Barbie

Arguably the most influential movie of 2023 is Barbie, directed by the amazing Greta Gerwig from a screenplay penned by her and Noah Baumbach. On the surface, it's about a group of good-looking Barbies and Kens going about their perfect, matriarchal world full of beaches, equal rights, and happiness. But the movie's true purpose is exploring the societal expectations and pressures women face in the real world, as well as the complex relationships between mothers and daughters. I think we all suspected Barbie would be popular, but those expectations were absolutely blown out of the water. Now one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, Barbie crossed $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office and is also the highest-grossing movie ever directed solely by a woman.

Women's empowerment never goes out of style, and Barbie was a fantastic celebration of that this year. It was amazing to see how many women and allies came together donning all-pink outfits to go see the movie in theaters, and the box office success proves we need more of these stories. As women continue to fight for our rights and gender equality, Barbie and its positive response was a welcomed pop culture moment that defined 2023.

Pride. It’s not always easy being a woman, but after seeing Barbie in theaters I truly felt proud, happy, and excited to be one. The fandom that formed around the movie was full of joy and confidence, with fans encouraging each other to be their authentic selves, unapologetically.