The Descent

The Descent

PLOT: A group of thrillseeking girlfriends explore an unknown cave system only to find some really nasty creatures dwelling underground.
STARS: Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Mendoza (both pretty much unknown)
A year after Sarah (MacDonald) loses her husband and child in a car accident, she joins her friends on a cave exploration led by gung-ho Juno (Mendoza). Juno lies to the group, taking them to an unknown cave system as opposed to the mapped out one that they had planned to explore. I'm not generally a fan of horror movies but as soon as I saw a trailer for this one I HAD to see it. It is scary but it's really good. What's great about this movie is it's not until about halfway through the movie that you are even introduced to the creatures living in the caves but you're on the edge of your seat the whole time. There are plenty of surprises that will keep you jumping until then. The only thing I didn't like was the ambiguous ending. I don't need my movies to end with happily ever after but I need closure and this movie did not provide it. It's just a personal preference, not something that takes away from the movie. If you want something that will keep you in suspense, this will work. And my rating for this movie is based on scary movies always being better on the big screen.
(*****)

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Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

STARS: Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Russell Brand
PLOT: Kristen Bell is the Sarah Marshall of the title and she dumps Jason Segel for Russell Brand's British pop phenom character. Jason's character then flies to Hawaii in an attempt to forget her but unfortunately, Sarah and her new man have also gone there as well, staying at the same hotel of course. Mila Kunis plays a hotel employee that Jason develops a crush on. I was a little surprised at this movie. It's really funny. I've seen Russell Brand do a few interviews and I was ready to hate his character but he actually ended up being one of my favorite things about the movie. And the nice thing about Sarah Marshall is that eventually you see why she broke up with her boyfriend. She's not just an evil shrew, she just couldn't give any more to a doomed relationship. Yes, Jason Segel is naked during the break up scene and yes, it's more than a little awkward and unnecessary. But he's great as a guy hopelessly addicted to his lost love. Best line of the movie? Jonah Hill's character asks Brand if he's listened to his demo CD yet, and Brand responds, "I was going to, but then I decided to get on with my life." (paraphrasing).
(****)

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