Barbie Movie (2023)

The feeling of working so hard, and getting zero attention or connection. Just striving fruitlessly. I went on a date recently, with a girl that was pushy to see what I was seeing on Tinder when scrolling. And flicked over to my matches to see that I had one match, her. And then she showed me hers, and she had over a thousand matches. When not even trying with either her profile or pictures. I feel like Ken competing with all the other Kens. How am I supposed to connect with anybody, when they have a thousand other guys in their pocket they can mentally compare me against?

You can't, but you don't have to.

You aren't looking for just anyone; you're seeking someone you can genuinely enjoy being around and who feels the same about you. If they tune out when you share your interests, perhaps it indicates that the relationship wouldn't have been fruitful in the first place, thereby saving you time. Here's an underemphasized point: Dating sites might not be the best places to find genuine connections. From my personal experience, online matches rarely evolved into meaningful relationships. It often feels like these platforms are frequented by individuals who struggle to find relationships in their everyday lives. While you might feel like you're competing with all the other Kens on a dating app, you're also competing for attention from individuals who might not have found a partner within their existing circles. That's not to say online dating can't be successful, but it can be hit or miss.

Instead, immerse yourself in social groups. Engage with people who share your passions. For instance, my wife and I connected on an Umineko Fan Forum, and we maintained that connection for several years before things turned romantic. Many couples I know found each other through mutual friends or shared activities. This networking doesn't have to be limited to offline endeavors. Participate in online communities and express your availability and interests. For example, highlight on your SV profile that you're single and interested in meeting someone who also appreciates this platform. That way, anyone you might connect with here will at least share your unique passions, whether it's quests, sci-fi, or even peculiar political debates.

Implement this strategy on various platforms and in real life. Consider joining or even initiating a local nerd group. People gravitate towards those who exude happiness and passion. It's always more engaging to interact with someone genuinely enjoying themselves. So, find your tribe, relish the experience, and you might just find a partner along the way. And remember, while the end goal might be to find a significant other, the journey of socialization is beneficial in itself.

Lastly, while sharing your passions, remember that sometimes silent listeners are the most engaged. They might be genuinely engrossed in your enthusiasm. Many people enjoy conversations with passionate individuals, even if they don't necessarily share the same interests. If you're pouring out your excitement and the other person remains silent, invite them to ask questions, ensuring they feel included in the discourse.

Good Luck! I'm pulling for you. We're all in this together.

You can't, but you don't have to.

You aren't looking for anyone, you're looking for someone you can enjoy being around, and one that enjoys being around you. If they are tuning out when you share your interests consider that means that it wouldn't work in the first place and that it is saving you time. Also a hidden secret: Dating sites are not good places to find matches. Out of all my dating, the people I met online didn't really work out, because it's for people that can't, or aren't finding relationships in their normal lives. You might consider yourself competing with all the other Ken's on a dating app, and maybe you are, but you're also competing for people that couldn't find anyone to date in their social groups. I'm not saying it can't ever work, but it's less reliable.

Instead, you have to get out and join social groups. You have to get to know people that share your interests. My wife and I met on an Umineko Fan Forum, and stayed in touch for several years before we started dating. Most couples I know met each other through their friends and social groups. This doesn't need to be offline either. You can join groups online and put yourself out there. Consider noting that you're single and looking for someone that also enjoys this site in your signature and profile here on SV. At least anyone you meet here will share your random love of quests, scifi, and maybe weird political arguments.

Do this for other websites. Do this in real life. Find a local nerd group, or if one doesn't exist, start one up! People are attracted to those that are happy and excited. It's more fun to be around someone who is enjoying themselves than one that isn't, so being in such a group and enjoying yourself will put you in the best light. And don't just do it to find a partner, do it because you're right, socialization is good for you.

A note, sometimes when you're excited and sharing, the other person is quite because their enjoying listening to your enthusiasm. Everyone I know talks with people that they don't share interests with, but can be carried along with their enthusiasm. If you are sharing your excitement with someone and they aren't saying anything, try inviting questions so they have a chance to speak as well.

Good Luck! I'm pulling for you. We're all in this together.
 
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Barbie is expected to be everything to everyone and also have a perfect body. Ken is expected to define his existence in terms of the relationships he has or the property he owns, not who he is or what he does.

The movie explores how both of those are unreachable idealized forms of the human condition that will break you if you try. It also recognizes that its ok to have and pursue ideals, so long as you temper them with reality. Barbie accepts that she aspires to be only human not unchanging hollow plastic perfection, and Ken accepts that he needs to find internal validation and self-love.

I'm bemused at people who think Ken is the villain that gets beat down and shown his place. Act 3 Ken, much like Act 1 Barbie, is a naive child going through the motions of what he thinks adulting is. I don't know how you can get "Ken the incel" from a movie that spells out Ken has no idea what sex even is let alone want it.

Barbie Movie is not intended as an answer to every big tough adult gender issue because its not really about adults per se. Its about children and the gender messaging society conveys to children through their toys.
 
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I don't know how you can get "Ken the incel" from a movie that spells out Ken has no idea what sex even is let alone want it.
My girlfriend and I both felt there was a statement being made about incels and that Ken pursuing what he saw a serious relationship with Barbie was a stand-in for the sexual relationship incels feel they are entitled to via the partiarchy they buy into.

IIRC though, the movie was PG-13 and this was partially a cash grab for Mattel, so sex could not be directly addressed in the film.

We both enjoyed the film, however, I think it is relevant film that is deservedly enjoying the acclaim and attention it is receiving.
 
That's Ken. He's the little boy who goes out and 'learns' that 'being a real man' means having a house and a spouse and stuff. In the denouement he even spells out that the kentriarchy didn't bring him any fulfillment and the closest he was to actual happiness was discovering he likes horses aka an actual personality trait.
I feel more like his undeserved resentment of Barbie wanting to keep the relationship platonic initially drove his dive into embracing the patriarchy of the real world and importing it back to Barbieland. It is debatable how much he enjoyed it, but that initial conflict triggered what followed.
 
I will admit, perhaps it was the several edibles kicking in, but when the barbies were planning their take over of Barbie Land/Kendom I had a "are they going there?" Thought. That when they rest control back from the Ken's they would put Gosling Ken on trial French revolution style and and he would be sentenced to having his head popped off by a pair of giant little girl hands that descended from the clouds Terry Gilliam style.

Before you get mad, I had two sisters growing up and lots of female friends, the plotlines they could come up with with their barbies and dolls could be downright game of throneian.
 
www.hollywoodreporter.com

Box Office: ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ Lead (Again), ‘Last Voyage of the Demeter’ Capsizes With $6.5M

'Barbie' scores one of the best fourth weekends of all time domestically with $33.7 million, ahead of 'Spider-Man: No Way' home and just behind 'The Avengers.'
Barbie easily stayed No. 1 as it zoomed past the $500 million mark domestically and $657 million overseas for an astounding global total of $1.18 billion, good enough to pass up Aquaman and rank as the No. 2 Warners film of all time behind the final Harry Potter movie.

... Gerwig now ranks as the highest-grossing female director of all time domestically after skating past Frozen II, which was helmed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck. Gerwig is also celebrating becoming the highest-grossing female director of a live-action movie at the worldwide box office after Barbie passed up Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's superhero pic Captain Marvel, which earned $1.13 billion worldwide in 2019.

...

Barbie and Oppenheimer fell a scant 36 percent and 35 percent, respectively, as they continued to dominate the upper reaches of the chart. Put another way, Barbenheimer is living the dream.
 

If we assume Barbie has made 80% of its domestic money as Mario did by day 24, and also assume its the same 80% for international, then Barbie should hit 658 million domestic and 822 million international for 1.48 billion total, beating Mario's 574 and 782 respectively for 1.36 billion. This would make Barbie the top blockbuster this year by either metric. However its not hard to argue that Barbie will have lower fall-off, and thus has only made 75% or even just 70% of its final earnings.

I don't really see much that's likely to supplant it this year. Aquaman and Captain Marvel made 1.15 and 1.13 billion respectively, but I doubt that their sequels in the post-pandemic era will surpass it. The Hunger Games prequel would have to make double what any previous movie in the series has. Dune 2 would have to make more than triple Dune 1. Wish would have to outperform Frozen 2.
 
variety.com

‘Barbie’ Surpasses ‘The Dark Knight’ as Warner Bros. Highest-Grossing Domestic Release in History

Greta Gerwig’s fantasy comedy “Barbie” has crossed $537.5 million at the domestic box office, overtaking Christopher Nolan’s 2008 superhero epic “The Dark Knight&#8221…
It's been a wild run for "Barbie," which has remained the No. 1 movie for four consecutive weekends. After 17 days in theaters, it became the fastest Warner Bros. film (and eighth in the studio's 100-year history) to join the $1 billion club. It could also outpace 2011's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" ($1.34 billion) as the studio's highest-grossing worldwide release.
 
I hope the lesson that gets taken from this is more movies as vaguely surrealist vehicles for social commentary using cultural touchstones, and not "let's go all in on the Mattel Cinematic Universe"
 
I hope the lesson that gets taken from this is more movies as vaguely surrealist vehicles for social commentary using cultural touchstones, and not "let's go all in on the Mattel Cinematic Universe"
You know we're getting an attempted Mattel Cinematic Universe out of this.

We're absolutely getting a Sequel, and probably a Trilogy.
 
Saw the movie, I'm in a weird position of thinking Ryan Gosling's Ken is the best part of the movie while also thinking the entire Ken plotline is easily the weakest.
 
I'll finally have the chance to catch the entirety of "Barbenheimer" on the Real Big Screen™.
www.businesswire.com

The Biggest Movie of the Summer Hits the Biggest Screens as Greta Gerwig’s Blockbuster “Barbie” Comes to IMAX® for Special One-Week Super Fan Screening Engagement Beginning September 22

BIGGEST MOVIE OF SUMMER HITS BIGGEST SCREENS: GRETA GERWIG’S BLOCKBUSTER “BARBIE” ON IMAX® FOR SPECIAL 1-WEEK SUPER FAN ENGAGEMENT BEGINNING SEPT. 22
Beginning on September 22, 2023 and for just one week, Warner Bros. Pictures' "Barbie" will say farewell to summer with a limited engagement in select IMAX® theaters throughout North America and select locations around the world. In addition to experiencing the film for the first time in IMAX, audiences will be treated to exclusive post-credit footage selected by the film's director, Greta Gerwig. The announcement was made today by Jeff Goldstein, President of Domestic Distribution, and Andrew Cripps, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
 
So is it just me or is Ken's arc in the Barbie Movie analogous to Monica's arc in Doki Doki Literature Club?
 
I thought the whole Ken situation was honestly kind of empowering to men in the reverse of how Barbie is empowering to women.

Barbie can be anything! That's awesome for girls to hear, that you can do and be anything! It's a good message to women, who have been traditionally told to stay home and don't do things.

On the flip,

Sometimes it's ok to just be Kenough. That's awesome for boys to hear as well, as men's value is usually tied to their status/money/success, that it's actually ok and you absolutely do have value without being all of those things.

So, how can we shove Hot Wheels into this?

I heard in an interview it's 100% on the radar. I feel like Hot Wheels has to be like, Part Toy Story, Part Cars, Part Wreck It Ralph. Sort of like Barbie where there is another world, except being all Pink and Barbieish it's like, all crazy tracks with Volcanoes and stuff.

They're already working on "Magic 8 Ball"...
 
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It would be fun if we somehow got something like "Hot Wheels cars learning how autocentrism development has ruined every aspect of American urban development, while simultaneously making driving an infinity less enjoyable activity"
 
gizmodo.com

Barbie Is Now Warner Bros.' Highest-Grossing Film Ever

This week, the Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie-starring smash passed 2011's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 to become the highest grossing Warner Bros. release ever.
Since 2011, Warner Bros.' highest-grossing film ever has been Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which made over $1.3 billion worldwide. Well, Barbie is going to pass it today with no end in sight. Domestically, it was already the highest-grossing film of 2023 (passing The Super Mario Bros. Movie's $575 million) which happened after it passed The Dark Knight ($533 million) as Warner Bros.' highest-grossing film of all time domestically.

You might be wondering, how is this possible? Barbie really made more money than Batman? The Lord of the Rings? The Flash? The answer, technically, is yes. Things change radically when the numbers are adjusted for inflation of course, but that's not how Hollywood works. A dollar is a dollar, even if takes $15 to see a movie now and $5 a few decades ago. And that's mostly so articles like this one can be written.
 
I appreciate the side-note.

Related - if you do adjust for inflation, nothing has ever, or will ever approach the worldwide gross of that classic bit of Lost Cause southern apologia, Gone with the Wind. Made just over $400 million in 1939 dollars, which, inflation adjusted, is equivalent to a hair under $8.85 billion in 2023 dollars. To give you an idea of just how deceptive and without meaning those "movie x made y dollars more than any movie before" articles are.
 
You aren't looking for anyone, you're looking for someone you can enjoy being around, and one that enjoys being around you. If they are tuning out when you share your interests consider that means that it wouldn't work in the first place and that it is saving you time. Also a hidden secret: Dating sites are not good places to find matches. Out of all my dating, the people I met online didn't really work out, because it's for people that can't, or aren't finding relationships in their normal lives. You might consider yourself competing with all the other Ken's on a dating app, and maybe you are, but you're also competing for people that couldn't find anyone to date in their social groups. I'm not saying it can't ever work, but it's less reliable.

I mean, dating apps are well known to be deeply manipulative. Heck, it's right there in the utterly skewed man/woman ratios. These companies make most of their money by stringing lonely (usually men) along through a faceless system that never provides a target to engage with and instead breeds loneliness, inferiority, and frustration. Finding a partner you can share your life with is something that can't, or at least shouldn't, be handed over to a commercial enterprise.
 
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I appreciate the side-note.

Related - if you do adjust for inflation, nothing has ever, or will ever approach the worldwide gross of that classic bit of Lost Cause southern apologia, Gone with the Wind. Made just over $400 million in 1939 dollars, which, inflation adjusted, is equivalent to a hair under $8.85 billion in 2023 dollars. To give you an idea of just how deceptive and without meaning those "movie x made y dollars more than any movie before" articles are.
Wikipedia pegs Gone with the Wind at 4.2 billion as of 2022, which is ahead of Avatar's 3.8 billion but not that far ahead. Inflation adjustment calculations are a pain because well:

1: Inflation for tickets does not happen at the same rate as overall inflation.
2: Inflation rates differ from country to country too.
3: Movies sometimes get re-released at later dates, by which point inflation differs. It also makes it impossible to gauge 'final' box office.

Gone with Wind got re-released like 8 times, most recently in 1998. In terms of actual tickets sold for a worldwide release, wikipedia pegs it at 5th place behind Titanic, Endgame, Star Wars, and Avatar.

That said Gone with the Wind might keep the inflation adjusted podium for the simple reason that no movie is going to make that sort of long tailed earning via re-releases over subsequent decades anymore, as they'll inevitably end up on streaming and/or get pirated instead.
 
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If you told me at the beginning of the year that the two top movies of 2023 would be about a video game and a toy doll, I wouldn't have believed you.
variety.com

‘Barbie’ Is Officially the Highest-Grossing Release of the Year With $1.36 Billion Globally

“Barbie” has conquered North America, and now, the world. Greta Gerwig’s fantasy-comedy has generated $1.36 billion at the global box office, overtaking Universal and Illumination…
Greta Gerwig's fantasy-comedy has generated $1.36 billion at the global box office, overtaking Universal and Illumination's animated adventure "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" ($1.35 billion globally) as the highest-grossing worldwide movie of the year.

"Barbie" has accumulated $600 million in North America and, earlier in August, passed "Mario" ($574 million) to become the biggest release of 2023 at the domestic box office as well. At the international box office, the film has grossed a staggering $760 million to date.
 
www.nytimes.com

Mattel’s Windfall From ‘Barbie’

The company’s approach has paid off to a degree that even the C.E.O. could hardly have believed possible.
Mattel and Warner have jealously guarded their financial arrangements. But people with knowledge of their agreement said Mattel earned 5 percent of the box office revenue, as well as a percentage of eventual profits as a producer of the movie and additional payments as owner of the Barbie intellectual property rights. At $2 billion in box office revenue, that amounts to $100 million. In addition, there are sales of merchandise connected to the movie as well as an expected boost in sales of dolls.

Representatives for Mattel and Warner declined to comment on the financial arrangements, though the company's chief financial officer said at a conference on Thursday that the company would make about $125 million in total billings from the film.

...

The original budget target of $80 million jumped above $120 million once [Greta] Gerwig was signed. But even that wouldn't realize the director's full vision for the film. For Warner executives it was a struggle to find what are known as "comps," similar films that had grossed enough to justify such an outlay.

Would "Barbie" be another "Charlie's Angels" from 2019 — which was budgeted at $55 million but grossed only $73 million and, after marketing costs, lost money? Or another "Wonder Woman" from 2017, budgeted at over $100 million, with a worldwide gross of $822 million?

Eventually the budget hit $141 million and, with some reshoots, ultimately topped $150 million.

...

Of course the success of "Barbie" has drastically raised the bar — and expectations — for Mattel's movies in development, starting with "Masters of the Universe," written and directed by the brothers Adam and Aaron Nee. Twelve more films are in various stages of development, including a "Hot Wheels" adaptation produced by J.J. Abrams, also at Warner.

The article also mentions that the version of Gerwig and Baumbach's script they turned in was 147 pages long. I kind of want to see that version.
 
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