TRASH IN MY EYE No. 98 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux
Sex and the City 2 (2010)
Running time: 146 minutes (2 hours, 26 minutes)
MPAA – R for some strong sexual content and language
DIRECTOR: Michael Patrick King
WRITER: Michael Patrick King (based upon the book by Candace Bushnell and the television series created by Darren Star)
PRODUCERS: Michael Patrick King, John Melfi, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Darren Star
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Thomas (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Michael Berenbaum
COMEDY/DRAMA/ROMANCE
Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler, Jason Lewis, Mario Cantone, Willie Garson, Liza Minelli, John Corbett, Omid Djalili, Art Malik, Raza Jaffrey, Lynn Cohen, Joseph Pupo, Miley Cyrus, Penélope Cruz, and Alexandra Fong and Parker Fong
Sex and the City was an American comedy television series that was originally broadcast on HBO over six seasons from 1998 to 2004. Created by Darren Star, the series was based in part on Candice Bushnell’s book of the same title and spawned a hit feature film in 2008. The success of the first film gave birth to a sequel, Sex and the City 2, released earlier this year.
Sex and the City 2 opens two years after the wedding that almost wasn’t. Now, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and John Preston A.K.A. Mr. Big (Chris Noth) have settled down, but John has settled down a bit more than Carrie likes. Meanwhile, Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), now 52, fights a never-ending battle to stay ahead of menopause. Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) struggles at the law firm where she works and where her new boss seems not to like her. Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) struggles with being a mother of two children, especially because her youngest is in the full throes of the terrible twos.
An Arab sheikh (Art Malik) approaches Samantha about devising a PR campaign for his business. He offers to fly her and her friends to an all-expenses-paid luxury vacation in his country Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). Once in the country, the girls find themselves living like royalty, but trouble is ahead. Carrie runs into an old boyfriend and Samantha chafes under Abu Dhabi’s strict laws about showing public affection and how women may act.
While much of the first film was about the girls and the people in their lives, Sex and the City 2 is primarily about the girls, and from there, Carrie and Samantha (to a lesser extent) dominate the film. There is nothing wrong with that, except that the film lacks conflict, and the drama is more like melodrama. The film is too insular, and considering that these four women already seem pampered and spoiled, the lavish Arabian setting in which this film drops them, makes them seem even more pampered and spoiled. Carrie’s troubles with Mr. Big come across as slight, petty, and childish, and even Samantha gives the impression that she is less a lusty woman and more a desperate trollop. Her two sex scenes are certainly funny, but in a way, look mechanical.
Still, I had fun with this movie. I enjoy watching Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte going places together where they can have fun and just talk about whatever and the luxuries of Abu Dhabi are nice. While Sex and the City 2 is not as good as the first film, it is always good to have the girls around, and this movie won’t stop fans from wanting a third trip to the theatres to see them.
6 of 10
B
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Sex and the City 2 (2010)
Running time: 146 minutes (2 hours, 26 minutes)
MPAA – R for some strong sexual content and language
DIRECTOR: Michael Patrick King
WRITER: Michael Patrick King (based upon the book by Candace Bushnell and the television series created by Darren Star)
PRODUCERS: Michael Patrick King, John Melfi, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Darren Star
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Thomas (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Michael Berenbaum
COMEDY/DRAMA/ROMANCE
Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Chris Noth, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler, Jason Lewis, Mario Cantone, Willie Garson, Liza Minelli, John Corbett, Omid Djalili, Art Malik, Raza Jaffrey, Lynn Cohen, Joseph Pupo, Miley Cyrus, Penélope Cruz, and Alexandra Fong and Parker Fong
Sex and the City was an American comedy television series that was originally broadcast on HBO over six seasons from 1998 to 2004. Created by Darren Star, the series was based in part on Candice Bushnell’s book of the same title and spawned a hit feature film in 2008. The success of the first film gave birth to a sequel, Sex and the City 2, released earlier this year.
Sex and the City 2 opens two years after the wedding that almost wasn’t. Now, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and John Preston A.K.A. Mr. Big (Chris Noth) have settled down, but John has settled down a bit more than Carrie likes. Meanwhile, Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), now 52, fights a never-ending battle to stay ahead of menopause. Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) struggles at the law firm where she works and where her new boss seems not to like her. Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) struggles with being a mother of two children, especially because her youngest is in the full throes of the terrible twos.
An Arab sheikh (Art Malik) approaches Samantha about devising a PR campaign for his business. He offers to fly her and her friends to an all-expenses-paid luxury vacation in his country Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates). Once in the country, the girls find themselves living like royalty, but trouble is ahead. Carrie runs into an old boyfriend and Samantha chafes under Abu Dhabi’s strict laws about showing public affection and how women may act.
While much of the first film was about the girls and the people in their lives, Sex and the City 2 is primarily about the girls, and from there, Carrie and Samantha (to a lesser extent) dominate the film. There is nothing wrong with that, except that the film lacks conflict, and the drama is more like melodrama. The film is too insular, and considering that these four women already seem pampered and spoiled, the lavish Arabian setting in which this film drops them, makes them seem even more pampered and spoiled. Carrie’s troubles with Mr. Big come across as slight, petty, and childish, and even Samantha gives the impression that she is less a lusty woman and more a desperate trollop. Her two sex scenes are certainly funny, but in a way, look mechanical.
Still, I had fun with this movie. I enjoy watching Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte going places together where they can have fun and just talk about whatever and the luxuries of Abu Dhabi are nice. While Sex and the City 2 is not as good as the first film, it is always good to have the girls around, and this movie won’t stop fans from wanting a third trip to the theatres to see them.
6 of 10
B
Thursday, December 02, 2010
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