MJ Lastimosa criticized after calling 'Barbie' movie a waste of P600, 'school project film'; defends opinion
Beauty queen MJ Lastimosa is in hot water after saying she wasted her money on the live-action Barbie movie as it's supposedly inferior to her standards.
In a now-deleted tweet that was screenshot by netizens and social media pages, MJ wrote: "Sobrang waley ng barbie movie sayang 600 ko haha!"
"Okay naman some parts but in general mehhh parang school project film," she wrote in another deleted tweet.
The movie, helmed by award-winning director Greta Gerwig, revolves around the adventures of the iconic doll (Margot Robbie) who enjoys a fantastic life in the Barbie World until she begins having an existential crisis. She sets out on a journey to the Real World to find a solution, only to be joined by Ken (Ryan Gosling).
Barbie explores feminism and existentialism in its narrative.
Several netizens took the beauty queen to task for her hot take.
"Yung comment na 'school project' kasi yung off. It is okay to not like it. Pero sabihin na ganun? Tangent," wrote another one.
"sabeeeee!! if you don't really appreciate imperfections, and how this world is working when it comes to women. Di niyo talaga magegets promise," replied another.
But MJ on X (Twitter) defended herself from critics, describing the negative comments about her as a form of "online bullying."
"Nakakatakot naman mag ka opinion dito minumura nako ng iba sa ibang socmed ko only because I did not like a film?" she said in a thread, adding she liked Gerwig's other works Little Women and Lady Bird. "Why attack me if I say I didn’t find it as good."
She noted that she was just sharing her opinion, and it has nothing to do with the movie "being feminist," the only part she said she likes. In particular, she mentioned the speech of America Ferrera, who portrayed an employee of Barbie creator Mattel.
"Parang dapat nga wala na si Will Ferrell dun," Lastimosa said of the actor who portrayed Mattel's chief executive officer. "But it’s just me, you’re entitled to like and dislike a movie. It’s not that deep mare."
Wrapping up her thread, Lastimosa wrote: "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 is a Filipino-Arabian model. She joined Binibining Pilipinas three times and eventually represented the Philippines at the Miss Universe 2014 pageant in Miami, Florida. She finished as a Top 10 semifinalist.