Netflix is leaving fan-favorite 'Barbie' movie without a streaming home — catch it before it's gone
Netflix is about to lose a blockbuster that left an indelible pink mark on the box office, setting a record for the top-earning film ever made by a female director and launching the viral Barbenheimer sensation that dominated the summer of 2023. So if you haven't watched Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie's Oscar-winning "Barbie" movie already, you'll want to catch it ASAP before it's booted off the platform.
Subscribers have just days left to watch "Barbie" before it leaves Netflix on July 15. I expected to see one of the best streaming services scoop up "Barbie" once it's gone, but strangely, that doesn't seem to be the case. Chances are it'll have a new streaming home soon enough, but as it stands, once "Barbie" leaves Netflix, you'll only be able to rent or purchase the movie on premium on-demand platforms like Prime Video or Apple.
If you still haven't watched the "Barbie" movie yet, I'd encourage you to give it a chance. Even if you think it might not be your kind of movie — trust me, it may just surprise you. If you enjoy biting satire, sharp writing, and beachy vibes, it's a fun watch.
The "Barbie" movie whisks us away to the vibrant, seemingly flawless world of Barbie Land, a place where every day is the best day ever, everyone looks amazing, worries don't exist, and spontaneous dance parties are the norm.
But this perfect routine begins to unravel when Stereotypical Barbie(Margot Robbie) suddenly finds herself grappling with thoughts about death and the meaning of life. When she begrudgingly asks Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) for help, she learns that Barbie's existential crisis is connected to the real-world girl playing with her—someone who's clearly going through it.
To put things right, she hops in her hot pink convertible to head to the real world, where, as narrator Helen Mirren informs us, 'all problems of feminism and equal rights have been solved" thanks to (who else?)...Barbie! Accompanied by a stowaway Ken (Ryan Gosling), Barbie quickly discovers that reality is very different from what she was led to believe back in Barbie Land. And when those real-world ideas manage to follow them back home, everything spirals into chaos.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
In addition to Robbie and Gosling, the "Barbie" movie sports an ensemble cast chock-full of familiar faces, including America Ferrera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Emma Mackey, Dua Lipa, Nicola Coughlan, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa, Michael Cera, John Cena, Kate McKinnon, Will Ferrell, Rob Brydon, and more.
I've sung "Barbie's" praises since I first saw it in theaters, but I recently fell in love with it all over again on a recent rewatch with my aunt. I found an old family photo of her playing with one of the original Barbies as a kid, and I immediately recognized the doll's black-and-white swimsuit from the movie's opening scenes.
Though my aunt had initially written it off ("Ain't it a kid's movie?"), I convinced her to sit down and give "Barbie" a chance. It helped that her older sister, who had also seen it, backed me up, calling it "a movie that every woman should watch at least once."
I'm happy to report that not only did she adore it, but so did her 70-plus-year-old husband, who did his fair share of grumbling that we were putting on such a "girly" movie. She especially loved the opening scene about the state of girls' toys before Barbie dolls, because, after all, she lived through it! It was fascinating getting to hear her perspective, and it added an interesting new layer to the movie that I didn't get watching it with my fellow millennials or younger cousins.
Critics have also been outspoken in their praise for the "Barbie" movie. With a stellar 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the critics' consensus reads: "'Barbie' is a visually dazzling comedy whose meta humor is smartly complemented by subversive storytelling."
Ranking it among the best films of 2023, Kiko Martinez of the San Antonio Current called "Barbie" "one of the most thought-provoking social commentaries and empowering mainstream comedies in recent years." In his review for Decider, John Serba was similarly effusive, calling it "the rare film that's as intelligent as it is entertaining."
Reading this after July 15? Or maybe you've already streamed "Barbie" and are looking for your next watch? Check out our guide to all the most critically acclaimed new movies on Netflix for more streaming recommendations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lena Dunham ‘Understands' How Lack of Diversity in ‘Girls' Was ‘Really Disappointing' for Audiences
Lena Dunham is looking back on claims of a lack of diversity in her iconic series 'Girls.' Dunham created, produced, wrote, and starred in the HBO show, which aired from 2012 to 2017. Almost a decade after wrapping, the showrunner is reflecting on how the series was critically received at the time. 'I think one of the profound issues around 'Girls' was that there was so little real estate for women in television,' Dunham told The Independent, '[so] that if you had a show called 'Girls,' which is such a monolithic name, it sounds like it's describing all the girls in all the places. And so if it's not reflecting a multitude of experiences, I understand how that would be really disappointing to people.' More from IndieWire Lena Dunham Details Possible 'Girls' Revival Plot: 'I Would Always' Work with That Cast Again Jason Momoa Unites a People in Apple's 'Chief of War' Trailer Dunham is now returning to TV again with her semi-autobiographical Netflix series 'Too Much,' which has a large ensemble cast representing a slew of races, genders, and nationalities as the show takes place in both New York City and London. 'The thing I have really come to believe is that one of the most important things is not just diversity in front of the camera, but it's diversity behind the camera,' Dunham said, citing how her experience with 'Girls' impacted how she approached 'Too Much.' 'As a producer, one of my goals is to bring a lot of different voices into a position where they can tell their story.' The discussions around diversity in 'Girls' plagued the series ever since it premiered in 2012. The NYC-set show had a white core cast; Dunham famously introduced Donald Glover in Season 2 as one of her onscreen love interests, seemingly in direct response to the criticisms. Glover's character Sandy was a devout Republican in a subversive creative decision. Dunham said in 2012 that the casting was not due to the diversity controversy, though. 'Some are people of color, some are not, some are caucasian because I went to the actors who I wanted to work with and told the stories that seemed vital and exciting,' she said. 'I don't care about satisfying the critics, but I care about satisfying my viewers. And I know I have viewers who are women of color who want to see themselves reflected onscreen. So, that's what matters to me. It doesn't matter to me to satiate people who are looking to kind of put destructive energy onto the world — not to sound like a hippie.' Dunham added in 2018 that she later discussed Glover's character with him and wanted to make sure he was comfortable with the arc. 'I emailed him later to say, 'I hope you feel the part on 'Girls' didn't tokenize you,' and his response was really Donald-y and enigmatic: 'Let's not think back on mistakes we made in the past, let's just focus on what lies in front of us,'' she said (Glover has been vocal about his love of working with Dunham ever since starring in the series.) The magnified criticisms of 'Girls' at the time in part led to Dunham taking an acting hiatus. Dunham told The Times early this season, 'I always joke that I need a T-shirt that says, 'I survived New York media in 2012 and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.' And all I got was this lousy PTSD. I didn't really understand how to distinguish between what was and wasn't necessary for the public. I felt confused about how I was supposed to respond. I thought if I explain properly who I am, or give a glimpse of who I am, people are going to have a different perception of me, that we would be friends. But no one cares — and that's fine.'Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Are We in a New Golden Age of Cold Case TV?
'Out with the new and in with the old' appears to be the mantra for the current spate of crime dramas compensating for the shelved revival of 'Cold Case.' Indeed, having pulled the plug last year on a planned transfer from Philadelphia to the Southwest, CBS may now be having second thoughts, with second Bosch spinoff 'Ballard' just the latest show to join the resurgence in digging up the past. Netflix's first essential watch of 2025, Sweden's 'The Breakthrough' was a harrowing yet respectful dramatization of a real-life double murder case which, thanks to advances in genealogy, was solved 16 years later. Since then, there's been 'Dept. Q' where Matthew Goode's misanthropic detective investigates the mysterious long-forgotten disappearance of an ambitious lawyer, sophomore seasons for Scottish noir 'Karen Pirie' and Aussie whodunit 'Black Snow,' and a sixth helping of BritBox favorite 'Unforgotten.' More from IndieWire Megan Stalter on 'Too Much,' Lena Dunham, and Playing Characters Who Are 'Confident and Nervous at the Same Time' Jason Isaacs Says Backlash to Paapa Essiedu's 'Harry Potter' Casting Is 'Racist' And there's more to come, including the Benedict Cumberbatch-produced 'The Annecy Murders' and Jonathan Pryce-starring 'Under Salt Marsh.' Drawing from novelist Michael Connelly's Los Angeles Police Department multiverse (see 'Blood Work,' 'The Lincoln Lawyer'), 'Ballard' is inevitably the pulpiest of the lot. But as with 'Bosch' and 'Bosch: Legacy,' it balances its cop show cliches (the rogue detective rallying against their superiors, the magical forensics) with a visual panache and narrative intelligence often missing from its network TV equivalents: the recurring shots of the Pacific Coast Highway since devastated by the Southern California wildfires also add some sun-kissed poignancy. As anyone who watched the denouement of 'Legacy' will already know, it boasts a formidable lead worthy of stepping into Bosch's well-worn shoes, too. First introduced continually butting heads with the latter while investigating the deaths of three Filipino prostitutes, Maggie Q's Renee Ballard wastes little time in asserting her authority now she's center stage: within the first two minutes, she's single-handedly taken down a murderer with a gun-toting efficiency that would make Lara Croft proud. Naturally, the powers that be don't necessarily appreciate her no-nonsense skills. 'You're opening cases faster than you're closing them,' claims Jake (Noah Bean), a councilman frustrated that the deep dive into his sister's death hasn't automatically raced to the top of her to-do-list. Nor does she particularly appreciate her role as division leader, either. 'What better way to keep a troublesome woman quiet than to silo her in the ass-end of LAPD,' she notes about a hierarchy that had previously subjected her, and then turned a blind eye, to sexual harassment. The show occasionally touches upon such systematic issues. Reluctant returning cop Samira (Courtney Taylor) reveals she gave up her job over the force's hypocritical attitude to race, while Ballard's mandatory therapy session theorize her line of work may be compounding her trauma. It's far more interested, though, in delving into the cold cases Ballard and her overworked, underfunded department prise wide open. Her motley crew includes Colleen (Rebecca Field), a volunteer whose eagerness to utilize her psychic tendencies provides some welcome comic relief; Ted (Michael Mosley), a cantankerous reserve officer whose attitude to gluten-free and immigrants suggests he's a signed-up member of the anti-woke; and Thomas (John Carroll Lynch), who seems to be fulfilling the 'retired detective who can't stay away' role until a familiar face arrives to 'have a word.' Yes, fast approaching more comebacks than Rocky Balboa, Bosch (Titus Welliver) appears in four of the season's ten episodes to impart his years of experience on a case which may have far wider implications than first feared. Long-time fans will undoubtedly be delighted at this latest reprieve, of course, along with his grizzled way with words ('Finding a killer is like finding a needle in a haystack, except with a cold case, the haystack has blown all over the field') and slightly combative tete-a-tetes with his successor. However, it's a sign the show still doesn't entirely have enough faith to let its heroine entirely speak for herself, despite the fact both Connelly ('captured the character of Ballard from day one') and his real-life inspiration, LAPD detective Mizzi Roberts, have given Q their seal of approval. Still, Ballard largely remains in the driving seat throughout as she begins to suspect a series of seemingly isolated homicides from both the past and present — a John Doe last seen with a baby yet to be found, an aspiring actress strangled 17 years ago, a motel cleaner shot by a mentally ill loner — may well be linked to one giant overarching conspiracy. Meanwhile, an on/off romance with lifeguard Aaron (Michael Cassidy) and some domestic banter with free-spirited grandma Tutu (the ever scene-stealing Amy Hill) also help deepen her backstory, even if the former only really skims the surface. Admittedly, that could be said of the entire show. 'Ballard' certainly isn't as multi-layered as 'Dept. Q,' nor as emotive as 'The Breakthrough.' Although its semi-feminist spin may reel in a less testosterone-fueled audience, it still occupies the same 'Dad TV' middle ground which has become its home platform's forte. But with a compelling lead and knotty mystery, it should continue the renaissance for crimes long considered dead and buried. All 10 episodes of 'Ballard' will be available to stream on Prime Video on Wednesday, July 9. Best of IndieWire The Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in July, from 'Vertigo' and 'Rear Window' to 'Emily the Criminal' The Best Lesbian Movies Ever Made, from 'D.E.B.S.' and 'Carol' to 'Bound' and 'Pariah' All 12 Wes Anderson Movies, Ranked, from 'Bottle Rocket' to 'The Phoenician Scheme'
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Klay Thompson teases Megan Thee Stallion romance with PDA photos
Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion are apparently making their love known on the 'gram. Days after the Grammy-winning rapper included the Dallas Mavericks star in a poolside Instagram post, Thompson, 35, shared a collection of vacation shots Saturday on the social media platform that featured him cozying up to a woman in the Bahamas. Although Thompson's lady in question had her face turned away from the camera, the bright pink nails matched those Megan, 30, rocked in her original pool shoot on July 9. 6 Klay Thompson packed on the PDA in new Instagram photos. Klay Thompson/Instagram 6 The photos were shared days after Megan Thee Stallion included the Dallas Mavericks star in a poolside post. Instagram/@theestallion Thompson added a photo of a couple holding hands to his PDA-packed carousel. Prior to her romance with Thompson, Megan was linked to Chicago Bulls forward Torrey Craig last summer. At the time, the pair participated in a TikTok couple's challenge, where they answered questions about one another by pointing at each other or themselves with their eyes shut. 6 Klay Thompson held a woman's hand in one snap, with her nails appearing to match the shade Megan sported. Klay Thompson/Instagram 6 Megan Thee Stallion rocked bright pink nails in recent bikini snaps. Instagram/@theestallion Megan shared the video before deleting it. Thompson, who was previously involved with actress Laura Harrier, is coming off his first season in Dallas after spending the first 13 years of his NBA career with the Warriors. A four-time NBA champ with Golden State, Thompson averaged 14 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists this past season. 6 Klay Thompson (31) just wrapped his first season with the Dallas Mavericks. NBAE via Getty Images 6 The four-time NBA champion spent the first 13 years of his career with Golden State. Getty Images Thompson originally agreed to a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks during free agency last July. The Mavericks, fresh off a 2024 NBA Finals run, then shook up the NBA in February when they stunningly traded star Luka Doncic to the Lakers, resulting in a turbulent fallout for the Dallas franchise. When asked in April if he still would have chosen the Mavericks, knowing what he knows now, Thompson scoffed at the 'ridiculous' question. 'You can't do that to me… That's kind of a ridiculous question,' he said. 'I don't own a time machine, and I don't believe in looking back. If I didn't have my whole career, I would not be where I'm at, and I wouldn't have been able to persevere through two really hard injuries.' The future is looking bright for the Mavericks, though, as the team selected former Duke standout Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in last month's NBA draft.
