Sex and the City 2

It really pains me to write this, but the movie was boring. I love SATC and I really had no expectations about the movie because I think enough is enough. I don’t want to see a bunch of aging women running around the city in the same way they did in their 20s and 30s. The jig is up. But the movie even underwhelmed my lack of expectations.

Well before I really go in, let me say the fashion was SUPERB!!! I mean fabulous. Best dressed for me, hands down, was Miranda. She looked chic and ever age appropriate. That dress she wore to Stanford & Anthony’s wedding was DIVINE!!! People thought Carrie should have amped it up more but I loved her shifting more into a classy space with a streak of extravagance. (ie the purple skirt in the market, which I LOVED, and the moment at the end where she was strolling around her apartment in a chic dress/house-strolling garment.) Furthermore, she wasn’t best dressed in the last movie either- that award goes to Samantha.

Now that that’s out of the way, the movie. [again]. First of all, they spent too much time lollygagging and galavanting in Abu Dhabi. There was nothing particularly EXCITING going on over there. They were just on vacation. Oh the Aiden thing??!? Not major- at all. She could have kept that little kiss to herself. The one moment that stood out to me, and was hilarious might I add, was where Miranda and Charlotte were sitting at the bar drinking, talking about their family issues. I immediately thought (for the first and only time in the movie)- huh, that’s interesting. I found it so interesting because Miranda and Charlotte are notoriously on the other ends of the spectrum, all the time- which caused a number of big blow outs. There were very few scenes in the show, only one coming to mind- Miranda’s baby shower, where there were Miranda-Charlotte moments. I loved that this movie gave a Miranda-Charlotte moment.

The movie stayed on Stanford and Anthony’s wedding too long and that Liza Minnelli performance was just dreadful. o_0 … Ma’am… MA’AM.

The real problem I had with the movie is that it was totally void of stories. AND THERE WERE STORIES TO BE TOLD!!!!! They skipped over everything for that 1 ½ hour long trip. Let’s start with Carrie. Yes she and Big were having marriage blues, but I wanted one knockdown drag out fight that caused them to separate and then reconcile. Nope, just some disagreements. I did like the moment at the end where Big said “You never said vows to me” and she said something to the effect of “I wrote them but you never showed up.” Duh Big. Silly rabbit.

Then Miranda. She finally quits her job and we get NOTHING about that. I would have loved to see her glazing a bowl with Charlotte, ultimately deciding that was not the life for her and end up opening her firm after an exhaustive job search. Or maybe not opening the firm but I would have liked to see more of the search.

And since I’ve mentioned her, Charlotte and this fussy child. I thought they were going to make the child autistic and have Charlotte blame herself for having a child so late in life. But nope, she was just bad. They mentioned the braless nanny, but only showed Harry looking ONCE.

Finally, Samantha. There’s not a WHOLE lot you can do with Samantha other than give her cancer again but I really wouldn’t want to see that. The whole menopause thing was funny at times, but in general, it just reminded me that they are getting old. Its not the same Sex and the City I waited for every Sunday or watched while eating an elaborate feast with my much older friends. This is not that story at all. I hope they are smart enough to realize that story is long gone and it may be time to leave the girls in our box sets or late night TBS reruns. I’m very sad to report, I think it is over for them.

I'M BACK...

I've been MIA for a minute... but some great music has touched down... hope you have been enjoying it too!!! Enjoy the posts!!!

PS. A couple other albums definitely worth picking up but I won't be "reviewing":

• NAS & Damian Marley: Distant Relatives... It's great music. As conscious and relevant as we all hoped it would be! (I'm not reviewing it b/c I really suck at talking about hip hop. LOL- I know my limits.)
  
• PJ Morton: Walk Alone... its a neo-soul/ gospel fusion. Really dope... I Need Your Love is my FAVORITE.... been playing it a couple times a day since I first played the album. Love You More with Tweet is also a favorite.
  

Janelle Monae- ArchAndroid

Just from the overture starting the album, you get the feeling something magical is getting ready to happen and she did not disappoint

Dance or die was like a perfect storm… all the elements blend to really bring the song to life… the musical changes and the changes in her tone of her rapping/ talking. It blends seamlessly into Faster… I didn’t even know it was a different song until she started singing… only then that I thought to check my iTunes… I love when artists make albums!!!! (as opposed to producing a collection of singles)

Locked inside felt like a Michael Jackson song…. Not one in particular, just that same electric energy

Cold War is the story of my life… Lyrically, outstanding.

Of COURSE…. I have been all about Tightrope since day 1. The distinctive retro feeling to it is perfection… AND THE VIDEO… love.

Come Alive gave a rock star moment. I liked it… but I hate high pitched noises, so the scream at the end was a bit much for me… The album seemed to change pace at this point and went more into “out there” Janelle Monae… I feel like the beginning was for those who need to be eased in. LOL

Sooo… All of a sudden I’m listening and she’s on autotune… and I’m thinking… Oh no!!! why?!?!? But then, I realize the song is called Mushrooms and Roses… appropriate. The song made me feel like I was high. LOL… it was fun but weird…. Which is one of the reasons I adore Janelle Monae. Mushrooms and Roses lured me into the tunnel and Neon Valley Street kept me in this random fantasy land.

Make the Bus is one of my favorite songs. I get attached to the way artists sing certain things and it can make me want to listen to something over and over… My line is “The way you are now…” She just caught my attention…

I swear Wondaland makes me want to skip down the street. LOL.

57821 is like the book end to Mushrooms and Roses… Its closes out the fantasy land and sends you back to reality. This section of the album made me feel like Alice and Wonderland… Like I fell down a rabbit hole into some parallel universe.

And we’re back… Say You’ll Go is just a regular dope song. Her vocals are on full display… it was comparatively simple.

BaBopBye Ya is amazing… It takes you on a musical journey… If felt more like a movie score than a song. There are no words for this song… you really just have to hear it.

This album is the best music I have heard in a REALLY long time. It is innovative, complex, retro & futuristic… perfect. And her voice is what I believe really makes it to come to life- most artists’ voices would be totally overpowered by so much going on. But her voice is so clear it pierces through the complexity. This album is a game changer.

Toni Braxton: Pulse

Starts of with Yesterday… old Toni. Love.

I LOVE Make My Heart!! It makes me want to dance!!

Hands Tied is so sexy… should be from the title right?!?!?

I want to like Woman but to be frank I’m kind of over these proclamations of womanhood. I’m all for women being strong but we can portray that with the chorus saying “I’m a woman”

If I Have to Wait borders on country… it was surprising but I love all music so I like it.

I liked Lookin at Me when the beat dropped but the lyrics were a bit immature for Toni. Maam, you’re gorgeous but you’re getting up there. No Maam. But it still makes my head nod so I’ll pretend it’s someone else when it shows up on my shuffle.

Hero is strong

No Way gave me a moment of Let If Flow… one of my favorite Toni Braxton songs. This is so classic Toni Braxton as were Pulse and Why Won’t You Love Me. LOVE.

Overall, I liked it, good music.

Side note…. I’m sure some will disagree but I think Chrisette Michele is the new school Toni Braxton. If you listen to Epiphany some of the songs gave the same tone (as I noted in my review. LOL). Woman sounds like Porcelain Doll, only not as clever. It even had the same balance of vocally strong ballads, pop-ish beats for a wide appeal (Wardrobe vs. Playing Our Song), and a little hip hop to keep it interesting. Listen to Epiphany right after Pulse and see if you can’t hear it too!!

Vivian Green: Beautiful

First things first… WTH does she have on in this cover?!?! I shoulda known what the album was gonna sound like from the hair and fit. Ok…

Let me preface this by saying I was IN LOVE with her first album (I still listen to it to this day), barely in like with the second one so I have hopes but no expectations.

Liked the concept of Beautiful but it sounded like 2 different songs… she started in the first person, went to third, back to first.

I like When We’re Apart

She reminds me a little of Monica in that she is capable of making good music but sometimes falls victim to trend (although Monica redeemed herself with her most recent album). Vivian Green has a voice so perfectly fit for neo-soul/ that classic R& B sound. Her ballads are incredible. But in songs like I Know How… she has this up-tempo beat that absolutely doesn’t fit her voice or vibe. I would have loved the song but for that hip hop-esque beat in the background. She could have dropped it out and the song would have been PERFECT. Same for Search is Over and So Far Gone.

I HATE SKITS…interludes… all of them. Have I ever mentioned that? You should be able to tell the story through your music. (except maybe Kanye- he makes fun ones. LOL). The Better Man skit was soooooooooooooooo unnecessary.

Better Man could grow on me. Right now I’m on the fence with it. Never mind… rapping. I’ll pass.

Save me belonged on a different beat…. This reggae beat is so dope, should have been a song with sexy lyrics.

I like Too Intense… It’s giving me my much needed Danity Kane feel-good moment. Don’t judge me. I also hate when kids jump on tracks, but I’ll forgive it because I like the song.

I like Somewhere also, this is the space where she is most successful…. Her upper register is definitely not her strong suit… It’s annoying because it’s more like screeching than anything.

Caught Up is good. This is reminiscent of the first album. Why did it take 11 tracks to get here. Whoever this Lauren Tolez chick is singing with her sings her face off!! I love.

Jordan’s song is lovely.

The album felt long… not good since it was really only 13 tracks. I was over it by Track 8. It wasn’t a bad album, it just changed direction too many times. Welp… guess I’m back to A Love Story (first album).

Erykah Badu: New Amerykah Part Two- Return of the Anhk

20 feet tall was a song that speaks to the soul… I think we have all been there! Destroying walls, realizing your strength.

Ok… Window Seat is… Window Seat. I love this song so much… the vibe, her voice, its so classically Badu I can’t stand it. PERFECTION

[owwwww] Agitation is musically so SICK. Wow...

Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long sounds like a follow up to the Otherside of the Game (“I know you have to get your hustle on…”)

Loving me was one of those Badu-esque moments on an album when ur like wha?!?!? But then you realize it’s an interlude (like the first time you heard Afro on Baduizm)

Fall in Love is a rip from Eddie Kendricks' 1977 song "Intimate Friends” (which I actually remembered from Alicia Keys Unbreakable and had to google the original… don’t judge me.) It’s the song I find myself humming all the time… Maybe its just my sinister side… “slow singing, flower bring if your burglar alarm starts ringing…”

Incense is the song that was playing on the website when I was up at 3:32 AM waiting for window seat to premiere (ONLY for Badu… I love her so)

Out Of Mind, Just In Time is just giving me Green Eyes all over again… one of my favorite Badu songs/ stories. I have woken up many a morning needing to hear this song before I could start my day.

Overall, this album is more classic Badu than Part One. I heard her say on the radio she wrote both at the same time and Part Two is the feminine side and Part One the masculine. I took the time to listen to both together and I get it, but I’m feminine so I like Part Two better. This album is like all of her previous albums combined. It’s no Mama’s Gun (my favorite) but I love it and have been playing it regularly since it’s release.