2005 Ski Movie Review (Large Thread)

Warning: Large Thread

Although some of you may not agree with me, here is what I think an unbiased review of almost all of the ski movies this season:

War
-Poorboyz Productions

Review: Overall, this movie was the biggest dissapointment to me. Sure it might have had some of the best skiing of the year. But I just couldn't listen to the soundtrack. The editing was also lower grade compared to some of Johnny's other work. It is good for the first few times, but after that I can't stand it.

Pros:
-Good riding
-Lots of backcountry booters
-Most switch landings in the BC
-Pep

Cons:
-Soundtrack
-Editing
-Flow
-Some cinematography is weak
-Too many 3's

Watch out for: Sammy Carlson/Andreas Hatveit, Andy Mahre, Pep Fujas

Rating: 6/10

Hit List
-Matchstick Productions

Review: Like the other matchstick movies, this movie is filled with epic cinematography considering they have the highest budget. However, don't get fooled by the name to think this will be the best movie of the year. It had very sick riding, but the flow wasn't all that great which really hurt the movie. There are some trip segments that are just plain out...boring. Also, the slow motion cinematography gets annoying as you are waiting for the next shot throughout the whole movie.

Pros:
-They have the sickest cameras out there
-The good segments are good

Cons:
-Not much jibbing
-The voiceovers weren't done right
-Unoriginality in the soundtrack
-The bad segments are terrible

Watch out for: Rory Bushfield, Mark Abma, Hugo Harrison, Eric Pollard

Rating: 4/10

Teddybear Crisis
-Kris Ostness and Henrik Rostrup

Review: This is the movie to buy if you are all about the huge booters and euro music. It starts off with a crazy intro that is very hard to watch for me. The thing I didn't like about this movie, is the shortness of some of the segments/shared parts. The movie randomly switches between riders making it annoying.

Pros:
-Arguably biggest jumps of the season
-Fun to watch
-Cable cams

Cons:
-Soundtrack can get annoying
-Short/shared segments

Watch out for: Brandon Becker, Tanner Hall

Rating: 8/10

Shanghai Six
-Level 1 Productions

Review: Berman has done it again. He has produced the most fun to watch, original movie of the season in my opinion. You see people from young Corey Vanular to Steele Spence absolutely destroying bc and urban. The movie provided a consistant flow and an excellent soundtrack. The cinematography of the movie was amazing with some shots being from a "camera crane". Overall, I would say this is the best ski movie of the season.

Pros:
-Fun
-Good soundtrack
-Neil Sotirakopoulus (sp!)
-Good mix of urban/bc
-Good cinematography

Cons:
-Hard to figure out who you are watching for the first time
-Some shots are underexposed
-No Emil Coty

Watch out for: Corey Vanular, Tanner Rainville, Liam Downey, Steele Spence

Rating: 9.5/10

Pop Yer Bottlez
The Bigger Picture

Review: One of my favourite films this season. People were claiming that there are more gangsta shots than skiing, but that statement is blatantly false. Watch young guns destroy bc and urban finally instead of them just hitting the park. And also, there is some snowboarding in it which is great that the two sports are starting to bond. This movie is underrated, period.

Pros:
-Good soundtrack
-Mix of bc/urban
-Mix of skiing/snowboarding

Cons:
-Mediocre cinematography (sometimes good, sometimes bad)
-Lil Bowow and Sean Paul

Watch out for: Tanner Hall, Kye Peterson, Tommi Ylianttila (snowboarder)

Rating: 8/10

Safety Meeting
-Theory 3 Media

Review: This is a very fun, fast paced movie to watch. Watch locals from vernon absolutely destroy it. This is the movie which I enjoy the big mountain most out of. You see the closeups and see what challenges the skiers are actually facing, instead of seeing an ant ski down a GIANT slope. This is overall just a fun movie to watch and you should consider buying it.

Pros:
-See unknowns kill it
-Good big mountain
-Fast paced

Cons:
-Some of the cinematography is mediocre
-Some of the songs have been used before

Watch out for: Justin Dorey, James Heim, Riley Leboe, Zach Davison

Rating: 7/10

Booter Crunk
-Rage Films

Review: This is one of the most underrated movies of the season. Some of the jumps are absolutely impressive and it is a fast paced, action packed movie where you can see every side of skiing. The urban in this movie is rediculous. As is Jamie Pierre's massive cliffs and lines. I recommend this movie to anyone and everyone for it is great!

Pros:
-Head bobbing soundtrack
-See people destroying urban/bc/big mountain/park all in one
-Fast paced

Cons:
-Some of the segments are slow and boring
-Some of the shots are overexposed

Watch out for: Tim Durtschi, Jamie Pierre, Sammy Carlson, Tommy Ellingson

Tangerine Dream
-Teton Gravity Research (TGR)

Review: Do you like deep powder? Do you like massive gaps? Do you like mellow music? If yes, then this is the movie for you. This movie surprised me alot because I honestly wasn't expecting that much. Watch Dana Flahr absolutely throw himself doing misty 7's off of 60 foot cliffs. Watch Sage and Marc-Andre throw it down on bc kickers. Hell, this movie has it all.

Pros:
-Good cinematography
-Good soundtrack
-Voiceovers worked out
-Mellow, and easy to watch

Cons:
-Long
-Wasn't feeling some of the trip segments

Watch out for: Dana Flahr, Marc-Andre Belliveau, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Dash Longe

Rating: 7.5/10

Whiteshine
-Plehouse Films

Review: This movie is more like a hollywood movie than any of the other ski movies. It almost tells a story when you watch it and some of the cinematography is beautiful. The only thing I didn't like about it was alot of the skiing was b-footage and there were some repetitive shots. Overall the movie was just well done and very original.

Pros:
-See French-Canadians destroy it
-Good urban
-Original
-Amazing sountrack
-Some of the cinematography was beautiful

Cons:
-Not all footage was up to par
-Repetitive

Rating: 7.5/10

The 11th Hour
-Offtrail Productions

Review: This movie is all based on trip segments with a fun soundtrack. Can get a little bit repetitive and alot of the footage is sub par. Still fun movie to watch before going to the ski hill. The movie itself was a bit short because at the end I was sort of left thinking that it was missing something. Overall fun/good movie.

Pros:
-Ninthward team
-Fun to watch
-Gets you stoked to ski

Cons:
-Short
-Repetitive
-Sub par footage

Rating: 7/10

Bogart
-I Hate NY Productions

Review: Before I say anything, if you haven't bought this movie yet...do so. It is $10 which I bet you got for christmas anyways so you wouldn't even be the one paying for it. Alright, this movie was seriously one of my favourite movies of the year. It just seemed so professional and there are more bonus features than any other movie. You will see some unknowns destroy urban just as good or better than the pros. This movie was a BIG surprise to me. I got way more than I was expecting. Good job I Hate NY! You guys are on the right track.

Pros:
-Excellent urban
-Unknowns!
-Filming was great
-Each segment has a theme
-Fast paced/action packed!

Cons:
-Alot of it is at the same places
-Too much park to make a perfect film (yes, I realize they couldn't afford to go out west and film backcountry, just pointing out how it could have been better)

Watch out for: Everyone. They all surprised me

Rating: 9/10

Blueprints
-Stept Productions

Review: First of all, I think it is wonderful that the stept guys made a film, it is hard work and I know that they don't have much to work with. This film was pretty good for an amateur east coast film, it's just there could have been many better things, the editing didn't flow, looks like they used automatic settings on their camera. Just not as professional as Bogart.

Pros:
-East am movie
-Liked some of the songs
-Ranges from park city to the east coast
-Funny crash section

Cons:
-Editing didn't flow
-Filming is shaky
-Some songs are annoying

Rating: 6.5/10