After a couple of dreadful evenings of boring free-to-air television, I headed down to my local VideoEzy to see what I could find in substitute.
And, well, I found this….
Well, you must be wondering, what the hell i was thinking???? But, can you blame a girl bored to death with regular TV????
Now, this is not to say that I’m not a fan of SATC – because I AM, in all shape and form, from Carrie’s closet to her love life with Big and Aiden (you can totally tell who I go for 🙂 ); though, I’m no fan of Samantha’s S&Ms – but just that, even since the second movie was released early this year, and the fact that many, on the tail-coats success of the first movie, have vantured to watch the second on the big screen, hopefully for all the things we love about SATC, have returned disappointed and almost angry at the turnout of the film (storyline wise) to be absolute bullshit and a waste of time; in democratic terms, NOT AS GOOD AS THE FIRST!!! So, it was on this basis that I put off watching it in the cinema – though, I had a moment of momentary lapse in judgement and had borrowed it for $4 to watch on DVD, that and the fact that I had to satisfy my urge to find out, seriously, what the hell went up and what the hell went down.
For those of you wordly folks that have yet to venture in the life world of Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha, you may want to discontinue reading for I may in the next few seconds spoil it for you – at this point, ou should be aware that the movie was an absolute smash hit and should thus go borrow or even buy the DVD (hear the sarcasm is my voice!!!)
The story starts with Carrie (as always) and her journey to the beauty that is Manhattan City, New York, and how Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha came to be, the limbs of life as Carrie Bradshaw. For the misencounter on the subway one night, to working in Sales at (i think) Macy’s to a bar, New York, seen to be, the epitome of happenings, just like the song sings, cue Empire State of Mind. Through thick and thin, there they are still surviving the throws of the hovoc little island. Bergdorf Goodman introduces us to the luxury, everyone comes to expect from the show. “Her best gay friend is marrying my best gay friend”, cues the introduction to the movie and sets the scene for Standford’s marriage to Char’s wedding planner, Anthony, in a gorgeous inn in the up country Connecticut. And like any typical TV, excuse me, Movie wedding, everyone is in attendence, even Mr. John James Preston Big, who as the movie plays has been Mr. Carrie Bradshaw for a decent 2 years. The wedding, like Mr. Big non-PC-ly annouces is Gay, Gay, Gay!! With white swan and the broom (Bride-Groom) dressed to the T in white Dior, not to mention, the presence of the queen herself, Liza Minnelli, initiating the ceremony. The wedding is topped with icing when Minnelli, as herself, dishes out a, not to bad, I might add, rendition of Beyonce’s Single Ladies. The night of the wedding comes to an end with Samantha putting a ring on the single best men, Rose crying (Charlotte’s baby from the 1st movie) and Carrie and Big, “somewhere between wild sex and a baby”.
The morning after, the audiences are introduced to Samantha’s secret to youth and pre-manopause; homone pills and creams, and Charlotte’s bra-less Irish nanny, Erin. The movie drags, from this point onwards – through the domesticity that is Carrie’s new home and life with Big, Miranda’s frustrating balance with work and family, Charlotte’s attempt to be the perfect mother – just sex and the city like you know it, only so much more grown up and problemed (is that even a word??) – it’s almost as if the single life of SATC was so much more fun and romantic, then the Married SATC (just a point of discussion).
The movie takes flight again, when the girls, as per Samantha’s request, takes an all expense trip to the new Emirates, Abu Dhabi, to discover what the city has to offer, while at the same time, rediscovering themselves. Even before the girls touch down on Middle eastern soil, the trip exuberates luxury of the highest order. From the first class suite (on what I can assume to be a Airbus 380) to the inflight bar on board, where the girls share a couple of dirty Martinis and a couple of home truths, the trip it seems, have recaptured the essence of the show; 4 completely different yet similar women sharing their lives with each other. Upon arrival, however, the girls are thrust into an enviroment of contraditions. From the ultra wealthy, modern and advance to the tradition that is the muslim religion, from strict protocol on sex, drugs, and women’s wear. Arriving at an unnamed hotel, the girls are awed by the shere size and beauty of the resort grounds, from it’s majestic lobby to the external pool and garden. The film wouldn’t be SATC if the girls didnt live it up, and live it up they did!! Residing on vacation at the named ‘Jewel Suite’ the girls, each with a personal butler the film doesn’t fail in the department of visual and wealth impressions.
The holiday is, like usual, quirky. Here is why. While shopping at the local Souk, that is, Marketplace, Carrie, oh-so-happen to run into former flame, love, and boyfriend, Aiden (would could forget the ever-so-handsome guy that Carrie didnt marry, instead of marry that old taut of a man Big), where he invites her to dinner at his hotel to reminise of the past. Carrie turns up to dinner, uncharacteristically after a flop review of her new book in the New Yorker. The atmos is fun and very catch-up on life and such, until on their way home, they, as luck would have it, and as any one would have predicted, kiss, oh-s0-passionately. That is until the knowledge of reality sets in. Feeling ever so, the gulity married one, Carrie rushes home to confronts the girls on her little mishap, with her gunts of “What should I do???” At the end though, Carrie decides to come clean with Big, even at the expense of what the girls tel her – that it doesnt mean anything, and ergo, didn’t “Happen”!!!
Meanwhile, Miranda without much of her own storyline, helps charlotte under come the dispressions of thinking she is a bad mother, and to an extent worrying over the bra-less nanny and her nipple effect on the men of the show, namely, Harry. This is while they sip martinis and cry in the comfort of their own bar. Likewise, the show is uncharacteristic with Samantha’s junt for the latest fucking stick (excuse my language, but honestly, there is no simpler then with Samantha). She finds herself smitten with some random dutch architect they meet while riding camels in the desert. They date is rowdy and erect (you know what I mean) while the local look on displeasingly. She is outted by a conservative local and is taken into custody. Miranda and the girls to the rescue, but, all is too late when the shik (i think that is how you spell it) cancels his dealings with Samanth for her PR business. At a turn the girls find themselves at a bend of $22, 000 a night if they wish to continue their holiday; not even Mrs Preston’s, a Manhatten lawyer, PR executive or Fifth Avenue wife could cough up such cash, so it was off to a whirlpool of comotion to return to the USA. Though again, this is not the end. Carrie finds she misplaced my passport, returning to the souk to look for it, while Samantha and Charlotte get suck into a little illegal imitation sales, ending in a big rowdy comotion when Samantha’s stash of condoms burst onto the bustling scene. The conservatives are outraged and the girls struggle to get to the airport. With a little help from the local women and a little black-and-white magic, the girls manage to return safe and sound to NYC.
While the storyline dies down for the background trio, Carrie’s life apparently still hangs in the balance, after coming home to an empty apartment sans Big. Big finally returns home and punishes Carrie with a huge black diamond ring (some punishment ha? I wouldn’t mind being punished everyday in this sense), claiming it to be punishment so everyone knew she was him (that jibberjabber romantic crap). The film ends on an exausting note, ensuring everything that have went wrong in the film upheaval, returns to the prefection that is SATC; the true fairytale happily ever after; Carrie with Big, Miranda at her new job, Samantha reunited with her hormones and the dutch architect and Charlotte as the most coolest mummy on 5th and Carrie’s old apartment for a little down time.
After all the comotion that is the life of SATC2, I can’t say for certain whether I’m for or against this edition to the SATC family. I mean, sure I know where every other negative comment is coming from – cue Samantha’s overt sex drive (like you didn’t know from all the 6 seasons going in…I mean come on!!), the luxury of fashion (which I love most times) though, I assure you sometimes, just sometimes, Patricia field can really go OTT (cue: Carrie’s skirt in the first souk scene), the general OTT of the film (but, come on, its the middle East and Abu Dhabi, when is it not OTT???), and the general lack in a storyline (but!!!!! that is SATC for you girls…did you forget and expect something else, like what?? Carrie discovers quantum physics??? No!!!! As if the title didnt already speak for itself).
Anywho, the verdict for the film, mine’s anyway – the jury’s still out on that one. While I admit to thinking, “look at all those cheesy-ness”, I do happen to like a certain rom-com every so often when there is simply nothing to watch on regular free-to-air TV. Enough said, I say. Wouldn’t mind another SATC movie or two. Just so I can live vicariously through them and watch the fashion, and luxury….a girl can dream.
Fantales and Tim Tams 