Fizzy and smart, sparkly and deep, Greta Gerwig's Barbie explodes out of the toy chest and onto the streets of every which byway of our cultural discourse. This exuberant, candy-colored spectacle questions femininity, masculinity, corporate identity and anything else that might come naturally to a couple of dolls who just became self-aware. Played with uncanny brilliance by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, Mattel's Barbie and Ken dolls enter the real world and are quick to learn the many joys and sorrows of being human. When they bring people's problems back to Barbie Land, though, the foundations on which their dream houses are built begin to crumble. Barbie is existentialism in a bubble-gum wrapper, as thoughtfully chewy as it is delicious and fun.

D: Greta Gerwig, US, 2023, 1h54m, CC

Co-sponsored by Alpha Theta, a gender-inclusive Greek House