Picture-Illustration: Vulture. Pictures: Lions Gate Dwelling Leisure
Barbie is every thing. If the advertising for a sure summer time blockbuster hasn’t made that clear sufficient, the bright-blonde, slender-framed, blue-eyed doll is, and he or she has been in a position to do something she (properly, Mattel execs) places her plastic thoughts to. The upcoming Greta Gerwig–directed movie isn’t Barbie’s first foray into cinema, after all: For the reason that flip of the millennium, Barbie has crossed over from children’ dreamhouses into the televisions of younger children (and nostalgic zillennials), first by way of straight-to-video motion pictures.
For nearly 20 years, Barbie has been a numerous variety of princesses, ballet dancers, and sorts of fairies, however she has additionally been a musketeer, an indentured servant (as soon as), and form of a bitch (see No. 19 on this record). These motion pictures have by no means reached the animated innovation of Studio Ghibli’s stunners and even the least-beloved Disney titles, however that has all the time been okay as a result of Barbie motion pictures are simply meant to make your thoughts play. The tactile CGI animation all the time made it really feel as in the event you may bodily pull Barbie out of the display and into your dreamhouse.
The foray into movies was, after all, a Mattel advertising tactic: The corporate began producing its personal Barbie motion pictures to have the doll be part of the brand new digital frontier. On the identical time, tv channels like Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel had been on the rise as they began to give attention to unique youngsters’s leisure. Thus got here 2001’s Barbie within the Nutcracker, Mattel Leisure’s first full-length Barbie characteristic. After Nutcracker’s success, Nickelodeon shaped a broadcasting partnership with Mattel to air its animated movies, beginning with Barbie As Rapunzel, after physical-media releases. The deal ran for 17 years till Mattel moved into the streaming world, culminating in 41 non–Greta Gerwig Barbie motion pictures in whole — a few of which aren’t that dangerous, really. So to whet your urge for food for what’s certain to be the splashiest Barbie film but, we’ve rewatched and meticulously ranked all of the outdated ones from worst to finest.
41.
A wild change of tempo for Barbie on the time, The Barbie Diaries takes our heroine out of the storybooks and into highschool to cosplay as a sandal-bootcut-jeans-wearing Y2K teenager. It’s merely jarring and boring to see Barbie veer into Bratz territory. Go away that to them, woman.
40.
Mattel Leisure’s first try at an unique Christmas story is a tough move. Whereas making an attempt to go to their Aunt Millie (harmless! a.ok.a. she’s the very best a part of this film) in New York Metropolis for the vacations, Barbie and her sisters Skipper, Kelly, and Chelsea get stranded in a small city in Minnesota the place they take Christmas so significantly. The largest crime is that the songs are extremely forgettable.
39.
Gamer-girl rights! As somebody who spent hours of their childhood enjoying Barbie CD-ROM video games, the thought of this film was validating, however its execution as a film is disturbing to have a look at. It’s uncanny valley to the max as Barbie is sucked right into a dizzying online game. I settle for that this isn’t for me, however completely for the iPad children of right this moment. Because the final straight-to-video Barbie film, it’s hilarious to even consider evaluating this to Barbie within the Nutcracker, the primary straight-to-video film.
38.
My bias is displaying as a result of initially, butterflies make me extraordinarily uncomfortable. However Barbie: Mariposa is doubly uncomfortable as a result of each character is placing on their finest Latina (or most likely extra España) drag. Plus, I’m sorry, however Mariposa’s “pals” Rayna and Rayla are grating.
37.
There’s nothing extraordinarily incorrect with this pearl magic-wielding mermaid. It’s simply that it’s the primary film on this record that made me go, Yeah, they’re out of concepts.
36.
That is one in all three The Prince and the Pauper variations Barbie stars in, and every one after Barbie Because the Princess and the Pauper simply will get progressively blander.
35.
The plot is actually Barbie and her sisters lose their canines so each the sisters and the canines go on a journey to search out one another. A Pet Chase doesn’t have to be a convoluted three-hour epic, however as is, it’s equal to “this might’ve been an electronic mail.”
34.
Barbie and her finest pals go from gymnasts to spy girlies with style tech and robotic pets. They’ve obtained nothing on Kim Potential and her grappling-hook blow dryer although.
33.
Mermaid Energy is terrifying. Isla, a mermaid we met in Dolphin Magic summons Barbie (and “Brooklyn” Barbie) down below the ocean as a result of her fellow mermaids want two extra guardians. The Barbies and her sisters simply associate with this? They don’t even understand how lengthy they’ll be underwater for??
32.
A nightmare of somewhat woman with a bob calls for that her wealthy father scoops up a big piece of land so she will be able to have the flowers displayed in her room; This premise launches us into Barbie’s story of environmental justice. A Twillerbee named Thumbelina (a moderately Boss-Child-looking Barbie) has to persuade the little girlthat saving the atmosphere is extra essential than, mainly, capitalism. Some factors for making an attempt.
31.
Now, they certain are courageous for remixing The Princess and the Pauper as a result of it’s thus far superior to this. The variations between the ladies aren’t drastic sufficient in The Princess & the Popstar. Princess Tori can’t write a speech and pop star Kiera can’t write a music, in order that they mix powers to modify outfits and hair. Oh, the wrestle.
30.
Barbie’s sisters from A Good Christmas return, and so they simply don’t do it for me apart from Skipper, who is definitely a standout as she will get a pleasant little romance on the aspect of this horse-girl journey.
29.
The sequel to Mermaid Story, this movie follows Merliah, the half-human/half-mermaid, as she has to defeat her evil aunt Eris, once more. Standard, standard.
28.
The Avengers discovered useless. Okay, kidding, however depart it to Barbie to capitalize on the comic-hero increase with a princess who unintentionally good points superpowers by way of a butterfly kiss — significantly.
27.
Barbie operating away to Paris after a breakup is so relatable (not in observe, however in idea).
26.
The period of Barbie the place they attempt to discover a completely happy medium between fashionable and fairytale is a bumpy street of hits and misses however I’d moderately take fairytale highschool than modern-day highschool, so even when a college coaching a mass group of future princesses and princes doesn’t essentially make sense (like what number of kingdoms are there right here to necessitate a graduating class of royals yearly, and likewise how is Barbie a barista), it’s nonetheless cute sufficient.
25.
In Princess Journey, Barbie is a vlogger, and one in all her most devoted subscribers is a look-alike princess named Amelia from the dominion of Floravia. And guess what? She desires them to commerce locations! (I guffawed when Barbie didn’t discover their resemblance till Amelia advised her to place her hair down.) It’s one more Prince and the Pauper adaptation from Mattel that, sure, performs higher than the earlier two movies. However as Taylor Swift as soon as stated, “I feel I’ve seen this movie earlier than.”
24.
I’m not saying Barbie can’t do multiple Christmas film, however you’re placing this Christmas Carol not solely up in opposition to Barbie within the Nutcracker, however up in opposition to all the opposite retellings of Charles Dickens’s well-known vacation story — hi there, The Muppets Christmas Carol! Barbie because the gender-flipped Ebenezer Scrooge and being a little bit of a b-i-t-c-h is a humorous novelty, however there are such a lot of different choices on the market.
23.
There’s nothing that will get me extra emotional than a grandma serving to out her shy granddaughter. In Barbie and the Secret Door, a ebook given to Princess Alexa by her grandmother guides her to a vibrant, magical world that offers her confidence and magnificence as she has to face off a bratty little one princess that will give Princess Morbucks a run for her cash.
22.
That is the primary Barbie film to not actually middle on Barbie (or the protagonists she performs); as a substitute, it focuses on her little sister Chelsea. Why? Are Chelsea dolls not promoting in addition to Mattel would love? At any charge, what we get right here is an amusing movie about Chelsea occurring an journey to discover a wish-granting stone and have a birthday do-over. Now that’s an actual drama-queen transfer I respect.
21.
It’s the one the place Barbie tries her finest to grow to be a New Yorker. Whereas spending the summer time away from the West Coast, Barbie meets her new good friend and East Coast counterpart, dubbed “Brooklyn” Barbie, when the 2 attend a prestigious fine-arts program. There, they compete in a singing competitors for an opportunity to carry out on New York Metropolis’s most coveted stage, Instances Sq.. I’m including this film to the Finest New York Metropolis Films record instantly.
20.
A fairy falls in love with Barbie’s boyfriend, Ken, so she kidnaps him and takes him to Gloss Angeles, a fairy realm, with the plan to marry him, which might bar him from ever returning to the human world the place Barbie is. Each Barbie and Ken are celebrities and Barbie’s stylists are literally secret fairies so when Barbie worries about Ken’s disappearance they reveal themselves and assist her discover him. Chaos ensues. This plot is just too wildly ridiculous to utterly love but additionally too ridiculous to hate on, however I need to say it does characteristic an unimaginable Ken efficiency.
19.
From Chelsea to Skipper, it’s the second-oldest child’s flip to guide a Barbie film — and Barbie is barely in it. As an alternative, Skipper spends a summer time by herself after taking a job at a water park. It’s a straightforward, breezy little movie using some lovely 2-D animation for Skipper’s dream sequences all through.
18.
This declare is totally unvalidated, however I’ve to imagine Fairytopia is the rationale Disney determined to lastly make Tinker Bell–led motion pictures. Each woman goes by way of a horse-girl section or a fairy-girl section, and Fairytopia is for the latter. As a Pixie Hole scholar although, Fairytopia has a tough time competing since its lore will not be as robust (why are the fairies the identical measurement because the mermaids???) and Elina’soutfit and boring bun aren’t cute. Bibble, Elina’s puffball sidekick, bumps up the rating, although, as a result of I’m fairly certain this turned a franchise to pump out extra Bibble merch.
17.
This sequel is so significantly better than the primary as a result of it ditches Rayna and Rayla and truly has fascinating fairy lore and lovely fairy outfits! Thank God.
16.
What do Barbie and the famously beloved movie The Purple Sneakers have in frequent? They each loosely adapt the identical fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen. Who says Barbie isn’t cinema? Because the final tailored work within the Barbie animated oeuvre, The Pink Sneakers tries to weave collectively an amalgam of fairy tales, together with The Snow Queen as ballet dancer Kristin strikes by way of a magical world. It’s a nostalgic finish to what launched the unique animated motion pictures, besides once they commerce off the Tchaikovsky and Beethoven for generic Y2K pop.
15.
A Blue Crush surfer named Merliah figures out she’s really half-mermaid after a pink dolphin explains why she all of a sudden obtained chunky pink highlights in her hair out of nowhere. It’s camp!
14.
Zenon and Barbie can be BFFs. In Star Mild Journey, Barbie is on one other planet known as Para-Den, which supplies large Na’vi vibes. As the celebs of her galaxy begin to dim, she and her pals are despatched on a planet-hopping journey. The designs of the worlds are visually so enjoyable and the dynamic of Barbie’s pals are so charming, making this film too enjoyable to withstand.
13.
The primary non-direct-to-video film and the primary of seven for Netflix, Barbie: Dolphin Magic serves extra as a pilot for the streamer’s tv collection Barbie: Dreamhouse Journey, because it reintroduces this model of Barbie, Ken, and Barbie’s sisters as the primary protagonists going ahead. Dolphin Magic doesn’t even characteristic the dreamhouse, however I forgive them as a result of that is Mattel’s Avatar: The Manner of Water. The titular gemstone dolphins are mainly cousins of the tulkuns.
12.
The Fairytopia trilogy capper has such a skinny plot that it mainly simply has you looking at fairies twirling and capturing numerous sparkly colours out of their fingers for 5 minutes at a time. So, 5 stars.
11.
One can’t stare on the animated faces for too lengthy as a result of it turns into too uncanny, however that is my favourite Barbie & Her Sisters entry within the franchise. Perhaps it’s the Goonies-esque journey or the lovable speaking puppies, however it made me extra emotional than I ever anticipated it to.
10.
These women simply need to dance! And that’s mainly the entire premise! Catherine O’Hara performs their evil aunt with sickening make-up and an in-vogue pet monkey, and he or she spends a lot of the film determining the place these 12 women disappear to — they journey to a magical world beneath the tiles of their bed room. That’s about it!
9.
Barbie stars as Ro, a younger lady who spent a majority of her childhood marooned on an island having no reminiscence of her life earlier than. She spends most of her time speaking to animals and operating round in what’s mainly a resort towel wrapped round her, till Prince Antonio sweeps her off her ft. The second half of the movie actually sells this film, as soon as we transfer away from the island and begin moving into the love triangle between Ro, Antonio, and his anticipated bride-to-be, Princess Luciana. It turns into a very candy ending.
8.
Three woman bosses need to break down the gendered expectations of what it means to be a Musketeer. There’s a improbable motion sequence early on involving a chandelier that’s as near The Matrix that these Barbie motion pictures will ever get and a few much more enjoyable coaching montages. Plus, Tim Curry returns to the Barbie Animated Cinematic Universe as one other deliciously apparent villain. What’s to not love?
7.
This film ought to’ve been gayer. Though the plot of Mermaidia is that Elina — launched in Fairytopia — has to save lots of the mermaid prince Nalu, Elina has far more chemistry with Nori, one other mermaid. The 2’s robust frenemy vibe actually toes the road between the romantic and platonic love vibes, however alas, nothing greater than friendship comes from it. On prime of that homosexual power, there’s the sensible broad Oracle Delphine, who units them on their path of journey. She’s a legend.
6.
There’s an entire outfit-changing sequence the place Barbie is magically portray every outfit. That is what Barbie is made for! There’s additionally an element the place her bunny sidekick calls Anjelica Huston’s Gothel an “outdated hag.” My solely ding on this movie is that Barbie’s braid is just too skinny. Everyone knows she has thick blonde tresses and that is the film you resolve to stint on the hair?
5.
Diamond Fortress is for the theater children. A religious Princess and the Pauper sequel, this film is in regards to the complexities of friendship — the love, the misunderstandings, the adventures, the fights — as two finest pals and their two memeable canines try to assist a magical muse caught in a mirror. And the unique songs are fairly good, which is a feat.
4.
Even motion pictures expertise fairly privilege. Barbie of Swan Lake is one in all them: It’s filled with entrancing dancing — choreographed by New York Metropolis Ballet’s Peter Martins, together with the corporate’s ballet dancers used for picture seize — and sparkly robes set to Tchaikovsky’s basic composition performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, however Swan Lake doesn’t actually need to.
3.
My intestine feeling is that Magic of Pegasus is underrated. Together with Fairytopia, it was one of many first original-story Barbie motion pictures Mattel Leisure launched. It didn’t spawn sequels like its counterpart, however this fairy story exudes all of the drama and couture of its predecessors. There have been large stakes (a kingdom cursed to stone and a sister doomed to remain a pegasus without end), romance (Ken power-walked right here so Tangled’s Flynn Ryder may run), and nice fantastical components (a Cloud Kingdom the place cute cherubs solid spells to create rainbows, sunsets, and sunrises) because the decided Princess Annika, her sister Brietta, and their lovely little polar-bear good friend Shiver adventured to search out the legendary Wand of Mild.
2.
This film is itching for a Margot Robbie and Emma Mackey live-action therapy — although apparently neither seems to be like the opposite once they’re all dolled up. Both approach, Barbie Because the Princess and the Pauper simply stands by itself as a result of no different Barbie film has an unique soundtrack as remembered and coveted as Princess and the Pauper. (Sorry, Barbie the Album.) Sing out “I’m similar to you” within the theater earlier than Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, and I assure you a wave of “you’re similar to me”’s will hit you proper again. However past the music itself, Princess Anneliese and Erika’s twin swap — Erika takes Anneliese’s place after she’s kidnapped by Martin Quick’s Preminger to save lots of the dominion from chapter — is a lot entertaining by itself
1.
Nutcracker is absolutely the “Alien Celebrity” of the Barbie Animated Cinematic Universe since you actually don’t even need to waste time making an attempt to compete together with her. The glamor and nostalgia of Christmas actually assist as this Barbie film recounts the story of Clara and her Nutcracker as they attempt to defend Parthenia from the Mouse King (voiced by Tim Curry — the phrases Sugarplum Princess have by no means been extra enunciated) by occurring a seek for the misplaced princess. Barbie within the Nutcracker merely is the hallmark of what a Barbie film can be for the following few years: memorable music (on this case, music from Tchaikovsky’s ballet), beautiful choreography and motion, spectacular robes, lovely romance, a high-profile villain voice actor, and a excessive rewatchability issue. It’s simply bodily and emotionally unattainable to not rank this at primary.