Written by Senora Bicho
I was eagerly awaiting the start of True Blood when it was first announced. The first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris had me excited for a new vampire series that I hadn't felt since the Anne Rice books. Unfortunately, the first three episodes of Season One didn't live up to the expectations set by the book and I gave up. Season Two reviews indicated that it was much improved and I decided to give it another try.
The primary focus of the series is the budding romance between Sookie (Anna Paquin) and Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Their relationship is somewhat of a challenge as both have unique quirks: Sookie has the special ability to read people's minds while Bill is a vampire. In the second season, human and vampire relations intensify thanks to the growth of a militant religious group, The Fellowship of the Sun.
Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgård), one of the chief vampire leaders, recruits Sookie to go to Dallas to investigate the disappearance of his maker. Bill accompanies Sookie on her journey and they soon realize the Fellowship is responsible. Sookie's brother Jason (Ryan Kwanten) has also gone to Dallas but to join the Fellowship and quickly gets deeply embroiled with the reverend and his wife.
Meanwhile in Bon Temps, Maryann Forrester (Michelle Forbes) is slowly taking control over the town with her powers as a maenad, a creature that can influence the actions of humans. Sookie's best friend, Tara Thornton (Rutina Wesley), moves in with Maryann and quickly falls under her spell while falling for housemate "Eggs" Benedict Talley (Mehcad Brooks). Tara's cousin, Lafayette Reynolds (Nelsan Ellis), has lost his flamboyance and retreats from the spotlight while trying to recover from his abduction by Eric but knows something isn't right. Sam Merlotte (Sam Trammel), who is a shapeshifter, becomes the main target of Maryann and possibly one of the only people who can stop her.
All twelve episodes are included along with an "Enhanced Viewing" feature that provides character perspectives, flashbacks/flash forwards, pro/anti-vampire news feeds, trivia facts, clues and hints. "The Vampire Report: Special Edition" highlights the biggest stories in vampire news. "Fellowship of the Sun: Reflections of Light" offers rules to live by and messages from the reverend. There are also seven audio commentaries with various members of the cast and crew and a recap of Season One.
The video is delivered with a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer. Colors are lush and vibrant, and blacks regularly inky. Flesh tones, even vampire pale, are consistent. There is sharp detail in textures and objects. The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 delivers a great soundtrack, which is becoming a hallmark for HBO series on Blu-ray. Dialogue is clear and well balanced with other elements. The surrounds offer an immersive experience.
True Blood can be best described as a supernatural, dark soap opera. It is over the top at times while not nearly as much as Season One but provides a unique spin on small-town life. Michelle Forbes and Alexander Skarsgård are standouts and most interesting to watch. Evan Rachel Wood also shines as she joins the cast near the end of the season and promises to shake things up. Season Two felt truer to the books than Season One. I am hoping that Season Three, which starts on June 13th, will continue along this same path.
Article first published as Blu-ray Review: True Blood - The Complete Second Season on Blogcritics.
Showing posts with label HBO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HBO. Show all posts
Monday, May 24, 2010
Thursday, July 30, 2009
GREY GARDENS (2009)
Written by Senora Bicho
In 1975, Albert and David Maysles premiered Grey Gardens, a documentary that showcased the lives of mother and daughter, Edith “Big Edie” Ewing Bouvier Beale and Edith “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale, at the New York Film Festival. Earlier this year, HBO aired Grey Gardens, a 17-time Emmy-nominated television movie, which utilized portions of the Maysles’ documentary to tell a more complete story of these reclusive and eccentric women.
The movie starts in 1975 when Big Edie (Jessica Lange) and Little Edie (Drew Barrymore) are living alone in their dilapidated estate, Grey Gardens, located in East Hampton. As the women reveal themselves to the documentarians, the audience is transported through four decades of their lives and learn what took place. Their stories are interwoven together beautifully. We learn they did not always live in filth and squalor. Being relatives, aunt and first cousin respectively, of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, they were used to a much grander lifestyle. Struggles with men draw them together and eventually lead to their secluded lives and downward spiral.
One of the DVD’s special features is an audio commentary with director Michael Sucsy and executive producers Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Rachael Horovitz, which offers extensive information on the production of the film and additional background details. It is interesting to hear the research that was done and how they accomplished flushing out more about the women’s lives.
“Grey Gardens: Then & Now” is fascinating as it explores the differences and similarities between the film and documentary. Interviews with Albert Maysles along with the cast and crew of the film are included. This featurette illustrates the strong performances of Barrymore and Lange. Seeing the real women in the documentary is astonishing because it is hard to tell which is which. Lange’s impressive performance is reminiscent of her role as Patsy Cline in Sweet Dreams. She is charming and portrays Big Edie’s struggles genuinely; you can feel her joy and pain. Barrymore is solid but her performance feels more like an act. Her accent is extremely distracting. Seeing portions of the real documentary does bring an added appreciation for her portrayal of Little Edie. The scenes of Barrymore and Lange together are the real strength of this film. They are able to express the deep emotion and bond between mother and daughter. Jeanne Tripplehorn is fabulous in a small role as Jacqueline Kennedy. Daniel Baldwin and Ken Howard are also strong in their supporting roles.
Grey Gardens offers a captivating story along with stellar performances. I can guarantee that if you haven’t seen the Maysles’ documentary, this will stir an interest. I am very anxious to learn more about these fascinating women.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Eastbound & Down - The Complete First Season
Written by Musgo Del Jefe
Ben Best, Jody Hill, and Danny McBride have managed to do something that doesn't happen often enough with TV shows: they've pleasantly surprised me. The creators of the relatively unknown Foot Fist Way put together what is essentially a film divided into six episodes for HBO. In fact, the episodes are only numbered, instead of titled, lending itself to more continuous storytelling. Each episode picks up right at the end of the previous one.
The first episode covers quite a bit of ground in the first three minutes. But that's part of its brilliance. Danny McBride plays Kenny Powers. The Kenny Powers story follows just enough of some real-life characters that viewers can fill in the details. Kenny is in large part former Atlanta Brave John Rocker and bits of other baseball and sports jerks (including a nice homage to the Kenny Rogers incident with a cameraman in Texas). Kenny's career tops out at the very beginning with his 100-mph fastball as he helps his team clinch the World Series. What transpires over the next couple minutes of the opening montage is his fall from grace in the baseball world until he is with Seattle (the horror!) and can't throw out of the 80s. Eventually we see him stooping to moving in with his brother and subbing at the local high school.
The title of the series, Eastbound & Down brings to mind the Smokey and the Bandit films. But more importantly, it doesn't have anything to do with baseball or teaching Physical Education at the high school. I think that naming it anything to do with sports would have needlessly painted this story into a corner. The title tells you nothing and allows the characters to go in any direction without the viewer feeling cheated. The pilot episode is the weakest of the six episodes. Even with the simple set-up montage, there are lots of stories to introduce and it feels like they are cramming a lot of information into each scene. The story has to introduce Kenny, his brother, his high-school girlfriend who now works at the high school, the principal (who's engaged to his old girlfriend), Stevie (a teacher who idolizes Kenny), and other North Carolina friends. The characters are all cliche to begin. The story starts off all about Kenny (who's all about himself) and the supporting cast seems very thinly drawn.
At least until the writers hit their stride in the second episode. So many things happen in this episode that set in motion events that will lead us straight into Season Two (announced in April). The first is one of my favorite storytelling devices in recent memory. Kenny likes to listen to the book-on-tape of the book he wrote during his playing days, "I'm F---ing In, You're F---ing Out". This device serves to show how shallow and self-absorbed Kenny is but it also serves as a kind of narration for the episodes. The viewer can contrast the "old Kenny" against the "new Kenny".
The first two episodes continue to build up the foul-mouthed and self-centered personality. The Kenny Powers of the first episode and a half borders on unlikable. But then something starts to turn. Kenny is still in love with his high-school sweetheart April. His character being completely adolescent makes this seem even more like a teenage crush. And somehow it's endearing. Kenny is oblivious to the fact that she's engaged to his boss, the principal. But there's one thing that can always redeem a jerk. A bigger jerk. And that jerk is played by Will Ferrell as Ashley Schaefer, the owner of Schaefer Motors (the biggest car lot in town). Ferrell is made for this role because it requires overacting to the hilt. Ashley treats Kenny as a commodity and Kenny doesn't understand this either. In the second episode, Kenny refuses to throw a fastball at Schaefer Motors for Ashley. This self-doubt at his abilities and his comeback makes him vulnerable too.
The third episode marks what should be the second act of the film and it really feels like the story is taking over. Kenny has found the beginning of an unlikely friendship with Stevie and Kenny has started his training for his "comeback". Unfortunately the training involves a poorly edited video by Stevie and a healthy dose of steroids for Kenny. The fourth episode branches the story out just a bit further. We see more of the supporting cast here, including a good deal of April and her fiance, Terrance (the principal). They are having a BBQ that Kenny finds a way to get himself invited to. The BBQ ends up being the fulcrum of the series. All the relationships change in the course of this episode. Stevie becomes more and more like Kenny. Kenny and April have a "premature" start to their relationship. And Terrance and April will split partially because of this. But once again, despite his arrogance and terrible treatment of others, Kenny can get his feelings hurt so easily over April. These vulnerable moments are climaxed with Kenny out of gas in the middle of a lake on his jet ski. The episode ends with the end of his book-on-tape representing Kenny's total loss of confidence - the one thing he never seemed to lack.
The third act starts a new book-on-tape. After Kenny's "moment of clarity" in the previous episode, things start to turn around. Once again, it's the Will Ferrell character, Ashley Schaeffer who gets it rolling. The same guy that started to break Kenny down will be indirectly responsible for building him back up. Ashley sets up a pitching/batting contest with Kenny's nemesis from his playing days. Kenny is able to survive the showdown in a clever nod to The Natural, get the girl and by winning the girl, get his fastball back. Now our hero, you'll actually feel yourself rooting for this jerk by the fifth episode, has everything back again. In the sixth episode, he's on his way back to the major leagues. But unlike other TV shows, Kenny doesn't learn any lessons from his fall. In fact, Kenny comes full circle to the character we knew at the beginning. The season ends as Kenny leaves with April to pursue his dream. Or does he?
I found lots to like in this first season. The six-episode arc works well for the first time around and I'm glad it wasn't 12-15 episodes. There's a flow to the story in essentially three hours of show. Kenny is portrayed as a character with no redeeming qualities. And yet we see them through the show. Kenny doesn't seem to deserve redemption and yet the viewer can't help but cheer for it to happen. The writing here is above par for the type of show that it appears to be on the surface. It's easy to create an arrogant jerk; it's much harder to make us like the arrogant jerk. The closest I can come to this in current pop culture is either Curb Your Enthusiasm or the British version of The Office. By the time The Office came to America, Michael Scott became much less of a jerk and more of a likable buffoon. Kudos also to HBO for sticking with this beyond the essentially weak pilot episode.
The DVD release contains enough bonuses to make up for the unusually short season. There are the usual "Making Of" shorts, including "Stevie's Dark Secret" - a deleted scene that's disturbing and a must-see; commercials for Schaeffer Motors; and audio commentaries by the creators for three episodes.
I look forward to the return of Kenny in Season Two. They've created a fun ensemble of characters with lots of directions to go. And Kenny is still not a redeemed character. But we love him for it. As he says, "I'm a bulletproof tiger, man."
Ben Best, Jody Hill, and Danny McBride have managed to do something that doesn't happen often enough with TV shows: they've pleasantly surprised me. The creators of the relatively unknown Foot Fist Way put together what is essentially a film divided into six episodes for HBO. In fact, the episodes are only numbered, instead of titled, lending itself to more continuous storytelling. Each episode picks up right at the end of the previous one.
The first episode covers quite a bit of ground in the first three minutes. But that's part of its brilliance. Danny McBride plays Kenny Powers. The Kenny Powers story follows just enough of some real-life characters that viewers can fill in the details. Kenny is in large part former Atlanta Brave John Rocker and bits of other baseball and sports jerks (including a nice homage to the Kenny Rogers incident with a cameraman in Texas). Kenny's career tops out at the very beginning with his 100-mph fastball as he helps his team clinch the World Series. What transpires over the next couple minutes of the opening montage is his fall from grace in the baseball world until he is with Seattle (the horror!) and can't throw out of the 80s. Eventually we see him stooping to moving in with his brother and subbing at the local high school.
The title of the series, Eastbound & Down brings to mind the Smokey and the Bandit films. But more importantly, it doesn't have anything to do with baseball or teaching Physical Education at the high school. I think that naming it anything to do with sports would have needlessly painted this story into a corner. The title tells you nothing and allows the characters to go in any direction without the viewer feeling cheated. The pilot episode is the weakest of the six episodes. Even with the simple set-up montage, there are lots of stories to introduce and it feels like they are cramming a lot of information into each scene. The story has to introduce Kenny, his brother, his high-school girlfriend who now works at the high school, the principal (who's engaged to his old girlfriend), Stevie (a teacher who idolizes Kenny), and other North Carolina friends. The characters are all cliche to begin. The story starts off all about Kenny (who's all about himself) and the supporting cast seems very thinly drawn.
At least until the writers hit their stride in the second episode. So many things happen in this episode that set in motion events that will lead us straight into Season Two (announced in April). The first is one of my favorite storytelling devices in recent memory. Kenny likes to listen to the book-on-tape of the book he wrote during his playing days, "I'm F---ing In, You're F---ing Out". This device serves to show how shallow and self-absorbed Kenny is but it also serves as a kind of narration for the episodes. The viewer can contrast the "old Kenny" against the "new Kenny".
The first two episodes continue to build up the foul-mouthed and self-centered personality. The Kenny Powers of the first episode and a half borders on unlikable. But then something starts to turn. Kenny is still in love with his high-school sweetheart April. His character being completely adolescent makes this seem even more like a teenage crush. And somehow it's endearing. Kenny is oblivious to the fact that she's engaged to his boss, the principal. But there's one thing that can always redeem a jerk. A bigger jerk. And that jerk is played by Will Ferrell as Ashley Schaefer, the owner of Schaefer Motors (the biggest car lot in town). Ferrell is made for this role because it requires overacting to the hilt. Ashley treats Kenny as a commodity and Kenny doesn't understand this either. In the second episode, Kenny refuses to throw a fastball at Schaefer Motors for Ashley. This self-doubt at his abilities and his comeback makes him vulnerable too.
The third episode marks what should be the second act of the film and it really feels like the story is taking over. Kenny has found the beginning of an unlikely friendship with Stevie and Kenny has started his training for his "comeback". Unfortunately the training involves a poorly edited video by Stevie and a healthy dose of steroids for Kenny. The fourth episode branches the story out just a bit further. We see more of the supporting cast here, including a good deal of April and her fiance, Terrance (the principal). They are having a BBQ that Kenny finds a way to get himself invited to. The BBQ ends up being the fulcrum of the series. All the relationships change in the course of this episode. Stevie becomes more and more like Kenny. Kenny and April have a "premature" start to their relationship. And Terrance and April will split partially because of this. But once again, despite his arrogance and terrible treatment of others, Kenny can get his feelings hurt so easily over April. These vulnerable moments are climaxed with Kenny out of gas in the middle of a lake on his jet ski. The episode ends with the end of his book-on-tape representing Kenny's total loss of confidence - the one thing he never seemed to lack.
The third act starts a new book-on-tape. After Kenny's "moment of clarity" in the previous episode, things start to turn around. Once again, it's the Will Ferrell character, Ashley Schaeffer who gets it rolling. The same guy that started to break Kenny down will be indirectly responsible for building him back up. Ashley sets up a pitching/batting contest with Kenny's nemesis from his playing days. Kenny is able to survive the showdown in a clever nod to The Natural, get the girl and by winning the girl, get his fastball back. Now our hero, you'll actually feel yourself rooting for this jerk by the fifth episode, has everything back again. In the sixth episode, he's on his way back to the major leagues. But unlike other TV shows, Kenny doesn't learn any lessons from his fall. In fact, Kenny comes full circle to the character we knew at the beginning. The season ends as Kenny leaves with April to pursue his dream. Or does he?
I found lots to like in this first season. The six-episode arc works well for the first time around and I'm glad it wasn't 12-15 episodes. There's a flow to the story in essentially three hours of show. Kenny is portrayed as a character with no redeeming qualities. And yet we see them through the show. Kenny doesn't seem to deserve redemption and yet the viewer can't help but cheer for it to happen. The writing here is above par for the type of show that it appears to be on the surface. It's easy to create an arrogant jerk; it's much harder to make us like the arrogant jerk. The closest I can come to this in current pop culture is either Curb Your Enthusiasm or the British version of The Office. By the time The Office came to America, Michael Scott became much less of a jerk and more of a likable buffoon. Kudos also to HBO for sticking with this beyond the essentially weak pilot episode.
The DVD release contains enough bonuses to make up for the unusually short season. There are the usual "Making Of" shorts, including "Stevie's Dark Secret" - a deleted scene that's disturbing and a must-see; commercials for Schaeffer Motors; and audio commentaries by the creators for three episodes.
I look forward to the return of Kenny in Season Two. They've created a fun ensemble of characters with lots of directions to go. And Kenny is still not a redeemed character. But we love him for it. As he says, "I'm a bulletproof tiger, man."
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Sex and the City: The Movie - Extended Cut (Blu-ray)
Written by Senora Bicho
Sex and the City first aired on HBO in 1998 and ran for six seasons. I was 25 years old and was instantly captured by this show about four strong women bound together by friendship. I identified with their struggles, dreams and desires. For me it was so exciting to have a show that focused on smart and strong women and I couldn’t get enough. My friends and I would have viewing parties and were extremely sad when the show came to end. As soon as talk of the movie started I was scared, scared that they would mess it up and ruin all my fond and wonderful memories. But despite my fears I ran to the theater anyways. I laughed, cried, and fell in love all over again.
It picks up four years after the series left off. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is still in a relationship with John James "Mr. Big" Preston (Chris Noth) and they are moving in together. The apartment they are going to share is an expensive piece of real estate that Mr. Big offers to take care of. With Carrie concerned about what would happen if they split up, Big suggests they get married and the fun begins.
Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and her husband Steve (David Eigenberg) are struggling and she is trying to find a balance between work and family. Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) has moved to Los Angeles and is living Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis), who is now a successful television star. Charlotte York-Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis) is enjoying marital bliss with Harry (Evan Handler) while raising their adopted daughter Lily.
While it may appear that the women are all living the lives they have dreamed of, problems arise, friendships are tested, and heartbreak abounds. But through it all the theme of the show that was always the foundation of what made it great shines through: friendship conquers all.
Ten years after it all began the movie was released in the theaters and it met all of my expectations. It is a super-sized episode that felt like coming home. They stayed true to all of the characters and did a wonderful job bringing even more depth to all of these special women. I was sad once again when it came to an end but considering how successful it was I am counting on the sequel. My only complaint would be the storyline for Charlotte; I think they could have done so much more with it and just took the easy way out.
The high definition picture is amazing, presented in 1080p and 1.85:1 widescreen. The city and fashion come alive assisted by the vibrant colors and the great detail. There is some slightly perceptible noise in dark places, but nothing that ruins the moment. The audio is Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 with English being the only option. However, the movie is basically dialogue, so your system won’t get much of a workout. On the whole, it felt similar to what I remember experiencing in the theatre.
The special features included with the DVD are well done. There is a commentary by writer/director Michael Patrick King. At first I was disappointed that none of the women were included but soon realized it would not have provided the in-depth detail that he on his own could provide. Since King was also intimately involved with the television show, his depth of knowledge is immense and interesting. “A Conversation with Sarah Jessica Parker and Michael Patrick King” is exactly as the title indicates. While a lot of great behind-the-scenes information is presented here, their enthusiasm and genuine love of the show and movie is what drew me in and had me wanting more. “The Fabulous Fashion of Sex and the City” provides all of the women the opportunity to talk about their amazing clothes and highlights the talents of costume designer Patricia Field. Fashion was always such a large part of the television show and here it is elevated to another level so it is great to hear and see more about it. “Fergie in the Studio” is again what the title implies and shows Fergie in the studio recording the soundtrack. Lastly, there is additional footage, which helps enhance the story with some good character and plot information. The additional footage is incorporated into this extended cut or can be accessed separately. A digital copy of the .
Even if you never saw the show, Sex and the City - The Movie stands firmly on it own for new viewers. It provides an interesting and engrossing story, wonderful acting, and many touching moments. If you loved the movie as much as I did, you will buy the DVD right away and place it on the shelf next to your collection of all of the television episodes.
Sex and the City first aired on HBO in 1998 and ran for six seasons. I was 25 years old and was instantly captured by this show about four strong women bound together by friendship. I identified with their struggles, dreams and desires. For me it was so exciting to have a show that focused on smart and strong women and I couldn’t get enough. My friends and I would have viewing parties and were extremely sad when the show came to end. As soon as talk of the movie started I was scared, scared that they would mess it up and ruin all my fond and wonderful memories. But despite my fears I ran to the theater anyways. I laughed, cried, and fell in love all over again.
It picks up four years after the series left off. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is still in a relationship with John James "Mr. Big" Preston (Chris Noth) and they are moving in together. The apartment they are going to share is an expensive piece of real estate that Mr. Big offers to take care of. With Carrie concerned about what would happen if they split up, Big suggests they get married and the fun begins.
Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and her husband Steve (David Eigenberg) are struggling and she is trying to find a balance between work and family. Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) has moved to Los Angeles and is living Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis), who is now a successful television star. Charlotte York-Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis) is enjoying marital bliss with Harry (Evan Handler) while raising their adopted daughter Lily.
While it may appear that the women are all living the lives they have dreamed of, problems arise, friendships are tested, and heartbreak abounds. But through it all the theme of the show that was always the foundation of what made it great shines through: friendship conquers all.
Ten years after it all began the movie was released in the theaters and it met all of my expectations. It is a super-sized episode that felt like coming home. They stayed true to all of the characters and did a wonderful job bringing even more depth to all of these special women. I was sad once again when it came to an end but considering how successful it was I am counting on the sequel. My only complaint would be the storyline for Charlotte; I think they could have done so much more with it and just took the easy way out.
The high definition picture is amazing, presented in 1080p and 1.85:1 widescreen. The city and fashion come alive assisted by the vibrant colors and the great detail. There is some slightly perceptible noise in dark places, but nothing that ruins the moment. The audio is Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 with English being the only option. However, the movie is basically dialogue, so your system won’t get much of a workout. On the whole, it felt similar to what I remember experiencing in the theatre.
The special features included with the DVD are well done. There is a commentary by writer/director Michael Patrick King. At first I was disappointed that none of the women were included but soon realized it would not have provided the in-depth detail that he on his own could provide. Since King was also intimately involved with the television show, his depth of knowledge is immense and interesting. “A Conversation with Sarah Jessica Parker and Michael Patrick King” is exactly as the title indicates. While a lot of great behind-the-scenes information is presented here, their enthusiasm and genuine love of the show and movie is what drew me in and had me wanting more. “The Fabulous Fashion of Sex and the City” provides all of the women the opportunity to talk about their amazing clothes and highlights the talents of costume designer Patricia Field. Fashion was always such a large part of the television show and here it is elevated to another level so it is great to hear and see more about it. “Fergie in the Studio” is again what the title implies and shows Fergie in the studio recording the soundtrack. Lastly, there is additional footage, which helps enhance the story with some good character and plot information. The additional footage is incorporated into this extended cut or can be accessed separately. A digital copy of the .
Even if you never saw the show, Sex and the City - The Movie stands firmly on it own for new viewers. It provides an interesting and engrossing story, wonderful acting, and many touching moments. If you loved the movie as much as I did, you will buy the DVD right away and place it on the shelf next to your collection of all of the television episodes.
Monday, October 13, 2008
SEX AND THE CITY - THE MOVIE
Written by Pollo Misterioso
There was a bittersweet farewell in 2004. It was a tough goodbye, with tears shed—partly for the departure of friends, partly because we were slightly buzzed from a pink cocktail. It needed to happen and yet we weren’t ready to see off our best girlfriends. But leave it to Hollywood to bring back our girls one more time. Sex and the City - The Movie has come to DVD and (hopefully) is the final installment to the much-loved series from HBO.
A film had always been in the works for this show. After wrapping up the series, the film was put on hold and four years later, they are back and now they are in their forties (well, all except Samantha). Sex and the City - The Movie brings back every beloved character from the show and even introduces new ones. The film, running well over two hours, is filled with drama, but stays true to the heart of the show—friendship.
We pick up right where we left off. The opening credits reveal where the girls have ended up, but also where they came from, referencing some of the more funny moments from the show. Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) is happily living with her newly adopted daughter, Lily, and husband in Manhattan. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Steve are with their son Brady in Brooklyn. Samantha (Kim Cattrall) has moved to Los Angeles to help Smith Jarred with his television career. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is living happily with John Preston or better known as Mr. Big and when they decide to find an apartment together, they also decide to get married.
This begins the whirlwind of events that leaves Carrie alone and back in her old apartment, left to start again. Although we never get the feeling that she is back to living the single life, being left one more time by Big hits her the same way that it hits us—one blow too many. But being characteristic of Mr. Big, the real surprises in the film come from what the other characters must go through, how they handle life’s obstacles. In fact, although Carrie’s story leads the film, her friends are the ones that shine as they figure out what it means to be a woman that is happy with herself.
The smart humor is still there, along with the fashion and fantasy that the show embodied. The writers have still managed to play with the fine line between tragedy and humor. Watch as you choke up as Charlotte passionately stands up to Mr. Big but leaves you laughing when she prances into her car. It’s genius.
The film is funny, but it relies on its fans, the audience, to really take joy in seeing the girls on the big screen. In theaters, women and gay men cheered when Samantha first appeared and wept when Charlotte announced that she was pregnant. There is something so pleasing about watching something familiar, as if we have always been a part of it. The love that the fans had for this show is what made it possible for a film.
The show ended perfectly in 2004 as Carrie Bradshaw walked away into the city crowd
and disappeared. Sex and the City - The Movie ends with the women—right where it began. With that said, one of the first shows to really make HBO a channel of well-written and well-directed programs, Sex and the City was a show for women, about women that spoke honestly about sex, love, and friendship. The movie, like the show, is a tribute to the deepest love shared between friends. The film is a perfect addition to the collection, which means the perfect excuse to order another cosmopolitan.
Sex and the City - The Movie is available as a single-disc DVD, a two-disc Special Edition DVD featuring an extended cut, and an extended cut on Blu-ray. Commentary by director Michael Patrick King is available on all versions and the extended cuts include a "Conversation with Sarah Jessica Parker and Michael Patrick King."
There was a bittersweet farewell in 2004. It was a tough goodbye, with tears shed—partly for the departure of friends, partly because we were slightly buzzed from a pink cocktail. It needed to happen and yet we weren’t ready to see off our best girlfriends. But leave it to Hollywood to bring back our girls one more time. Sex and the City - The Movie has come to DVD and (hopefully) is the final installment to the much-loved series from HBO.
A film had always been in the works for this show. After wrapping up the series, the film was put on hold and four years later, they are back and now they are in their forties (well, all except Samantha). Sex and the City - The Movie brings back every beloved character from the show and even introduces new ones. The film, running well over two hours, is filled with drama, but stays true to the heart of the show—friendship.
We pick up right where we left off. The opening credits reveal where the girls have ended up, but also where they came from, referencing some of the more funny moments from the show. Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) is happily living with her newly adopted daughter, Lily, and husband in Manhattan. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Steve are with their son Brady in Brooklyn. Samantha (Kim Cattrall) has moved to Los Angeles to help Smith Jarred with his television career. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) is living happily with John Preston or better known as Mr. Big and when they decide to find an apartment together, they also decide to get married.
This begins the whirlwind of events that leaves Carrie alone and back in her old apartment, left to start again. Although we never get the feeling that she is back to living the single life, being left one more time by Big hits her the same way that it hits us—one blow too many. But being characteristic of Mr. Big, the real surprises in the film come from what the other characters must go through, how they handle life’s obstacles. In fact, although Carrie’s story leads the film, her friends are the ones that shine as they figure out what it means to be a woman that is happy with herself.
The smart humor is still there, along with the fashion and fantasy that the show embodied. The writers have still managed to play with the fine line between tragedy and humor. Watch as you choke up as Charlotte passionately stands up to Mr. Big but leaves you laughing when she prances into her car. It’s genius.
The film is funny, but it relies on its fans, the audience, to really take joy in seeing the girls on the big screen. In theaters, women and gay men cheered when Samantha first appeared and wept when Charlotte announced that she was pregnant. There is something so pleasing about watching something familiar, as if we have always been a part of it. The love that the fans had for this show is what made it possible for a film.
The show ended perfectly in 2004 as Carrie Bradshaw walked away into the city crowd
and disappeared. Sex and the City - The Movie ends with the women—right where it began. With that said, one of the first shows to really make HBO a channel of well-written and well-directed programs, Sex and the City was a show for women, about women that spoke honestly about sex, love, and friendship. The movie, like the show, is a tribute to the deepest love shared between friends. The film is a perfect addition to the collection, which means the perfect excuse to order another cosmopolitan.
Sex and the City - The Movie is available as a single-disc DVD, a two-disc Special Edition DVD featuring an extended cut, and an extended cut on Blu-ray. Commentary by director Michael Patrick King is available on all versions and the extended cuts include a "Conversation with Sarah Jessica Parker and Michael Patrick King."
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