Barbie-mania has taken hold in Tasmania as fans gear up for the release of the much-awaited Barbie movie.
Recent Barbie Gala Night screenings at the State Cinema in Hobart have seen enthusiastic fans don costumes inspired by the iconic Barbie doll.
The most highly-anticipated movie of the year, Barbie will be released in cinemas across the country later today.
Hollywood site Deadline writes that director Greta Gerwig and co-writer by Noah Baumbach strike the perfect “balance comedy, commentary and camp”.
“The writing duo managed to state their values with the right amount of levity and camp so that it doesn’t distract from the film’s message, which is all about finding yourself and finding balance,” the publication says.
“In essence, Barbie is a film that challenges the viewer to reconsider their understanding of societal norms and expectations. While it may be centred on a plastic entity, it is very much a film about the human condition — our strengths and our flaws.”
The Washington Post have described the film as a “candy-coloured confection of knowing humour and bitter irony”.
“The zaniness of Barbie, combined with Gerwig’s interest in skewering the patriarchy, sometimes makes the movie a baggy, tonally dissonant viewing experience,” reads the review.
“But for the most part, she achieves a pleasing balance between the silly and the serious; she makes sure to pay homage to some of Barbie’s most cherished accessories and costumes, all the while keeping up a running commentary on sexism, objectification, consumerism and the double-triple-quadruple bind in which women have historically been forced to navigate the world — while wearing attractive heels.”
