Barbie e lo Schiaccianoci

I was 19 when I saw this on Thanksgiving 2001, too old, perhaps, but I love "The Nutcracker" and had to make sure they didn't butcher it. To my surprise, it was an enjoyable, tasteful version of the ballet! Even though I've come to hate Barbie, she's not as bimbo-esque as they've made her to be over the years. Shocking still, Clara was actually a positive role model for young girls. Clara isn't your typical 14-year-old (I THINK that's how old the character was). She's more interested in travel and excitement than romance. She's also sweet, spunky, and brave, a nice modern girl.

There are new touches up the wazoo, but don't worry. There's still a ballet and love story to tell. For once, it's Barbie you can be proud of. So sit back come Christmas, relax, and let your young girls enjoy "Barbie in the Nutcracker"!

This film is exactly what you'd expect from a Barbie Nutcracker adaptation from 2001. The animation and the plot are pretty basic but it's still a good story with an intense condensation of the original ballet. It doesn't pretend to be anything more than it really is and it exceeds at being itself.

I am 16, and I am not afraid to say, that this is the best Barbie movie, absolutely perfect for kids and adults alike. Sure it isn't at all faithful to the beautiful immortal story by ETA Hoffmann, but that shouldn't be an excuse for not enjoying this beautiful film. The animation is gorgeous, and the film itself is severely underrated. The best animation sequence was the fantastic ballet duet between Clara and Eric, when it is revealed so cleverly that she is the Sugar Plum Princess. The music, adapted from the Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky was the best thing about the movie. I recognised every single piece played, and it perfectly matched the animation, which hardly ever happens in non-Disney movies. The story was based on the ballet, and they so cleverly extended it to keep the audience's interests. It has a fast-paced story line, that completely gripped me. Great voice talents as well. Kelly Sheridan and Kirby Morrow are wonderful and deliver the screenplay perfectly. Tim Curry steals the show as the Mouse King, both sinister and funny at the same time. He did everything possible with the witty screenplay, which had lots of humour. (seen especially with the relationship between Major Mint and Captain Candy, who were hilarious) Fantastic! Compulsory for young ballet lovers.10/10Bethany Cox

As I sat through this movie with my girlfriend and her nieces, I became gradually aware of how this film succeeds: it's invincible. Completely critic-proof. What can I say against this movie, exactly? Whine about how I don't like Barbie?

It's basically a modernized (and nauseatingly politically correct) take on The Nutcracker, throwing Barbie into one of the lead roles for pretty much no reason (unless you count bankability). Of course, it's a kids' flick, and relies on sparse, simple dialogue and spare editing to convey the action. It definitely works well; the girls ate it up and came back for seconds.

This is a rather interesting computer-animated movie. While it's noticeably lower-budget than Toy Story and Shrek, the visuals have a sort of subtle charm. The vast landscapes are quietly serene and beautiful without becoming overwhelming. Sometimes the motion-captured characters are placed against a flat 2D background, giving one severe flashbacks to the early days of the Playstation.

Bottom line: If you're a girl age four to ten, you'll likely enjoy every minute. Barbie's voice actress and Tim Curry as the Rat King are worth noting.

Although I've watched only the last half of this picture (browsing the TV accidentally on a Xmas afternoon), it caught my attention and I've got involved aesthetically and emotionally into the classical plot and superb musical score by Tchaikowsky. Computerized animation (not at all excessive neither overwhelming) made possible unimaginable camera flights, achieving points of view that no privileged spectator can afford, accompanying the lifelike ballet or making possible exquisite sceneries. I've never played with Barbie doll, but this one doesn't look like plastic and surely touched my heart! Get many handkerchiefs ready...