We at Tom's Guide absolutely loved Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie, so much so that we're already counting the days until Barbie is on streaming. In the mean time, though, we've found a whole week of movie night opportunities across some of the best streaming services.
For example, Netflix, Paramount Plus and Starz house three fantastic movies from Barbie director/co-writer Greta Gerwig. Each has at least one or many elements of what made Barbie one of the best movies of 2023.
Also, if you're looking for movies to watch while you wait for Barbie screenings to finally open up near you, we've got recommendations that feature women going on adventures that are similar to Margot Robbie's Barbie in one way or another. Either way, this is our watch list to recapture those Barbie vibes until the movie's at home for good.
Lady Bird
Christine (Saoirse Ronan) may embrace some of the pinks of Barbie's world in her hair, but she's nothing like Robbie's protagonist. Instead, she's more like Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), the rebellious and frustrated daughter of Gloria (America Ferrara). Not only does she push back at her mom Marion (Laurie Metcalf) by naming herself Lady Bird, but she insists she will go to college as far from home as possible.
Similarities ratchet up when we meet Kyle (Timothée Chalamet), who has the wrong kind of Kenergy. A popular student at the nearby school for boys, he lies to Christine in his attempts to bed her.
A powerful coming-of-age story, Lady Bird's learns about life in ways that Barbie will only begin to if and when her inevitable sequel happens. Ronan and Metcalf won tons of praise for their performances, and this film helped solidify Greta Gerwig's place in the industry.
Watch on Paramount Plus with Showtime
Legally Blonde
Just like how Barbie escaped to the real world, Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) became a fish-out-of-water once she goes to law school to try and win back her ex, Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis). What she doesn't know — and we do — is that much like Ken, Warner is a complete bonehead. And just like Barbie, Elle finds this new world of Harvard on the east coast is nothing like the SoCal bubble she's lived in.
Witherspoon's performance, driving Elle's winning personality with humor and depth, almost feels like a predecessor to Robbie's stereotypical Barbie.
Watch on Prime Video
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
Birds of Prey feels like the comics world's equivalent of Barbie, not only because both films share star Margot Robbie, but because each throws her into a man's world that's in need of a take-down. Here, Quinn is freshly post-breakup with The Joker, and learning that Gotham's villains are out to kill her now that she's single.
Fortunately, Harley slowly builds a girl gang clever and strong enough to take these bozos down. At the same time, Gotham City PD cop Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) continues to become more disillusioned with her role in this arm of the patriarchy.
Hilarious, confident and full of color (a rarity in the drab DC world), Birds of Prey is Barbie with more bang for your buck. If Barbie could eat, she'd probably toast bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches with Harley Quinn.
Watch on Max
Little Women
Another Gerwig classic, the 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel is just as difficult a film as Barbie was. But Gerwig made it her own with the sisterhood of the March siblings, perfectly cast with Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen.
Frustration, separation and hard times during the American Civil War often threaten to destroy the March family, but their bonds are stronger than the waves on Barbie's beach. We praise Little Women and compare it to Barbie for its mix of modernity and nostalgia, a combination that many try and fail to nail.
Watch on Starz
Clueless
Amy Heckerling's classic teen comedy is basically in the movies starter pack for many girls, so we won't assume we're doing anything but preaching to the choir on this one. Much like Barbie, Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) is both popular and in possession of nearly every outfit known to Cristian Siriano.
Both also learn important lessons about how good they had it. While Barbie's realizing that the real world isn't the feminist utopia she was told it would be, Cher learns how her place of privilege is isolating from her peers.
Just like Barbie will be when it hits streaming, Clueless is a comfort-food movie that's as entertaining as it is emotional.
Watch on Paramount Plus
Frances Ha
Just as Barbie crossed from the plastic life into reality, Frances Halladay (Greta Gerwig) is bordering on the years of post-college frivolity and adult seriousness. The first big seismic shock comes when her friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) says she's moving out, while getting closer with her boyfriend. This sets Frances off on a series of couch-surfing stays, a visit to her alma mater Vassar and the reconsideration of her dream of being a professional dancer.
Co-written by Gerwig, in partnership with her partner Noah Baumbach (who co-wrote Barbie), Frances Ha is a coming-of-age story that's spiritually connected to Barbie. It's not hard to imagine Robbie's Barbie going off in a similar adventure after the story of her first (and likely not last) film.
Watch on Netflix and the Criterion Channel
Enchanted
It may not be as well-designed as Barbie Land, but aspiring princess Giselle (Amy Adams) comes to New York City from her own impossible land: the fairy tale kingdom of Andalasia. And much like Stereotypical Barbie, Giselle's terrified of our world upon arrival. Fortunately for her, she runs into Robert (Patrick Dempsey), a lawyer who doesn't need to find out if he's Kenough for her.
Beloved by audiences and critics alike, Enchanted does an admirable job of feeling like a modern classic, even if it is a little predictable.
Watch on Disney Plus
