journey to the real world scene

Barbie And Ken's Epic Journey To The Real World Was A Practical Effect

In the 64 years since the first Barbie dolls were introduced, Barbie has amassed a mighty impressive and expansive lore , making it impossible for any movie about the doll itself to encompass its entire history. And yet, somehow, co-writer and director Greta Gerwig struck gold with her live-action film "Barbie," delivering what BJ Colangelo described in her review for /Film as "an absolute marvel hiding within the plastic pink confines of Barbie, making it a phenomenal reflection of the iconic doll that serves as source material."

Gerwig's film and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," which together form the so-called Barbenheimer double feature, have already made a huge splash at the box office , and it is easy to see why. Both films are rare examples of blockbusters not based on a pre-existing film franchise, as well as movies that are not immediately trying to set up a sequel or a spin-off.

Like Nolan's film about the father of the atomic bomb, "Barbie" is full of lavish practical sets and effects, with a lot of attention paid to making Barbieland feel real, which shows on the screen. And it's not just about building a Barbie Dream House set, or how every vehicle in the film is built to resemble an actual Barbie toy, but how the film channels silent era Hollywood movies for the transition between Barbieland and the real world, wherein Barbie uses a variety of vehicles and travels across magical landscapes (including space).

A behind-the-scenes featurette for the film reveals the making of this transition sequence and how each set was practical. As Ryan Gosling says in the featurette, "[The scenes were] using these old silent movie film techniques, it looked like a Karel Zeman movie," referring to the Czech filmmaker who often combined live-action footage with animation.

Life in plastic is fantastic

As production designer Sarah Greenwood explains in the featurette, the "Barbie" creative team "looked at theatrical methods of making things work, so the foreground goes very fast, then [the background] goes slightly slower."

Indeed, a B-roll video (posted to  Twitter ) shows the film's crew literally pulling the foreground and background with ropes while two stand-in crew members sit in the Barbie car to show the effect in motion. It's honestly a stunning sight. Sure, it's inherently silly, like emulating a Hanna-Barbera cartoon wraparound scene, but in the context of the film, and because it looks so different compared to other recent VFX-heavy films, there's something special about having such a relatively simple practical effect you know is fake yet somehow makes it feel more real.

It's no surprise, then, that those working on film productions in the vicinity of the "Barbie" set became curious enough to continually find excuses to visit, which is just what the cast of "Fast X" did , resulting in John Cena landing a coveted role in "Barbie." As to what his cameo is, well, it's best not to spoil it if you haven't seen the film yet. Just know it is unmissable.

"Barbie" is currently playing in theaters.

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Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is a Fascinating, Spectacular Philosophical Experiment

Barbie literalizes the abstract and abstracts the literal in an engaging, thought-provoking inquiry into the female experience.

Do you remember the scene in Singin’ in the Rain where Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse dance a romantic, longing modernist-ballet number? That scene is a dream sequence within a dream sequence. Gene Kelly’s character, an actor in late 20s Hollywood, is pitching a movie to a studio head and the film allows the viewer to watch the description he is conjuring. In this imaginary scene, a “young hoofer” comes to Broadway with dreams of being a star, and has them stymied for a while, along the way meeting a beautiful woman—Cyd Charisse—who is dating a gangster. He imagines falling in love with her anyway, and so the film takes us to that fantasy, which takes the form of a windy dance on a blue-and-pink-tinted soundstage.

What we’re watching is so far removed from the plot of the actual Singin’ in the Rain —which is about the Hollywood community adjusting after the advent of sound technology—but it doesn’t matter. It is a beautiful scene, a stunning bodily representation of desire and passion in the brief moment they are allowed to manifest. Movies don’t exist just to relay plots; they have tools and qualities all their own that permit experimentation, and even allow the visual exploration of abstract things like feelings, thoughts, and ideas.

It is known, via a Letterboxed profile curated by the writer-director-Greta Gerwig, that her new film Barbie takes some inspiration from Singin’ in the Rain , as well as other musicals from Hollywood’s Golden Age, including Kelly’s even more abstract An American in Paris . Gerwig’s Barbie, a dramatically hyped mainstream film about the famous Mattel doll that was created in 1959 and went on to become one of the most influential pop cultural forces in history, shares an essence with these movies.

It is an inventive, highly wildly conceptual thought experiment—not merely about the doll Barbie or even her complicated legacy and what she represents, but also about what it means to be a woman. It takes place in a similar kind of space as “the movie musical” writ large, a genre of alternate reality in which emotions and thoughts can be explored through music, song, dance, and other stuff that doesn’t happen in real life.

Barbie combines the rules of the movie musical’s imaginary netherworld with the investments of a Beckett or a Ionesco play. We’ve all seen plays where human actors play unwieldy concepts like “the city of St. Louis” or “polio” or even real material things like “bullets.” That’s the variety of inquiry Barbie is; yes, it explores the complex figure of the Barbie Doll through cinematic conventions of faux-documentary, movie-musical, and traditional Hero’s Journey narrative, but it also is simply an unreal experiment, a highly symbolic exercise where theoretical entities get to speak for themselves, and where real people get to tell anthropomorphized theoretical entities what effects they have on the human experience. The whole movie is a mise-en-abyme-heavy dream sequence, a fantasy of a dialogue between real women and womankind’s evolving, go-getting golem plaything.

I was fascinated by Barbie , which was written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, and which earnestly takes on a lot of hard work and mostly pulls it off. Compellingly, Barbie literalizes the abstract and abstracts the literal as it progresses. Gerwig’s own (presumed) thoughts and research into three-score years of Barbie frame the story, especially via the movie’s opener, a 2001: A Space Odyssey pastiche in which little girls discover the Barbie doll for the first time; the narrator (Helen Mirren) reminds us that, before Barbie, little girls could only play with  baby  dolls, pretend to be mothers; Barbie was the first grown-up doll. She was the first major girl-marketed cultural signifier insisting that a girl could be someone other than a mother. And not only that, but that she could be someone glamorous and exciting.

After this, the film follows a day in the life of a blonde Barbie, the main Barbie, the “Barbie you think of when someone says ‘think of a Barbie,'” the film calls her. She is played by Margot Robbie, who also produced the film. She lives in Barbie Land, a realm where the souls? subconscious minds? astral projections? of literal Barbie Dolls live and interact together. While their doll-bodies are being played with in the Real World, their selves live here, though they take on the characteristics of the things happening to their doll-bodies in play. This means that Barbie Land is kind of magic; outfits change spontaneously depending on the activity, Barbies float from one level of their Dream Houses to another—as if they are being played with by invisible hands.

Barbie Land is a paradise of female empowerment. The narrator reminds us how Barbie has taken on many more meanings and identities since her debut in a bathing suit in 1959, and that the Barbie concept is diverse in terms of representations of female excellence and perfection. Barbie is all women, the narrator reminds us, and she is a reminder that women can do anything. In Barbie Land, the Barbies—beautiful, accomplished, happy in all their different appearances and jobs and roles—run a supportive, productive world. There are also Kens, who do not have jobs or purposes. Barbie’s Ken (Ryan Gosling) lives for her, longs to unite more with her, wants her to love him. In interviews, Gerwig has noted that Barbie, and not Ken, is the main draw of Mattel products, and analyzed its fascinating implications: “Ken was invented after Barbie, to burnish Barbie’s position in our eyes and in the world. That kind of creation myth is the opposite of the creation myth in Genesis.”

Gerwig notes the potential for Barbie’s incredible progressiveness and takes advantage of it—telling a story about a Barbie who discovers that, in actual life, women are seen as the accessories. For the record, I don’t think the film advocates that people of any gender should be accessories to those of another gender, but Barbie still allows us to revel in the delight of an all-female paradise for a while.

Anyway, one day, our Barbie begins to experience an existential crisis—she begins to wonder about dying and freak about about “forever” and stasis. Her feet loosen from their arched position and land flat on the floor. Panicking, she goes to see an oracle-style Barbie known as Weird Barbie, maimed with crayons and perpetually in a split position after her doll self got “played with too hard.” Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) explains that Barbies are psychically connected to the children playing them, and so in order to correct these out-of-place crises, Barbie has to travel to the Real World and find that girl and help her assuage her concerns.

Barbie heads on a journey to the Real World, accompanied by Ken, who longs to prove himself to her. But when they arrive in the modern world (Los Angeles), they discover something jarring: the world is not, in fact, a feminist society in which women get to exercise (and be celebrated for) their skills and aptitudes, but… the opposite. Barbie herself grows very depressed, while Ken feels empowered, by this rift. Ken runs back to Barbie Land to tell the other Kens that “men rule the world” in reality while Barbie discovers that she’s unwittingly something of a villain there. She discovers, from a group of tween girls, that not only is Barbie not a feminist hero, but is also a controversial and outdated toy who has contributed to and participated in the creation of impossible, unhealthy, and problematic standards for women, not to mention the glorification of capitalism and the mass production environmentally-poisonous plastic. And she discovers Mattel, an FBI-style entity determined to keep the existence of the Avalon-like Barbie Land a secret.

While evading the Mattel G-Men, Barbie winds up meeting her playmate, who turns out not to be a child, but the mother of a child. She, Gloria (America Ferrera), has always loved Barbie, but her love for Barbie cannot override the frustrations and problems of her regular life, including a lack of professional and creative fulfillment (she’s a secretary at Mattel). But something happens when they’re together, and Barbie decides to bring her new friend and her Barbie-hating preteen daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt) back to Barbie Land to help empower them. But when they get there, they discover that Ken has brought the idea of male supremacy back, taken over the paradise, and brainwashed all of the brilliant, accomplished Barbies into serving them and ornamenting their spaces.

Barbie isn’t a subtle movie, and that’s okay! Subtlety is overrated. It’s clear now, if it hasn’t been before, that Barbie slings many, many metaphors about the state of female existence in its current moment. Barbie is about a jealous, women-hating current that runs deep in male perspective. Ken is ultimately a bit of an incel (even though he’d be called a Chad BY the incels), and in Barbie we watch as all the progress, works, dreams of women are dismantled and erased and destroyed by men who need to feel like they control powerful women in order to feel powerful, themselves. It’s a movie that feels like it’s about Abortion Bans and the January 6th insurrection and our Post-Trump society just as it feels (sadly) timeless.

But even more insightful is what happens to Barbie when she realizes her world is a disaster. She grows depressed, begins to hate and doubt herself. She feels unattractive, unimportant, like a failure. Gerwig was influenced in writing the screenplay by the 1994 nonfiction book Reviving Ophelia, about the sudden, mass self-confidence and depression crisis that hits girls around puberty. “They’re funny and brash and confident, and then they just—stop,” she explained of the phenomenon to Vogue . “…All of a sudden, [girls think], Oh, I’m not good enough .”

Watching Barbie , this moment (when Robbie’s Barbie collapses into despair, feeling like a failure because she can’t fix the horrible things happening around her), was one of the most intuitive moments I’ve ever seen on film. Even more so is when Gloria comforts her, by acknowledging the horrible double-standards that make women feel this way, universally, delivering a heart-rending, passionate soliloquy that provides the film’s heart as well as its thesis statement. I cried a lot during the Barbie movie, but I really cried here.

Barbie not only understands what it’s like to be a woman, but has a lot of love for women, which is refreshing. It also has a lot of love for childhood, but it doesn’t allow the nostalgia for girlhood to muddle the empowerment of adult women. Barbie is a genuine masterpiece for its studies in making the intangible tangible , and this is epitomized by its magnificent production, set, and costume design.

The Barbie Dream Houses don’t have walls, just like in life. The Barbie World doesn’t come with food, just adhesive decals and plastic pieces. There is an extroardinary tactility, solidity to this world that is so reminiscent of playing with Barbies, like how McKinnon’s defaced Barbie almost always has her legs split apart. Watching the film, I remembered the feel and movement of these toys. There’s a Proust joke in Barbie , but I’m not joking when I’m saying that if Proust saw Barbie, he’d write another 1,000 pages. That’s how evocative Gerwig’s direction is. There are whole scenes in the movie that seem intended just to allow the audience to feel .

Robbie, who demonstrates tremendous physical comedy skills while also relaying depths of humanity, is wonderful as this torn Barbie. Gosling, whose relentless commitment to his character is astonishing, would be the film’s scene-stealer if Robbie wasn’t such a strong anchor. But Ferrera is the best part of the star-studded cast, a phenomenally real woman.

Barbie is so insightful in its symbolic intervention that when it returns to its Hero’s Journey/Barbie-vs. Mattel plot, it becomes a lot less satisfying. Mostly because, after watching ideas come to life, becoming reminded about the tethers to branding and commercial interests feels irrelevant and almost contradictory and even occasionally unpleasant. There’s a little too much humanization in the end, actually, partially of entities who might not deserve it, in a story that is, ultimately, about women . Things get messy and very, well, imperfect.

Still, I spent the nearly two-hours of Barbie noting how thoughtful and ambitious it was. Personally, I felt very seen and understood. I was moved and even felt a little appreciated, in a universal way. And that’s not an easy to do with a main character who is essentially a lump of plastic shaped like a person. But there is nothing fake, nothing false about Barbie . To Barbie , life may be plastic, but it’s also profound.

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Meaning of Journey To The Real World by Tame Impala

The song "Journey To The Real World" by Tame Impala seems to explore the anticipation and curiosity surrounding the idea of reaching the "real world" or a place beyond the present reality. The lyrics depict a sense of longing for something more and a desire to escape the current circumstances.

In the verses, the singer expresses a yearning to explore new horizons, stating that there is somewhere else to see beyond their current situation. The future is portrayed as a mystery, suggesting that there is excitement and uncertainty surrounding what lies ahead. The lyrics convey a sense of wonderment and curiosity about what they will encounter when they finally reach the destination they refer to as the "real world."

The chorus repeats the phrase "The real world," emphasizing the goal and destination they are striving to reach. It can be interpreted as a metaphorical representation of a place where they believe life will be more fulfilling, genuine, or authentic.

Overall, "Journey To The Real World" reflects a desire for change, exploration, and a longing for a more meaningful existence beyond the present circumstances. It hints at the hope and anticipation associated with embarking on a new chapter in life and the possibility of finding a sense of purpose or happiness.

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– Entertainment Analysis and Reviews

Barbie (2023) Film – Empowerment & Authenticity Explored

“Barbie” (2023) is a captivating live-action fantasy comedy helmed by director Greta Gerwig and co-written by both Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. The film boasts an impressive production team, including David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, and Robbie Brenner as producers. Inspired by the iconic Barbie doll from Mattel, the movie stars the talented Margot Robbie in the titular role of Barbie, with Ryan Gosling charmingly portraying Ken. Additionally, the film features a stellar supporting cast, including America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell.

Released by Warner Bros. Pictures, “Barbie” made its theatrical debut on July 21, 2023, captivating audiences with its imaginative storytelling and delightful performances. This much-anticipated adaptation of the beloved doll’s universe brings the world of Barbie to life like never before, taking viewers on a journey filled with laughter, magic, and self-discovery.

Plot Synopsis – What’s the movie barbie about?

Characters analysis, the meaning, themes and significance of the movie, ending explained.

The film “Barbie” takes a unique and self-aware approach, presenting a heartwarming yet humorous story of a doll named Barbie who ventures into the real world in search of meaning in life. The movie opens with a narration by Helen Mirren, who provides a voiceover about the inception of Barbie and how the iconic doll has influenced generations of little girls around the world.

Barbie, voiced by Margot Robbie, embarks on a soul-searching journey as she discovers her purpose and identity in the real world. Throughout the film, Greta Gerwig artfully blends comedy, emotional depth, and tongue-in-cheek dialogue to explore the complexities of being a teenage girl and the various challenges and aspirations that come with it.

As the story unfolds, Barbie encounters a range of experiences, including finding unexpected friendship, dealing with self-doubt and societal expectations, and coming to terms with her own uniqueness. The film’s emotional rollercoaster is complemented by its wit and cleverness, making it an enjoyable experience for audiences of all ages.

The movie showcases an impressive display of visual and technical brilliance, with meticulous attention to detail in costume design and production, paying homage to Barbie’s iconic evolution over the years. The cinematography, led by Rodrigo Prieto, adds a glossy and vibrant touch to the overall presentation, capturing the charm of Barbie’s universe and its inhabitants.

Critics and audiences have lauded “Barbie” for its subversive and refreshing take on the classic doll character, making it one of the most anticipated and talked-about blockbusters of the year. Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Barbie has been praised for its charisma and charm, while Ryan Gosling’s comedic performance as Ken has garnered considerable attention.

While “Barbie” does have moments of melancholy and emotional resonance, it ultimately leaves viewers with a sense of hope and inspiration, celebrating the power of embracing one’s individuality and finding meaning in life’s journey.

Overall, “Barbie” (2023) stands as a delightful and innovative addition to the world of live-action adaptations, offering a fresh and empowering perspective on the beloved doll character that has captured the hearts of millions for decades.

In the 2023 film “Barbie,” directed by Greta Gerwig, there are several characters who play significant roles in the story. Here are some of the key characters and brief descriptions of each:

• Barbie (Voiced by Margot Robbie): The titular character and the heart of the film. Barbie is a beloved doll who embarks on a journey from her fantastical world to the real world in search of meaning and purpose. Throughout the film, Barbie discovers her individuality, navigates self-doubt, and learns to embrace her uniqueness. Voiced by Margot Robbie, Barbie’s portrayal brings charm, charisma, and vulnerability to the character.
• Ken (Played by Ryan Gosling): Ken is Barbie’s iconic companion and love interest. In the film, Ken is portrayed as a hilarious “himbo,” a man who may be attractive but not particularly intelligent. Ryan Gosling’s performance brings humor and wit to the role, making Ken a memorable and endearing character.
• Helen Mirren (Narrator): Helen Mirren lends her voice to the film as the narrator. She provides insights into the history and significance of Barbie, offering a thoughtful and reflective perspective on the character’s cultural impact.

• America Ferrera: Known for her roles in “Ugly Betty” and “Superstore,” Ferrera plays a character who befriends Barbie in the real world, helping her navigate the challenges she encounters.
• Kate McKinnon: A versatile comedian known for her work on “Saturday Night Live,” McKinnon brings her comedic talents to the film, portraying a quirky and humorous character.
• Issa Rae: An acclaimed actress and writer, Issa Rae’s character adds depth and nuance to the story, contributing to Barbie’s emotional journey.
• Rhea Perlman and Will Ferrell: Both actors bring their comedic prowess to the film, adding laughs and humor to the narrative.
• Other Cast Members: The film features an array of other characters who interact with Barbie during her adventure, each playing a unique role in her growth and self-discovery.

It’s worth noting that Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” is characterized by its self-awareness and clever humor, which extends to the portrayal of these characters. They contribute to the film’s subversive and refreshing take on the iconic doll, making “Barbie” a memorable and entertaining cinematic experience.

“Barbie” (2023) directed by Greta Gerwig carries several layers of meaning, symbolism, and significance that contribute to its overall impact and reception. Here are some key aspects to consider:

• Self-Discovery and Identity: At its core, “Barbie” explores the theme of self-discovery and identity. Barbie’s journey from her fantastical world to the real world represents a quest to find her true self and purpose. This mirrors the journey many individuals go through in adolescence and young adulthood as they navigate their identities and aspirations.
• Empowerment and Individuality: The film celebrates the power of embracing individuality and authenticity. Barbie’s character evolves beyond the stereotypical image of the doll, breaking free from societal expectations and embracing her unique qualities. This message promotes self-empowerment and encourages viewers to be true to themselves, regardless of external pressures.
• Feminism and Female Empowerment: As an iconic symbol of femininity, Barbie has often been criticized for perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards and gender roles. Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” addresses this criticism head-on, subverting traditional tropes and presenting Barbie as a complex and empowered character. The film challenges societal expectations and promotes a feminist perspective on female representation and empowerment.
• Social Commentary: “Barbie” is self-aware and includes social commentary on various themes, including consumerism, pop culture, and the impact of media on body image. The film acknowledges Barbie’s historical significance and addresses the complexities of her cultural impact, both positive and negative.
• Humor and Satire: The film’s humor and satire add layers of entertainment and commentary. Through tongue-in-cheek dialogue and comedic situations, “Barbie” pokes fun at societal norms and expectations, offering a fresh perspective on a well-known character.
• Cultural Iconography and Nostalgia: “Barbie” is rich in cultural iconography, featuring nods to various eras of Barbie’s history and the impact she has had on generations of fans. This nostalgia appeals to audiences who grew up with Barbie and fosters a sense of connection and familiarity.
• Visual and Technical Brilliance: The film’s production design, costume design, and cinematography play a significant role in the storytelling. The attention to detail in recreating Barbie’s world and her iconic looks showcases the significance of the character in popular culture.

The ending of the movie “Barbie” (2023) is a poignant and emotionally resonant conclusion to Barbie’s journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Throughout the film, Barbie, voiced by Margot Robbie, ventures from her fantastical world to the real world in search of meaning and purpose. As the story unfolds, she grapples with self-doubt and societal expectations, ultimately learning to embrace her uniqueness and authenticity.

In the climax of the film, Barbie faces a crucial moment of decision. She must choose between returning to her original world, where she was initially created as a doll, or remaining in the real world, where she has discovered her true self and found meaningful connections with others.

This decision becomes a symbolic representation of personal growth and empowerment. Barbie’s choice to stay in the real world signifies her embrace of her individuality and her willingness to face the complexities and challenges that come with it. It highlights the importance of authenticity and staying true to oneself, even when it may be easier to conform to societal expectations or revert to a familiar but less fulfilling existence.

The emotional weight of the ending is amplified by the heartfelt performances of the cast, particularly Margot Robbie, who infuses Barbie’s character with vulnerability and strength. The audience witnesses Barbie’s growth from a seemingly perfect doll to a multidimensional and empowered individual.

In the concluding moments, the film leaves viewers with a sense of hope and inspiration. Barbie’s journey is not just about self-discovery, but also about finding her voice and becoming an agent of change. The movie shows that embracing one’s uniqueness can lead to a profound impact on the lives of others, inspiring them to do the same.

The movie’s visual brilliance and attention to detail in recreating Barbie’s iconic looks showcase the character’s cultural impact and nostalgic significance. The clever blend of humor and emotion in the film makes it a captivating and thought-provoking cinematic experience.

In the climax, Barbie’s choice to stay in the real world symbolizes personal growth and her acceptance of her true self. This poignant ending leaves audiences with a sense of hope and inspiration, reminding them of the importance of embracing uniqueness and empowering others to do the same.

“Barbie” (2023) is a delightful cinematic celebration of empowerment, individuality, and the journey of self-discovery. Greta Gerwig’s vision and the stellar performances of the cast bring a fresh perspective to the iconic character, making the film a memorable and empowering addition to the world of live-action adaptations.

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Behind-the-scenes photos show how the 'Barbie' travel montages came together without the use of CGI

• Greta Gerwig, the director of "Barbie," spoke about practical effects in a behind-the-scenes video.
• The director said she didn't use CGI for scenes involving travel from Barbie Land to the real world.
• "It was the most satisfying thing to watch," Gerwig said of shooting the scenes without CGI.

Fans of the new "Barbie" film have likely noticed that some scenes showing the characters traveling from Barbie Land to the Real World don't appear to be shot using CGI .

In a behind-the-scenes video recently shared to the film's Twitter account, Greta Gerwig, the film's director, as well as various other cast and crew members, spoke about the practical effects used in some of the transportation sequences.

—Barbie Movie (@barbiethemovie) July 23, 2023

Here's how some of the film's most iconic sequences came together without using digital effects.

Barbie and Ken driving across the desert in a slightly undersized pink convertible is one of the film's most iconic shots.

"The transition between Barbie Land and the Real World is a series of transportation vehicles that get us there," Margot Robbie, who stars as Barbie , said in the clip. "Kind of like in this 2D, endless tracking shot."

But the behind-the-scenes video shows that the car's "motion" was actually created by moving the background and foreground while the car stayed still.

The car in the scene wasn't actually driving. Instead, background and foreground scenery was pulled by crew members using conveyor belts to create a sense of motion, much like techniques used in vintage films and stage plays.

"We looked at theatrical methods of making things work," the production designer Sarah Greenwood said in the video.

Gerwig opted for an artificially-staged look in the space scenes.

"I settled on wanting it to look like a diorama in the Natural History Museum," Gerwig said in the clip. "Each box contains a scene, and I wanted them to sort of move through that scene and come out, and then move through the next scene."

Similar to the driving scene, crew members operated conveyor belts with scenery on them for Barbie's journey through space.

Gerwig's dedication to the diorama look meant that planets in the space scene were held up by invisible wires and clouds were moved using conveyor belts.

The conveyor-belt technique was also used for scenes in which Barbie, Ken, and later a group of Mattel executives cycled through a field of flowers.

At first glance, it appears as though the characters are biking through the tulips.

Behind-the-scenes footage shows how the tulips were pulled to create a sense of movement.

"None of it's CGI. It's just presentational, as if you were watching a play," Will Ferrell, who plays the CEO of Mattel in the film, said in the video.

Clever effects were key to recreating the shimmer of the ocean in the speedboat scene.

"It's all very flat and 2D, so you might have a boat that's moving while the water's moving, and that's literally like our crew members pulling a rope," Robbie said in the video. "And putting little bits of cellophane on the water to make it look like it's twinkling like water."

Gerwig said she wanted to "paint in big, beautiful broad strokes" while building Barbie's "crazy world."

"Barbie" is currently playing in theaters. You can watch the trailer below. 

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Animation Songs

Journey to the real world.

Journey To The Real World  is a song from 2023 original movie “Barbie” . The song is performed by Tame Impala.

Journey To The Real World Lyrics

Somewhere else there is to see The future is a mystery I wonder what we’ll see When we get to

The real world We’re going to The real world The real world

To All Barbie Songs

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The "Barbie" Transition Scenes Between Barbie Land And The Real World Were Filmed Without CGI, And It's So Cool

There are some SPOILERS ahead for Barbie !

Hi, yes, hello. By now you probably know that Barbie is THE biggest movie of 2023. In its opening weekend alone the film, directed and co-written by Greta Gerwig , grossed $162 million domestically, thus helping reach the fourth-biggest weekend of all time at the box office.

Starring margot robbie , ryan gosling , america ferrera , and more, barbie tells the story of barbie (robbie), who ventures to the real world after strange things start happening to her in barbie land., what ensues is a hilarious trip to california, where barbie and ken (gosling) learn what the real world is like — ken learns about patriarchy (and horses) while barbie escapes the mattel headquarters and joins forces with gloria (ferrera) and sasha (ariana greenblatt)., while moving between barbie land and the real world, barbie and ken travel through a bunch of different scenes using a car, boat, spaceship, bicycle, camper van, and snowmobile, before rollerblading in venice beach., the detailed travel route is done a few times in the movie, especially in reverse: when ken returns to barbie land, when barbie brings gloria and sasha to barbie land, and when the mattel ceo (will ferrell), aaron dinkins (connor swindells), and the other mattel employees follow barbie to barbie land., while it's a fun transition montage every single time it happens, what makes it even better is how it was filmed. namely, it was all done practically on set using some old school movie magic., instead of having the actors film these moments on a green or blue screen and have the elements cgi-ed in later, barbie elected to build the sets and backdrops, which helped give the two-dimensional feeling that's seen in the finished scenes., greta said every time they filmed a transportation sequence it was "the most satisfying thing to watch." she added, "i settled on wanting it to look like a diorama in the natural history museum.", "each box contains a scene and i wanted them to sort of move through that scene and then come out, and then move through the next scene," greta said., production designer sarah greenwood explained that they studied how these things are done in theater, with the foreground moving very fast, and each element moves slightly slower as you move towards the backdrop., each element of the transition scene you see moving is actually being moved by crew members on the barbie set during filming., for the long tandem bike that the mattel employees ride in on, bunches of flowers were on a track and being moved past them to give the illusion they were biking through the field., barbie using old filming techniques leans into greta's overall vision for the movie, which was heavily inspired by classic soundstage musicals., in an interview with letterboxd, greta revealed 33 classic movies that helped inspire barbie like the wizard of oz , singin' in the rain, an american in paris, the red shoes , and more., greta explained to architectural digest that because the first barbie doll was released in 1959, she felt like she could "ground everything in that look of 1950s soundstage musicals.", this included hand-painting all of the backdrops you see in barbie land because those classic musicals had those beautiful, artificial skies. the painted backdrops coupled with lighting techniques helped create the eye-popping color in the scenery., overall, very little cgi was used in barbie land so it looks like a toy. this meant that everything from the dreamhouses to the props inside were built by the film's art department., the production designers even figured out that they had to physically reduce everything by 23% in size, in order to give the feeling that the barbies and kens were being shoved into smaller spaces, just like when you play with the real dolls and accessories., i absolutely adore all of the attention to detail that went into building barbie land in barbie , and i cannot wait to see this movie so many more times and catch even more great details., you can watch the full video of how the barbie cast and crew brought the traveling scenes to life below:, and, come hang out with everyone else who is screaming, crying, and throwing up about barbie in buzzfeed’s ios app . heck, even allan is there..

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Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out

New york’s highest appeals court has overturned the movie producer’s 2020 conviction for sex crimes, which was a landmark in the #metoo movement..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From The New York Times, I’m Katrin Bennhold. This is “The Daily.”

When Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was convicted for sex crimes four years ago, it was celebrated as a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement. Yesterday, New York’s highest appeals court overturned that conviction. My colleague Jodi Kantor on what this ruling means for Weinstein and for the #MeToo movement. It’s Friday, April 26.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

# Jodi, you and your reporting partner, Megan Twohey, were the ones who broke the Harvey Weinstein scandal, which really defined the #MeToo movement and was at the center of this court case. Explain what just happened.

So on Thursday morning, New York’s highest court threw out Harvey Weinstein’s conviction for sex crimes and ordered a new trial. In 2020, he had been convicted of sexually abusing two women. He was sentenced to 23 years in jail. The prosecution really pushed the boundaries, and the conviction was always a little shaky, a little controversial. But it was a landmark sentence, in part because Harvey Weinstein is a foundational figure in the #MeToo movement. And now that all goes back to zero.

He’s not a free man. He was also convicted in Los Angeles. But the New York conviction has been wiped away. And prosecutors have the really difficult decision of whether to leave things be or start again from scratch.

And I know we’ve spent a lot of time covering this case on this show, with you, in fact. But just remind us why the prosecution’s case was seen to be fragile even then.

The controversy of this case was always about which women would be allowed to take the witness stand. So think of it this way. If you took all of the women who have horrifying stories about Harvey Weinstein, they could fill a whole courtroom of their own. Nearly 100 women have come forward with stories about his predation.

However, the number of those women who were candidates to serve at the center of a New York criminal trial was very small. A lot of these stories are about sexual harassment, which is a civil offense, but it cannot send you to prison. It’s not a crime.

Some of these stories took place outside of New York City. Others took place a long time ago, which meant that they were outside of the statute of limitations. Or they were afraid to come forward. So at the end of the day, the case that prosecutors brought was only about two women.

Two out of 100.

Yes. And both of those women stories were pretty complicated. They had disturbing stories of being victimized by Weinstein. But what they also openly admitted is that they had had consensual sex with Weinstein as well. And the conventional prosecutorial wisdom is that it’s too messy for a jury, that they’ll see it as too gray, too blurry, and will hesitate to convict.

So prosecutors, working under enormous public pressure and attention, figured out what they thought was a way to bolster their case, which is that they brought in more witnesses. Remember that part of the power of the Harvey Weinstein story is about patterns. It’s about hearing one woman tell virtually the same story as the next woman.

It becomes this kind of echoing pattern that is so much more powerful than any one isolated story. So prosecutors tried to re-create that in the courtroom. They did that to searing effect. They brought in these additional witnesses who had really powerful stories, and that was instrumental to Weinstein being convicted.

But these were witnesses whose allegations were not actually on trial.

Exactly. Prosecutors were taking a risk by including them because there’s a bedrock principle of criminal law that when a person is on trial, the evidence should pertain directly to the charges that are being examined. Anything extraneous is not allowed. So prosecutors took this risk, and it seemed to pay off in a big way.

When Weinstein was convicted in February of 2020, it was by a whole chorus of women’s voices. # What seemed to be happening is that the legal reality had kind caught up with the logic of the #MeToo movement, in which these patterns, these groups of women, had become so important.

And then, to heighten things, the same thing basically happened in Los Angeles. Weinstein was tried in a second separate trial, and he was also convicted, also with that kind of supporting evidence, and sentenced to another 16 years in prison.

And on the same strategy based on a chorus of women who all joined forces, basically joining their allegations against him.

The rules are different in California. But, yes, it was a similar strategy. So Weinstein goes to jail. The world’s attention moves on. The story appears to end.

But in the background, Weinstein’s lawyers were building a strategy to challenge the fairness of these convictions. And they were basically saying this evidence never should have been admitted in the first place. And Megan and I could tell that Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers were getting some traction.

His first appeal failed. But by watching the proceedings, we could tell that the judges were actually taking the questions pretty seriously. And then Weinstein’s lawyers took their last shot. They made their last case at the highest level of the New York courts, and they won. And that panel of judges overturned the conviction.

And what exactly do these judges say to explain why they threw out this conviction, given that another court had upheld it?

Well, when you read the opinion that came out on Thursday morning, you can feel the judge’s disagreements kind of rising from the pages. # Picture sort of a half-moon of seven judges, four of them female, listening to the lawyer’s arguments, wrestling with whether perhaps the most important conviction of the #MeToo era was actually fair. And in their discussion, you can feel them torn between, on the one hand, the need for accountability, and then, on the other hand, the need for fairness.

So there was a sort of sense that this is an important moment and this case represents something perhaps bigger than itself.

Absolutely. There was a lot of concern, first of all, for what was going to happen to Weinstein himself, all that that symbolized, but also what sort of message they were sending going forward. So in the actual opinion, the judges divide into — let’s call them two teams. The majority are basically behaving like traditionalists.

They’re saying things like, here’s one line — “under our system of justice, the accused has a right to be held to account only for the crime charged.” They’re saying there was just too much other stuff in this trial that wasn’t directly relevant, didn’t directly serve as evidence for the two center acts that were being prosecuted.

So those majority-opinion judges simply say that this was a kind of overreach by the prosecutor, that this isn’t how the criminal justice system works.

Exactly. And then, if we called the first team of judges the traditionalists, let’s call the dissenters the realists. And they’re talking about the way sexual crimes play out in the real world and what’s necessary to effectively prosecute them. And they are incredibly critical of the majority.

They use words like — I’m looking at the pages now — “oblivious,” “naive,” phrases like “an unfortunate step backwards,” “endangering decades of progress,” “perpetuates outdated notions of sexual violence,” “allows predators to escape accountability.” What they’re saying is that these rules of evidence have to be somewhat flexible in the real world, because otherwise they’re not going to capture what really happened.

You can really sense the passion in this argument. You know, you really get the sense that this court is bitterly divided over this question. And what I’m hearing the dissent basically saying is that if we overturn this conviction, we’ll be pushing ourselves backwards. This is regress.

And that the evidence served a really important function in the trial, that something is lost without it.

But in the end, that point of view lost out. In this case, the traditionalist judges prevailed by a single vote.

We’ll be right back.

So, Jodi, now that this conviction has been overturned, what’s next for Harvey Weinstein?

Well, back in New York, prosecutors have a really tough question to face, which is, do they retry this case? On the one hand, the Weinstein conviction meant so much to so many people that to just drop it seems very unsatisfying.

But on the other hand, their attempt failed. Those women are going to be very difficult to get back on the stand. And are they really going to start from zero and do this all over again?

Especially given that this conviction has just been overturned?

Exactly. But meanwhile, the other thing to keep your eye on is the appeals in the California case. Weinstein’s attorney told The Times that next month, they are going to file an appeal in California that will make many of the same arguments that they did in New York.

Now, the California rules are a little clearer on what evidence is admissible. So we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen. But I should add that this attorney is the same one who succeeded in getting Bill Cosby’s conviction thrown out.

So is there a world in which all the convictions against Weinstein will be overturned?

Sure, Katrin. It’s very plausible.

Wow. Now, given that, what does this ruling mean for other legal cases, for other #MeToo cases that are currently moving through the legal system?

Well, it’s definitely a symbolic blow for the #MeToo movement and also for accountability, which is part of what powers the movement. If you think of progress like a wheel spinning forward, part of what powers the wheel is accountability, because women only want to come forward if they think something may actually happen. When they see consequences for some men, it encourages others to step forward.

But that doesn’t really feel like a symbolic blow. # That actually feels like a real setback, because if the promise of accountability was what was driving the #MeToo movement and sort of persuading all these women to come forward, then this ruling seems to be undercutting that.

Well, it’s also a sign of health in the system, because what we’re seeing in prosecutions across the country is more testing of this sort. Prosecutors are starting to bring cases that they never would have brought years before. Maybe they’re messier. Maybe the evidence isn’t perfect. Maybe they’re less traditional.

And so to prove those cases, you have to try to get new kinds of evidence in court. And some of those attempts are going to succeed, as they did in the Weinstein trial the first time around. And some of those efforts are going to fail, as we see with the overturning of the conviction. # But that kind of experimentation, potential expansion, is potentially a sign of the health of the system and the idea that the legal system may be, to some degree, catching up with #MeToo.

So you’re saying another way to look at this case is that it sort of represents a legal system trying to navigate this new reality and sort of trying to figure out in real time how to deal with these kinds of cases. It’s almost like a trial and error, “one step forward, two steps back” dynamic.

But also, I want to add that you can’t score #MeToo like a basketball game. Every time there is some big outcome in a #MeToo case — R. Kelly gets convicted, Governor Cuomo resigns, Bill Cosby gets convicted, Bill Cosby walks free — there can be this temptation to draw huge conclusions from that. It’s a victory for me, too. It’s a loss for me, too.

But these cases are not necessarily reliable indicators of what’s really happening, what’s really changing, because what we’re also seeing is real structural change on the legal level. Laws protecting women have changed in, I think, 23 states since 2017. The New York statute of limitations was extended for rape directly in response to the Weinstein allegations. It’s now much longer.

And recently, New York state opened a kind of new window for survivors to sue for long ago offenses. So even as these individual cases rise and fall one by one, the system is slowly changing.

Hmm. So on the one hand, the Harvey Weinstein case actually changed legislation and created this whole new set of laws around these kinds of cases. But on the other hand, the criminal case against him was ultimately shot down. So I guess my question is, how should we think about the Weinstein case? # And does any of this change the way we should see his case as the kind of defining case of the #MeToo movement, and Weinstein himself as the defining central character?

I think the question that Megan and I have had for a long time is whether any criminal conviction in any city is really the best measure of what Harvey Weinstein did or didn’t do, because at its essence, the Harvey Weinstein story is about work. What was really special about him as a producer, his particular genius, was for making careers.

He made Gwyneth Paltrow. He made Matt Damon, Quentin Tarantino, a lot of producers who are very successful now. That was kind of his superpower. But what we now know is that he also used that superpower to manipulate and hurt women. In story after story about Weinstein, the same motifs come up.

A lot of these women were really young. It was their first day, their first week, their first month on the job. They wanted opportunity. They wanted a piece of the action.

So though the annals of the Harvey Weinstein story do include these instances of very troubling, allegedly criminal behavior, like rape, the essence of the story, I think, is about what happens to women in the workplace — the opportunities they have, the way their ambitions can be used against them. And that’s not something that any criminal court can capture.

You know, when you talk to Weinstein victims, of course, you hear the famous things they’ve said about the kind of physical offenses — the bathroom stories, the hotel room stories. But you also hear them talk about their own careers.

They say things like, I lost opportunities because of this, or, I could never work in Hollywood again. And they say, my whole life is different because of that. I can never get those years back. And it’s just not something that any criminal court is quite built to capture.

So in a way, you’re saying that the story is much bigger than those criminal allegations against Weinstein. In a way, they’re the tip of the iceberg. But underneath, there is this whole culture of men abusing their power, against women in particular, in the workplace.

Exactly. And thanks in large part to the #MeToo movement, this is behavior that used to be widely tolerated, and it’s no longer socially acceptable.

And, Jodi, I wonder, have you spoken to some of the women that you spent years talking to and hearing from who came forward to share their stories about Weinstein and others? Have you spoken to them since this latest news?

Yes, and I have to tell you, the Weinstein survivors are pretty resolute. They don’t really see this as changing the story.

When we first got the news from the court, the first person I called was Ashley Judd, the first actress who came forward about Harvey Weinstein. And what she said to me was that she was disappointed, that this was upsetting, but she was also unwavering. She said to me, “We know what really happened.”

Mm-hmm. And I guess, in some ways, that’s the legacy. The truth was aired in a court of law.

We never knew what the legal system would do. We never knew whether he would be convicted or not. But the story stands. It’s the women who are the narrators of this story now, and that won’t be overturned.

Jodi, thank you very much.

Here’s what else you need to know today. On Thursday, the Supreme Court heard arguments over whether former president Donald Trump should have legal immunity for allegedly interfering with the 2020 presidential election after he lost the race to Joe Biden. Trump’s lawyers have argued that his actions, because he was still president at the time, should be shielded from prosecution.

Their arguments were unanimously rejected in February by a lower court. But on Thursday, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority seemed more receptive to Trump’s claims. If the court rules in the former president’s favor, it could potentially delay any trial in the matter until after the election.

And one other thing you should know before you go today — this weekend, we’re going to start sharing with you a brand-new show from some of our colleagues. It’s hosted by David Marchese and Lulu Garcia-Navarro, and the idea of the show is simple and classic. Every week, one of them will interview someone fascinating — actors, politicians, athletes, writers. They’re calling their podcast just “The Interview.”

This weekend, their first couple episodes are perfect examples. Lulu speaks with Yair Lapid, the leader of the political opposition in Israel. David speaks with actress Anne Hathaway. We’ll be sending you those shows right here on Saturday and Sunday. I hope you’ll give them a listen.

Today’s episode was produced by Nina Feldman, Rikki Novetsky, and Carlos Prieto. It was edited by MJ Davis Lin and Liz O. Baylen, contains original music by Dan Powell and Elisheba Ittoop, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Katrin Bennhold. See you Monday.

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• April 29, 2024   •   47:53 Trump 2.0: What a Second Trump Presidency Would Bring
• April 26, 2024   •   21:50 Harvey Weinstein Conviction Thrown Out
• April 25, 2024   •   40:33 The Crackdown on Student Protesters
• April 24, 2024   •   32:18 Is $60 Billion Enough to Save Ukraine?
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• April 22, 2024   •   24:30 The Evolving Danger of the New Bird Flu
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• April 18, 2024   •   30:07 The Opening Days of Trump’s First Criminal Trial
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• April 16, 2024   •   29:29 A.I.’s Original Sin
• April 15, 2024   •   24:07 Iran’s Unprecedented Attack on Israel

Hosted by Katrin Bennhold

Featuring Jodi Kantor

Produced by Nina Feldman ,  Rikki Novetsky and Carlos Prieto

Edited by M.J. Davis Lin and Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Dan Powell and Elisheba Ittoop

Engineered by Chris Wood

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music

When the Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was convicted of sex crimes four years ago, it was celebrated as a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement. Yesterday, New York’s highest court of appeals overturned that conviction.

Jodi Kantor, one of the reporters who broke the story of the abuse allegations against Mr. Weinstein in 2017, explains what this ruling means for him and for #MeToo.

On today’s episode

Jodi Kantor , an investigative reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading

The verdict against Harvey Weinstein was overturned by the New York Court of Appeals.

Here’s why the conviction was fragile from the start .

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Katrin Bennhold is the Berlin bureau chief. A former Nieman fellow at Harvard University, she previously reported from London and Paris, covering a range of topics from the rise of populism to gender. More about Katrin Bennhold

Jodi Kantor is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and co-author of “She Said,” which recounts how she and Megan Twohey broke the story of sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein, helping to ignite the #MeToo movement.    Instagram • More about Jodi Kantor

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