2010 Ski Movie Reviews

Charlie Timmins at this year’s One Hit Wonder – he knows his ski movies. Photo::Ben Hansen

We may be at the start of a sweltering summer here in Australia, but all the new 2010 ski movies have been released through VAS Entertainment. There are plenty to check out so we thought we’d get Charlie Timmins, one of Australia’s best skiers to review the new DVD’s. Charlie didn’t have much to do once Uni finished for the year and sitting in front of the tele watching ski movies was a reasonably productive way to fill in all his spare time.
You can purchase the films online at VAS entertainment or at your nearest ski shop.

Photo::Ben Hansen

CONTRAST
Nimbus

Description: Contrast takes a laid back approach to the documentation of skiing with its smooth (and very good) soundtrack and its slow-paced mood. Some of the shots are surprisingly good for a lower budget movie and in general the skiing is smooth and fun to watch. While there is nothing too new or innovative to be found in Contrast, the relaxed vibe will get you motivated to go and ski some powder. Throughout the movie the athletes attempt to offer reasons for why they ski, sometimes demonstrating that these reasons can’t easily be put into words. Contrast is a fun movie and is really easy to watch.
Featured skiers: Pep Fujas, Andy Mahre, Chris Benchetler, Blake Nyman and Eric Pollard
Best segment: Chris Benchetler

RE: SESSION
TGR

Description: This movie is filmed on very high quality cameras and often from unique angles such as head cams, cable cams and. of course, from helicopters, to the point that even the most ordinary skiing is engaging to watch. But the majority of skiing in this movie is far from ordinary; the athlete line up could be considered the cream of the crop, the locations are interesting and unique and the movie is well edited. A more big mountain oriented movie ‘Re: Session’ would be the preference for those who like watching cliffs and lines more so than park skiing. Although, Sammy Carlson’s opening segment is one of the best I have seen and I think all skiers would enjoy it.
Featured skiers: Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Seth Morrison, Tanner Hall, Ian Mcintosh, Dana Flahr, Dylan Hood, Sammy Carlson, Erik Roner, Kye Peterson, Dash Longe, Wiley Miller, Callum Pettit, Cody Townsend, Rachael Burks, Todd Ligare, Shroder Baker, Mark Carter
Best segment: Sammy Carlson

SWIFT. SILENT. DEEP.
SSD Productions

Description: A really cool history of extreme skiing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Swift. Silent. Deep. looks at how extreme skiing came about, and focuses particularly on the antics of the ‘Jackson Hole Air Force’, a group of skiers who are well respected for their talent and their part in the exploration of Jackson and the Tetons. This documentary style movie also reveals how some of the heli ski operations in Alaska came about, which is interesting. Most of the footage used comes from various movies made in the ’70s, ’80s and early ’90s, almost like a highlight reel from 3 decades of skiing. The story of the Jackson Hole Air Force is a pretty funny one; I would recommend this movie to any Jackson fans.
Featured skiers: Jon Hunt, Rick Hunt, Doug Coombs, Howard Henderson, Warren Miller, Benny Wilson, Pepi Steigler, Tom Bartlett and many more
Best segment: Not rider segment based

WILD STALLIONS
Meathead Productions

Description: Wild Stallions was filmed only on the East Coast of the USA and Canada, limiting the terrain available for the movie. This has been compensated for by the creativity and fun brought by the athletes to some extent, but you can only do so much. Still, the whole concept for the movie is cool, its all about promoting how much fun there is to be had skiing in the east.
Some of the urban skiing in Wild Stallions is really technical, if they had rails in the circus, this is what they’d be doing. It is amazing to watch. So, pretty much, if you like fun movies about kooky kids with talent in the park, you’ll like this movie.
Featured skiers: Will Wesson, Andy Parry, Dan Marion, Cedric TF, Clayton Vila, Shea Flynn, Justin Perry, Garrett Russell, Stacey Rachdorf, Ben Leoni, LJ Strenio, Sean Jordan, Nick Martini, Girray Dadali, The Hammer, Radio Ron, Jay Bowen, Asia Magriby, Tony Rossi, Alexis Godbout, Jon Brogan, JD Zicat
Best segment: Jon Brogan

EYES WIDE OPEN
Field Productions

Description: Field productions have come a long way in the past few years, and this is their best movie yet. Eric Hjorleifson has some amazing powder shots in the opening segment, and Jon Olsson’s skiing towards the end of the movie is great. Some of the Euros along with Wiley Miller and JT Holmes ski some cool lines too. Pk Hunder, Evan Sigstad and Tom Wallisch have some amazing shots, doing all sorts of crazy rotations, and hitting some unique urban stuff too. If you are after a movie with a lot of jumping and some technical handrails, you will like Eyes Wide Open.
Featured skiers: Jon Olsson, Eric Hjorleifson, Tom Wallisch, Aasmund Thorsen, Aksel Lund Svindal, Evan Sigstad, Aleksander Aurdal, Christopher Frankum, Henrik Harlaut, JT Holmes, Eirik Finseth, Wiley Miller, PK Hunder, Chris Rubens, Anders Backe, Assbjorn (haha) Naess and more
Best segment: Evan Sigstad or Tom Wallisch

CHILDREN OF WINTER
Warren Miller

Description: Children of winter is the first Warren Miller movie I have watched that doesn’t have Warren’s commentary. Jonny Moseley commentates for this one and he does pretty well. The movie is super cheesy and sensationalises the absolute shit out of everything, but for that reason it is entertaining and fun to watch. Children of Winter is unique in that it includes a wide variety of winter sports – snowboarding, mogul skiing, alpine racing, freeride skiing, skier and boarder cross, big mountain, mountain biking and even some surfing. Children of winter is like 50 short stories about various skiers and snowboarders combined into a 95 minute movie. This movie is probably more suited to people who have never skied before. Give it to your non-skiing friends for Christmas if you want to romanticise their view of the sport.
Featured skiers and snowboarders: Mark Abma, Sammy Carlson, Mike Henituk, John Spriggs, Peter Olenick, Mike Wilson, Mike Douglas, Jon Olsson, JP Auclair, Chris Benchetler, Rachel Burks, Grete Eliasson, Adam Gardner, Daron Rahlves, Simon Dumont, Andreas Hatviet, Jonny Moseley, Seth Westcott, Chris Anthony, Wendy Fisher and many more.
Best segment: Not rider segment based.

REFRESH
Level 1

Description: In my opinion Refresh is Level 1 Productions best movie yet. I had never been much of a fan of their previous movies but this one is really good. Warren Miller is a special guest, giving his view on how the sport has changed over the last half century. Refresh is a very park oriented movie and showcases the talent of the best up and coming park skiers – some of the skiing in the movie is amazing. Refresh is well edited, with segments devoted both to locations and riders. For those who want to watch a movie with a lot of jumping and rails, this would be a good choice. There is also some good powder skiing and backcountry jumping in Refresh.
Featured skiers: Tom Wallisch, Wiley Miller, Phil Casabon, Tanner Rainville, Henrik Harlaut, Duncan Adams, Adam Delorme, Mike Hornbeck, Ahmet Dadali, Josh Bibby, Will Wesson, Liam Downey, Corey Vanular, Stefan Thomas, Aleksander Aurdal, JF Houle, Mike Riddle, Jon Brogan, Arnaud Rougier, Niklas Eriksson
Best segment: Tom Wallisch

EVERY DAY IS A SATURDAY
Poorboyz

Description: EDIAS is another great park/powder movie and it follows the same formula as all Poorboyz’ previous movies (the best athletes in the game skiing to a combination of hip hop and pop house music) the only real difference being the progression in the skiing. The progression is however, significant, even compared to last year’s movie. Most of the athletes are throwing amazing new tricks in the backcountry, and Tim Durtschi’s closing segment is great. The athlete line up for this movie is (as always) unbeatable. If you’re a passionate skier you can’t really go wrong with EDIAS.
Featured skiers: Tanner Hall, Simon Dumont, Jossi Wells, Dane Tudor, Tim Durtschi, Charley Ager, Charles Gagnier, Anthony Boronowski, Sammy Carlson, Nick Martini, Andreas Hatviet, John Spriggs, CR Johnson, Matt Walker, Brandon Kelly, Alexis Godbout, Mike Henituk, Leigh Powis, Riley Leboe
Best segment: Tim Durtschi

IN DEEP: THE SKIING EXPERIENCE
Matchstick Productions

Description: This movie is awesome. It has everything, amazing park skiing, crazy backcountry and urban skiing and a lot of innovative film techniques and tricks. Sean Pettit’s opening segment is all time, definitely one of the best of the year. As usual, Mark Abma’s segment is mindblowing, and the park segments are too. Australia’s Russell Henshaw has some of the most memorable shots of the movie scattered throughout, although you might not be able to tell which one is him. Shane McConkey’s segment is great – Matchstick have taken all his best footage from the past century or so and put them all into one epic segment. It is pretty sad though. I could have cried and I didn’t even know the guy.
Featured skiers: Mark Abma, Sean Pettit, Eric Hjorleifson, Henrik Windstedt, Jacob Wester, Bobby Brown, Hugo Harrison, Ingrid Backstrom, Russ Henshaw, Mike Douglas, TJ Schiller, James Heim, Chris Davenport, PK Hunder, Kaj Zackrisson, Sammy Carlson, JT Holmes, Rory Bushfield, Colby West, Daron Rahlves, Henrik Harlaut, Chris Rubens, Michelle Parker, Alexis Godbout and Shane McConkey
Best segment: Mark Abma and of course Shane McConkey

FLAKES
Powderwhore films

Description: This is a telemark movie, and I don’t really know anything about telemarking so I don’t know if it’s good or not. It does make telemarking look fun though. These guys just do turns in powder throughout the whole movie. So, if that’s what you’re into, I guess you’ll like it.
Featured skiers: Nick Devore, Noah Howell, Dede O’Mara, William Cardamone, Megan Michelson, Colin Macmillan, Ty Dayberry, Andy Rosenberg, Paul Kimbrough, Chris Erickson, Andy Jacobson, Sydney Fuller, Jonah Howell and others
Best segment: Ty Dayberry

Pretty Good
Rage Films

Description: Rage films has produced another great movie with ‘Pretty Good’. Unlike Rage’s previous releases, ‘Pretty Good’ doesn’t have much big mountain type skiing but the park skiing and backcountry jumps make up for it. All of the skiers are really talented. I haven’t heard of a few of the athletes, but they all kill it. There are some unique park features in Pretty Good, and the guys have managed to get some amazing shots.
Featured Skiers: Mark Dvorak, Dylan Natale, Joe Schuster, Ian Cosco, Mike Mertion, Richie Paradise, Joss Christensen, Fabio Struder, Alex Schlopy, Nico Zacek, Henrik Harlaut, Laurant Favre and more
Best segment: Mike Mertion