The "Sex & the City" Movies: Comparing & Contrasting the TV Series

[Mrs. Hanson]

2 hours ago, Melancholy said:

Carrie so clearly married Big for his money. Now, I think Carrie honestly adored Big for himself. Big's self very much being wrapped up in how he was a limo riding corporate golden boy millionaire. But she made the decision to marry directly to ensure financial security and said as much. There were no plans of children. Carrie didn't even have a moment where she waxed sentimental about how she wanted to exchange those vows and that's what was bringing her to the alter  Ala Miranda. It was quite literally, "Big's an asshole. I need to be married so I can financially punish him if he's an asshole to me." There were echoes from the series that Carrie wanted to marry Big because he's the love of her life but Carrie consistently lost sweetness, authenticity, spontaneity as she aged and became increasingly defined by bitterness and a desperation to be taken care of in lavish ways. 

I didn't clock it but I also feel like the movies were more Carrie-centric than the series. In the series, it felt like Carrie got the more dramatic stories but she only got a little more screen time than her co-stars. The movies felt like vastly more Carrie screentime compared to the other women. 

Both the movies were ALL CARRIE ALL THE TIME.  And it wasn't just Carrie and her shoes, her clothes, purses. etc....it was catering to her moods and and her breakup with Big.  All the sympathy, all the longing looks of empathy....yuck.

The Big Gay Wedding did not favors to the gay community.  I have male gay friends who were horrified at that scene.  

I did like the ending to the first movie as I loved her dress and her blue shoes and the whole simple wedding ceremony.  I am getting married (again) and that is my dream wedding.  No frills, just get it done!!  (Fiance won the debate - it will be a small under 50 people wedding followed by lunch.  I can get on board with that!)

[Scarlett45]

On 7/3/2017 at 3:38 PM, Mrs. Hanson said:

I started to watch the sequel over the weekend and thought:  "Wow this is not too bad!"  Then.......yikes.  Both movies were CLEARLY vehicles for SJP to not only look good but make the others (namely KC and KD) look bad.  CN is spared.  The first movie:  going to Mexico to watch your friend mope.....I will pass.  So Big was a little late.....I never bought that cold feet scenario, if he was going to cancel he would have canceled the week before.

The second movie?  Started out okay  - the whole gay wedding thing was like.....really?  Do you want to drive the stereotypes in even further??  I made it until the singing scene of "I Am Woman" then had to give up.  

I felt Bad for KC as she is such a great actress.  

Carrie was a shrew in her marriage, losing her shit over a tv.  And the couple in the beginning, nagging and judging over being childless?  SHUT THE HELL UP.  I have two kids, love them to bits but people who are childless I want to say:  "I ENVY YOU!  SO MUCH MORE TIME AND MONEY!!!"  lol!  I would NEVER talk like that. "So you are going to end up....alone?"  Evil people.

I do think Carrie was being self indulgent being spoon fed during the not honeymoon, BUT Big wasn't just a little late, he specifically told her he couldn't do it and wasn't coming to the wedding after keeping her waiting. I don't blame her for hitting him with those flowers after he was all "oh I'm sorry I'm ready now", what a fucking dick. 

 

Yes people really do talk to childfree people like that. It's awful. 

[Melancholy]

Well, I think if Carrie and Big had a good relationship and trusted each other but Big got cold feet for under an hour but came back to say he wanted to marry, Carrie and Big could have had a calm "I'm hurt by these last minute jitters. Are you sure?" conversation and resolved his nervousness to marry. I've heard of plenty of grooms getting cold feet at the last minute but someone (the father of the bride, the best man) talking them down from the normal attitude of choking before they dramatically change their lives and embark on a journey where failure means a world of hurt. However, that was never going to happen here. First, Big was rather pathetically isolated in the movie and didn't seem to have a confidant other than Carrie. Second, Carrie didn't trust Big at all. Heck, that was the whole reason they got married. She thought he was a "bad guy", as she said with conviction, and she wanted the security of marriage so she could make money if he ever stepped out on her again. 

[psychoticstate]

On 7/3/2017 at 1:38 PM, Mrs. Hanson said:

I started to watch the sequel over the weekend and thought:  "Wow this is not too bad!"  Then.......yikes.  Both movies were CLEARLY vehicles for SJP to not only look good but make the others (namely KC and KD) look bad.  CN is spared.  The first movie:  going to Mexico to watch your friend mope.....I will pass.  So Big was a little late.....I never bought that cold feet scenario, if he was going to cancel he would have canceled the week before.

The second movie?  Started out okay  - the whole gay wedding thing was like.....really?  Do you want to drive the stereotypes in even further??  I made it until the singing scene of "I Am Woman" then had to give up.  

I felt Bad for KC as she is such a great actress.  

Carrie was a shrew in her marriage, losing her shit over a tv.  And the couple in the beginning, nagging and judging over being childless?  SHUT THE HELL UP.  I have two kids, love them to bits but people who are childless I want to say:  "I ENVY YOU!  SO MUCH MORE TIME AND MONEY!!!"  lol!  I would NEVER talk like that. "So you are going to end up....alone?"  Evil people.

I actually rewatched Part 2 over the weekend and . . . on the one hand, it wasn't as bad as I remember and on the other, YIKES.  

Shallow but I thought SJP looked particularly bad.  I always thought her hair looked best more blonde and shoulder length or shorter.  

In any event, all the ladies demonstrated a real lack of courtesy and class overseas.  It was definitely all about Carrie, per usual.  I really didn't get why she was so upset about having a tv in the bedroom.  Most people do.  Big was at work all day, let him come home and relax.  Easy for Carrie to want to go out and hit the town, when she writes sporadic books.  She was definitely a shrew.

On 7/3/2017 at 3:42 PM, Melancholy said:

Carrie so clearly married Big for his money. Now, I think Carrie honestly adored Big for himself. Big's self very much being wrapped up in how he was a limo riding corporate golden boy millionaire. But she made the decision to marry directly to ensure financial security and said as much. There were no plans of children. Carrie didn't even have a moment where she waxed sentimental about how she wanted to exchange those vows and that's what was bringing her to the alter  Ala Miranda. It was quite literally, "Big's an asshole. I need to be married so I can financially punish him if he's an asshole to me." There were echoes from the series that Carrie wanted to marry Big because he's the love of her life but Carrie consistently lost sweetness, authenticity, spontaneity as she aged and became increasingly defined by bitterness and a desperation to be taken care of in lavish ways. 

I didn't clock it but I also feel like the movies were more Carrie-centric than the series. In the series, it felt like Carrie got the more dramatic stories but she only got a little more screen time than her co-stars. The movies felt like vastly more Carrie screentime compared to the other women. 

I think Carrie married Big out of fear and that seed was put in her mind by Miranda, who was concerned about Carrie selling her apartment and putting the proceeds into Heaven on Fifth.  It was a legitimate concern but it seems that neither Big nor Carrie were thinking about marriage up until that point.   It was clear that Big was not pleased when the wedding blew up into a huge, lavish affair.  I think that, combined with his friend's comment and Miranda's statement about marriage ruining everything caused him to question why they were getting married.  I don't blame him for questioning it.  

I enjoy the first movie.  In fact, I never liked Carrie a whole lot until the first movie.  I felt she was more grounded and humble than she had been before and I liked that neither she nor Big got involved with anyone else.

[Melancholy]

I agree that Carrie married Big out of financial fear. I think the best, in terms of honesty and everyone's needs, would be for Carrie to just let Big pay for Heaven on Fifth while she kept and saved/invested all of her money. Carrie would have a safety net (if she didn't blow it all on shoes) but they wouldn't be marrying as a business arrangement and from what I could see in the sequel, living an unhappy marriage. 

I liked Carrie in the early seasons. Sure, she pulled a lot of boneheaded, stupid moves but she was endearing for what she was- a young-for-32 spontaneous good time girl who was self-aware that she was figuring things out. As she aged and her friends actually matured, her immature Schtick became less charming especially when she upped the fake girly tweeness. And there was some breaking point that she was no longer genuinely trying to figure things out and work on herself but instead to try to appear like she was doing that so she'd be bailed out and protected from her own bad or hurtful choices. I just thoroughly dislike her from when she gets with The Russian to the end of the second movie.  

[BBHN]

Not on topic with regards to the movies, but I liked Carrie up until the affair with Big while he married to Natasha. After that, she more or less goes downhill for me.

Edited July 5, 2017 by BBHN

[txhorns79]

Quote

In any event, all the ladies demonstrated a real lack of courtesy and class overseas.  It was definitely all about Carrie, per usual.  I really didn't get why she was so upset about having a tv in the bedroom.  Most people do.  Big was at work all day, let him come home and relax.  Easy for Carrie to want to go out and hit the town, when she writes sporadic books.  She was definitely a shrew.

It was weird to me that they were two years into their marriage, but neither seemed to have any clue what the other really wanted from the relationship.   Did Carrie think that she and Big were going to have non-stop excitement until they died?  Did Big think Carrie was just going to become a homebody?  Did either actually care what the other wanted?  

And Samantha was just the worst.  I don't believe for a moment that she would have acted the way she did in Abu Dhabi.  She was like some crazed stereotype of how a desperate older woman would act when an available man is around.           

And finally, are you telling me those four women couldn't have afforded to split $22,000 a night?  Or that it never occurred to any of them to just ask to downsize to a less expensive room and/or suite?   

[psychoticstate]

On 7/17/2017 at 1:00 PM, txhorns79 said:

It was weird to me that they were two years into their marriage, but neither seemed to have any clue what the other really wanted from the relationship.   Did Carrie think that she and Big were going to have non-stop excitement until they died?  Did Big think Carrie was just going to become a homebody?  Did either actually care what the other wanted?  

And Samantha was just the worst.  I don't believe for a moment that she would have acted the way she did in Abu Dhabi.  She was like some crazed stereotype of how a desperate older woman would act when an available man is around.           

And finally, are you telling me those four women couldn't have afforded to split $22,000 a night?  Or that it never occurred to any of them to just ask to downsize to a less expensive room and/or suite?   

I think how Big and Carrie's marriage was portrayed in the second movie shows a lot of fundamental differences in their characters and temperaments.  Carrie is like a child - - she expects Big to go to work to pay for her clothing, shoes, apartment, decorating, etc., take her out when she wants to go out, buy her jewelry for their anniversary, etc.  If she doesn't get exactly what she wants, when she wants, she stomps her feet and pitches a fit.   Then her support system of girlfriends takes her side and tells her she's absolutely right and Big capitulates and gives in to her.  

I think Aidan and Carrie were better suited in some ways, although they still weren't right for each other. On paper, Berger was probably the best match, being a fellow writer.

Regarding Aidan, I thoroughly disliked how they made him ready to get down and dirty with Carrie, his wife and her husband be damned.  I don't think the Aidan we knew from the series would have done that.  And why were men always falling all over themselves to be with Carrie?  What was so great about her?  

I hate how Samantha was portrayed in the second movie.  I agree that she would never have acted the way she did, hormones or not.  It was just insulting to menopausal women. 

Moving to a regular hotel room would make sense, I guess, although the best thing for the country was for these four to leave. 

Has anyone heard anything about a third movie?  Every now and again something comes up about it.  I recall hearing something not too long ago that a script was agreed on by all four women and the project was moving forward.  I'm curious as to whether that will really happen and what the "small, untold" story is that SJP says is left to tell. 

[andromeda331]

1 hour ago, psychoticstate said:

I think how Big and Carrie's marriage was portrayed in the second movie shows a lot of fundamental differences in their characters and temperaments.  Carrie is like a child - - she expects Big to go to work to pay for her clothing, shoes, apartment, decorating, etc., take her out when she wants to go out, buy her jewelry for their anniversary, etc.  If she doesn't get exactly what she wants, when she wants, she stomps her feet and pitches a fit.   Then her support system of girlfriends takes her side and tells her she's absolutely right and Big capitulates and gives in to her.  

I think Aidan and Carrie were better suited in some ways, although they still weren't right for each other. On paper, Berger was probably the best match, being a fellow writer.

Regarding Aidan, I thoroughly disliked how they made him ready to get down and dirty with Carrie, his wife and her husband be damned.  I don't think the Aidan we knew from the series would have done that.  And why were men always falling all over themselves to be with Carrie?  What was so great about her?  

I hate how Samantha was portrayed in the second movie.  I agree that she would never have acted the way she did, hormones or not.  It was just insulting to menopausal women. 

Moving to a regular hotel room would make sense, I guess, although the best thing for the country was for these four to leave. 

Has anyone heard anything about a third movie?  Every now and again something comes up about it.  I recall hearing something not too long ago that a script was agreed on by all four women and the project was moving forward.  I'm curious as to whether that will really happen and what the "small, untold" story is that SJP says is left to tell. 

A child! That's exactly what Carrie is! Its ridiculous that she always wants to get what she wants or a grown up woman stomps and whines to her friends when she doesn't get it. She never grows up or wants to be an "adult" in a relationship. Who goes out every single night? Why is it a big deal that Big puts a TV in their room? Or God forbid she doesn't get what she wants? Why do her friends always take her side? Don't they ever get tired of Carrie complaining? Don't they ever feel like telling her how great she has it? Big pays for everything! She doesn't have to do anything and really she doesn't do anything. The rest of her friends have jobs and/or kids. Don't they ever want to tell her to grow up?

I agree that's not how Samantha would have behaved in the second movie. 

[txhorns79]

Quote

Moving to a regular hotel room would make sense, I guess, although the best thing for the country was for these four to leave. 

I agree the best thing for them was to leave.  However, the way the whole thing was handled, with only an hour to checkout, the desperate packing, etc. was just dumb.  They acted like it was either leave immediately or pay $22,000.00 when it wasn't. 

Quote

Has anyone heard anything about a third movie?  Every now and again something comes up about it.  I recall hearing something not too long ago that a script was agreed on by all four women and the project was moving forward.  I'm curious as to whether that will really happen and what the "small, untold" story is that SJP says is left to tell. 

I have occasionally seen articles about how things seem to moving forward, and obviously SJP maintains a close relationship with HBO.  I'm just uncertain what stories they would be telling at this point.  Sex at 60 for Samantha?  Carrie and Big have more boring problems?

[psychoticstate]

2 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I have occasionally seen articles about how things seem to moving forward, and obviously SJP maintains a close relationship with HBO.  I'm just uncertain what stories they would be telling at this point.  Sex at 60 for Samantha?  Carrie and Big have more boring problems?

I've wondered if it would be about one of the girls or their husbands dying.  As horrible as that is, I can't imagine what other story is left to tell.

[txhorns79]

Quote

I've wondered if it would be about one of the girls or their husbands dying.  As horrible as that is, I can't imagine what other story is left to tell.

I can't imagine the show ever killing off one of the girls.  Though it probably would make sense if Samantha dies after being impaled by some kind of phallus shaped object.  You are right that a health crisis for one of the husbands seems like a logical step. 

[Inquisitionist]

21 hours ago, psychoticstate said:

On paper, Berger was probably the best match, being a fellow writer.

And being pretty childish himself.

[Melancholy]

21 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

A child! That's exactly what Carrie is! Its ridiculous that she always wants to get what she wants or a grown up woman stomps and whines to her friends when she doesn't get it. She never grows up or wants to be an "adult" in a relationship. Who goes out every single night? Why is it a big deal that Big puts a TV in their room? Or God forbid she doesn't get what she wants? Why do her friends always take her side? Don't they ever get tired of Carrie complaining? Don't they ever feel like telling her how great she has it? Big pays for everything! She doesn't have to do anything and really she doesn't do anything. The rest of her friends have jobs and/or kids. Don't they ever want to tell her to grow up? 

On my rewatch, I recently saw the ep where Aiden first meets Carrie and issues the ultimatum that he can't date a smoker. And Carrie goes to her friends with this bullshit feminism of, "I can't give up smoking for a guy. It's who I am." And even in the earlier seasons, she's so up her own butt and used to her friends being up her ass that she's shocked, SHOCKED that her non-smoking friends in the late 90s are all, "That's silly to make smoking part of your identity. You're killing yourself. Take Aiden as a reason to try quitting."

I feel like most smokers in the late 90s would try not talking about their addiction with their non-smoking friends and when brought up, defensively say they know it's bad but they can't quit. At least, urbane New Yorkers who purport to agree with science. It struck me as very much part of Carrie's arrogance and expectations that her friends would adore everything she has to say to think this "Not giving up my cigarettes for a guy" faux feminist rallying cry would impress anyone but also-a-smoker Stanford. 

But at least, TV series Carrie was just entitled about expecting her friends to always agree with her. She was mean and rude about it at times. But there was a new malicious edge to it in the movies- like when she tried silencing Charlotte's entirely correct precautions about Carrie essentially going on a date with Aiden by throwing "Just because you're afraid of your husband cheating, don't assume everyone else is." Charlotte really should have stomped all over Carrie with "I told you sos" when Carrie was in melodramatic "What have I done?" Mode after the kiss. 

[Inquisitionist]

Melancholy, it's interesting that you characterize Aidan as issuing an ultimatum.  I'm sure Carrie saw it that way, but to me it was simply a statement -- and one that I made way back in the 1970s.  By the 90s, I didn't even KNOW anyone who smoked. 

I do agree with your last paragraph.  Carrie's "friends" often acted like doormats.  Unconditional love does not mean cheerleading your friends' blatant mistakes.

[Melancholy]

Inquisitionist, it could be both. I also make statements that I can't date a smoker. It's on my dating profiles and I expect that means smokers won't contact me. However, they established "relations" with the meet cute and the marathon first date foreshadowing long term romance. I think it's fair to say it as an ultimatum or "a statement of terms, the rejection of which will result in a breakdown of relations."

I was a child in the 90s but I knew smokers in my family and among my parents' (Hispanic, mostly Cuban) friends. Most of them recognized it as a dangerous vice but just couldn't quit. They would party proudly with the cool looking cigarettes in their group but when the subject came up they'd tell me not to start smoking and they'd recognize it as bad. I also actually knew some brilliant high performing high schoolers on the debate circuit that smoked when I was a teen in the 2000s. They'd defensively be all "How else do I cope with life stress? When I get into my top college, I'll quit." All wrong but not parroting the "You've come along way baby" ads into the late 90s and into your 30s levels of deluded. 

Edited July 20, 2017 by Melancholy

[Inquisitionist]

1 minute ago, Melancholy said:

Inquisitionist, it could be both. I also make statements that I can't date a smoker. It's on my dating profiles and I expect that means smokers won't contact me. However, they established "relations" with the meet cute and the marathon first date foreshadowing long term romance. I think it's fair to say it as an ultimatum or "a statement of terms, the rejection of which will result in a breakdown of relations."

It all happened on one day, right?  Setting aside that I don't know how Carrie managed not to smoke between the time of their afternoon meeting and their evening talk on her stoop, one day doesn't establish relations in my book.  What other opportunity did Aidan have to make his feelings about smoking known until she lit up?  It's not like he'd hand her a  dating profile at the furniture store.  ;-)

[Melancholy]

Well, it was the furniture meeting one day. Then, the chair delivery. Then, the long date another day. I agree that Aiden had no other chance to bring it up. I also think based on the "magic"!of their get-togethers how it felt like an ultimatum to Carrie. By the time Aiden told her about the cigs, they both thought they really connected. 

[psychoticstate]

Didn't Carrie decide back in Season 1 or 2 not to date a guy because he was bisexual?  How is that any different than Aidan not wanting to date a smoker?  It's really whatever you consider your non-negotiables. 

I hated that comment of Carrie's in the second movie that was thrown at Charlotte as @Melancholy quoted above.  It was cruel and absolutely unnecessary.  And this was the person who gave Carrie her engagement ring so that Carrie - - irresponsible yet with a shit ton of designer shoes Carrie - - could purchase her apartment.  Charlotte should have done exactly what Carrie did to Miranda in the first movie - - the silent treatment.

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

I loathe Carrie big time, but I agree that she shouldn't have quit smoking for Aiden. If smoking was his deal-breaker, she should've just let him go. I've known and loved many people with various addictions —making someone else your reason for quitting leads to relapse, failure, and resentment. No one should attempt quitting until they're ready to commit for their own selves. 

[BBHN]

But Carrie didn't let him go. She lied to him constantly about quitting smoking. 

[ZuluQueenOfDwarves]

10 hours ago, BBHN said:

But Carrie didn't let him go. She lied to him constantly about quitting smoking. 

Which is why she's loathsome. Carrie cutting ties with Aiden over smoking is one of my many "coulda, woulda, shoulda" wishes for the series. But all in all, it's pretty low on the list. 

[HunterHunted]

On 7/20/2017 at 10:04 AM, Melancholy said:

On my rewatch, I recently saw the ep where Aiden first meets Carrie and issues the ultimatum that he can't date a smoker. And Carrie goes to her friends with this bullshit feminism of, "I can't give up smoking for a guy. It's who I am." And even in the earlier seasons, she's so up her own butt and used to her friends being up her ass that she's shocked, SHOCKED that her non-smoking friends in the late 90s are all, "That's silly to make smoking part of your identity. You're killing yourself. Take Aiden as a reason to try quitting."

I feel like most smokers in the late 90s would try not talking about their addiction with their non-smoking friends and when brought up, defensively say they know it's bad but they can't quit. At least, urbane New Yorkers who purport to agree with science. It struck me as very much part of Carrie's arrogance and expectations that her friends would adore everything she has to say to think this "Not giving up my cigarettes for a guy" faux feminist rallying cry would impress anyone but also-a-smoker Stanford. 

The late 90s is when a lot of cities and municipalities began banning smoking in public spaces. California banned it in 98. The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was reached in 1998. Carrie is an oblivious dumbass who missed that no one and especially not her nonsmoking friends was going to be let her smoking be the hill she was willing to die on.

I have just had the misfortune of watching the second movie. I can confidently say even without the ability to tell the future that this movie is the worst thing Michael Patrick King will ever work on. It is a horror show. It's not funny either. The bit with the abayas was an embarrassment.

Stanford and Anthony getting married made no sense. Those two hated each other.

The problem in Carrie's marriage is that Big was rich enough that she didn't really have to work so she let herself get super bored. This the same shit that happened when she was with Petrovsky. Back when she was still writing her column, she went to events and parties. She needed to come up with enough stimulation to have something to write about. If Carrie had been shown writing in a notebook or laptop during the trip, you would have gotten the sense that she was still actively writing. Yes, she went to her old apartment to write one article, but that seemed to be the exception. And even that one, she said she had no clue about what to write about, which means she is literally not doing anything with her days. 

Charlotte was a complete dumbass throughout the entire film, but especially when she was shopping for souvenirs. In what universe does Charlotte follow some dude down an alley to get a knockoff Rolex for Harry or wander away from the women to pick up I ❤ Abu Dhabi tees that she could have purchased in the airport. Furthermore, there is no way that Charlotte wouldn't have been all over the UES mommy blogs to deal with her kids issues. This is where having two gay men write the movie was a detriment. A much more believable story for Charlotte would have been her duking it out with some other UES mommy who makes it look effortless.

Miranda was the only one written with some modicum of sense. However, tv Miranda would have talked about the human rights abuses in UAE of which there are many. Their camel trip lunch made no sense costume wise. They wore one outfit to get to the camels. Another outfit to ride the camels, and a third to eat lunch in the desert. Why on earth was Miranda planning all of the events on the trip? The sheikh had invited Samantha there to do PR, but hadn't at least tentatively set up activities for her to experience and base her PR campaign on. 

Some of Samantha's menopause stuff was overdone, but my mother was a fucking lunatic during menopause. She once opened every window in the house in the middle of a snow storm and demanded that we go out and shovel the driveway while it was still snowing, which devolved into screaming and weeping for 2 hours.

[HunterHunted]

On 7/3/2017 at 3:38 PM, Mrs. Hanson said:

Carrie was a shrew in her marriage, losing her shit over a tv.  And the couple in the beginning, nagging and judging over being childless?  SHUT THE HELL UP.  I have two kids, love them to bits but people who are childless I want to say:  "I ENVY YOU!  SO MUCH MORE TIME AND MONEY!!!"  lol!  I would NEVER talk like that. "So you are going to end up....alone?"  Evil people.

No one does this. I mean people do that, but it's usually family who says stuff like that. Not complete strangers.

[CaughtOnTape]

So...I never caught it the first few times I watched the movie, but since it's been on lately...

Anyone else catch Miranda's racist comment in the first movie?  When she and Brady are looking for an apartment with Magda?  "White guy with a baby!  Wherever he's going, that's where we wanna be."

I can't believe no one stopped during filming and went "Scuse me....that's racist!"

[Melancholy]

So, I was flipping through channels in pre-Hurricane Irma lock down mode. Samantha actually barely gained weight in the first movie. She had the teensy weensiest little flab around her stomach as most 50-year old women tend to develop. But her "friends" were acting like she exploded. It felt terrible to watch. Carrie paid lip service to the "beautiful at any size" but it was still a fat shaming storyline to act like such a little bit of weight gain was a big problem. 

I think Samantha and Smith should have tried more and tried discussing swinging or polyamory or something before breaking up. Samantha didn't try working through her problems with him at all. It was just "I'm sexually frustrated and cranky you bought a ring. Let's break up." I certainly don't think all women need to be attached but Samantha threw away an amazing guy precisely to chase sex and luxury dating with more guys when she's heading into years where it'll be harder for her to get that with strangers just based on a first impression/her fading looks. 

[Sheenieb]

On 9/5/2017 at 1:27 PM, CaughtOnTape said:

Anyone else catch Miranda's racist comment in the first movie?  When she and Brady are looking for an apartment with Magda?  "White guy with a baby!  Wherever he's going, that's where we wanna be."

I can't believe no one stopped during filming and went "Scuse me....that's racist!"

I chalked that up to "oh, there's a fellow gentrifier!" However, I agree that it's a cringeworthy line. There's no way that would've flown today. 

Edited September 18, 2017 by Sheenieb

[HunterHunted]

On 9/5/2017 at 0:27 PM, CaughtOnTape said:

So...I never caught it the first few times I watched the movie, but since it's been on lately...

Anyone else catch Miranda's racist comment in the first movie?  When she and Brady are looking for an apartment with Magda?  "White guy with a baby!  Wherever he's going, that's where we wanna be."

I can't believe no one stopped during filming and went "Scuse me....that's racist!"

On 9/13/2017 at 10:07 PM, Sheenieb said:

I chalked that up to "oh, there's a fellow gentrifier! However, I agree that it's a cringeworthy line. There's no way that would've flown today. 

 

It was a gentrification joke, but this is absolutely one of those things that having diverse writing partners would have solved. But we have two clueless wealthy middle-aged White gay guys who missed that it was a pretty offensive joke.

On 9/13/2017 at 9:20 AM, Melancholy said:

So, I was flipping through channels in pre-Hurricane Irma lock down mode. Samantha actually barely gained weight in the first movie. She had the teensy weensiest little flab around her stomach as most 50-year old women tend to develop. But her "friends" were acting like she exploded. It felt terrible to watch. Carrie paid lip service to the "beautiful at any size" but it was still a fat shaming storyline to act like such a little bit of weight gain was a big problem. 

I think Samantha and Smith should have tried more and tried discussing swinging or polyamory or something before breaking up. Samantha didn't try working through her problems with him at all. It was just "I'm sexually frustrated and cranky you bought a ring. Let's break up." I certainly don't think all women need to be attached but Samantha threw away an amazing guy precisely to chase sex and luxury dating with more guys when she's heading into years where it'll be harder for her to get that with strangers just based on a first impression/her fading looks. 

I think the Samantha is fat subplot is a weird artifact of how strange that show was. Patricia Field gave interviews about the reason Miranda looked so fantastic in the movies was because Cynthia Nixon lost enough weight for Patricia Field to finally dress Miranda decently. WTF is that even?

[Brooklynista]

On 9/5/2017 at 1:27 PM, CaughtOnTape said:

So...I never caught it the first few times I watched the movie, but since it's been on lately...

Anyone else catch Miranda's racist comment in the first movie?  When she and Brady are looking for an apartment with Magda?  "White guy with a baby!  Wherever he's going, that's where we wanna be."

I can't believe no one stopped during filming and went "Scuse me....that's racist!"

To be fair, when I was looking buy in Brooklyn I followed Barbara Corcoran's advise "follow the gays". Somehow they always have the inside track on the new up and coming neighborhoods.

[Melancholy]

3 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

 

I think the Samantha is fat subplot is a weird artifact of how strange that show was. Patricia Field gave interviews about the reason Miranda looked so fantastic in the movies was because Cynthia Nixon lost enough weight for Patricia Field to finally dress Miranda decently. WTF is that even?

Wow. I didn't even hear that one. Gross. Cynthia Nixon was usually a slim woman in the OS except for just after she had Brady. And then IMO, she looked lovely on the curvy side during the Weight Watchers plot. 

[JAYJAY1979]

While both movies were very Carrie centric, she wasn't painted a really good light in either movie.

While sex and the city 2 had a lot of cringewortby moments, the one genuine scene was between Charlotte and Miranda taking drinks as they admit that motherhood is hard.  The fav part is Charlotte saying she c ant lose the nanny and wonder how women without help nor husbands cope..and both taking a drink at that.

In the first movie, Samantha had the magic touch in getting Carrie to eat when she was depressed.  In a weird way, Samantha could be vain, but when one of her girls was in trouble..she was there for them in a heartbeat.

And I give Samantha' s behavior in the second a pass..because when MY aunt went through the change...she acted just like Samantha.  It's a shame it was treated like a joke when menopause could be relatable to a lot of the female viewers.  Proving money doesn't make menopause any easier..and customs inability to emphasize with a change of life thus underscoring how society doesnt really take women's health issues to heart.

 

I will be curious to see how a 3rd movie will fare.  Charlotte and Mirandas kids should be pre teen, or young teens.  And we could see over the years that samantha/Carrie and charlotte/miranda would be duo friends..and the four don't hang out as much..and maybe a girls trip to bridge the gap would be in order.  And Charlotte and Miranda always have canceled cause with their kids growing up..their lives are occupied by parent groups, activities at the kids schools, etc.  Thats how i woukd frame a 3rd movie if I were writing a script.

[Melancholy]

On 9/19/2017 at 3:29 PM, JAYJAY1979 said:

And I give Samantha' s behavior in the second a pass..because when MY aunt went through the change...she acted just like Samantha.  It's a shame it was treated like a joke when menopause could be relatable to a lot of the female viewers.  Proving money doesn't make menopause any easier..and customs inability to emphasize with a change of life thus underscoring how society doesnt really take women's health issues to heart

You know, I agree. I also give Samantha a pass in the second movie even though I'm annoyed that she was written to be such a joke. To add, I thought a lot of Carrie's outfits were as sexy or sexier than Sam's Abu Dabai outfits. Carrie kissed Aiden in a public place too. So in addition to betraying Big and being horrible to Charlotte, Carrie was courting a similar international incident minus Samantha's crotch stroke. Movie Carrie just wouldn't be subject to the same embarrassing story. Carrie should have STFU with her numerous judgey remarks about Sam since Carrie was breaking the same rules on top of her vows  

I liked Samantha's defiant "I have sex" in the streets. I have no cultural respect for any tradition that bans or shames women for carrying what they need to have safe sex. Whether it comes from Christians or Muslims, this isn't some harmless tradition but instead, a cruel, foolish attack on women. At that point, Samantha was already caught and being attacked by a mob of men who saw the condoms. I get why if she was going down, she'd go down proudly. 

Edited September 25, 2017 by Melancholy

[Sheenieb]

On 9/25/2017 at 2:44 PM, Melancholy said:

Carrie should have STFU with her numerous judgey remarks about Sam since Carrie was breaking the same rules on top of her vows  

I liked Samantha's defiant "I have sex" in the streets. I have no cultural respect for any tradition that bans or shames women for carrying what they need to have safe sex. Whether it comes from Christians or Muslims, this isn't some harmless tradition but instead, a cruel, foolish attack on women. At that point, Samantha was already caught and being attacked by a mob of men who saw the condoms. I get why if she was going down, she'd go down proudly. 

True, Carrie didn't have room to talk, but Samantha was just too extra with her acting out. I don't know who Kim Cattrall pissed off, but they took it out on her in this movie. I'm also not for regressive traditions (or what I view as regressive), but to be fair, Samantha knew or should've known that she was going to a conservative country. She wasn't moving there, she was only going to be there on business for a week or so. That's more than enough time to put a lid on her behavior. The ugly-American stereotype was all over this mess. Of course we can go to someone else's country and show our ass. America, fuck yeah!

For supposed worldly women, they were very provincial. You had Charlotte being a dumbass in Mexico with her refusal to eat any of the food. If anything gave her the shits it should've been that pudding. So, I suppose it was only natural for Sam to embarrass herself in Abu Dhabi.

[Melancholy]

16 hours ago, Sheenieb said:

True, Carrie didn't have room to talk, but Samantha was just too extra with her acting out. I don't know who Kim Cattrall pissed off, but they took it out on her in this movie. I'm also not for regressive traditions (or what I view as regressive), but to be fair, Samantha knew or should've known that she was going to a conservative country. She wasn't moving there, she was only going to be there on business for a week or so. That's more than enough time to put a lid on her behavior. The ugly-American stereotype was all over this mess. Of course we can go to someone else's country and show our ass. America, fuck yeah!

For supposed worldly women, they were very provincial. You had Charlotte being a dumbass in Mexico with her refusal to eat any of the food. If anything gave her the shits it should've been that pudding. So, I suppose it was only natural for Sam to embarrass herself in Abu Dhabi.

Aw, I think Sam was getting mixed and tricky messages. It's the *New* Middle East, modern and enlightened! See for yourself and come to see why Abu Dabai deserves a PR campaign to educate the world on how it's a desirable, modern, sophisticated city. Basically, the sheik was a liar and part of a pretty huge mendacious campaign by Muslim royalty to sell their countries as a nice place for anyone besides rich white or native men. It's a week long vacation for having a short meeting with the sheik. I get why Sam thought she was on vacation and that the urban, tourist part of Abu Dabai would have different rules- so she'd do what Samantha would do when having fun. 

I don't think Sam regrets losing the sheik's business for a second. She reached the age and personal worth where she pursues projects that she genuinely wants to work. 

But I do agree that they were provincial. They were the women version of the Freak Guy who never left Manhattan. I agree Charlotte was wrong to not eat the foot. Unlike UAE sheiks, Mexican advisories and major resorts are credible. The worst was Carrie going to Paris to live but being Done With Paris in a few days. 

Edited September 27, 2017 by Melancholy

[HunterHunted]

Thankfully it looks like Kim has spared us from a 3rd movie.

https://jezebel.com/kim-cattrall-may-have-saved-us-from-another-sex-and-the-1818973904

[msani19]

Thank goodness. Let's hope that she doesn't change her mind. The thought that they were close to production is appalling. What in the world would the story even be? Enough.

[CleoCaesar]

If true, that sucks. No one was being forced to watch a third movie if they didn't want to. For those of us who would have liked to see the girls together again, it's not happy news.

[Melancholy]

15 hours ago, CleoCaesar said:

If true, that sucks. No one was being forced to watch a third movie if they didn't want to. For those of us who would have liked to see the girls together again, it's not happy news.

Yup. I also didn't like the first two movies but they were watchable because IMO the actors remain well cast and compelling for basically all the characters, the actresses who played The Girls still have great chemistry, and I'm years invested in this story. That's huge and carries a movie far, despite a crappy script. Also, there's a deficit of feminine rom coms at the movies. In fact, I couldn't believe the first two movies were as bad as they were. This is a big project with money to burn with quite a wonderful prestigious legacy behind it in the HBO series. Just among the actresses, SJP and CN are known for hobnobbing with NYC's intellectuals and theater geniuses. They should have had amazing writers. A S&TC movie could be awesome with a decent script. And I still think TPTB could get such a decent script. But what's more, nobody knows that TPTB didn't go back to the drawing board and wrote a great third movie. Jezebel has no way of confirming that SJP is full of it and the third script sucked. So folks may just be cheering that a good movie won't be made. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Melancholy

[zoeysmom]

A timeline of Sex and the City 3- http://people.com/tv/sex-and-the-city-third-movie-rumors-quotes/  I know SJP was making it sound like it was going to happen but it always seemed to me that SATC #2 was so bad no one wanted to take the risk on #3.  Kind of unfair that Kim is taking the hit.  Bottom line-they just weren't bankable anymore.  I will always enjoy the reruns.

[LegalParrot81]

Both movies were upper levels of bad.  They proved that successful TV doesn't always equate to successful big screen fare.  Relieved that someone realized that.  

I think SJP and KD believe that if they hype the fact that it isn't happening enough, somehow it'll get made.  I remember the same "oh woe are we" over number 2 not going to be made (again, the complaint was Kim's "demands") and lo and behold the disaster sadly came to fruition.

[Melancholy]

On 9/30/2017 at 8:29 PM, zoeysmom said:

A timeline of Sex and the City 3- http://people.com/tv/sex-and-the-city-third-movie-rumors-quotes/  I know SJP was making it sound like it was going to happen but it always seemed to me that SATC #2 was so bad no one wanted to take the risk on #3.  Kind of unfair that Kim is taking the hit.  Bottom line-they just weren't bankable anymore.  I will always enjoy the reruns.

I really believe KC that she didn't have a diva list of demands but instead, she just didn't want to do another movie. She has the courage to straightforwardly admit that she's a roadblock so I doubt she's lying about her motives and I hate this spin doctor attempt to make her justified artistic/professional refusal to take on that job into something both pathetic and nefarious. Those nasty "production" quotes in Jezebel smelled like something planted by SJP. 

[HunterHunted]

On 9/29/2017 at 0:12 PM, Melancholy said:

Yup. I also didn't like the first two movies but they were watchable because IMO the actors remain well cast and compelling for basically all the characters, the actresses who played The Girls still have great chemistry, and I'm years invested in this story. That's huge and carries a movie far, despite a crappy script. Also, there's a deficit of feminine rom coms at the movies. In fact, I couldn't believe the first two movies were as bad as they were. This is a big project with money to burn with quite a wonderful prestigious legacy behind it in the HBO series. Just among the actresses, SJP and CN are known for hobnobbing with NYC's intellectuals and theater geniuses. They should have had amazing writers. A S&TC movie could be awesome with a decent script. And I still think TPTB could get such a decent script. But what's more, nobody knows that TPTB didn't go back to the drawing board and wrote a great third movie. Jezebel has no way of confirming that SJP is full of it and the third script sucked. So folks may just be cheering that a good movie won't be made. 

Trust me, it was unlikely to be good. Michael Patrick King wrote and directed the first movie. He wrote and directed the second movie. Throughout the time line article that @zoeysmom linked to, SJP talks about the additional stories that Michael Patrick King wants to tell about these characters. I think the odds are pretty good that it would be another crappy Michael Patrick King script with him as the director again. It's highly unlikely that Warner Brothers and HBO was going to take the reigns away from him at this point. Both films made money. Frankly, if it were that easy for the studio to dump MPK, they would have or at least brought in a script doctor for SatC 2 because it desperately needed one. They could have brought in Carrie Fisher (script doctor for The Wedding Singer), Nora Ephron, Aaron Sorkin (who was dating Kristin Davis at the time and was a script doctor for a number of films including The Rock), or Joss Whedon (script doctor for a number of films including Speed) to punch up the script.  They did not. There was even a production delay that would have been conducive to letting someone else rewrite some of the script. It never happened. The best outcome for 3 was that it would be as bad as 1, but better than 2.

[Melancholy]

6 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

Trust me, it was unlikely to be good. Michael Patrick King wrote and directed the first movie. He wrote and directed the second movie. Throughout the time line article that @zoeysmom linked to, SJP talks about the additional stories that Michael Patrick King wants to tell about these characters. I think the odds are pretty good that it would be another crappy Michael Patrick King script with him as the director again. It's highly unlikely that Warner Brothers and HBO was going to take the reigns away from him at this point. Both films made money. Frankly, if it were that easy for the studio to dump MPK, they would have or at least brought in a script doctor for SatC 2 because it desperately needed one. They could have brought in Carrie Fisher (script doctor for The Wedding Singer), Nora Ephron, Aaron Sorkin (who was dating Kristin Davis at the time and was a script doctor for a number of films including The Rock), or Joss Whedon (script doctor for a number of films including Speed) to punch up the script.  They did not. There was even a production delay that would have been conducive to letting someone else rewrite some of the script. It never happened. The best outcome for 3 was that it would be as bad as 1, but better than 2.

Ooh, you're really toying me with the thought of Nora Ephron and Aaron Sorkin doctoring the script. Favorite writers. Love Joss Whedon too but I don't think this is his scene. And Sorkin made fun of SATC in Newsroom but I think making it and the tour bus a crucial part of the season's plot shows some latent fannishness.

We'll never know if 3 would suck is my point. I agree that it was likely to suck. I'd wanna watch it but I think 1-2 would put me off from seeing it in theaters. I saw 1 in theaters but waited for a free opportunity to see 2. However, we don't know what a 16% rotten tomatoes rating on 2 does to MPK or the studio. MPK does have good writing in him. He wrote good eps of the show. Maybe this time he channeled it. I disliked Studio 60 but I loved everything else Sorkin wrote. I hated both Avengers and S6-7 of Buffy and the original Buffy movie but otherwise like or love Whedon's stuff. Writers do strike out but then, do better. I don't think MPK is as gifted or prolific as Sorkin or Whedon but same applies to him. 

[BookWoman56]

On 10/2/2017 at 0:36 PM, Melancholy said:

I really believe KC that she didn't have a diva list of demands but instead, she just didn't want to do another movie. She has the courage to straightforwardly admit that she's a roadblock so I doubt she's lying about her motives and I hate this spin doctor attempt to make her justified artistic/professional refusal to take on that job into something both pathetic and nefarious. Those nasty "production" quotes in Jezebel smelled like something planted by SJP. 

I would never have gone to see the movie in any case, but I'm glad KC is sticking to her earlier decision that she doesn't want to do another movie. I read a short piece on her in the last couple of days, when she was trying to make it clear that she wasn't demanding anything and had made the decision last year not to do SATC3. In that piece, she said if they want to make the third movie, they can cast another actress to play Samantha or they could just introduce a new character. Despite what some people may say, KC has zero obligation to work on anything SATC-related.  She also mentioned that she's not close to any of the group, in part because of age differences and location; I really appreciated her being blunt enough to say that the series was what brought the four of them together but now the series is over, there's no real reason to spend time with the others. It's great if SJP, CN, and KD became actual friends during the series. but in reality, how many people would want to hang out with people you worked with 15-20 years ago? Hell, there was speculation years ago that the final movie might start with Sam's funeral (on the assumption the breast cancer came back) or with Big's funeral. FWIW, the last comment I saw from Chris Noth indicated he thought the story line was completely finished and needed to die. 

KC was reluctant to do the first movie for various reasons and got all kinds of shit from fans who are making the same claims this time around, that she's only known because of that role and owes it to the fans to jump on board for the third outing. I find that line of reasoning ludicrous at best; when the show started KC was the only one I was already familiar with from her roles in a few movies I had seen. But even if she'd never had an acting job before SATC and hadn't had a role since then, she's perfectly free to refuse to do another movie. Jodie Foster refused to do the second Hannibal movie because she hated the script; Keanu Reeves turned down the Speed sequel. I'm not saying that KC is at that level of fame, but she's supported herself by acting for a long time and could conceivably be ready to retire or to do very different roles. Acting is an art, but it's also a profession and actors are entitled to make the decisions that are best for them, not necessarily best for other actors or fans. 

Finally, I will confess it seems incredibly ironic to me to hear SJP bitching about the third movie not going forward when there is still a part of the story to tell, given that she spent the final season of the series telling everyone she decided to pull the plug before the series hit the 100 episode mark because there was no more story left to tell. 

[Melancholy]

Plus, KC, of all of them, showed particular commitment during the series and movies. She stripped by far most frequently. She was filmed with her naked body in every kind of complicated sexual contortion. She did easily the most physical comedy. She was a great sport as the series and especially the movies mocked her age. She shaved her head for the cancer story. She particularly went out on a limb to play such a "slut", creating a first of all time character. She said that the series hours ruined her marriage and then, she found it hard to date because guys saw her as Samantha. I can really see the latter. She gave her all to this character in ways far harder than SJP's (good) performance. KC gave a ton of herself to make the show what it was and I think it's ridiculous of fans to say that she owes them a third movie. (Although I haven't read a fan say that. The fans seem to understand. It's the industry that's treating KC badly.)

Edited October 4, 2017 by Melancholy

[JAYJAY1979]

Plus, doesn't KC live overseas now anyway?  I've noticed she recently acted in a Swedish tv show, and did a UK min8 series based on a Agatha Christie book, so maybe KC is the type that wants to try new things and just doesn't want to revisit Samantha.

[Quof]

Kim has lived mainly in the UK for a decade, and has gotten acclaim as a stage actress in addition to interesting television work.  (Cynthia Nixon has also been recognized for her theater work.)   I can understand why she doesn't want to go back to a caricature of what was a great tv show, but a lousy series of movies.  And she has never wavered in that position, so I'm not sure why SJP is now making a stink about it.  

[JAYJAY1979]

Silver lining is that we now know the rumors of KC and SJP not getting along were true.  I can see why she opted to move to UK and appear in stage and UK/Canadian shows since in America..we tend to typecast.

[mtlchick]

And now Wille Garson is throwing in his 2 cents. 

 

http://people.com/movies/sex-and-the-citys-willie-garson-throws-major-shade-at-kim-cattrall-as-he-wades-into-movie-controversy-because-im-toxic/

[BBHN]

Wow. Who knew he could be bitchier than Stanford?