March 5, 2024, 1:29 p.m. ET March 5, 2024, 1:29 p.m. ET “I was a little disappointed that Katie Porter chose to run,” Karl Rubin, an emeritus professor of math, told me on the patio of a community center on the campus of the University of California, Irvine, on Monday morning. He said that Porter, […]
Read MoreTag: Barbie (Doll)
‘Barbie’ Is Bad. There, I Said It.
We can all agree 2023 was a good year for the movies. Critically and commercially, several movies did well, and only one of those successes took place within the Marvel cinematic universe. Even the 10 Oscar nominees for best picture, announced on Tuesday, included nine actually good films. Is it safe now to call “Barbie” […]
Read MoreFor ‘Barbie’ Fans Online, a Bitterly Ironic Oscar Snub
When the 2024 Oscar nominations were announced this morning, the snubs of the two most prominent women involved in “Barbie” — the director, Greta Gerwig, and the lead actress, Margot Robbie — became the breakout story. The top-grossing film of 2023, passing the $1 billion mark worldwide, is based on the imagined life and times […]
Read More‘Barbie,’ ‘Saltburn,’ Vuitton: TikTok Sponsorship Is Consuming Our Culture
In today’s creative economy, the tail increasingly wags the dog. Marketing is driving culture as promotional campaigns overshadow the offerings they seek to elevate — in fashion, music, art and film. With fashion weeks taking place around the world and awards season well underway, the hype machine is operating at full throttle. But few products, […]
Read MoreHoliday Spending Increased, Defying Fears of a Decline
Despite lingering inflation, Americans increased their spending this holiday season, early data shows. That comes as a big relief for retailers that had spent much of the year fearing the economy would soon weaken and consumer spending would fall. Retail sales increased 3.1 percent from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 compared with the same period […]
Read MoreWhat Social Trends Taught Us About the 2023 Economy
This year, the world learned that some men just can’t stop thinking about the Roman Empire. Over here at The New York Times, we can’t stop thinking about what social trends like that one tell us about the American economy. We had no shortage of viral memes and moments to discuss in 2023. Americans flocked […]
Read MoreMattel Has a New Cherokee Barbie. Not Everyone Is Happy About It.
A Barbie doll in the likeness of Wilma Mankiller, the first woman to be elected chief of the Cherokee Nation, has been hailed by tribal citizens. It’s also been lamented for its inaccuracies. An event held Tuesday in Tahlequah, Okla., marked the anniversary of Ms. Mankiller becoming chief in 1985 and celebrated her Barbie doll. […]
Read MoreWatching ‘Barbie’ and Thinking About Death
I really expected to love “Barbie.” As someone with proudly lowbrow taste in movies, I normally adore a big summer popcorn blockbuster, and every millennial woman I knew seemed to consider it a pop-nostalgia masterpiece. So when I finally settled in to watch it this week, I wasn’t expecting high art, but I did think […]
Read MoreMattel’s Windfall From ‘Barbie’ Goes Far Beyond Dolls
When Ynon Kreiz arrived at Mattel in April 2018, the newly installed chief executive had one mantra when it came to a feature film starring Barbie, a project he really wanted to get off the ground: He didn’t care if the movie sold a single additional doll. But “Barbie” the film had to be good […]
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