Each year, television studios are inundated with ideas for new shows.  Only a select few make it into production and of those, not many last longer than 12 months.  It highlights just how hard it can be to create a popular television show.

The first episode of Sex & The City aired in the U.S. on a Saturday night in June 1998.  It was watched by 3.7 million people (not too bad for a debut).  However, by the time the last episode aired in 2004, more than 10.6 million people were tuning in.  Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda were household names.

Four years have passed since the finale but interest in the show hasn’t diminished.  The cult-like following is bigger than ever.  Repeats can be seen every night on pay-TV.  HBO Films and New Line Cinema sensed that the fans wanted to see these characters again.  They were right.  When released last weekend in the United States, Sex & The City took in a staggering $56.8m at the box-office.  Can this series become any bigger?

Before I go any further, I should probably cut things short for those who haven’t watched the show.  You can stop reading this review right now.  If you had no interest while it was on the small screen, why would you fork out money to see it on a big screen?  I’ll catch up with you some other time.

For those who are interested, the movie picks up where the television series finished off.  Carrie (Bradshaw) is planning her wedding after becoming engaged to Mr. Big (Noth).  Samantha (Cattrall) has moved to Los Angeles to manage the career of her soap-star boyfriend.  Miranda (Hobbes) is trying to juggle her career and her family life.  Charlotte (Davis) is devoted to raising her 3-year-old adopted daughter.  I won’t go into much more detail in terms of the plot but once again, I’m disappointed that the trailer gives too much away.

I was a fan of the television show.  I didn’t watch it religiously but I found it to be both funny and insightful.  The movie isn’t of the same quality however.  It’s much too long at 148 minutes and the storyline is predictable and repetitive.  I was hoping for more action and more surprises.  I got bored watching them talk about the same problems over and over (whilst wearing designer clothes and sipping alcoholic beverages).

Bah!  What difference will my opinion make anyway?  I’m a guy! The studio research from the States showed that roughly 85% of moviegoers who saw the movie on opening weekend were female.  There was a similar ratio of guys to girls at my preview screening here in Brisbane.  There were lots of laughs from the ladies and I think they were more receptive to many elements of the film.

Then Carrie gives her personal assistant a Christmas gift, she pulls a box from under her bed that has the name Louis Vuitton written on it.  I could hear many gasps from the females sitting near me.  I guess I just didn’t get it.  While I’m illustrating my ignorance, how does Carrie afford a personal assistant?  How does she afford all her clothes?  She says at one point that she’s using the advance from her latest book to buy furniture for her apartment.  If she’s that strapped for cash, I’m sure she could get away with wearing the same outfit twice.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, I’ll leave my criticisms at that.  Let’s face it – it’s an unrealistic storyline but it’s no more unrealistic than a macho action flick.  If a guy can fight 10 people at once and win, then I’m sure a girl can have 100 designer dresses in her wardrobe.  Men are from Mars and women are Venus but both sexes love escapism when it comes to the movies.