in the better. Life gets hard. I know all too well that, but you can’t let that stop your magic. Even you Ken’s out there, the same goes for you. You’ll also really appreciate your mom more than ever after watching this film. I don’t have mine anymore, but all she did for me, I’m forever grateful. Okay, onto the movie, but you’ll see why I started my review this way.

*I will not give spoilers, because you have to experience this for yourselves, but I will outline and tell you the layers of fulfillment of watching this, that everyone needs to digest.*

You have Barbie living what seems to be the perfect life, in a perfect world, and in someways it is, but something is pulling at her to connect with more than just Barbie. Through some unusual events, she goes to our so called real world, which unleashes a whole lot of feelings, confusion, mania, and a sense of what is all of it for?! You also have Ken, going from just being Ken, a counterpart in Barbie’s equation, to discovering himself in his own way too. Both of them together experiencing these journeys, is what every person needs to do individually for themselves.

We’re set up in this life with a patriarchal system, that you need to do this, you need to do that, you have to look this way, or be this, to be of some sort of worth. What I liked most about this film is what it set straight - “You just have to be you.” You have to find you, love yourself even when it’s hard to, be proud of what makes you different, and that everyone can make a mark in this world just by going after their dreams. Most times we think we need others to fill parts of ourselves, but really we need to fill ourselves. Now it does feel good to be wanted and appreciated, and feel like we have someone, but others will let you down if you solely rely on their approvals for your happiness.

This movie calls out stereotypes and assumptions, that women portray on other women, but it also shows how women should support each other and you can’t always judge a book by its cover. It also shows how men a lot of times view women, and the expectations they assume are their entitlements of having them in their life. It additionally shows how women, also expect men to fill voids or even be their commodities. Women cut themselves apart for the approval of so much, that it leaves them often vulnerable, depleted, and lacking. Men, also drive themselves to be bigger, more wealthy, more powerful, more wanted, that we often have a bunch of individuals walking around filling from others cups, while we never fully fill our own. Gloria (America Ferrera) had a phenomenal speech on all of this in the movie. You also get a glimpse into how often the male dominant mindset controls things, that women should really have a voice on. It touches on so many in depth things of discovery and self awareness, that I wasn’t expecting a movie about Barbie to give me all these realizations. I knew I’d feel empowered, but I didn’t expect to be psycho analyzing myself with so much love and healing my inner child in the process.

There are pretty people who feel insecure, there are unusual people (example Weird Barbie) that have more confidence and drive, because of the hard things they’ve been through. Then there are people who feel lost and alone, doing the best they can. At the end of the day though, we’re all just trying to figure this life out. I think Barbie really set the bar for reaching everyone.

Weird Barbie was everything! Perfect adaptation and need in this film for sure. How her journey of the uncomfortable, gave light to Barbie finding true meaning, and let’s be real we learn so much during those weird wacky times, where nothing seems to make sense.

There was one special scene that really got me the most in this film and it was the scene with the old lady and Barbie at the bus stop. If you haven’t seen it yet, absorb that part so much. It brought me to tears, but it all makes sense for what beauty really is.

This film is packed with so much, that I could probably write a novel on self development alone, but I also want you to take away from what I wrote a sense of wonder, discovery, and magic. Margot and Ryan were so insanely adorable and cute, that if you didn’t love them before, you definitely will now. Everyone can see this film. It’s great for kids to adults. There’s no vulgar, propaganda pushing, or bias dialogue. It’s what I think the world needed right now. To address all those critics out there raging hate on this movie, y’all are ridiculous and you might want to take a good hard look at yourselves, if you feel any sort of attacked. It clearly did no such thing. It was real. The scenery, casting, and writing were very pristine. It’s a very big eye opener of a film on many levels and I hope you take away something wonderful from it, as you should! You’ll be Barbie enlightened for sure and there’s no better way to be.

Happy Filming 💖

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #357

“your magic white rabbit has left its writing on the wall  /  we follow like alice, and just keep diving down the hole”

Are you better at telling stories or writing them? Writing, by a long shot. What’s one song you hate, but know every word to? i'm a barbie girl in a fckn barbie woooooorld What’s your favorite magazine? I don’t read magazines. If you could be an animal for one day, which animal would you choose? Probably a house cat. Be indoors and safe, able to just nap... lol. But I'd want another cat as a friend, too! Do you prefer outdoor or indoor concerts/events? Indoors, by a mile. I get hot outside way too easily. Do you know if you were a planned child? I don't know. What’s your favorite gem? Dragon's breath opal. As an adult, do you want to live in an apartment or a house? I'd like to live in a house, especially with the pets I want. I doubt many apartment complexes would allow multiple reptiles and inverts. Do you like the stem or leafy part of the broccoli? It doesn't matter much to me, but I prefer the stem. The texture is more likeable to me. Do bats frighten you? No, I adore bats! Does Paris appeal to you? Yeah, it's a pretty place. Are you a KPOP fan? No, I've never really checked it out. How long was your longest relationship? Over three and a half years. First time you kissed the last person you kissed? We were outside roasting marshmallows one night. Do you have to really know someone to kiss them? Absolutely. I don't dish 'em out for nothing. Were you anyone’s first kiss? No. If you had to be named after one of the 50 states of America, what state would you WANT to be named after? I actually think "Nevada" would be kinda pretty as a name? Do you think morals are universal or relative to the beliefs, traditions, or practices of individuals or groups? I've wondered this for a long while, really. I lean towards it being a mix, maybe? But more towards universal, I think... with some exceptions. This answer is all over the place, I honestly don't know. Is torture ever a good option? If no, why not? If yes, when? No? I think the "why not" is obvious... You just don't. What do you think is one one of the most undervalued professions right now? Teachers, garbagemen, retail and food workers... There's a lot. Have you ever seen anyone have a heart attack? Thank Christ no. Have you personalized your answering machine/voicemail? No. Have you ever had Fiji brand water? I actually don't believe I have, though it's always looked appealing to me, haha. What’s your favorite horror movie? The Crazies and the first Silent Hill, as well as both Blair Witch Projects. What was the worst thing a friend has either done or said to you? I'd rather not even think about things the bitch said to me. Are you biracial? No. When was the last time you got mad and broke something? I've never broken something when mad. What color dress did you wear to prom? My first was maroon, second one was black. Who is the cutest baby you know? My friend has a daughter named Scarlett who is absolutely gorgeous. Have you ever thrown a rock at a window? No, because I respect people's fucking property. Has anyone ever thrown a rock at your window? No. Does your hair react well to dye, or does it damage it? It likes to not take dye at all. >.> I have only had one instance where a friend dyed it red and it stuck for months and months, but we kept it in for a couple hours, I think. My normal hairdresser says it's because my hair is really healthy and I guess rejects it. What kind of pet do you wish you had? I ramble plenty about how I want tarantulas and more reptiles, haha. I also DESPERATELY want to rescue or foster an opossum. When was the last time you were diagnosed with something? Are you concerned about anything regarding your physical or mental health at the moment? I haven't been diagnosed with anything in quite some time, I believe, but as I'm going through the process of being approved for TMS therapy for my depression, my bipolar diagnosis is being questioned, which is... strange to me. It's been acknowledged by many a doctor that I have bipolar 2, but if insurance recognizes my primary diagnosis as bipolar, they won't cover TMS because it can massively excite the mania portion of bipolarity, and therefore I can't do it because we can't manually afford it. I'm willing to take the risk by far, as I've never had issues with mania, but I can't without insurance. I'm just waiting to hear back from them... What is one blanket judgment you tend to make about people (like, you judge all people who live at home, all people who drink, etc)? Does this judgment come from a particular personal experience? I really don't know. How do you react to other people yelling or slamming doors? Is this something you ever do too? I get very scared if it's a man. I don't like anyone doing it, and my anxiety will spike regardless, I'm just terrified of angry men. Have you ever lost your cool at work or somewhere else important? What happened as a result? No. Who has the power to break you? Jason still might. I don't know. Is anyone in your family blind? My sister is legally blind in one eye. Do you believe in evolution? Yeah. I do find the concept odd, that ALL LIFE originated from one thing, but I sure ain't got a better explanation, so. What job do you think people should be paid the most for? Surgeons, maybe? I dunno, that's a big question. Were you ever held back a year in school? Did you ever skip a grade? No. Have you ever been given a hickey? Have you given one? Yeah to both. What is your least favourite thing about your full name? I have the most basic white bitch middle name in the world, lol. Do you like the age you are? Eh, I don't mind it much, but I think it'd be better to be in my early 20s versus mid 20s. I'm just always so tired now. I can't believe I used to refuse to go to sleep before 10:30. What’s your favourite kind of poptart? The chocolate sundae one. If you had to eat one type (Chinese, etc.) of food which would it be? American bc I'm not very adventurous with food at all. When did your family immigrate to wherever you live now? *shrug* Are your fingers long, or short? Long. Mom's always said I have "piano fingers." Do you play Pokemon Go? If so, what level are you and who’s your buddy? Yeah, I love it, but don't play it nearly as much as I want because I don't exactly go anywhere, lol. My bud's Charmeleon, and I'm probably like five EXP from level 28. Do you ever sit indoors and wear sunglasses or a hat? I don't own either, so. Do you know how to read animals’ behavior? I honestly think I'm very good at it. Do you like playing video games? If so, what do you usually play? Yes, but not as much as I used to. All I really play nowadays is World of Warcraft. The only working console I have is a PS2, and I haven't bought a new game in probably a couple years, but there are definitely ones I want to play, mainly on PS4. Just can't afford it right now. Have you ever viewed the moon through a telescope? No. Do you know how to properly eat food with chopsticks? No. There's no way I could, given my tremors. Do you prefer reading books, comic books, manga/graphic novels, magazines, or the newspaper? Books. When is the last time you ate donuts? It's been months, man. I've seriously been craving a glazed one, though. Krispy Kreme sounds amaaaaaziiiiiing. Has anyone ever called you sexy? Somehow. Do you like raisins? NO NO NO NO NO. Have you ever overheard a conversation you weren’t supposed to? More than once. Do you like ants? They're genuinely extremely fascinating animals, but they're seriously annoying nevertheless. Did you like the movie Antz? I loved it as a kid. What was your favorite ice cream flavor when you were little? Chocolate. Is it still your favorite? Eh, depends on the day. By the way, what is your name? Brittany. What time zone do you live in? EST. Do you like cats? I love cats. What’s the most creepy experience you’ve ever had? One night when my mom and sister were at the beach for a dance competition, I was having trouble sleeping, and it only got worse when my dog Teddy started freaking the fuck out, barking loudly and staring intently at the foot of the bed. I was so scared that I tried to force his head to lie down, but he fought against me. I was terrified, but got up out of the bed and went into the living room to call my mom at like 3 in the damn morning, and she had to have our neighbor come over to sleep in the house with me (I was in a different room that night). You can't convince me that there wasn't paranormal shit going on. I think the house was haunted honestly, for multiple reasons. What’s the most boring game to exist? Why do you dislike it so much? Hm, I dunno. What’s the coolest place that you've ever been to? What’d you do there? Disney World was very memorable as a kid. We just went around collecting signatures, going on rides, all that fun stuff. I'll never forget fireworks at the castle. If you’re interested in having a long-term relationship with someone, do you think that waiting a certain amount of time before you first have sex is a good idea? Or does it not matter? I think it's a good idea, personally, mostly for the sake of reducing the spread of STDs. Just because you think you'll be long-term, doesn't mean you will be. Besides that, isn't there a science that sex and feelings of love are connected? Like, sex is impossible without at least some underlying emotions? I might be entirely wrong, in which case forgive me for spreading misinformation, but if that's so and things don't go as planned, you've gotten emotionally invested in someone too early and wind up getting hurt. You do you, I just don't think it's smart. Have you ever discovered something big by looking through someone’s phone, Facebook, email, etc.? No. Have you kept anything from your past relationships? (Things they left at your house, gifts, notes, etc) Do you think that’s a big deal for future relationships or not? Yeah, like plushies and little stuff like that. When it's tiny things like I just mentioned, I really don't think it matters. I think some things might be questionable to keep, but at the same time, I don't think it's really wrong to keep memories of a happy time, if the thing still brings you joy and has been emotionally disconnected from the ex? Idk. Do you have any financial regrets? Either way, what’s an example of a GOOD financial decision you’ve made? Going to and dropping out of college three fucking times. I don't know about a good financial decision seeing as I'm not even in charge of my own finances, nor really have any to begin with. Are you a believer in “signs” from the Universe about things in your life? If you are, can you think of a particular example? No. Name some things that one or both of your parents are really good at or really interested in. Mom LOVES medical stuff, like watching surgeries and stuff like that. She is also absolutely incredible with children. Dad likes sports a lot, hockey and football especially. Think of a good friend of the opposite sex (currently or in the past). Have you ever had any sort of “more than a friend” or sexual thoughts about them? If not, can you explain why? Well, we dated briefly, so... It was awkward to, but I let myself imagine sexual situations a few times to help myself understand if I really did like-like him, or if he was truly just a brother to me. Turns out, he's a bro. If someone told you that you would never achieve something and you ended up doing it, would you have any interest in finding that person and showing them? I'ma be honest, yes. I wouldn't actively seek them out, but rather just hope they somehow find out or I run into them or something. What is the most jealousy-induced thing you’ve ever done? Apparently, be the girl Juan liked instead of this girl that literally threatened to deck me. Guess what? We're friends now lmaoooo.