The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (DVD, 2008)

In this follow-up to THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS, the four heroines find themselves drifting apart the summer after their first year of college. Quirky Tibby (Amber Tamblyn, JOAN OF ARCADIA) is stuck taking summer school classes at NYU, while the commitment-phobe in her struggles with her relationship with Brian (Leonardo Nam). Independent Bridget (Blake Lively, GOSSIP GIRL) takes a break from playing soccer at Brown University to work on an archaeological dig in Turkey. Quiet Lena (Alexis Bledel, GILMORE GIRLS) still misses her Greek love, Kostos (Michael Rady), but her drawing classes at the Rhode Island School of Design--and the man she meets there--keep her distracted. Meanwhile Carmen (America Ferrera, UGLY BETTY), who had hoped to spend her summer with her best friends, begins working at a Vermont theater festival with some surprising results. As each of them takes her turn wearing the magical pants of the first film, they realize that it isn't just distance that is separating them. For fans of the Ann Brashares's novels on which this film and its predecessor are based, THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2 presents a welcome reunion with beloved characters. These are four well-drawn (and well-cast) young women who experience real problems that add depth to the film's comedy. But even with the drama, this is more GILMORE GIRLS than GOSSIP GIRL. Though there's plenty of talk of love à la SEX AND THE CITY, Tibby, Bridget, Lena, and Carmen have issues and identities outside of the men in their lives. But that doesn't mean that there isn't space for squeals and sighs when things do go right for the girls romantically.