Barbie (2023)

"You don't have your license."

"This car has no engine!"

Everyday in Barbieland looks the same: the Barbies rule the world and party every night. Barbie (Robbie) loves her life until bad things start happening to her. When her feet go flat, she turns to Weird Barbie (McKinnon) for help. Weird Barbie sends her to the real world to fix the rift between their worlds. 

Meanwhile, Ken (Gosling) feels neglected. His world revolves around Barbie, but she doesn't feel the same. He joins Barbie on the trip into the real world. Can they find Gloria (Ferrera) and Sasha (Greenblatt) and save the world?

Based on the popular Mattel toy Barbie. Barbie was created by Ruthe Handler in 1959. This is Barbie's live-action film debut. 

The Good:

This film clearly loves Barbie. It includes discontinued dolls, such as Allan and Midge, and the other characters such as Skipper. They also enjoy throwbacks to classic outfits and the iconic Barbie pink.

The story is packed with laughs, including at the quirks of Barbie.

Ryan Gosling is great as Ken; he steals the show! All of the Kens are ridiculous, but earnest. The Barbies are good too.

The choreographed dance at the party and the "I'm Just Ken" sequence are awesome. 

The Bad:

The film gets preachy about feminism vs the patriarchy. 

Other Comments:

-Rhea Perlman plays the ghost of Barbie creator Ruth Handler, which includes facts about her life.

-The story enjoys going after Mattel, with Will Ferrell as the over-the-top Mattel CEO.

-The song "What Was I Made For?" by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell is hauntingly beautiful. 

I wanted to like this film, but didn't. Some parts were funny and I loved the "I'm just Ken" scene, but it just didn't match the hype.

-Nominated for 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Song (for both "What Was I Made For?" and "I'm Just Ken"), Best Supporting Actor for Gosling, Best Supporting Actress for Ferrera.

Barbie (2023) 114 minutes

Rating: PG-13 for suggestive references and brief language

Director: Greta Gerwig

Starring: Margot Robbie as Barbie

Ryan Gosling as Ken

Issa Rae as President Barbie 

Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie 

Alexandra Shipp as Writer Barbie 

Simu Liu as Rival Ken 

Kingsley Ben-Adir as Basketball Ken 

Ncuti Gatwa as Artist Ken 

Scott Evans as Stereotypical Ken 

America Ferrera as Gloria

Ariana Greenblatt as Sasha

Rhea Perlman as Ruth Handler

Helen Mirren as the Narrator

Will Ferrell as the CEO of Mattel

Michael Cera as Allan

Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!

"He's turning this park into a boot camp, with me getting the boot!"

It's Spring and the bears at Jellystone National Park are emerging from hibernation and the park is open to the public. Yogi Bear (Butler) and his best pal Boo-Boo Bear (Messick) are up to their usual tricks to scam food out of tourists. Cindy Bear (Bennett) has love on her mind, pursuing an oblivious Yogi.

Yogi's antics put him at odds with Ranger Smith (Messick). As their battle of wills escalate, Yogi is transferred to the San Diego Zoo. He manages to outsmart another bear into taking his place, and Yogi hides out in the park, while stealing food from the tourists as the Brown Phantom. But Yogi's friends don't know he's still in the park. Cindy forces Ranger Smith to transfer her as well, but learns too late that she's going to the St. Louis Zoo instead.

When Yogi realizes he loves Cindy and misses Boo-Boo, he quits the solitary life and goes home. But he is devastated to learn that Cindy is missing. He and Boo-Boo leave the park to rescue Cindy. Can the bears find each other and get home to Jellystone again?

This is Hanna-Barbera's first film, giving the characters from The Yogi Bear Show (1961-1962) their big screen debut.

The Good:

The voice actors from the show reprise their characters here, along with other Hanna-Barbera regular voice actors to round out the cast. The film tells a unique story that can be enjoyed by fans of the show and new viewers alike. It keeps the same antics as the show, but in a longer format and across a larger distance.

The film features original songs written by Ray Gilbert and Doug Goodwin. The songs are catchy and upbeat, and get stuck in your head.

The Chizzling Brothers and Mugger the dog are excellent villains.

The Bad:

The Chizzling Brothers and Mugger aren't in enough of the movie. After they are gone, there isn't a clear villain or danger other than the generic "man" and the threat of potentially being separated again.

Other Comments:

-I have fond memories of this film from my childhood. My strongest memory was Cindy smacking the Chizzling Brothers with her umbrella while saying "And you're a mean, mean, mean, mean, mean man!" (which is still my favorite part), and random snippets of the songs. I found it again as an adult and still enjoyed it (and still knew most of the words to the songs).

-James Darren provides Yogi's voice in the song "Ven-e, Ven-o, Ven-a", which makes a nice in-joke when Boo-Boo comments that Yogi sings like James Darren. 

-My favorite song is "St. Louis Mo"

-The dog Mugger is a precursor to Mutley in The Wacky Races (the look and laugh).

Hey There, It's Yogi Bear! (1964) 89 minutes

Directors: Joseph Barbera & William Hanna

Starring: Daws Butler as Yogi Bear, Airplane Pilot, Ranger Tom

Don Messick as Boo-Boo Bear, Ranger Smith, Ranger Jones, Mugger, Yogi's conscience, the blonde-haired policemen, TV Reporter, Airport Manager

Julie Bennett as Cindy Bear

Mel Blanc as Grifter Chizzling, Southern Accented Bear in Train, Mugger The Dog

J. Pat O'Malley as Snively Chizzling

Bill Lee as Yogi Bear (singing)

Ernest Newton as Boo-Boo Bear (singing)

Jackie Ward as Cindy Bear (singing)