MJ Lastimosa compares ‘Barbie’ to a ‘school project film’: ‘Sayang P600 ko’
MJ Lastimosa and Margot Robbie as Barbie. Image: Instagram/@mj_lastimosa, @barbiethemovie
MJ Lastimosa earned the ire of some netizens after the beauty queen expressed her dislike for Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” saying she wasted her P600 to watch the film she described as “meh.”
The Miss Universe Philippines 2014 shared her sentiments on the movie through her Twitter page on Monday, July 24. Lastimosa’s posts were already taken down, but screenshots of it have been re-uploaded by netizens on social media.
“Sobrang waley ng ‘Barbie’ movie. Sayang P600 ko,” she said. (The “Barbie” film was very disappointing. I just wasted my P600.)
Image: Twitter/@MJ_Lastimosa
Lastimosa also replied to a Twitter user who apparently heard similar comments about the movie.
“Okay naman some parts but in general, meh. Parang school project film,” the beauty queen-TV host stated. (Some parts were OK but in general, it was meh. It was like a school project film.)
Image: Twitter/@MJ_Lastimosa
In response to Lastimosa’s statements, some netizens expressed their appreciation for the film and argued how it was “perfectly executed.”
“I don’t know about MJ’s preferences, but the Barbie movie was perfectly executed, tackling the world typically ruled by men and challenging the unequal idea behind the toy,” one @ZJeidee tweeted. “It’s fine if you don’t appreciate this, not everyone can, just like MJ.”
Image: Twitter
“When MJ Lastimosa said [that ‘Barbie’ was disappointing, perhaps it’s merely] a reflection of how shallow her [understanding is]. She only saw the comedy part of it (which to be fair may not be for everybody) but not the underlying theme of the movie,” said Twitter user @re_esey.
Image: Twitter
“Mare, I love you so much and I think napaka-eloquent mong tao kaya ang disappointing lang makita na na-reduce to ‘waley’ and ‘parang high school project’ ang ‘Barbie’ na movie because it’s far from that,” one @RickHao69 addressed the beauty queen. “Sure, you can dislike it naman or hate it even pero you can elaborate din why.”
(Friend, I love you so much and I think you’re a very eloquent person. That’s why it’s disappointing that you reduced “Barbie” to “meh” and “similar to a high school project, because it’s far from that. Sure, you can dislike it or hate it even, but you can also elaborate why.)
Image: Twitter
“It is your delivery, MJ. Using the phrases ‘sobrang waley,’ ‘sayang 600,’ and ‘school project.’ If you did not like the movie, you could have said it in a better way,” said one @jhonivandj. “Remember, [you’re a] public figure and a former Miss Universe candidate. Think through [your] tweets next time.”
Image: Twitter
‘Wala akong inapakang tao’
Lastimosa cried foul after supposedly being bullied online by those who disagreed with her sentiments, with the beauty queen stressing that everyone is “entitled to like and dislike a movie.”
“Wait lang naman. Sobrang online bullying naman agad kayo. Nakakatakot naman magka-opinion dito,” she lamented. (Just a minute. That’s already online bullying. It has become terrifying to have an opinion here.)
“Minumura na ako ng iba sa ibang socmed ko only because I did not like a film? I liked ‘Little Women’ and ‘Lady Bird’ naman,” she continued, referring to Gerwig’s other films. “Why attack me if I say I didn’t find it as good?”
(Others were already cursing at me on my other social media accounts, only because I did not like a film? I liked “Little Women” and “Lady Bird”; why attack me if I say I didn’t find [“Barbie”] as good?)
Lastimosa noted that her opinion “has nothing to do about the movie being feminist,” and that people’s preferences on movies are “not that deep.”
opinion and it has nothing to do about the movie being feminist, which is the only part that I liked, specially the speech of America Ferre, parang dapat nga wala na si Will Ferrell dun. But it’s just me, you’re entitled to like and dislike a movie. It’s not that deep mare.
— MJ Lastimosa (@MJ_Lastimosa) July 25, 2023
“Wala akong inapakang tao. Natatakot din akong i-tweet to kasi magagalit nanaman kayo, kasi dapat in unison ang opinion natin dito or else bobo na agad kami?” she admitted. “Sorry na agad mga mare. Kalma na, masyado na kayong galit.”
(I did not step on anyone’s toes. I am actually afraid to post this because you would probably be irked again—because apparently we should have a unison opinion, otherwise we are stupid? I’d like to apologize right away. Calm down, you are already too pressed.)
Wala akong inapakang tao 🤦🏽♀️
Natatakot din akong itweet to kasi magagalit nanaman kayo kasi dapat in unison ang opinion naten dito or else bobo na agad kami? sorry na agad mga mare kalma na maxado na kayong galit ☺️— MJ Lastimosa (@MJ_Lastimosa) July 25, 2023
Some fans also came to Lastimosa’s defense and underscored that the beauty queen was just sharing her opinion on the film.
What's the fuss about MJ Lastimosa not liking the barbie movie. It's her opinion, respect it. Me, i didn't like the titanic movie. Each person has their own taste in movies, music, etc. We don't need to criticize them for not liking what you wanted.
— melanie s. salvante (@blue0629) July 25, 2023
MJ Lastimosa didnt say she hated women. She said she didnt like the Barbie movie! Arent we all allowed to dislike anything, especially a movie, without being thrown vile things our way?
— Ed Alegre, Jr. (@edgardoalegre) July 25, 2023
Kung makapag bash naman kayo MJ Lastimosa, parang maapektuhan ng opinion niya ang Barbie: The Movie.
Kasabay ng “let people enjoy things” ang “not all people will enjoy things”
As long as their opinions are simply objective then let them have their opinion!
— FABGELOUS 💓 CANDY WHOREHOL (@fabgelous) July 25, 2023
Meanwhile, “Barbie,” claimed the top spot in the North American theaters with a massive $155 million in ticket sales during its opening week. It surpassed “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” as the biggest opening of the year, and broke the first weekend record for a film directed by a woman. EDV
