I’ve always been very proud to be a girl. I celebrate nights out with my girlfriends, took a number of women’s studies classes in college, and breathed a sigh of relief when Hillary entered the Presidential race (pre-sobfest). I’ll have to admit, however, I was a little embarrassed to call myself a woman when I approached my local theatre to attend the long-awaited Sex and the City movie.

Hysteria ensued once the doors opened and fashionably dressed girls ran into the theater, frantically throwing their coats over seats and falling over aisles to get the best row of seats for their girlfriends. But once the lights dimmed and the dozens of girls in the theatre cheered, my womanly pride came back in full force and I settled in; ready to enjoy being a girl all over again.

Although Sex and the City received mixed reviews, particularly a much-talked about New York Times review that reflected an unsavory opinion, I was pleasantly surprised at how the film surpassed my expectations. I live and breathe Sex and the City and was a little concerned with whether or not it would meet my skyrocketing expectations. It did meet my expectations – and more.

This movie may have not been filled with Carrie’s constant questioning narrative, highlighted Samantha’s racy sex life, or followed the ladies on their dates. Instead, it moved with the characters’ ages and highlighted the next phase of their lives, without losing that SATC charm.

Critical reviews were not lost on me. The movie was rather long, at 2 hours and 22 minutes to be exact, although I was not restless or bored. Fitting the lives of four women in one feature film is not easy, nor time-efficient, and this was reflected at times. You could feel that each character was not getting the screen time that her storyline may have deserved; after all, most films do not revolve around four different plots.

I also wasn’t used to the all glitz and glam in the film; while the TV show reflected the characters’ love for money and fine clothing (Manolos in particular), the film seems to be a marketing ploy at best, flashing labels such as Vitamin Water, Gucci, and Vogue around the screen.

Now, for the reasons I left the theater with a smile on my face, clutching my girlfriends and pumped for a possible sequel…

Girls don’t necessarily obsess over SATC because of the fashion or the hot men. (Wait, what am I saying?) We relate to the stories of these women as they touch on our relationships with family, friends, lovers, and our careers. When Carrie goes through turbulent times with Big, we think of the one who got away. When Miranda and Steve settle into a family life that is too comfortable, we think back on long relationships where the sex has become boring and the fire has died. As Samantha finds herself losing her own character in the man she loves, we think back to ways that we have altered our own lives to please our men – sometimes almost too much.

The film highlights these developing issues in the characters’ lives. Funny dating tales are replaced by major life changes – marriage, pregnancy, cheating, living with a man. And in the end, the friendships between these ladies remain just as strong, despite the paths in which their lives have taken them.

There has been talk of a sequel, and although I won’t spoil the ending for anyone, I’m not sure how they will tie one in. I don’t doubt that it’s possible – if it’s possible to transition from an HBO television series into a multi-million dollar movie that draws hoards of screaming women, a sequel seems to be fitting.