Barack Obama does not think Barbie is one of the best films of the year

Barack Obama has shocked fans with the omission of Barbie from his list of best films in 2023.

The former president has become known as a man of immaculate taste with his yearly round-ups of favourite films, books, music and other cultural picks at the end of each year.

But this year, Obama left fans shocked after his list of favourite films from 2023 failed to include the box office smash hit Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring an A-list cast including Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

He shared the list on his Instagram, where he also wrote about the actors’ and writers’ strikes in the caption, as well as his production company Higher Ground.

Obama said: “Earlier this year, writers and actors went on strike to advocate for better working conditions and protections. It led to important changes that will transform the industry for the better.

“Here are some films that reflect their hard work over the last year — including some like Rustin, American Symphony, and Leave the World Behind that we were proud to release through @HigherGroundMedia.”

Some films listed included Oppenheimer, Polite Society and Leave the World Behind (which he produced), but fans were quick to spot the glaring omission of Gerwig’s instant classic as well as the critically acclaimed Killers of the Flower Moon by Martin Scorsese.

“Respectfully Mr. President, where the heck is Barbie?” one fan questioned in the comments.

Another joked: “This list is not Kenough.”

Someone else added: “WHERE IS BARBIE?!????????? SIR!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Where is Barbie? I’ll need an individual Barbie dedication post,” one person suggested.

Barbie and Oppenheimer were released on the same day – 21 July 2023 – sparking memes and the so-called “Barbenheimer” challenge where people watched both films in one day.

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