Barbie in 'Die verzauberten Ballettschuhe'

While I do like the Barbie movies in general- I really do think we need to put an end to the stereotype that Barbie movies are for little girls only, the Tinkerbell and My Little Pony franchise get the same treatment and they are much better than you think when they're given a chance- they have been going downhill lately. While I enjoyed Christmas Carol, Three Musketeers and the Mermaid movies, Fairy Secret and Fashion Fairytale were awful and I didn't care all that much for Princess and the Popstar either. I found myself, despite some ropey dialogue, really loving Barbie in the Pink Shoes. The top 3 Barbie movies for me are Nutcracker, Diamond Castle and Island Princess(really liked Swan Lake, Rapunzel, Princess and the Pauper and 12 Dancing Princess as well), but Pink Shoes is the best since Diamond Castle. The animation is beautiful, the colours reminding me a little of those used for the latest Tinkerbell movie, and the character movements seem to have more of a sense of freedom compared to the older Barbie entries. I also loved the music, it was a welcome return to the classical music that made Nutcracker and Swan Lake for example so enchanting and ballet fans(like me) will love the use of Swan Lake and Giselle, two of the all-time greats of the genre. The story is simple with some nice fairy-tale elements in the mix, it's also very sweet and charming and the closest to the spirit of the older Barbie movies than any of the movies since 12 Dancing Princesses. And it isn't a Barbie movie(or at least a good one) without a message to learn from, while it is a familiar one there is one and it is a good one and one that isn't pushed down the throat. The characters engage, Barbie is a likable and resourceful protagonist, like the older entries and any that aren't Fairy Secret or especially Fashion Fairytale(where she's a stereotypical brat). And the Snow Queen is every bit as icy as she sounds. The voice acting is solid too, having Kelly Sheridan is a big bonus as I felt some of the later movies suffered even more without her. All in all, really nice and the best entry of the franchise since Diamond Castle. There is no problem if you don't legitimately like it, just give it a chance without any kind of prejudices. 9/10 Bethany Cox