SEXISM AND THE CITY – PART 2
The Male Backlash Continues…
Earlier in the week I posted a piece about the Sex and the City sequel, now in cinemas, entitled Sexism and the City. The piece was about the male backlash to the movie that I felt was clearly evident in reviews, magazine articles and the general media coverage of the movie.
Well the posting proved to be one of our most widely read pieces here on Remote Patrolled and received a lot of comments – a few for, but most against the position I took. Well one of the things I said in the article was that I still had yet to see the Sex sequel – my piece was about the coverage of the movie – not the movie itself. Unfortunately quite a few people didn’t take that point on board!
Anyway having now seen the movie I feel even more fired up about the coverage Sex and the City 2 is receiving… and can’t believe anyone would actually doubt that there’s a sexist agenda at work. I mean are we really seeing the same article, reviews and comments people?
First up, let me start with the movie itself. I’m a Sex and The City fan (the series and the first movie) but with just 15% on Rotten Tomatoes I was truly expecting a train wreck. Well you know what – Sex 2 isn’t a bad movie at all. In fact it’s pretty good in my opinion.
I’d be the first to admit the film isn’t perfect. It’s too long for starters – with a few pointless scenes – camel riding for example – that would have worked better as a montage. I hated the karaoke scene – but than I hate karaoke scenes in movies in general! And the film’s humor becomes too broad towards the end with an excruciating moment of female solidarity as the burkha clad women of Abu Dhabi remove their black burkhas to reveal brightly colored designer clothes underneath. It sure isn’t subtle and is without a doubt the worst scene in the movie.
But that for me is the sum total of the bad stuff. There’s a lot that really works in this movie. For starters it’s really refreshing to see an adult comedy about truly adult problems (instead of high school kids fretting over who to date). Big and Carrie’s too-comfortable relationship has been seen as indulgent by some, but I think it’s a conversation a lot of childless couples have. I thought Charlotte’s parenting issues were also well handled – including a terrific drinking scene with Miranda where the two confess how being mothers really makes them feel (it’s vintage Sex and the City and just sizzles on screen). Plus there are some great one-liners along the way – my favorite being Samantha’s ‘can this wedding get any gayer…?’ and out steps Liza Minelli… Love it!
But yet this movie gets 15%. While Transformers 2 gets 20%. A noisy, incoherent, horribly edited move that objectifies Megan Fox as though she’s in a porn movie. And people say there ISN’T a sexist agenda at work…
Now let me make it clear – just because you don’t like Sex and the City 2 – it DOESN’T make you sexist. I completely understand that a lot of people won’t like the movie for a lot of reasons. And undoubtedly the film is geared more towards a female and gay audience that straight males. As I’ve said all along I’m talking about the movies coverage – not the movie itself.
A lot of the criticisms hurled at the film I’m just not seeing, but at least I understand them. Critics have complained the characters are spoilt rich girls – but for me one of the joys of the movie is how excited the girls get by the opulence shown to them – they’re thrilled by the lavish hotel they’re staying in and the private, chauffeur driven cars – and certainly don’t take it for granted. One of the things I was most pleased to see actually was how respectful the characters were – always saying please and thank you, Miranda trying to read up on the culture, adhering to the clothing restrictions (except towards the end of the movie)
Then there’s the culture issue – with some saying Carrie and co are disrespectful of the Muslim culture. Really? The only character who really chafes against the religious restrictions is Samantha – and well that’s Samantha. I could completely envision a movie where Samantha travels to the Bible Belt and is scorned by the Christian locals for her promiscuousness. For me Sex and The City 2 was a lot more respectful of Muslim culture than the majority of gung ho male action flicks… (and as a gay man living in New York please don’t get me started on organized religion – be it Islam, Christianity, Judaism or whatever your faith).
But the main criticisms of the film – and this is where the sexism (and ageism) really kicks in – is that the girls are getting older. Gosh! Can you believe it – people getting old in Hollywood! How can that be?
Now I must say I thought Miranda looked a tad tired in the movie and for some reason both Carrie (and Big) had unflattering looking spray tans – but Samantha and Charlotte looked terrific – and Carrie is, well a 40 year old woman in New York City. How and why is this even an issue in an adult comedy?
And it’s not like the movie completely ignored the age issue. Samantha’s whole plotline is about her aging (early on she accidently wears the same dress as Miley Cyrus to a premiere and people think she’s her mother), taking hormone pills, trying to keep her sex drive alive. But that’s not enough for the media – they have to talk about how haggard and sexless the cast is…
And for those of you who really don’t think coverage and comments on the film have been sexist – take a look at some of these reviews…
“Like a plastic surgeon, storyteller King keeps trying to find new ways to lift and tighten his characters, but they have become garish caricatures of themselves.” – Dallas Morning News (why mention cosmetic surgery – it’s not like this is a movie starring Nicole Kidman and Meg Ryan)
“Despite its “Lawrence of Arabia” length, this film — the Sexless and the Self-Pitying — is as unfunny and shapeless as another famed desert epic. Just think of it as “Bitchtar.” – New York Post. (ah, the B word – was wondering when this was going to come up!)
“When Carrie asks Big, “Am I just a bitch wife who nags you?” I could hear all the straight men in the theater — all four of us — being physically prevented from responding.” – Salon.com
And here’s a quick trawl through some of the comments on the Nikki Finke message board…
“Guess there really are a load of lonely women out there. Keep eating the “Ben & Jerry’s” ladies….”
“Great God, is there no stopping this behemoth of banality? I thought aging would do the trick. Well, it does, there’s no chance in hell of confusing SJP with an attractive woman in her mid 30’s anymore”
“Any husband or boyfriend who willingly agrees to go see this atrocious film should have their testicles immediately removed upon exiting the theater.”
“I’ve heard in the third movie the ladies all move down to Miami and Carrie’s wise-cracking Italian mother moves in.”
See what I mean.
I’ll be interested to see what scores the truly dreadful looking Grown Ups receives in a few weeks time. That’s the one starring Adam Sandler (43), Chris Rock (45), Kevin James (45), David Spade (45) and Rob Schneider (46) – with the trailer that includes gags about peeing in the pool, falling out of trees and breast-feeding. Sophisticated stuff. But of course guys can make jokes along those lines… for a women to do the same would just be desperate…
And for the record the Sex Cast’s ages are Sarah Jessica Parker (45), Kim Catrall (53), Cynthia Nixon (43) and Kristin Davis (45). But of course you can’t be over 40 and female in Hollywood and still be attractive in any way. And you can’t make a movie for a female fan base without being bashed by the media as bitchy, shallow and emasculating.
2010. We really are so very modern these days aren’t we…
| Print article | This entry was posted by Richard Drew on May 30, 2010 at 10:25 am, and is filed under COMEDY, OPINION. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
SCENE STEALER: KIM CATRALL – SEX RATED
about 1 year ago - No comments
Our sister site, Good Enough Mother, posted this marvelous montage up earlier today and I just HAD to put it up for all you Remote Patrolled fans… It’s just that good!
You see today is actress Kim Catrall’s 54th birthday – so what better way to celebrate than to take a look back at some of her funniest, sharpest and most shocking moments playing Samantha Jones…
As many of you know I’m a BIG Sex and the City fan – and I evoked a bit of a firestorm earlier in the summer over the vitriolic – and highly sexist – critiques of the feature film sequel (see Sexism In The City – parts 1 and 2 for more).
Sex and the City 2 wasn’t as good as the first film, or the series – but it was far from the train wreck many male critics made it out to be and was actually really good in places – so the unsparingly negative notices really ticked me off – and suggested an agenda at work. Think I’m reading too much into the reviews? Then just compare the write ups for recent releases The Expendables (to paraphrase: ‘big dumb fun’) and Eat, Pray, Love (in a nutshell: ‘women who seek self improvement are so shallow’)
Anyway – back to Samantha… for me she’s a joyful comic creation – full of life, love and vitality and a terrific role model with her unashamed view of the world… I sincerely hope we haven’t seen the last of her – and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a third (and likely final) Sex and the City movie.
So check out this terrific montage… but be warned – it’s DEFINITELY Not Suitable For Work… or the easily offended!
ENTOURAGE – THE MOVIE?
about 1 year ago - 8 comments
Over the last couple of days it’s been officially announced that HBO’s Hollywood satire, Entourage, will soon be coming to an end. After a final run of 6 new episodes next summer the adventures of Vince, Eric, Drama, Turtle and Ari will draw to a close – on the small screen at least.
Yep you heard that right – there are rumors that the gang may return as a big screen movie down the line. To which I say – really? An Entourage movie? Am I the only one who thinks this is a questionable idea?
Now I’ll state up front that I’m not a big Entourage fan. I’ve really, really tried to like it and have watched quite a few episodes over the years. I think the show is okay – but it’s never really become appointment viewing for me as I have a couple of key problems with the show.
THE A TEAM BOMBS
about 1 year ago - 13 comments
Things just aren’t getting any better for Hollywood this summer!
MacGruber, Marmaduke and Splice are out and out flops. Shrek 4 and Sex and the City are under-performing in comparison to their earlier incarnations (the green ogre will be lucky to match the gross of the first Shrek film, while Carrie and co will likely only bank 2/3 of the original Sex). Audiences seem indifferent to Get Him To The Greek and Killers – despite splashy PR campaigns. And then there’s the costly action movies like Robin Hood and Prince of Persia which cost far north of $150 million to produce and another $50-$100 million to promote. They need a gross upwards of $200 million to make money. And at the moment both will barely make it to 100 (and even good foreign grosses can only go so far)
SEXISM AND THE CITY
about 1 year ago - 31 comments
This weekend sees the release of Sex and the City 2, the second feature film based on the smash HBO TV series.
Just a couple of years ago, Sex and the City opened to record numbers for a female fronted comedy, powered by hordes of mostly female fans for whom the TV show was a veritable lifestyle guide. The big box office numbers took many male journalists by surprise – prompting countless astonished headlines – as if the idea of women going out to see a movie on their own was somehow a new phenomenon.
Well now two years later the sequel is upon us. But this time the guys are waiting – ready to sneer, put down and patronize Sex – and its mostly female fans.
First there’s the reviews – currently 17% on Rotten Tomatoes – that’s barely better than the dreary Elm Street remake, less than the J. Lo stinker The Back Up Plan and equal to The Tooth Fairy. Really? Sex and the City is on a par with The Rock wearing fairy wings? Come again…
Then there’s the magazine and newspaper coverage. The Daily Beast asked if it was possible for a straight man to enjoy Sex and the City (I don’t know who this insults more – women, straight men or the gays?). Time Out New York leads with ‘How Bad Is It?’ on its front cover. And almost every review I’ve read has commented on how old the women in the film look – and how unflattering the photography is. The sexism and condescension just ooze of the page.
WHAT’S SO FUNNY?
about 2 years ago - 8 comments
Earlier today I added Curb My Enthusiasm to my Netflix queue. Now over the years I’ve watched numerous clips and scenes from the show but I realized I’ve never actually watched a full episode – so decided it was time I gave it a proper shot.
But then I got to thinking why I haven’t watched the show before – I mean it’s always received fantastic reviews, the clips I saw made me laugh, it’s HBO… but I think deep down the real reason is that I have a bit of a knee jerk reaction to anything that receives too much praise. Especially when it comes to comedy I’m even more wary because I think more than any other genre there’s a real prejudice and agenda about what is – and more crucially isn’t – funny. And it kind of irks me!
about 1 year ago
SATC has an image problem with men because these women are supposed to be somehow enviable, yet the only quality that they possess, outside of excess money and leisure time, is a penchant for navel gazing. And the SATC girls only navel gaze after they failed to find solace in excess indulgence for their existential crisis de jure.
The "adolescent male fantasy" B, action movies that people compare SATC at least offer a protagonist that is enviable for the level of strength and grit he possesses, as well as the willingness to risk "it all" to achieve his goals.
More than one person has pointed to Iron Man as being equally ridiculous as SATC particularly with the billionaire life-style that is portrayed; and they entirely miss the point that Tony Stark was redeemed, as a a man, once he found a higher purpose that he was willing to risk his life for.
If Tony Stark had stayed a self-indulgent fop the entire movie, then it'd be SATC with one man taking the place of four women.
about 1 year ago
Stands back from the keyboard in aamemeznt! Thanks!
about 1 year ago
Thanks for the article. I also cannot fathom how anyone would dispute that the vitriol being leveled at this film is due to a mixture of sexism and ageism.
The New York Times says "… the ugly smell of unexamined privilege hangs over this film like the smoke from cheap incense." Yes, the characters of Sex and the City are rich women from New York (though most of them are professionals who earned their own way to wealthy extravagance). They don't sit around contemplating their privilege on-screen. But why does the New York Times, or anyone else, expect that from the film? Its like going to see Batman and complaining that he busts heads without addressing the root causes of crime in lower-income Gotham. Or going to a James Bond film and complaining that 007 never stops blowing things up to apologize for British Colonization.
It seems to me that the hate being piled on this film has been way out of proportion to any legitimate expectation you can have from the film. The only conclusion I can draw is that many viewers (both male and female) have a conscious or unconscious bias against professional women having frivolous fun on screen. I have yet to see anyone complain that a Judd Apatow character lacks social awareness. A "male equivalent" of this type — like Entourage– might be panned as being a bit vapid, but it is hard to imagine any such movie garnering even a fraction of the loathing that this movie seems to have dredged up.
This film has a clear intended audience. By now, the producers are expecting that you have seen six seasons of these characters on TV, and one feature length movie. When you see this movie, you are supposed to know these characters. Therefore, the writer is operating in shorthand and doesn't spend the movie re-exploring their strengths and weaknesses. The film has a different purpose: sending the characters you presumably already know and like on vacation.
Within that context, the movie is great fun. I think the only legitimate criticism of the movie from fans of the series would be that this installment didn't put the characters through any serious drama — for the most part, their lives are going pretty well right now. The focus of this film was a vacation, which may not have been a satisfying vehicle for all the character drama viewers are used to.
However, I think most viewers just wanted to catch up with "old friends" they have been seeing on screen for years. I thought it was a fun movie, at least on par with the vast majority of popcorn movies in the theaters.
Regarding the Rotten Tomatoes score of 15%, it is interesting that when you look at their "Top Critics" score, the score actually decreases to 9%. This would imply that the prominent, paid critics are actually driving the score down.
Even if the movie lacked substance and you didn't care for it, giving it a 9% is just ridiculous. The Wolfman got a 33%. Allow me to repeat that — THE WOLFMAN is over three times better than Sex and the City according to reviewers. Critics are tearing into this movie far more than can be justified, and there is no logical explanation except for sexism and/or ageism.
With all this over-the-top criticism, women who want to see this movie have to feel stupid for watching it, while anyone can walk into MacGruber (which got a 46%) without any judgment.
For a movie that was just meant to be silly fun, they still managed to tackle more important issues than Transformers 2 (which got a 20%). How often do you see a movie couple decide not to have kids, and then struggle with the idea of whether their relationship alone is enough to keep them going? The movie had mothers dealing with guilt because they want more out of life than just taking care of their kids, and deciding that they need some time away from their kids. That may not mean anything to the reviewers, but I guarantee you that a lot of women identified with that.
Based on the reviews, you'd be left with the impression that the entire Fast and Furious DVD series (each installment of which earned between 28% – 54%) was vastly superior to this movie. That is simply absurd.
about 1 year ago
As a straight male fan of the TV series (haven't seen either film yet) I heartily agree with everything in both of your articles…except one word: agenda. That seems to imply an organized effort or a conspiracy.
about 1 year ago
Oh man the things I want to say oh man oh man. The comments are hilarious, the salon one being my fav lol. Have your sex and the city, go ahead enjoy it, but the real problem out there is the hyocritical attitudes that most women have. Women seem to think all men owe them a living, same with gay people(i have gay friends and am not homophobic) its all about status and you you you, oh and yes ive been burned by many women but i keep looking for that special girl. All i ever here from women is negativity about men and how we are keeping women down blah blah blha, you ladies wanted equality im ready to give it to you, slap me in the face ill slap you back, be nasty to me ill be nasty to you, but dont expect me to pick up the check every time huh, i mean you make just as much money as me and live with your parents still, what your only real bill is your cell phone, oh thats crazy girl, i only have rent, car, food etc. and you still expect me to buy you stuff and pay for every date. How equal is that people, oh and where is the mens night huh, i want to get into a bar free just once do to it being mens night(dont give me that crap about it being mens night every night).Also where straight pride huh? wheres the straight pride parade??? and no every day is not straight pride so dont be lazy with your excuses. I understand why theres ladies nighjt but still you see my point, nothing has changed not because males arent willing to let women be equal(although a 90 pound chick should not be a fireman, at least not my fireman). I swear that in home ec class women are taught how to exploit men for everything they got, and how to stay with a guy only till they find someone with more money, you know how many times ive been dumped for that very reason or because the girl doesnt think im going ot make enough money in the future(im 28 now) I love women and gay people are fine except for the flamers who i just find annoying, your not a diva and even if you are, who likes divas anyways??? oh and lady gaga is ugly as sin man or not. Love is not about money, love is not about status love is about the connection to people feel between each other, its the companionship, its when all of a sudden your life seems perfect and you are no longer alone, thats what love is and ive had it and i dont like being without out it. Yes im lonely and yes my life seems shitty right now, but i will keep trying and I will find a woman out there who isnt obsessed with status and money and anything else other than lover. Love is all you need and thats all there is to it, stop the hypocriticalness(is that even a word) that I find in just about every women I meet and pretty much the same with gays. Your still a man whether or not you like girls, you dont have to act like a girl. This is my email go ahead mail me, i could write a book on how selfish women and gays can be. of course not all are like this there are many great women out there and the same goes for gay people, but the majority are selfish and hypocritical, its not all about you, im here too. thecloudking2@hotmail.com
about 1 year ago
I had very low expectations having read the reviews but having just seen it a few hours ago – can honestly say I thought it was a great movie and would recommend it. I'm upset that everyone who played a part in making this movie is going to be reading these reviews, that sjp will see her character described as a vile, ugly, bitch. I don't see any chance of there being a satc 3 which I think is unfair to the fans.
about 1 year ago
thank you, thank you, thank you! And for the record, all the male critics shrieking in horror over the women's opulent "privilege" were oddly silent over Iron Man's warehouse of $100,000 cars and Malibu estate. I think the "privilege" they need to check is the male one.