Ralph Potts

Based on the eponymous fashion dolls created by Ruth Handler and introduced to the world in 1959, Barbie is the first live-action film under the enduring brand. The film is co-written and directed by Greta Gerwig and follows idyllic couple Barbie and Ken who are living the dream in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, after an existential crisis, they take a trip to the real world, where they soon discover the joys and perils of being human.

Ranked as the fourth greatest love story of all time by the American Film Institute, Roman Holiday — director William Wyler’s 1953 fairy tale — memorably captures the bustling streets and iconic sites of Rome. The story is set against the backdrop of post-war Europe, expressing the exhilaration of not only embracing long-awaited peace but joyously breaking free as young Princess Ann retreats from her royal obligations and finds adventure. This movie put Audrey Hepburn on the map, and I thoroughly enjoy the story’s unapologetically schmaltzy romance blended with light humor.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is based on the popular ‘90s video game series and tells the story of a pair of Brooklyn plumbers who also happen to be brothers: brave Mario and the more reserved Luigi. When we meet them, Mario and Luigi are trying to find ways to keep their struggling plumbing business afloat. While exploring the city’s sewer system, they stumble across the secret entrance to the Mushroom Kingdom, a magical place where they will discover the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way we’ll encounter a host of familiar, lovable characters, all of whom will have to band together to defeat the power-hungry villain, Bowser.

In sixth-century England, an ill-tempered, fire-breathing creature—ominously known as Vermithrax Pejorative—terrorizes the inhabitants of a small kingdom. In response, their king institutes a lottery whereby each year, a virgin maiden is sacrificed to him.