Exploring the best of Toronto and Southern Ontario.

Hi all! I hope you’re enjoying the last day of the long weekend (how is it that, despite the name, they never seem to be long enough?)

I don’t know about you all, but over the last couple of weeks – whether I’m with family, friends, at work or just out and about – I keep hearing one question asked over and over: “have you seen the Barbie movie yet!?” Greta Gerwig’s summer blockbuster has been breaking box office records left, right and center as people flock to theatres to see the long-anticipated film. From Barbie parties to pink-themed menus at restaurants, it’s clear Toronto has been hit by the Barbie craze – and I’m here for it! Barbie was one of my favourite childhood toys, and as a self-admitted ‘girly girl’ who never got over my love for all things pink and glittery, I was so excited to see the movie and get a dose of childhood nostalgia.

Tania, who was even more excited to see the movie than I was, wanted to go on opening weekend. We saw it on the Sunday night at one of our favourite date night spots: Oakville’s 5 Drive-In! While Tania and I both love movies, neither of us are big fans of movie theatres. I know many people really enjoy the theatre experience, but personally, it’s just not for me. I find the tickets and food overpriced, the seats uncomfortable (and of questionable cleanliness), and the volume too loud (don’t I sound old!) Plus, I always seem to get stuck next to a loud talker – or worse – chewer! That’s why you’ll only find me watching a movie one of three places: in the comfort of my own home, in the Cineplex VIP Cinemas (trust me, the comfort is worth the cost!) or at my favourite place… the drive-in.

The drive-in brings you all the big-screen magic of the movies without the annoyances I mentioned above. The prices are reasonable, you can get cozy with pillows and blankets in the comfort of your own car, the volume is completely under your control, and you don’t have to put up with the sounds of other movie-goers! Plus, there’s something about the retro nostalgia of it all that just makes it such a fun experience. And it’s also a little sentimental, because the first year we were dating, Tania took me to the 5 Drive-In to see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (in case y’all didn’t know, I love dinosaurs) and it’s still one of my favourite dates we’ve ever had.

We normally purchase our tickets directly at the drive-in box office, but because Barbie is so popular, we purchased them online in advance. They cost $13 each (I should note that there is a $2.25 processing fee for online bookings). We arrived at the theatre about an hour before showtime to give us enough time to find the best spot and order some snacks.

While a lot of people just watch the movie from the front seat of their car, we think it’s cozier and more fun to sit in the trunk! We popped the back seats down to give us more room, and created a cozy little ‘pillow fort’ with pillows and blankets we brought from home.

One reason I recommend arriving early is to give yourself enough time to get popcorn or other treats: the concession lines at the 5 Drive-In are always long. I’ll confess that there are few foods I love more than movie theatre popcorn, and it’s never the same when you make it at home – there’s just something addictive about that fake buttery taste! We bought an extra-large bag of popcorn for $13. Let me tell you… they are NOT kidding around with the extra-large size. I’m a total hog when it comes to popcorn, and I’m always that person who manages to finish their bag before the movie even starts. Well, both Tania and I were snacking constantly throughout the movie, and we still took home almost half the bag! The 5 Drive-In also sells hot dogs and hamburgers, and nostalgic fairground treats like funnel cakes and cotton candy. (You can check out their full food menu here.)

Now, we all know it’s frowned upon to bring your own food to the movies. I’ll admit we sometimes sneak our own snacks in, which I think is acceptable under two caveats: 1) as long as you also purchase something from the concession stand to support the theatre and 2) whatever you bring has to be something you can’t buy onsite. In this case, it was Lucky Elephant Popcorn, which I picked up at Canadian Tire earlier that day. We didn’t dress in theme for the movie, though lots of others did (it was so cute seeing all the pink outfits) but I had to do something themed, so I figured pink popcorn was the way to go!

As we settled in and waited for the movie to start, we enjoyed the cute retro-style messages and ads on the screen. (If you remember the drive-in scene from Grease, they’re just like that…dancing hot dogs and all!)

And then it was onto the movie itself! I won’t give too much of the plot away, because I think it’s a film that everyone should see for themselves, but I truly loved it. It was campy, nostalgic, funny, and very, very smart at the same time. I loved the sets and costumes, and the insane attention to detail. If you’re a Barbie doll fan, there are so many hidden references and ‘Easter eggs’ you’ll love! And the film’s feminist message was amazing. (Fun fact: when I was in high school, long before Barbie was considered a feminist icon, my English teacher challenged us all to write an essay that would change his mind on a controversial subject. I wrote mine on why Barbie was an excellent role model for girls. Not only did I change his mind – I got an A!)

All tickets to the 5 Drive-In are double feature tickets, but we’re always too tired to stay for the second film (in this case, it was Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse.) But if you’re a night owl, it’s a great deal, working out to just $6.50 per movie.

I’m not sure how long Barbie will be in theatres, but I’d recommend going sooner rather than later! It’s playing every night at the 5 Drive-In, and you can view all the upcoming showtimes here. You can also watch my Instagram reel about our drive-in experience here, and if you’re interested in more Barbie fun around the GTA, there’s lots of cool stuff going on! You may have noticed that several bars and restaurants are offering Barbie-inspired cocktails or pink food items. I’m actually planning to head to Café Landwer’s Yorkdale location soon to check out their limited-edition Barbie menu, because who could say no to pink glitter cocktails, pink whipped cream and pink hummus!? I’d also be interested in checking out the Barbie brunch experience coming to Toronto this November – I’ll let you all know if I end up going!

Have you seen Barbie yet? What did you think of the film?