It seems to me that reviews for the Sex & The City sequel are quite sexist. Longtime readers of PLP know what a huge fan I am of SATC, so my assessment might seem a little bias. Luckily I'm not alone in my belief that the fab four got raked over the coals for being what they've always been - characters of strong, albeit self-absorbed, powerful women. And this is wrong because...? Read on for another opinion, courtesy of Pajiba:

[I have to concede, however, that the gender of the critic does play a role, maybe not in assessing the quality of the movie, but in placing it in the right cultural context. For instance, nobody liked Transformers 2, either, and collectively we piled a lot of vitriol upon that shit-heap. But little, if any, of that vitriol was directed at the millions of teenage boys -- both literally and figuratively -- who saw it. Meanwhile, many of the attacks on SATC do feel gender oriented. It's a movie specifically aimed at a female audience, and it's not out of line for that audience -- whether they like the movie or not -- to take umbrage with some of the characterizations of those critiques.

I see it this way: SATC is the female equivalent of Transformers, and the excessive wardrobe budget is not that dissimilar to paying $8 million to plaster Megan Fox's ass all over a movie. Yet, men get a pass for paying $10 to watch Megan Fox's ass bounce up and down a movie set, while women are maligned as vapid or shallow for taking the same pleasure in gawking at shoes and the various male objects of fantasy that are scattered throughout the SATC movies. It is a double standard.]

We all know a double standard exists between men and women, but does it really have to extend to fictional characters of cinema? Apparently so. Why are men seemingly fearing this powerful female presence at the box office? Worried the little ladies might get a few ideas?

Sure, I concede that the Sex films aren't perfect - but I don't recall anyone promising the projects were going to equal Citizen Kane. And anyone familiar with the series knows that Carrie and Co. have always been defined by large brushes of their nature - i.e. flaky, prude, analytical and "slutty." The only difference is that the HBO series had 6 years to flesh out these women, while the movies only have two hours. As for the characters being perceived as shallow and politically incorrect? So what? Watch Kirby Dick's amazing documentary, This Film Is Not Yet Rated, to see how terrifying some people find it when women actually enjoy themselves. SATC has always been lighthearted and I don't remember Ms. Preston (nee Bradshaw) ever asking to be a role model. It's always been just for fun. And at that, Sex & The City has excelled.

There is an upside. I've said it before and I'll say it again - it's more! More of those beloved characters who we didn't think we were going to get to see again. If there's one message you can take away from the film I'd hope it would be this - why can't we all just lighten up and get along? The hedonist in me hopes the creators make it a three-peat. I've got my fictional gal pals backs - and sometimes you need that in a sea of fair weather friends.

I'm Peeved

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