Barbie e lo Schiaccianoci

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.

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.

My daughter saw this at daycare and talked about it for days. We rented it and it was much better than expected. It is short enough (78 minutes) to hold her attention. The show holds up well for repeated adult viewing. But make no mistake, this is a kid's movie, not good enough for an adult to watch on their own.

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...

This computer animated movie is a must for everyone. Especially for those who are intrested in computer animations. This is one of the best computer animated movie i have ever seen in my life. The graphics and the textures are good. The movement of the characters is a story for itself. The model movements look VERY realistic thanks to motion capture technology (watch the dance scene at the end of the movie. It is awesome!) The story is also good. It is actually written for children, yet teenagers or adults can enjoy it too. The story has kinda the taste of "alice in wonderland". And also, I never thought that "Barbie" would have such *normal* personality since it is actually a toy which was designed for innocent/naive pre-preteen girls. Action and fun, All in one. watch it!