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Finally, we have arrived at a very important week for cinema in 2023. Barbie and Oppenheimer are now available to watch in theaters and film lovers seem to enjoy both movies, even though both movies have caused quite a bit of controversy. There is even a trend forming to watch both films on the same day with fans calling it “doing a Barbenheimer,” which overall, is great for the movie business. If you have already managed to watch Barbie, here are the top 10 movies to watch that provide a similar experience.
Best Movies Like Barbie to Watch
After the first teaser of Barbie which was an homage to 2001: A Space Odyssey, everyone realized this isn’t a typical Barbie film or a simple live-action movie. The film has a fun plot, great acting, some thought-provoking scenes, and of course, a lot of discussions about friendship. It’s a fish-out-of-water tale that has Barbie and Ken whisked from their ideal lives in Barbieland and placed into the real world. In this list, you can find movies that share a similarity with Barbie in terms of its plot, what it’s trying to say, the film’s vibe, or the world that is illustrated. Also, check out our article on the best movies based on toys just like Barbie.
10) Frances Ha (2011)
Frances Ha is written and directed by Noah Baumbach, one of the main writers of Barbie, and stars Greta Gerwig, the director of Barbie. One of the major themes in Barbie is the idea that it is okay to feel lost while they are trying to figure out who they are. Frances Ha is very much about this topic. It tells the story of a young woman named Frances that struggles to find a stable job and also pursue her dreams in an authentic way. Do not skip this film just because it’s in black and white. If you are struggling with aspects of your life, this film will give you comfort.
9) Legally Blonde (2001)
Legally Blonde is one of the classic coming-of-age movies centering on a young girl. Elle Wood, portrayed by Reese Witherspoon decides to study law just because her boyfriend said she isn’t serious enough. Once she gets to the university, she realizes there are a lot of differences between her character and the students around her. Just like Barbie, she gets stuck in this duality of how she used to be and what she has to do now in this foreign situation. If you are looking for a more light-hearted film with the same themes as Barbie, you should give Legally Blonde a chance.
8) Amélie (2001)
Amélie is the story of an innocent girl named Amelie that was brought up in a way that distanced her from society and other people. Living this way made her think about the world in a unique way, which unfortunately doesn’t always prove true. Living in a fantasy is a major theme in Barbie that was heavily shown in both trailers of the film as well. Not only that, but Amelie’s character has a lot of similarities in terms of innocence and not knowing a lot about the real world. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards and is well deserving of a watch.
7) Trolls (2016)
As can be seen in the trailers of Barbie, she and all her friends, including all the Kens, live a happy life and dance all the time in a fantasy world. That shares a lot of plot points with the movie Trolls. In this colorful animation, these tiny creatures known as Troll live their happy lives and sing all day long until The Bergens appear and destroy their village and take most of them hostage. As in Barbie, Poppy, the protagonist of the movie must leave her utopian home and venture into the real world. If you are looking for a family-friendly animated film to watch after Barbie, this will fit the bill.
6) Pleasantville (1998)
We all had our favorite TV show depicting a perfect world we would love to be in. That is basically the plot of Pleasantville, a comedy-drama starring Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon. After David and his sister Jennifer fight in the house and break the TV remote, a repairman comes and gives them a magical remote that teleports them inside a 50s sitcom called Pleasantville. While in Barbie, our heroes had leave their fantasy world, in Pleasantville they enter one, and their modern-day attitudes change the characters in the show. This classic film is a great choice if you are looking for something with a Barbie feel that is quite different at the same time.
5) Coraline (2009)
Coraline is one of the best, but also darkest fantasy animated film based on the work of famous author, Niel Gaiman. The animation tells the story of a young girl named Coraline who accidentally finds a door that leads to a parallel universe where her family is different in many ways, seeming almost perfect at first. Coraline is one of the cartoons that appeals to children and adults alike and deals with the subject of duality brilliantly. If you want to see a dark film that has the same duality of worlds as in Barbie, do not miss Coraline.
4) La La Land (2016)
La La Land is one of the best films of 2016 and one of the best musical movies of the past two decades. This movie landed Ryan Gosling, one of the lead actors of Barbie, his second Academy Award and Emma Stone her first. La La Land takes place in the colorful world of classic Hollywood, which you will surely enjoy if you loved the design of Barbie. Not only that, but La La Land shares the same love of music as Barbie but isn’t a classic musical. If you want to experience another roller coaster of emotions like Barbie, then you must watch La La Land as well.
3) Wreck-It Ralph
At first, it may seem that Wreck-It Ralph has nothing in common with a film like Barbie. But once you put them side by side, you will pick up the similarities easily. Just as in Barbie, Ralph one day decides to get out of the game loop he has been living all his life and try out something new – an adventure that will lead to many disasters, but also great friendships and character growth. If you are looking for a movie with the same ideas as Barbie but set in an ’80s arcade world, then you should not miss Wreck-it Ralph.
2) Enchanted (2007)
In Enchanted, starring Amy Adams, the villain of the film exiles a fairytale princess to the real world so she wouldn’t fall in love with her son. Just by reading the summary of the story you can see how similar Enchanted‘s plot is to that of Barbie. The main characters of both movies are innocents thrust into a foreign land that have to figure out a new way of living. Enchanted is one of the closest experiences you can have to watching Barbie.
1) The Truman Show (1998)
Since the day Barbie was announced, one of the very first inspirations that was mentioned over and over again was The Truman Show. For better or worse, Barbie has a lot in common with The Truman Show. The story of the film revolves around Truman, portrayed by the amazing Jim Carrey, who lives his life like every other human being. But, unbeknownst to him, the ideal world he lives in is actually a TV show set with cameras all over the place to capture the life of Truman and broadcast it to the whole world. The Truman Show is not only an inspiration behind Barbie, but it is one of the most profound movies you could ever watch as well.
