clay_dempsey Reviews

The Descent (2005)

The Descent - Cinephelia.com Review

[2/10 · 10 July 2006]

A few years ago I read review after review about how great Neil Marshall's "Dog Soldiers" was. I checked it out for myself and unfortunately I did not think it was good at all. Now "The Descent" has created positive buzz globally and I again fell for the positive buzz trap.

In his newest film Marshall produces a story about a group of women who are extreme sport enthusiasts and their spelunking vacation. I commend Marshall for making the film male free, but he didn't succeed in making me feel sorry for them b/c of this. I mean in 1960 sure, now no. The group finds themselves in an uncharted cave and running out of time to find the exit. The group keeps moving forward, pushing…pushing…trying to make it out of this desperate situation.

Soon though they find that they are not alone. This was a generally intense moment, but from there the film drags out until it's ending. The group must now not only race to find an exit, they most race from the cave cannibals. The film failed for me really because there are times in the film where the drama requires the viewer to have an emotional tie with the characters. This bond was never created. If it was, then it was light and went missed.

"The Descent" is a film I could see a lot of people enjoying. However I feel it's a film that should be seen on cable where you don't have to pay attention. What do people see in his movies?

Sunday Driver (2005)

Cinephelia.com Review

[7/10 · 10 July 2006]

I think it was the Rockstar Games logo that caught my eye on this one. At first glance I was guessing it would be a doco on the Grand Theft Auto franchise. I mean just look at the cover, it has a low rider that would be the ideal car to use to get a bj in the game. It isn't though.

What it is though is a doco on the legendary Compton California low-rider club The Majestics. I say legendary, but before the film I had no idea who these cats were. That didn't affect the viewing though. I'm as white as they come and while watching it I wished I owned a 67 Impala. I wanted the 3-wheel motion, I wanted the Dayton's, and I wanted my own Majestics emblem.

More than just a film about low-riders, it's a film about guys who grew up when gang banging was the hot topic. These guys, now grown, somehow made it. Now instead of resorting to gang violence of the past, they get together in a new violent free gang…their low-rider club. The film has some really in depth interviews that gives the viewer the history of the club and most importantly the people. The many characters that you meet is the gold. The most enjoyable character to me was Gangsta.

With a name like Gangsta you knew the guy would be up front and tough, and he was. I could listen to this guy talk for days…days I say. I think though that through the story of Gangsta I may have found how this film fell through the cracks. During the film the topic of drug using and selling comes up several times. Gangsta says on more than a few occasions that he gave up the lifestyle long ago, however he never mentions his current profession…yet he has several world recognized low riders. The most notable and the most gorgeous car I have ever seen belongs to him also…The Santana.

As the film shifts from a story about the Majestics, to one about gang banging in Compton a grim reality is realized. Gangsta is in fact still a gangsta. He is busted with 40lbs. of Cocaine and pounds of marijuana. With the groups leader in jail it almost seems that the very foundation of their club has turned into a lie. But these guys keep on…on least the ones that love it do. The film is filled with heart, soul and a soundtrack that will make anyone want to have a Summer Bar-B-Q.