Bring home ‘Barbie’

Category: Blu-ray's and DVD's

 

She’s all dolled up and ready to come home (no pun intended). The Barbie movie took the country by storm and is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K with plenty of extra features.

Pink is the color of the day, or should I say the color of the movie? The film stars Margot Robbie as one of the Barbies and Ryan Gosling as one of the Kens. There are several themes running through the film as well as some cute gags and laughs. But the main topic is about just being yourself and the best you you can be.

There is Barbieland and the real world. In Barbieland everyone is happy and gets along, day after day. Robbie is “Stereotypical Barbie” and Gosling is “Beach Ken.” One day Stereotypical Barbie (from now on referred to as simply Barbie) begins to have thoughts of death and sad things. Then her feet go flat. She starts to get cellulite. What in the world is happening? 

Barbie visits “Weird Barbie” (Kate McKinnon) who informs her that she must go to the real world and find the human who has been playing with her. This will set things straight and everything will be back to normal. So, with Ken tagging along, they set out for the real world where they discover things are not what they thought. The real world is filled with strange things and not everyone is happy. And, oh no, to their surprise, women are not in charge. Perhaps this is why the real world is out of whack.

Well, Ken learns about real world men while Barbie tries to figure out what to do. Ken returns to Barbieland and turns it upside down, changing the Barbies into Stepford wives. But is everyone happy?

It turns out Gloria (America Ferrea), an employee at Mattel,  has been sketching different ideas for Barbie. This caused a rift in the Barbieworld.

To make a long story short, Gloria and Barbie return to Barbieland to set things straight. And, as it happens, everyone realizes that they are who they are and can be who they want. That was why Barbie was created in the first place.

All these decades girls have been able to imagine being doctors, lawyers, and anything else by playing with their Barbie dolls. Through Barbie and Ken they have stretched their imaginations, expanded their worlds, and gained confidence in themselves. Those were the purposes of all the Barbie dolls. Yes, she is pretty and has some amazing clothes, but she is also a successful woman in her own right.

With that, this movie is why people have taken it to heart. It is a story that everyone can appreciate. It is a story about being who you are and working to be your best at whatever you decide to do.

Helen Mirren supplies the voice of the Narrator in this imaginative and uplifting film. Rhea Pearlman is Ruth, the inventor of the Barbie doll. And Will Ferrell is the CEO of Mattel. 

It’s cute, colorful, and a story that has absolutely engaged viewers of all ages. And this Halloween there will be lots of Barbie and Ken’s trick-or-treating. 

Bonus features the Blu-ray and 4K discs include a look at all the costumes created for this film, Robbie becoming Barbie, a featurette on Weird Barbie, and a look at the story and sets. Six featurettes add to the story but most importantly are the memories viewers will have about their own playtime with their Barbie dolls. 

So, how many Barbies did you have? What car did you have? Did you have Barbie’s Beach House or Dream house? Did you cut your Barbie’s hair? All these memories will come rushing back as you watch this film.

This is definitely an unconventional movie but even though the premise is a little whacky, it has garnered a lot of praise from reviewers and especially audiences.

Barbie is rated PG-13 for suggestive references and brief language. 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.