With Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling coming out this summer, we, Abby Godsen (copy editor and reporter) and Jackie Bozinovski (reporter and Abby’s roommate), decided it would be a great idea to rewatch and rank (almost) all of the Barbie movies to date in celebration. Because there are so many Barbie movies to date, the reviews and rankings of the movies we watched were divided into three main sections: princess movies, fairy movies and mermaid movies. In the fourth part, there will be a final overall ranking of all the movies watched and reviews for any movies that did not make it into the first three articles.
This second installment features the fairy movies of the Barbie franchise.
NOTE: This is not ALL of the movies in the Barbie universe, but, it is most of them. We chose to feature these ones, as we felt they best represented the franchise as a whole and also met one of four criteria: it must contain magic, fairies, princesses or mermaids. However, we knew some, like “Thumbelina” and “Barbie and the Pink Shoes,” wouldn’t rank well, and we chose to omit them from our list.
5. "Barbie: Mariposa & the Fairy Princess" (2013)
As the sequel to “Barbie: Mariposa and her Butterfly Fairy Friends,” Mariposa is the ambassador of Flutterfield, tasked with going to the Crystal Kingdom in the hopes of ending the long-standing feud between Butterfly fairies and Crystal fairies. We had high hopes for this movie but were disappointed primarily with the portrayal of Mariposa. “Clumsy” was never a word we would have used to describe her in the first movie, but that seemed to be her main personality trait in this one. The puffballs themselves were also a bit jarring for us as we were used to seeing characters like Bibble. These newer versions took some getting used to, although they were lovably stupid. Even though it’s a movie about Mariposa and the princess, they don’t really interact until the end of the movie. It was still fun to watch, but it did not live up to the first movie.
4. "Barbie: Fairytopia" (2005)
“Barbie: Fairytopia” is the first in a trilogy of three movies starring Elina, a fairy who was born without wings. When the fairies in Fairytopia start to fall ill, making them unable to fly, Elina and her sidekick Bibble work to try and stop Laverna from taking over Fairytopia. Of the entire trilogy, it definitely is not the best, but it does a great job of setting up the rest of the trilogy and introducing important characters. Characters like Hue, Bibble (of course), Azura and Topaz really make the movie what it is.
3. "Barbie: Mariposa and Her Butterfly Fairy Friends" (2008)
Many of us likely recall having this doll or seeing it in stores with its amazing wings. “Barbie: Mariposa” builds on the existing fairy world featured in the Fairytopia trilogy by focusing on the butterfly fairies. Mariposa, a butterfly fairy, is tasked with finding the antidote to a poison that has left the queen of Flutterfield unconscious, leaving Flutterfield at risk of losing its lights and putting all butterfly fairies at risk. This movie is always a joy to watch. We love to see not only the main characters grow, but the side characters too. Not to mention the comedy duo Carlos and Willa is just to die for. A very wholesome classic Barbie movie.
2. "Barbie: Magic of the Rainbow" (2007)
In the third installment of the Fairytopia trilogy, Elina is faced with brand new challenges as she joins other fairy apprentices at the Crystal Palace where they are tasked with learning the Flight of Spring. This is how you end a trilogy. It really brought the whole story full circle and forced Elina out of her comfort zone. The new cast was very entertaining with some old faces along the way. Overall, very enjoyable to watch.
1. “Barbie: A Fairy Secret” (2011)
Barbie, Raquelle, and fairies Carrie and Taylor, go to Gloss Angeles in an attempt to save Ken after he was abducted in order to be wed to Princess Graciella. This may be a very controversial pick. However, this movie really did stand out, not only because of its plot but also because of the use of existing character narratives for characters like Barbie and Raquelle. Ken is hilarious and one of the best parts of the movie. There is also some character development for Raquelle; and how could we forget the pegaponies? (Just the cutest). Does it lack a little in plot? Yes. But it makes the top because it highlights what makes Barbie movies so enjoyable to watch and rewatch year after year.
Abigail Godsen (she/her) is a sophomore majoring in Applied Information Sciences. She is a reporter and Copy Editor for The Campus Citizen. When she isn’t writing, Abby likes to cook, do crossword puzzles and drink a lot of tea. She can be summoned using tea, cardigans and books (according to her roommate Jackie).
Jackie Bozinovski (she/her) is a sophomore double majoring in Biology and Forensics. She is a sometimes writer for the Campus Citizen, but primarily is the Citizen's mascot. When she isn't doing in-depth research on obscure topics or chugging copious amounts of coffee, you can find her reading, explaining science concepts to her very not sciencey roommate Abby or talking about Drag Queens.
The "invisible orientation": Ace identity, culture and misconceptions
By Jackie Bozinovski | April 10International Asexuality Day took place April 6, and for all asexuals (aces), it’s a day to celebrate ourselves, our experience and the community as a whole. As an asexual myself, I’ve read a plethora of asexual content that gave answers to all my questions and a voice to affirm that my identity is valid and my experience matters. As such, I’ve decided to clear up three common misconceptions about the asexual community and shed some light on the invisible orientation.
Hinge released their dating report, here’s what IUPUI students think
By Milo Anderson | March 29From fears of meeting new people to a pandemic to getting into the landscape of online dating, there are plenty of reasons to feel awkward about dating as a young adult. Gen Z has been forced into the middle of one of the most turbulent times to meet new people, and for some, it can be too much.
Herron School of Art and Design annual wearable art show to take place March 28
By Hanne Brandgard | March 27Since 2004, Herron School of Art and Design has put on the Wearable Art Show. This event gives interested students a chance to test their creativity and transform their art from a stationary work to a piece of clothing. This year’s 20th anniversary show will take place on March 28 at the EFAC building.
