Barbie

[00:00:06] Speaker A: Hello and welcome to the Pugsley Crew reviews podcast where we discuss all manner of films. They're good, we'll watch them. They're bad. We'll watch them. We don't care. We just like watching films and then talking about Ram. [00:00:23] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:00:25] Speaker A: This week we have returning guests. 9000, are you doing good? [00:00:30] Speaker B: I'm not bad, thanks. How are you? [00:00:33] Speaker A: Doing well. Doing well. Been playing some video games, but other than that I'm doing much else. I've been playing moving out two. Have you played any of the moving out games? [00:00:47] Speaker B: No, I've heard good things about them, but not something I ever got ranted. [00:00:52] Speaker A: Good to play. Good to play with a person like you misses or daughter or. [00:00:59] Speaker B: Yeah, I've been. I've been playing the Mario V's Donkey Kong Switch game with a missus, which is pretty decent if you just want some pick up and play, you know, nice little levels, quick bash. [00:01:14] Speaker A: That's fair. What do you call it? Moving. Moving out two is very similar to moving out now. It's the same kind of gamers, like overcooked and speed crew. Those sort of games where it's like co op, fun, little challenges per each level. And it's good fun except for when you not allow it to smash windows because hard work. No smashing windows. Anyway, film we're watching today is Barb. Well, we watched for today is Barbie as in the 2023 film Barbie. Because, like, I don't know if there's another film called Barbie, but there are other Barbie films. Like, I think they're usually animated, but like. [00:02:02] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:02:03] Speaker A: Oh, you know, just so people know, the newest one. And I chose this one simply because I thought it would be interesting to look at because I feared that it was supposed to be a decent film. So, um, the film is basically. Right. The film is basically about Barbie because, you know, it's a Barbie film. And, uh, it's basically Barbie is happy and then all of a sudden she's not. And then she has to sort her life out. Yeah. So it's the way you. Your best, basically, film starts off. It's typical Barbie. You know, it kind of plays into the whole Barbie. You know, she lives in her dream house. There's no running water. There's nothing in cups when she's drinking because, you know, that doesn't happen with the toys. You don't have running water in the showers and or whatever else, I assume. So it's kind of like her world is kind of mirrored to the actual dolls. That makes any sense. [00:03:24] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:03:25] Speaker A: Like when she wants to go in her car. She just puts down to her car because that's what would happen. You know, the person would take the out of the house and just plonk her in the car. She wouldn't make you walk down steps and then out through the front door and whatever, that kind of thing. So I get that. That's actually a nice little spinner. You would have just thought they would have not done that, but they did. But obviously, you've got Ken in there as well. Lots of Ken's, lots of different barbies. Ken seems to be just there. [00:04:07] Speaker B: That's one of the things that makes this film incredibly complicated. Talk about is that 70% of the characters in it are called Barbie, and then another 20% of the characters are called Ken. [00:04:20] Speaker A: Yeah. And, oh, have you seen how he's acting? [00:04:25] Speaker B: He's good. Any who Ken? Which Ken? So even me and my missus started giving them sort of names. There was Main Ken, Shang Chi Ken, Doctor who can, obviously, because the one that Shang Chi Ken was Shang Chi in the Marvel film Doctor who can shoot Gatwa. But you kind of have to do it to be able to, like, go through it. [00:04:53] Speaker A: Yeah. I think if you were more familiar with Barbie stuff, you probably know the differences in the kens, because one of the, like, the main Ken, Ryan Gosling, he's Beach Ken. And it's like, you know, it's a misconception. People think I'm a lifeguard, but I'm not. My occupation is beach. And I was like, what? That was funny. [00:05:17] Speaker B: I did notice a few little trivia nuggets in there. Like, there was a doll that was Skipper, who I think is supposed to be, like, Barbie's younger sister or something. There was Midge, which is Barbie's pregnant friend. [00:05:32] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:05:33] Speaker B: The one that was the comedy lad. I can't remember his name. Summit. Sarah or summit, is it? [00:05:38] Speaker A: Oh, Michael. Michael Cera or something. [00:05:41] Speaker B: He was Alan, who was introduced years ago as Ken's friend and then reintroduced as Midges husband. But he's, like, one that's never really lasted. So I think, you know, if you're a geek for this sort of stuff, there was enough little in things like that that would probably appeal to that market. [00:06:02] Speaker A: Yeah. Like when Rob Brydon showed up and he was sugar's daddy. Yeah. And the woman was like, sugar daddy? No, this is sugar, and I'm. It's her daddy. [00:06:15] Speaker B: I thought that was quite a good joke about that. [00:06:19] Speaker A: Yeah. But, uh, it was. I actually enjoyed it. I get, like, a lot of people like, oh, it's all feminism and stuff. It's not just about feminism, though. The film, if you ask me, there's a lot in there about self discovery and stuff. The whole thing with all the Ken's, like, the thing, like, near the end with Barbie, she's like, you know, maybe you want to discover who you are to Ken. And that was. I think that's more about self discovery than any particular. No feminism. And obviously there are feminist themes, and that's perfectly fine. I mean, I don't care, but in the sense of, you shouldn't have them. That's cool. But I think the film is more about being true to yourself, discovering who you are more than a particular one way or the other, if that makes sense. [00:07:06] Speaker B: I mean, I think it did. There was a little bit at the start. It started off very much like a documentary with the. In the beginning, there was dull stuff, then it kind of skewed into looking a bit like a sort of feminist propaganda. But like you said, ultimately, I think it goes the gamut of doing that a society all male obsessed and male runs wrong and a society all female obsessed and is wrong, and that you've all got to be yourself and value the person and self discovery. So I think you're only going to really see it at the end of it as feminist if you are one of those guys who's constantly complaining that we're being brainwashed and losing our society and the kind of people they take the pay out of on South park. [00:07:53] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. [00:07:59] Speaker B: It's a good message, really into. [00:08:01] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:08:02] Speaker B: Before you go looking for relationships and you. Before you look for jobs and partners to validate you work out who you are and, you know, it's a good summit to sneak in for what effectively kids will see. [00:08:17] Speaker A: Yeah, I did. I did like it when they went to the real world and they, like, walked up to some construction workers, like, oh, let's see what these women is. Women are gonna say. And they're all men, obviously. They're like, wait. He's like, I don't have. She's like, I don't have a vagina and he doesn't have a penis. We have no genitals. And I was like, wait, what? I was not expecting that. [00:08:44] Speaker B: Like, no. [00:08:48] Speaker A: Yeah, that made me laugh. I generally did find this film actually rather fucking funny a lot of the time. There were many times I did laugh. [00:08:58] Speaker B: I like depression. I think there's an advert for depression Barbie in it. [00:09:03] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:09:03] Speaker B: And it's anxiety and mild panic attacks sold separately or something. Like that. I was like oh wow. [00:09:14] Speaker A: This is really good. Like it even rips the piss out of Mattel, who obviously own Barbie. Yeah, it's like I'm surprised by. Because you wouldn't have thought they would allow it. [00:09:30] Speaker B: I suppose though it's a good company image to sort of be seen that you can take a joke, isn't it? I think they see it in that light that we can show ourselves as not being too uptight. Will allow a bit of ribbon. [00:09:43] Speaker A: Yeah, well like, I was like when Barbie went to the Mattel place and she's talking to him, he's like oh, so any, any female CEO's and all that sort of stuff and she's like, well we had two at some point. [00:10:00] Speaker B: And he goes what is it? I'm a son of a mother and I know women and somewhat like you just oh wow. [00:10:11] Speaker A: It'S a daft film. Like it's got lots of different themes running through. There is a feminist point of view in there but I don't think the main focus is that. I think it does like tackle that but it's not a men suck kind of thing, it's more women should be treated better. Yeah, the kind of thing it shows. But it also shows self discovery, as we said. But then there's also like, uh, family ties there, like the mother and daughter. Uh, like how they don't really get on at the beginning but then they do later on. Uh, it kind of has a lot of different things there. [00:10:52] Speaker B: The daughter's reached that point where she's trying to be grown up and cool and the mum's at that point where she's not quite willing to let go of her. And it's like a typical thing that happens in a lot of parental relationships where they're trying to get their independence and trying to act like they're 20 when they're twelve and you're trying to desperately cling on and it is about them learning to relate in a new way. Yeah, for her to treat her slightly older, but for her to not like piss on a mum's feelings at the same time. But yeah, it's, you know, I mean that's a very real little nugget in there and all the strangeness. Something that is true that a lot of people will experience either side. [00:11:40] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, it's an interesting film and it is pretty good. Like how daft there is because it does take that like play kind of thing with the barbies and the kens. It's like they driving along but there's no engine. They flip the car, but it flips perfectly fine and lands on its wheels, and they. Perfectly fine. And then when they travel through these different themes to get to the real world, there's like, there's no explanation for it. And, like, when they're traveling back the Barbie world, they're like, how are we doing this? And it's like, oh, who knows? It's like, they don't know. So I think it kind of a fun film. I think, you know, it has some good points. I get people can be dickheads about it, but at the end of the day, if they're dickheads about it, then the chances are they're a dickhead. It's. [00:12:48] Speaker B: It's not a structurally brilliant story. It's a lot of set pieces and it's enjoyable, but it's stuck in a hard route where some jokes are a bit too kiddy, but some jokes almost seem a bit too adult. [00:13:08] Speaker A: You know what I mean? [00:13:09] Speaker B: It's trying to, like, please all levels everywhere. And some of it, you come off thinking that's funny. Some you think that's just fucking daft. And it is a very. But I mean, one thing I will say, like, obviously we just had the Oscars and all it won was best song, which I actually think the song's a pretty depressive Mona Thon. Actually, I'm not a fan, but I don't think the film really deserved any oscars. No, I went into it. I'm glad to find it wasn't as crap as it could have been. I think it's a decent, enjoyable film, but I don't really get all the money and fuss it made either, if that makes sense. [00:13:56] Speaker A: I think a lot. What was you gonna say? [00:13:59] Speaker B: A lot of people have either hyped it up as the most amazing cinematic thing ever or pulled it off as complete shit and I kind of fall dead smack in the middle. Decent, but not groundbreaking. Earth shattering. [00:14:14] Speaker A: Yeah, I can, I can. I can see that point of view. I enjoyed it. I thought it was rather fun. Um, like, yeah, it's not groundbreaking in. In many ways. I think it does kind of have varied messages that have been in other films, but I think it's done in a fun, fun package that, you know, is probably gonna be relatable to a lot of people because it, like I said, tackles lots of different themes. But it's just, for me, I just thought it was funny. I genuinely laugh quite a bit, even at silly things. Like which. Like, oh, you float down and go to your car and then the second time she does it, she falls flat on her face. [00:14:55] Speaker B: Yeah, that was good. [00:14:58] Speaker A: And I also liked the narration where it's like, margot Robbie's obviously playing Barbie. She's like, yes, I feel ugly. And Alan Mehran is in range, like, no. To the casting crew. Casting Margot Robbie to make this point is kind of not gonna work because she's extremely attractive. So, you know, I think the film, you know, it kind of pokes fun at Barbie pokes fun at, like, various different other things. Mattel, uh, patriarchy, uh, matriarchy. Um, it's. And the thing is, it makes fun of itself. The film itself makes fun of the film. It seems to. So I think it comes from like a, uh, like a bit of a fourth wall kind of break in there, but, you know, it's genuinely fun. I've seen a lot worse films. [00:16:01] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. I've definitely seen a lot worse. [00:16:09] Speaker A: Um, oscars wise. I don't know if I haven't really thought about it. I don't really pay attention to the Oscars because, you know, I don't hear about them. [00:16:21] Speaker B: No. It's when you tend to be Oscar bait, don't they? They make films to intentionally tick boxes that Oscar judges will go, yes. [00:16:33] Speaker A: Well, I saw some comments by people who, uh, on the, like, do the whole, um, Oscar awards, uh, like the. The people behind her, the. The people who do the vaulting and stuff. But, like, some of the comments was like, yeah, I hadn't seen the film, so for whatever film, but I was told not to bother watching is not very good. So I didn't vote for it and that kind of thing. So it's like, even. I think even for the Oscars, it seems like there's a lot of work involved with trying to quote your film. Geren awarded anything. It's extremely. The sounds of it, it's not like, oh, we'll genuinely watch all these films and pick the best one. It's like, some of them will be watched by someone. I saw one of the quotes of someone. It's like, yeah, I didn't like the film. I didn't watch the film, but my son said it was good, so I put it up kind of thing. [00:17:36] Speaker B: Oh, wow. That's where they should hire us. [00:17:39] Speaker A: They should hire us. [00:17:40] Speaker B: We'd watch everything. If it made the shortlist, even. It's 30 films, we'd watch all 30. [00:17:44] Speaker A: Yeah. And then we'd say, which is much good. Yeah, exactly. But I think that's the problem. It seems to be more, uh. It doesn't seem to be about actually awarding films all the merits, more than just awarding films for the sake of it, on the word of mouth and various other things. There's an article about, uh, it's just aft. But, uh, like, I don't know, I think this was a fun film. It isn't amazing, but I. I had a really good time watching it and. And if you have a good time watching the film, then it's good enough, you know? [00:18:33] Speaker B: Exactly. Yeah. I mean, not my favorite film, but, for example, I watched a film last night which I cannot remember the name of. That's how good it was, which was about some woman's daughter doing sax cam work and then getting kidnapped. And I already could tell you far less about that film than Barbie. And I watched Barbie about two days ago. So, you know, it's. At least it's in my mind. It made me think things. It made me embrace it on a certain level. And there are some films that you just completely ping pong off and you might as well have never pressed play. [00:19:17] Speaker A: Daft in it. [00:19:19] Speaker B: Yeah, some of they got me. They've got like a massive range of actors playing Barbie and Ken, which is a good thing. [00:19:30] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:19:31] Speaker B: You look at the dolls, there's a massive range of dolls. You've got Barbies and kens of various nationalities. I know Mattel made a transgender Barbie doll in 2022, and there's a transgender actress in this, the one that gets me, though, there's a lady in this. And obviously I'm spitballing here because it's off eyesight, I'd say she must be about a size 26 in UK dress sizes. Mattel have never done it. Mattel publicised that they were doing a. And I don't want to use the word that bad, but bat doll, for want of a better term, years ago, in what's called their fashionista range. Now, Barbie is typically like a model size, isn't she? So zero to six maximum. [00:20:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:29] Speaker B: Must have been a ten to twelve maximum. So, laying the cards on the table here, if you're gonna have people in your film represent them, actually make a real plus size doll. Mattel. [00:20:43] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:44] Speaker B: There's plus size kids out there, there's plus size adults out there. Do it. If it doesn't make. If it makes money, brilliant. If it doesn't make money, it'll get you headlines and somebody will get to keep a couple of them and make a few thousand pounds in a few years time. But that's just something that hit me. Well, I know years and years ago, one of my exes had the first ever wheelchair bound Barbie, and I know now that's worth a pretty penny because they had to cancel it because it was in a normal style wheelchair, which was so thick, it couldn't go into any of the dream houses or any of the things it would just bump up against them. So they had to re release her in what was like a streamlined Olympic wheelchair. And that's now like a collector's item, the old one. It's like Lego, isn't it? If you've got the right weird bit. You're talking money. [00:21:44] Speaker A: Yeah, but, yeah, we didn't really discuss the way the film pans out. It starts off with Barbie all happy, then she gets sad. She thinks that the girl who owned her is the reason why she's sad. Turns out it was the mother of the girl. [00:22:02] Speaker B: I called that one straight away. Yeah, that's the one thing in this. I was like, it's the man the mum's playing with. Adult. It's the mum. And I was like, yeah, I knew it. [00:22:16] Speaker A: So she goes to the real world with Ken. Ken tagged along even though he wasn't supposed to, because he's a naughty boy. And then he learns about patriarchy, but, like, doesn't understand it and thinks it has stuff to do with horses as well. [00:22:31] Speaker B: Oh, and he's crying on the bed at the end, and he goes, when I found out the patriarchy wasn't to do with horses, I wasn't really bothered anymore, but I got myself in too deep. [00:22:40] Speaker A: I love that. [00:22:42] Speaker B: That was my foot. The funniest bit. [00:22:43] Speaker A: To me. It was brilliant. And again, that's the thing. It shows. It doesn't just show that, like, about feminism. It shows that it's fine to be male and cry about something and not understand things and that sort of thing. There's a lot in there to discuss. It's not just one way or the other. There's many aspects that are clearly stated, so I don't know. I don't get people sometimes, but. So she goes to the real world. She comes back from the real world to Barbie land or whatever it's called. Barbie World. Barbieland. And she brings the mother and daughter with her. She's like, oh, this world's great. It's a woman president and all this sort of stuff. And then she goes back and the world is all fucked up. All the barbies are, like, dressed up a bit slutty, and they're giving all the kens. They be a brew skis, as they calling them. Yeah, and stuff like that. And even inspecting the real world with all the different shit that's happening with the dream house is now the. I can't remember the name of it. [00:23:53] Speaker B: Mojo Dojo or something like that. [00:23:57] Speaker A: Mojo dojo? Casa House or something. [00:24:00] Speaker B: Yeah. Because she says Casa is hangouts in Spanish, you idiot. Or something. [00:24:04] Speaker A: He's like, for some reason they sell in loads of I'm in the real world. Even though there's no reason, like, how does that happen? But obviously it all works out with the Barbies and that kind of regain control of, of Barbie World. But I think the. The main takeaway from there is like, individuality as well as, you know, everyone working as a collective, because that's kind of all they discuss. They. And then obviously that the main thing is why don't you make an ordinary Barbie just like an ordinary house, uh, mother who's a bit tired stuff. And they're like, no, no way. I was like, oh, that'll make a lot of money. He's like, yes, yes, we'll do that. Yeah, yeah. [00:25:02] Speaker B: I did find the end end a bit spin out, though, where basically Barbie becomes a real person. Yeah, that seemed incredibly deep. And like, you will die. I'm like, is this a kid's film or what? When you're repeatedly going, if you're human, you will die? [00:25:20] Speaker A: Well, I suppose so. A lot of ways that children learn about death things, crap pets like goldfish, or they'll get it through certain films. Like back when I was younger, I watched warship down. Oh, wow. We need to do that. That's a great film. [00:25:40] Speaker B: We need to do watership down sometimes. [00:25:42] Speaker A: Yeah, good. It's class. Yeah. I love that film. My missus isn't really much of a cartoon person, but I think. I'm pretty sure we watched that. She really enjoyed it, so. Which is strange, because for me, it doesn't matter about the medium as long as the film itself is good. [00:26:00] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, I don't get all the Disney remakes. I'm like, why, like, spend millions remaking Lion King with an Aladdin and stuff? With real people and animals? It exists already. Makes somewhere else. [00:26:12] Speaker A: Money. [00:26:14] Speaker B: Yeah, money. [00:26:15] Speaker A: That's the top, bottom. And none of them are as good as the originals, in my opinion. Even like, my kids, my youngest is eleven, would prefer the animated ones over the live action remakes. So it's not like they've got nostalgia for the older films like we would have. You know what I mean? Nah, but there you go. Is there any final thing you would like to say about Barbie. [00:26:46] Speaker B: I just suppose if you've not seen it and you think it's just gonna be a silly, girly film that's gonna preach feminine feminism at you. Yeah, it's not that bad. Give it a shot. It's not. It isn't particularly preachy, in my opinion, unless you're, you know, of a certain mindset where you see everything is preachy to you. There's decent jokes in it. It's not as bad as you might have imagined. [00:27:23] Speaker A: Yeah, I'd agree. I wouldn't say preachy. It does have, uh, social commentary, but it's not like preaching at you. It's more. It's. I wouldn't say it's, like, really subtle, but it's kind of like, it's not a particular mess. One particular message is many messages that are, you know, there's a difference in. [00:27:50] Speaker B: There to laying it out there and letting you pick it, as much of it as you want and beating you over the head with it. And I'd say this lays it out there to the degree that you could pick up a lot of stuff from it, or you could gloss over it and just watch the film and not take anything in. It's. It's not pushed and pushed at you. [00:28:09] Speaker A: Yeah, it's an enjoyable film. I had a good laugh. It was many a moment. I laughed in there at many different things. Like when she talks to the girl for the first time, and she's like, oh, okay, Barbie. And then she rants and ribs, and then at the end, she's like, yeah, no, go away, you fascist. Yeah, I love that. That's brilliant. Yeah, it's fun. It is strange that Barbie became a real person, but I get the whole point of it. Obviously, the creator of Barbie was not the creator of Barbie was an actress. But, like, I think Will Farrell or Farrell. Farrell. Farrell. Farrell says, like, oh, yeah, her ghost lives here. So I'm guessing the creator's dead. For him to see the ghost of it lives on the floor. I didn't think that was weird how. [00:29:04] Speaker B: He just came out of there. Oh, yeah. The creator's ghost has a floor or an office in our 17th floor. You're like, that's weird. Just that he knows about it. Do you know what I mean? It's just casual. Oh, yeah, there's a ghost in the office. Yeah, we all know she's just down there. [00:29:20] Speaker A: But, like, it mentions, like, yeah, you know, I made the Barbie doll after my daughter with all this and that, you know, her name was Barbara and that, you know, and she's like, I'm supposed to be perfect, and so. Well, no one's perfect, you know. That's just the way things are, you know. I was done for tax evasion and whatever else, you know. [00:29:42] Speaker B: Yeah, I did like that. I do wonder what her estate thinks of it. Yeah, sort of existing survivors, if there is any. But no, I mean, you never know. They might have ran it past them for just in case, like, are you offended? As such? [00:30:01] Speaker A: But, yeah, maybe not. Like with Dennis the menace in the US that the creator, um, based. Dennis the menace the US. Dennis the menace of his own son. And I don't think they got on. [00:30:20] Speaker B: Oh, wow. [00:30:21] Speaker A: I don't. I think they fell out quite badly. [00:30:25] Speaker B: It could have been worse. He could have named him Dennis the cunt. [00:30:31] Speaker A: That would have been an interesting children's comic. [00:30:36] Speaker B: I always find the Dennis the menace thing weird, that there's an english character called Dennis the Menace, and then there's this american character. [00:30:43] Speaker A: It just. [00:30:45] Speaker B: It's bizarre. [00:30:46] Speaker A: It's bizarre. Especially as they came out around the same time, didn't they? It was like a week or so between each of the prints. Original. [00:30:53] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, we used to get the little american, blonde haired Dennis the menace cartoons on british telly. [00:30:59] Speaker A: Yeah. But they just used to call it Dennis. [00:31:01] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:31:02] Speaker A: Not Dennis the menace. Well, there you go. Crazy. But when I've seen what I remember of Dennis the menace, the american one is. Is the kid is not really a menace. It's more of, um. [00:31:15] Speaker B: He's more accidental hijinks. [00:31:17] Speaker A: Yeah. Whereas British Dennis the menace, the kid is a dickhead. Yeah. An intentional tosser. Purposely gone out his way to ruin other people's lives. [00:31:31] Speaker B: He's basically a junior year road man. Anyway, they should have done a follow up comic of him ten years later where he got one of those little man bags full of weed on him and. [00:31:45] Speaker A: Yeah. Anyway, I think that's gonna be us. I will say, if you haven't seen Barbie, check it out. We'll be back in a fortnight with another film. Not sure what that's gonna be, but take care of yourselves. Thank you again for taking your part, Kurt. It's been a pleasure. [00:32:00] Speaker B: Welcome. Take care, everyone. [00:32:02] Speaker A: Bye bye, everyone. [00:32:04] Speaker B: Bye. [00:32:14] Speaker A: And those mini fridges are so small, you can only fit a six pack in them. And the freezers are amazing. They're useless, to be honest. When I found out that patriarchy wasn't about horses, I lost interest. Anyway, that's okay.