by Bryn Pfanschmidt,

Academy Alum, Class of 2024

The Barbie movies are incredibly important cultural artifacts. These movies were typically sold as DVD copies, though all are available online today. Critics of the Barbie movies say that they are girly, stupid, and insignificant. Brothers and male friends often make fun of the pink aesthetic, straight-to-DVD production, and large number of movies. As a Barbie fan since childhood, I’m here to tell you that the Barbie movies may be girly, but they’re certainly not stupid or insignificant; I grew up on them and I even think I grew to be who I am because of them. They’ve had a special role in my life, and I would not be who I am today without them. 

The Barbie movies are girly—and that’s a good thing. Pink may be a traditionally feminine color, but you also have to recognize the intelligence behind it. Not only is Mattel using good tactics to keep their audiences engaged, but they are skilled at bringing in new audiences with flashy colors, interesting titles, and the general association with Barbie dolls. Pink is bright, fun, and eye-catching, similar to how colors like red, yellow, and orange quickly grab attention. Plus, the cover of every Barbie movie is pink, making the franchise instantly recognizable. This color, along with topics like mermaids, castles, and fairies, expertly appeals to little girls. 

You don’t need to be the target demographic to enjoy them. The question of “What was your favorite Barbie movie growing up?” often connects people and starts fun conversations: reminiscing about their favorite ones, rewatching them, laughing at how cringey the movies are compared to what they remember, or even rediscovering hidden gems. People may pick on their odd animation style but they often had fairly engaging and complicated plots, especially for childrens’ movies. I rewatched the Barbie movies endlessly because I enjoyed them, not just because they were what my parents could find to entertain me. As for the animation style in the older movies, it was above the norm for the time period and a source of nostalgia as well as a way to bring more people into the cultural conversation.

If there’s anything Barbie movies aren’t, it’s insignificant. The Barbie movie franchise started in 2001 with Barbie in the Nutcracker, with a total of 39 movies made in roughly 20 years—and they seem to have no plans of stopping. The Barbie franchise was incredibly important to me,  one of the greats alongside Little Einsteins, Backyardigans, and Word Girl. The Barbie movies aren’t just for entertainment; they include lessons on how to be a good friend and a good person.

My sister, my friends, and I have bonded over these movies. One of my favorites was Barbie Mariposa and Her Butterfly Fairy Friends (2008), which I only ever called Barbie Mariposa. One of my closest friends said that she had never seen it. My sister loves Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper (2004), but I don’t really care for it. Probably my favorite of all time is Barbie in the Diamond Castle (2008), but the reviews online are mixed at best. Some people watch Barbie in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (2009) every Christmas season, but I haven’t seen it fully once. Every person I’ve talked to about the Barbie movies have said that Barbie: Princess Charm School (2011) is a masterpiece, and I agree.

These shared memories remind me that the Barbie movies bind a whole generation together. Every person’s individual relationship, history, and opinion of the movies makes this franchise special. Despite being over twenty years old, the Barbie movies have become, in a way, classics and will likely persist for a long time.