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 - 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."

SMART PEOPLE

Written by Pollo Misterioso

Smart People is a simple film. It is sometimes predictable, has some small surprises, but is really about the small tragedies that happen in life and most importantly about just being human.

This film, directed by Noam Murro, played at Sundance Film Festival and had a limited release in theaters afterwards. With a small cast of only five characters, all with star power, this is a quintessential indie film.

Dennis Quaid plays English professor Lawrence Wetherhold at Carnegie Melon University. He is stubborn, pompous and painfully miserable with his mediocre life. He has two kids, Vanessa (Ellen Page) and James (Ashton Holmes) and a freeloading brother Chuck, played by Thomas Haden Church, who all show up after Lawrence gets into an accident and is unable to drive himself for six months. Due to his accident, he is reunited with an old student Dr. Janet Hartigan (Sarah Jessica Parker) who is his doctor and love interest.

Lawrence is trying to get his book published and become head of the English department. Both of these events challenge him to think about what is truly important to him and if it is what he really wants. Vanessa acts like a forty-year-old woman stuck in an eighteen-year-old body; she cooks and cleans for the house, all while buried in her studies as she tries to get the perfect SAT score. Her journey begins when her uncle arrives and teaches her that she can have fun and make friends.

In small films like this, when the story is so sharply focused on the development of the characters, the interaction of the ensemble is so important. Bottom line, this cast works. With the delicate subjects explored (this includes an interesting relationship between Vanessa and Chuck), there is a seriousness kept, but never does it become uncomfortable or tragic to watch.

Quaid is perfect in this role. By growing a beard and gaining some weight, he becomes an uncomfortable character to watch, as Lawrence is also uncomfortable with his own changes. There is something endearing and appealing about watching an ordinary man deal with realistic problems.

Playing Dr. Hartigan, it is sometimes hard to see Parker as anything but Carrie Bradshaw, but in this film she pulls it off. With a refreshing new take on a damaged woman, she exudes pain through simple looks and head nods given to the camera.

All of these people are hurt or socially inept in some way. Lawrence’s son is the only one in the family that seems to have gotten out just in time, but even he still harbors a deep resentment towards his family and father. Collectively these people are well educated and well off, but they can’t seem to emotionally pull it together, playing off the title of the film. Smart People shows the common stupidity of life and sometimes it’s just nice that simple films can provide a simple message, showing that we are all alike and that everyone has problems.

There are two DVD extras worth watching for this film. They include “The Smartest People” which is a collection of interviews with the cast and crew that breaks down the film by characters and explains the casting choices. “Not So Smart” is a quick extra that has funny outtakes, showing just how well the cast worked together. Other features include Deleted Scenes and Commentary with the filmmaker and writer.