Barbie

What is Barbie? Well, she is everything.

From the global pink paint shortage, a series of incredible red carpet looks, a myriad of marketing tie-ins and Ryan Gosling tapping into his ‘Ken-ergy’, the release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was nothing short of iconic.

Barbie’s picture perfect life appears to come straight out of a box. She wakes up looking perfect, waves to all the other perfect Barbies and has nothing but fun fun fun all day every day. However, when Barbie wakes up feeling slightly less than perfect, she must venture to the real world to solve her impending identity crisis and realises that human life is not as simple as it seems.

There was a lot of hype to live up to, but my gosh, did it deliver. The balance of colourful sets, playful humour, glorious dance numbers and overall message of acceptance and finding yourself, complemented by a playful soundtrack makes for a viewing experience not to be missed. Barbie confronts the complex history of the world’s most recognisable doll while still managing to promote an inspiring message. Whether you think Barbie is an anti-feminist relic from the past, or a trailblazing icon and inspiration, there’s something in this film for everyone. Even if you managed to catch this one amidst sold out showings back in July, you just know that one viewing simply isn’t Kenough.

Sophie Cooper