Falling Into The Descent

I hate to say it, but YAY

Horror movies. Such thrills, such chills...but it's the aftermath of seeing such ghostly images in the middle of the night that kills me. I have vowed never ever to see another scarey movie since the pale, white faces of an unnecessary Japanese remake came onto the big screen. So why did I make such an exception this time around? Guess never say never, right? Well, what's the big deal anyway? I mean, a plot evolving around a bunch of females taking on the lead to do something adventurous doesn't seem like a bad idea. Finally, a movie with more than just ditsy blonde girls, screaming their scrawny asses off, running barefoot without a bra on, in a see-through baby tee, bobbling left and right in the woods. Almost always after a naked sex scene in which her scared-shitless boyfriend gets butchered. Cold and predictable. This time, no men. At least no "real" ones. Just enough detail to get your heart racing a mile a minute. The setting, a cave, truly draws us in. Even if I know I'd never put myself in that position I felt like I was there! Peering around dark corners, grabbing onto jagged edges, hearing the eerie sounds of dripping water... oh, and by the way, did I mention that it's infested with man-eating ghouls? Yet what gets me the most is that the extremely suspenseful, "oh shit!" parts occur through Sara's haunting illusions and her sudden confrontation with Juno, the mistress of the film. The hideous creatures don't even appear until close to the end. That just happens to be the rotten cherry ontop of a pretty fucked up situation. Now don't get me wrong. Those things ain't something you want to see anytime soon, but it's not the premise of this movie at all. Half-way into the film, you realize that they were crazy enough to venture into an undiscovered cave by Juno, ah the sinful Asian beauty, the character you hate to love. This manipulative, slick back, ponytailed brunette dragged her naive, white friends into what turns out to be a death trap. The originality of it isn't even how real the wretched demons look or the gruesome deaths of each character. It's simply the mere thought of what it would be like to be in the girls' shoes. Squishing through narrow tunnels, losing a bag of supplies, no maps, no real way out. Frantic. Flustered. And then suddenly alone. Heartbroken Sara gets the shit-end of the stick when she comes face to face with her true enemy, but fortunately, for me I had my eyes closed.

The Descent

Yay - by Cheyenne


"the descent," is an low budget drama/horror movie that came over from the united kingdom earlier this year. upon seeing trailers for this particular film in the past couple of months, i was intrigued to say the least. looked like a psychological film that preys on your fears...with what looked like the possibility of something else along the way....

five minutes into the movie, you're introduced to the two main protagonists-- juno and sarah. right away you see something that may or may not be there in terms of the interactions. but just as quickly as it was introduced, it takes a backseat to a sudden and gruesome tragedy.
fast forward 1 year later, a group of women are getting together for their annual extreme sport trip. the tragedy of a year ago still obviously taking its toll on some members of the group. you can feel the tension between some these ladies no matter how hard they try to hide it. the said trip gets on its way. this particular trip involves the exploration of a cave system in the Appalachians(east coast usa, for you dullards that are unaware).
this particular cave system, unfortunately, has never been explored before. the problem with this, is that only one person knows this. of course, difficulties ensue. people are lost, people are hurt, people are possibly losing their minds. adding to this mass confusion is the entrance some inhabitants of this cave. up to this point, this film is all based on your fears. darkness, claustrophobia, hopelessness, anger, betrayal. once these cave-dwellers enter the picture, all hell breaks loose. people start dying. people start forgetting one another. right up to the end, when a few of the girls start fighting back, you feel that exhaustion that is expressed on their faces. i'm not going to spoil how this movie ends, but i will say that the road to the climax takes a few twists and turns that i did not see coming.
this film builds up so well. the tension and the frights are so well paced. nothing feels forced. the acting is very well done, especially the actresses that played sarah and juno. the creatures look good and the amount of gore is not over the top. i highly suggest you see this movie. you'll be satisfied by what you see.

Breaking Up IS hard to do

NAY

Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn (a romantic couple off the big screen) are playing an onscreen duo at the brink of breaking up.

So it starts off with glamour shots of the two in their “moments of happiness” together: with friends, with family, unwrapping Xmas gifts, having drinks, eating dinner, and of course lots and lots of kissing. And you would think that the premise of the movie is to maybe bring these portraits to life so that we could feel it all happening around us. To tell a story of how they met, why they fit, what went wrong, and why it’s unfixable. To show us these two strangers getting together and then slowly falling apart. Point: So that we care enough to build some kind of emotional connection with these characters. So that when the whole thing comes to an end, we feel it ending for us too.

Fed up with Vaughn's petty bullshit, Aniston decides to call it off to show him what he’d be missing out on. (See, I don't even care enough to remember their character names!) He wants things done his way even though she wants to play by her own rules. It’s such a toss up that you as the audience don’t even know which side makes sense to side on. Oh and why is this funny? It’s just as uncomfortable as actually being in the same room when a couple argues.

Yes, most of us have been there before. Arguing over the littlest things, bad habits, different interests, too much time, too little time, not enough help, expenses, ex-lovers, the list goes on and on. For whatever reason, a relationship would hit its breaking point. Run its course, if you will, only to come down to the obvious point that two people are causing more harm to each other than good and the need to break up is inevitable.

Put the audience in a real situation. Create a moment; a reason why a couple is meant for each other and then give an even stronger example of why they should not pursue it any further. Make us feel that pull for him, her, any of them! To continue to watch with eagerness. Otherwise, it’s all simply a waste of time, film, money, and above all purpose.

9/11 in 102 Minutes

"102 Minutes" by Jim Dwyer and Kevin Flynn just literally made my jaw drop. The real-life stories of people trying to survive the direct aftermath of 9/11 in the twin towers, what they were doing beforehand, what they did to escape...those that made it and those that didn't make it. It's like a movie that hasn't been made yet and there it is playing in your head even when you don't dare to watch any further. The strengths, the lies, the truth. It's not that books haven't been written about this sort of stuff before, but it's as if they didn't even have to write this one in particular that astounds me. All they had to do was listen to what REALLY happened period.

Tales from the Bed

It's been a long time since I picked up a book and read it from beginning to end... intentionally. It's always been a school thing so when that whole phase in my life was over well...I stopped really reading. It's not like I never read a single thing since my college days, but I somehow found it difficult to choose a piece of literature that striked my interest to the point when I just couldn't put it down. I mean, with a genuine desire to want to see what happens as I turn each page. It seems silly, I know. Kinda corny? Maybe. But shit, it's the damn truth.

So there I was at Borders in Santa Monica. After walking through the mall and onto the pier, my boyfriend and I decided to see what was new at the bookstore. I usually go to check out the stationary or some overly-priced journal on display while he browses through the actual books. But this time, I happened to glance at the lil' wooden table down front. A picture of a single, white bed with two pillows caught my eye. Big, bold letters above it read, "Tales from the Bed." Hmmm...

A National Bestseller. Wow. A memoir. Interesting.

And no girls it's not one of those kind of stories where you'll need to run to the bathroom everytime to change your underwear! Jenifer is diagnosed with ALS (a fatal disease that effects your motor neurons), basically your brain will slowly lose its ability to communicate with your muscles. And although this is a serious condition with an unknown cure, Jenifer told it in a way that really draws the reader in. The minute you pick it up and read the first few lines, it seems as though you're just hearing about her crazy morning run about the city. You don't feel sympathy for a poor, lonely person who is sick and tired of being runned-down. It doesn't even get to the heavy stuff at all in the beginning. Jenifer simply introduces herself to you. She talks about music, food, her bond with her sisters, work, going to the gym, just everyday stuff. Even The Muffin Shop was given life through her words.

You feel her character living and breathing inside of you.

It is just so exquisitely charming and interestingly put together that I just sat on the floor, in the corner of the bookstore and read the first 50 pages as if I've always been reading for fun. And it feels wonderful to be inspired again.

Poseidon

Nay - by Cheyenne

When i first saw previews for the disaster flick "Poseidon," my first thought was obviously "why?" The reason i say "why?" is that there was an original movie in 1972 title "The Posideon Adventure" which starred Gene Hackman. I've never watched that flick or any other disaster movie from that time period mainly because i'm biased in terms of the special fx and quite honestly, it doesn't appeal to me whatsoever. Another reason for my reaction, wasn't "The Perfect Storm" basically the same idea but on a smaller boat and better cast? They even have the same director(Wolfgang Petersen). And lastly, it just didn't really "catch" my attention. It's a disaster flick, so of course it's going to follow a certain guideline: intro to main group, intro to disaster, random people die, male lead character says "follow me to safety," people from goup die, insert token love story, insert brave sacrifice, group rescued. am i wrong?

Even though i had these reasons not to go see this particular movie, i still said "screw it, why not," because i enjoy a big, loud, dumb movie where i have an idea of what's going to happen , but look forward to those small moments that make me say "whoa, that's some crazy shit." maybe'll i be surprised.

It's safe to say i was not wrong in my initial observations.This is a big dumb entertaining(somewhat) movie. Same standard formula as any other disaster movie. In "Poseidon," there's no one character that you really pull for. Actually there are more characters that you'd rather see die. The deaths are straightforward in their execution,no real surprises. The token love story is pretty idiotic. The one child actor in the movie is so very annoying, i couldn't help but hope he bites it. That might've made me feel better about the movie overall. There are sequences where i said to myself "who would've thought that these 7 or 8 people could all hold their breath for 5mins straight." are these people half fish?

When it it comes down to it, a good comparision to this movie would be "Day After Tomorrow." Cool fx, decent acting, shit dialogue, and the feeling of "that's it?" when end credits come up

Thoughts on The DaVinci Code

More "Nay" than "Yay" Still thinkin'. This is really not a review. Just thoughts so far...

Maybe I should've read the book. Or maybe I shouldn't have read any of the reviews until after I watched the movie. Needless to say, I'm not a religious person by any means. And this movie just made me reconfirm that truth: that I have absolutely no idea what to believe when it comes to such specific details. Is it possible to believe in everything being a possiblity? Can I be ok just being confused? People brought so much hype with it in writing and barely placed it at 50/100 spot as a film. It's amazing how different a story can be told if put into a different medium.

There I was. Intrigued. Happy in a way that I don't have to go through so many pages to finally see what all the fuss was about. And yet, now I'm still wondering?

Don't get me wrong, Tom Hanks is an astounding actor in my eyes. He plays such a key role in me even going to watch this because I've always admired his work. But I feel that even he couldn't make this easy to tell. I know why this is so controversial. Obviously, that was the best part in the whole thing. Finding out what DaVinci was trying to argue by seeing the painting of "The Supper" and noticing the little details about the Holy Grail. A shit storm. People gasped in the theatre when such a point was being revealed, but like I stated earlier, I'm not a religious person. So in my eyes nterestingly enough, it's simply believe it or not. I did, however, go to my parent's house to see if a cup was in fact a part of the sculpture of "The Supper" they have sitting above their piano. No cup.

I obviously can't be like all the others who say, "the book was better" because I wouldn't know. But I can't say that this movie was to any degree "amazing." I think it is best told in writing because a person can understand more if they move at their own pace and our imagination is in fact a powerful tool of its own in our head as it portrays what we take in. However, we of course must be patient enough to read this stuff in which I'm unfortunate to say I'm not.

Is it safe to say that there's just to much out there to be so one-track minded? Just because we've been taught one way for so long, is that really the only way? In that case, we would've still believed the world is flat. I'm still debating.

United 93

"YAY"

Sunday evening. Two days after its release. 5 years, 6 months, and some odd days after the real events took place. The destruction of what is now referred to as, "the worst terrorist attacks on American soil" now brought onto the big screen and there I was, sitting in a movie theatre and for the first time I hoped NOT to be entertained.

The very beginning had a tremendous impact on me. Having seen what it may have been like to be one of the "terrorists," sitting on a hotel bed in a country foreign to him, reading, mumbling a prayer to himself of what was yet to come...He did not look vicious. Just average. Maybe confused, hesitant, and almost lost like a little boy with no place to go in a land he could not call home. The story reflected back on a time that I almost forgot. A moment that no one was prepared for to say the least. And it was portrayed as if there was nothing more to tell than what was happening right before our eyes.

People. Using their cell phones. Logging into their lap tops. Drinking their cups of coffee. Going about their daily routines. Passengers ready for boarding. Planning their agendas. People with a job to do. Pilots and flight attendants reeling in their luggage, getting ready for their next trip. Clocking in, starting the morning without a care in the world. Planning for a tomorrow that will never come.

We see so many points of view that we get dizzy trying not to lose track. The camera veers from one direction to the next. Whether it be at the Air Traffic Control Towers watching as each plane they lose contact with disappear on their radars. Or the management team, shuffling through papers, awaiting for a liason, preparing for their next course of action. Or the military commanders, on and off the phones, frantically trying to get permission to engage an attack without worrying their counterparts. And then we bare witness to the loved ones, helpless, floating in mid-air, making their calls to their husbands, wives, moms, dads, children, and saying their final farewells. The stuartist, calm and collect at first, now in a state of panic promising to quit the next day.

I felt numb. Sweat dripped down the back of my neck. I shifted my weight to avoid passing out. Closed my eyes at times when there was so much to take in and just the mere thought of having been in their place, the thought of what must have been going on in their heads. What would I have been thinking of if I knew I would never touch the ground again? It became too exhausting that I had to blink just to regain enough energy to keep watching.

People around me were at the edge of their seats. Covering their mouths in shock. I started focusing on their reactions. Their gasps when someone would get stabbed. Shaking their heads when the passengers were trying to sneak a phonecall. Their emotional highs and lows even though we knew the inevitable was about to happen. I clenched my fists at the very end, as if by doing so I could hold the plane up and change its ending.

The importance of communication can be seen throughout this film.

Between the manager to his team, the military commander to his subordinates, the liason to a room full of unpredictable circumstance. But the most powerful of all was between the young men waiting to take over the plane. The anxious, taking deep breaths pressed against his seat, with a "bomb" strapped around his waist. The eager pacing back and forth unable to sit still. The merciless, a red bandana around his forehead, blood on his wifebeater willing to stab anything in sight. And the hesitant, who we saw pray, who we hear say, "I love you" to another we never get to meet right before boarding. They had a specific target taped on the steering wheel, yet it was the ONLY one who seemed doubtful who was assigned to fly towards it.

What I admire in the director is that he did not go into heavy detail about anything. He showed the side of it as if we still know nothing. No extreme political standpoint was illustrated nor was there any specific story told. It was generalized using unfamiliar actors/actresses. Revealing all its imperfections. But that is how the real world works. Everyone moving at the speed of light and it is not until a catastrophe happens that we have time to even look at each other. To pause and appreciate that we have this time and to acknowledge that nothing lasts forever.

So what is the point if any? Simple. Communication. With it or lack thereof can cause life-altering consequences.

the BIG Monkey vs the BIG Money

"NAY"

So director Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings Trilogy) strikes again, except this time it doesn't happen in 3's. He tells a tale that has already been told before and once again the king of all beasts, the master of all monkeys, the monstrous gorilla himself: KING KONG awakens from a much needed slumber away from the big screen. Why recreate what’s already been done with a story most people already know too well with an ending that is no longer a surprise? Hmmm…

But then you start to think to yourself about the attention to detail he carefully pieced together in his epic masterpiece about a hobbit and a ring so you kinda convince your doubtful mind that maybe this is worth sitting through another 3-hours or so. Maybe.

You gotta admit the previews were pretty spectacular; an enormous skull-shaped mountain amidst rough waves crashing against jagged rocks, luscious trees and twisted vines engulfing the men with guns shooting at things 4-times their own size, trying to rescue a beautiful blonde damsel in distress from the hideously hairy creature of the jungle. But then again the point of all previews is to grab the audience’s need for more, so of course I became even more skeptical and assumed all the great stuff, crammed into less than a minute of montage and mayhem, were already shown.

Yet, I too became the victim of media hype and so I followed their lead in hopes that underneath it all lies a heartfelt story. So here’s what’s gotta be said. And yes, I am still searching for its heart.

It started off with a brief clip of animals at the zoo. Useless. Then it introduced us to the 4 main characters: The aspiring young actress, the greedy filmmaker, the cocky hero of the movies and of course the real hero (?) and love interest of our fair maiden. Blah, blah, blah. Useless. Where’s the monkey, the star of the show? We don’t see him until about an hour of uselessness. I know, I know. The premise of the story is to see why they even ended up at Skull Island. I just don’t see the reason why it took so damn long to meet the beast in which the audience came to see in the first place. Even when we get to the island we get bombarded with possessed native people. And what’s to say about all that? Rolling their eyes all the way to the back of their heads, coated in metal-like paint, dreadlocks, and bucked teeth? Then they get into this exorcist dance that gets all the kids in the theatre, who just wanted to see the big monkey hop around, to cry hysterically over some scary shit. So then they kidnap blondie, tie her to a pole and drag her to meet the beast. Finally.

Kong rushes to the mainland with such vengeance, breaking trees in his path, the ground rumbling as he makes his way through the forest. He snaps her arms from off the tightly bound rope and wobbles away with her still in tact. And why she doesn’t die from the impact of having her limbs pulled in such a fashion to being swished around like a piece of meat as he rummages his way to his cave…I have no idea. He should’ve just eaten her if you asked me.

It’s kinda funny how a make-believe character without a single line throughout the whole film showed more emotion and acting skills than any of the humans combined. The way Jackson illustrated Kong’s temperament and high energy did reveal in a few precious moments his directing ability as it were in the Lord of the Rings.

Then we get to the crew (aka the men with guns) who feel the need to go back because we still have another 2 hours to kill. FYI: the bug scenes were completely unnecessary. I cringe at the thought of it. They should have put a disclaimer about that fucked up shit to warn us with phobias. God damn spiders.

I will admit to one thing. The only "YAY" of it all was the fact that Kong does some major ass-kicking on SKULL ISLAND. The ultimate fight scene between him and the Rexes…fuckin’ amazing. That is the only reason to watch. So for those of us who wasted almost 3 full hours to witness one hell of a heart-pounding ten minutes made it all worth it in the end.