Barbie (2023)

Direction: Greta Gerwig
Country: USA

The pink bubble surrounding the world-famous 11-inch plastic doll Barbie, which made its first appearance in 1959 in New York by the hand of creator and Mattel co-founder Ruth Handel, is hard to recreate, even in modern cinema. Yet, and despite the dominant sense of goofiness, the talented filmmaker Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, 2017; Little Women, 2019) demonstrates she’s capable of surprising the viewer with clever takes on several important topics - from patriarchy to identity to consumerism and capitalism. Fresh ideas co-orchestrated with partner Noah Baumbach transpire throughout a film that jolts with jubilant humor, music, dance, and a few truths about real-world men and women.

In this artificial Hollywood fantasy, Barbie (Margot Robbie, who also produced) struggles with thoughts of death, and inexplicably gets flat feet and cellulite. These malfunctions prompt her to see Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) for advice. The latter urges her to leave Barbieland and go to the real world where she will connect with the unsatisfied Mattel-designer Gloria (America Ferrera), and her brash daughter, Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt). Whereas Barbie becomes aware of her depressive state, her forever boyfriend, Beach Ken (Ryan Gosling), makes a move to transform Barbieland into a patriarchal Kenland by brainwashing the remaining versions of Barbie. A pink revolution, not devoid of sweet reasonableness, is needed to reestablish peace and justice.

Benefitting from Helen Mirren’s effective narration, this feminist film hovers over the topics with wittiness, enjoyment and critical thinking. The result is cheerily upbeat. Great energy and creativity went into the construction, production and direction of this movie, which, as good as it is at times, still misses the heart. With that said, that final scene was simply brilliant, leaving me no other option than surrender myself to Gerwig’s intelligent humor. This Barbie movie might be too candied and flamboyant but is certainly not silly.

White Noise (2023)

Direction: Noah Baumbach
Country: USA 

In White Noise, Oscar-winning writer-director Noah Baumbach (Frances Ha, 2012; Marriage Story, 2019) probes a different style, attempting to charm with adventure, crime thriller, and family comedy. The outcome of his first-ever adaptation is too theoretical and uneven to subsist. With Don DeLillo’s novel of the same name in mind, and showcasing an excellent pair of actors like Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig, Baumbach couldn’t quite handle the odd material. The course of events is perhaps excessively elaborated and the dramatic stakes feel rather low.  

The story, set in the 1980s, focuses on the Gladneys and how they react to a hazardous cloud of deadly chemicals, the fear of death (who thought of Woody Allen?), and the physical and psychological effects of an experimental drug not listed in the pharmacies. Jack (Driver) is a Nazism expert and professor who enjoys knotty chatting with his Elvis-devotee fellow, Murray Siskind (Don Cheadle); Babette (Gerwig), who normally reveals and confides, is visibly depressed as she goes through a difficult phase marked by insecurity and obscurity.

With its derivative style and witless plot-twists, the film aspires to be grandiose, comprehensive, and clever but falls flat. Baumbach quickly loses control of his film and often struggles to keep the story afloat, leaving us on the sidelines. White Noise is a disjointed and deliberately delirious monument, whose ambition is overburdened with messed-up ideas and genres, and whose required excitement becomes a tricky thing to pull off. In the end, this offbeat journey has no discernible point, and the only thing one can enjoy is the actors’ qualified performances.

Little Women (2019)

Direction: Greta Gerwig
Country: USA

Greta Gerwig’s sophomore directorial feature, Little Women, is an inspired adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, doing what few movies based on great books can do. The director adopts a flowing, leisurely style, preferring a breezy warmth and humor to the usual boring details and sentimental baits that, most of the times, inundate these period dramas.

This heartfelt, coming-of-age story, set in post Civil-War America, allows us to keep pace with the growth of the four March sisters, from childhood to womanhood. The brave, hot tempered, and independent Jo (Saoirse Ronan) is a talented writer and teacher in New York who refuses to comply with the established conventions regarding the role of women in the society; the slightly rebellious painter-wannabe Amy (Florence Pugh) competes with Jo for attention; the ambitious eldest sister, Meg (Emma Watson), is tired of being poor and just aims at a good marriage; and the quiet Beth (Eliza Scanlen), the shyest of the sisters, has in music her main interest in life.

Raised by their kind-hearted mother, Marmee (Laura Dern), they are all so different in nature, but also extremely united. Episodes of jealousy are frequently depicted with humor and involve the sisters' wealthy neighbor, Theodore "Laurie" Laurence (Timothée Chalamet), whose charms conquer Amy’s heart but not his best friend Jo, with whom he’s in love. Meryl Streep plays the sisters’ aunt marvelously, the family’s spinster who just wants to see the girls well married.

The pace is set to perfection and you won’t find one single dull moment here. Gerwig masterfully builds up this story with appealing ease and self-assurance, planting it over a solid structure that doesn’t shrivel at any stage. The camera lens captures everything that’s relevant with curiosity and spirit, and both director and cast fuel the proceedings with the more delightful of the touches.

This refreshingly smart take on Little Women reaches the dimensions of a new classic. It’s undoubtedly one of the greatest movies of 2019.

Lady Bird (2017)

Directed By: Greta Gerwig
Country: USA

The extremely talented actress turned deft writer and now promising director, Greta Gerwig ("Francis Ha", "Mistress America"), reveals her genius in “Lady Bird”, a delightful coming-of-age comedy-drama with so much to be apprehended and cherished.

The semi-autobiographical film is a love letter to her city of Sacramento in California and also a glorious portrait of family and friendship, personal dreams and social status.

The American actress of Irish descent, Saoirse Ronan, who excelled in John Crowley's drama "Brooklyn", stars as Christine McPherson, a quick-tempered 16-year-old who wants to be called by Lady Bird. Her rebelliousness can easily turn into radical actions such as throwing herself out of a moving car because of an argument with her nurse mother, Marion (Laurie Metcalf). The clash between these strong personalities is very perceptible here, becoming the responsible factor for those typical love-hate bonds in the life of an adolescent. Besides, the title character hates Sacramento and doesn’t want to study at the Catholic high school, despite the scholarship granted to her. According to her mother, this financial help came at the right time since her depressed father, Larry (Tracy Letts), is currently unemployed. But the ambitious Lady Bird wants more and dreams about going to the East coast, where all the culture is. Unfortunately, her parents couldn’t afford to give her an education there, but that’s no reason to give up, though. The resilient Lady Bird already engendered a plan with the complicity of her benevolent father.

Meanwhile, at school, she hangs out with her best friend, Julie (Beanie Feldstein), and starts dating with an Irish Catholic boy, Danny (Lucas Hedges), who comes to the conclusion he’s gay after all, stressing out with the thought of having to confess the truth to his parents. 

In a blink of an eye, the life of Lady Bird shifts from anonymity to the center of attention when she starts a more serious relationship with the popular Kyle (Timothée Chalamet), the leader of a cool rock band, who often puts on airs. Moreover, she cuts off relations with Julie, replacing her with the spoiled and pretentious Jenna Walton (Odeya Rush). However, and because life always reveals us if we're right or wrong, she realizes, sooner than later, that those moves were nothing but mistakes. Learning and growing!

Ms. Gerwig not only depicted the tempestuous mother-daughter relationship with extraordinary precision, but also set up each and every other interpersonal connection with outstanding truthfulness. The topic has been addressed countless times but few attained this level of credibility. 

The characters are meaningful and fascinating, the narrative is no slouch, and the story, incredibly simple, is grandiose in terms of gracefulness and spirit.
This funny, tender, and brilliant film, thriving with witty observations and touching conclusions, is undoubtedly at the very top of my 2017 best list.