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Sex and the City: Sugary Sweet With a Sad Center

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 05:45:56 -0700

Despite the fact that I've never owned shoes in the $500+ range and have never been a single and fabulous 30-something (or 40-something) New Yorker, I related to and loved the characters on Sex and the City. Every week I could count on seeing four women who placed a high value on their female friendships rather than tearing each other down (ahem, The Hills), who fought bravely against those who would look down on them for being unmarried, and who talked candidly about not just sex, but everything. Amidst hardship, lapses in judgment, and insecurities, they were smart ladies who had the understanding that life - even for the truly sophisticated - is no fairytale.

Some of these cherished characteristics translated well to the big screen version and I'm so thankful for that. But I'm also a bit mystified by how far it strays at times from the very aspects I loved so much. I wish I could say that it's a witty and modern take on the meaning of love and friendship for middle-aged women (and women approaching middle-age). Instead, the film is at times a fun fantasy, but it's not the Sex and the City I remember.

To see what I totally enjoyed about seeing these women back together and what struck a false note, read more.

The first third of the film has a lot of the good stuff from the series: it's irreverent, funny, absurd, intelligent, and full of sharp insights into marriage and being single in your 40s, all the while poking fun at its own universe. Then, slowly but surely, the movie veers into some strange territory and the women start taking themselves and their designer bags way too seriously, and everyone loses a normal dose of perspective.

Bravo to the writers for taking a risk with some genuinely dark moments (a necessity for a feature-length film, and this one is lengthy at over two hours) but even so (without giving away too many details, I promise you), nothing is so bad that any character should ever seriously utter the line, "Will I ever laugh again?" Even Miranda, who could always be counted on for some snappy, cynical retorts that zap her friends back to reality is morosely silent for most of the film. I really liked how strong Miranda was in the series, and in the movie it's like she isn't given enough words. It's so disappointing.

That said, you will probably laugh at some hilarious moments, and you might even cry. Your heart will likely race with the excitement of seeing all of these characters together again and will revel in the exhilarating fact that they're here, living their lives as if they'd never left us. But there are many moments where everything just feels forced and lackluster. Of course there's an emphasis on couture and living the high life in New York, which is sometimes glamorous but mostly just rings empty. We're not all "looking for labels and love," actually. We want to laugh, we want these ladies to give at least some kind of voice to our modern hopes and fears and we definitely do not want to be pandered to.

My bottom line: For each moment of applause and laughter at my screening, there was an equal amount of groaning and eye-rolling. It succeeds in that it's not a disaster and I'm glad I saw it. It fails in that it isn't really a movie, it's a season of SATC smooshed together, and compared to the other seasons, well, they've done a lot better.

Photos courtesy of New Line Cinema

New SATC Movie Spot - And SATC Man Match-Up Game

BuzzSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 10:28:37 -0700

Did you catch the TV spot for the Sex and the City movie that aired during Gossip Girl last night? Well, now you can check it out after the jump. There's more of the brassy theme music, some squealing amongst the ladies and euphemistic talk of "crayons" and "coloring," among other cute stuff.

As I was perusing the movie's website last night I came across the little online quiz in which you can find out who your manly SATC match would be. And yup, I got Harry. He's not the sexiest of the bunch but he sure is loyal and good. Who's yours? Click here, then go to "About the Movie" and the "Match Your Man" option will appear.

To check out the TV spot for the SATC movie, read more.

Recast "Sex and the City" and Win a Prize!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 15:16:03 -0700

Every Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar t-shirt!

Now, before some of you get all up in arms about this recast challenge idea, remember that this one was actually requested by Buzz readers! So, having just heard the news about the "Sex and the City" movie going into production, I'm making it a "SATC" kind of week. I understand that the original actors were perfect, but since you suggested this challenge, go to it! If you could recast the parts of Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte, which actresses would you pick? And, based on the comments in today's post, let's also recast Mr. Big, Smith, Harry and Steve.

Leave your entry in the comment section below, and I'll pick one winner to feature Tuesday, July 10, complete with a "new" cast photo. To see a list of characters to recast and a photo of the BuzzSugar t-shirt, read more

Characters to recast:
Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker)
Miranda (Cynthia Nixon)
Samantha (Kim Cattrall)
Charlotte (Kristin Davis)
Mr. Big (Chris Noth)
Steve (David Eigenberg)
Harry (Evan Handler)
Smith (Jason Lewis)

The BuzzSugar t-shirt

Source

Great TV Wedding Moments: "Sex and the City"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:07:09 -0700

As we've mentioned, it's wedding planning mania here on the Sugar Network, and throughout the next couple of weeks, I'll be sharing some of my favorite wedding moments from television.

When it comes to wedding planning and romance in general, Cynthia Nixon's Miranda character on "Sex and the City" isn't big on tradition, and that's one reason I love this scene from the season six episode entitled "The Ick Factor." A white dress is out of the question, but Miranda still can't help but give in to some of the cheesy nuptial conventions. To watch the clip, read more

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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:30:19 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. Check out this week's picks!

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
I admittedly wasn't a fan of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past when it came out in theaters, but it may be worth considering if you're in the mood for a romantic comedy that doesn't make you think too much. The premise: When playboy Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) attends his brother's wedding, he runs into his first love Jenny (Jennifer Garner), setting off a Christmas Carol-like chain of events, complete with ghosts. Yes, the plot's contrived and Connor is incredibly smarmy, but I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters, especially Emma Stone as an 80's ghost with a bad perm and Michael Douglas as Connor's Lothario uncle.

27%

Two more up next, so read more.

Observe and Report
Observe and Report follows a self-important, semi-delusional mall security cop (Seth Rogen) who flips out when he realizes he may not become a police officer - or win over the makeup counter girl of his dreams (Anna Faris). When I first reviewed it, I was surprised by how dark the film turned out to be for a Rogen and Faris comedy. Still, it does have a few laugh-worthy moments, and Rogen fans will probably want to add this to their must-see list.

51%

Lymelife
Set in the 1970s, Lymelife is an ensemble drama that follows two families in a Long Island neighborhood dealing with a Lyme disease scare. It boasts a decent ensemble cast, including Cynthia Nixon, Alec Baldwin, and Timothy Hutton, but Rory Culkin (yes, Macaulay's brother) is the heart of the film as a 15-year-old struggling in the midst of messed-up chaos. (Emma Roberts also turns in a memorable performance as his crush.) The reviews were mixed when the film released in theaters, but if twisted suburbia is your thing (i.e., American Beauty or The Ice Storm), then Lymelife is worth checking out. Bonus material includes an alternate ending.

54%