2006 Snowboard Movie Reviews
we watched the latest snowboard movies and did reviews.
The Company: First Tracks Productions
The Movie: Frozen Assets
Locations: Based out of Lake Tahoe, CA
Film Quality: Digital
Status/Budget: Independent
The Riders: Dave King, Lane Power, Ryan Johannesen, Joanna Dzierzawski, Jared Httruh, Kristen Furtney, Jerome Kuntz, Yari Ivanisko, Chris Bartkowski, Nick Brown, Mike Abeliuk, Barry Hartman, Dave Rosier, Cory Lewis, Alexis Roland, Danny Rein, Chris Barker, Randy Marion, Brent Meyer +
Description: Filled with backcountry sled access shots, numerous jibs, jumps, rails features and wallrides, Frozen Assets seeks out new places and ideas in hopes of finding every unique feature around.
Highlights: The Girls Sections stand out. Joanna Rips and Alexis (who is in kindergarden) is the next big thing in girl riding if she keeps up at this pace.
The Company: Riverside Productions
The Movie: Hometown
Locations: Based out of Montreal, Canada
Film Quality: High Quality Digital
Status/Budget: Independent with major players
The Riders: Yan Devo, Charles Reid, Matts Kulisek, Jeremy Cloutier, Alex Ferland, Max Legendre, Yan Dofin
Description: A video based out of eastern canada that focuses primarily on urban features with a good attempt at balance with jumps and powder considering the location. There are for the most part only progressive rail tricks included. Includes a documentary section on the Empire Shakedown contest.
Highlights: Miguel's Gigantic acid drop on a gigantic dam is a must see. Yan Dofin destroys a huge quad kink rail set right next to a building and all rails he sees. Magoon and Toutant with a sick dual double line jump to rail at the Shakedown contest.
Editing: Professionally edited. The movie flows well. Overall high level of tricks presented.
Constructive Criticism: Should've ended with Miguel's acid drop.
The Company: IsenSeven Productions
The Movie: Prediculous
Locations: Based out of Germany
Film Quality: High Quality Digital
Status/Budget: Big budget euros
The Riders: Marco Smolla, Alex Rieger, Chris Patsch, Vinzenz Lups, Basti Kuhn, Erik Botner, HC Berheim, Fredrik Evensen, Andre Troltzsch, Michi Zirngibl, Alex Wootrich, Marek Sasiadek, Flo Burgel, Silvia Mittermuller, Christophe Schmidt, Andre Kuhlmann
Description: This offbeat euro flick is an interesting change from the standard snowboard flick, taking a happier fun approach to professional videos. Great filmwork sets this video apart with quite a few hollywood quality shots. There are some memorable skits as well involving robots, and drunken euro boarders. The riding melds together into a solid mass with a definate focus on park riding, but enough variety in obstacles and filming angles to keep us from getting bored.
Highlights: The very creative filming keeps you wondering how they did that. The skits are hilarious and entertaining especially Chris Patch as the robot and HC Berheim's summer flips into a lake contrasted with him hitting the rails in the same spots during the winter. Includes 52 page mini pleasure snowboard magazine.
Editing: Great titling effects and overall feel.
Constructive Criticism:
Soundtrack: A-
Bonus Features: Lots of Bonus features with trips to places you've never heard of.
The Company: Yeahh Productions
The Movie: Public Yeahh
Locations: Based out of Switzerland
Film Quality: 16mm
Status/Budget: Euros with cash for 16mm, decent budget
Description: Just when you think you've seen it all and that all snowboard vids are the same, out comes the Yeahh crew to get wild. They keep the party going from start to finish with quality shots and creative features, such as the box that rides down the hill and the rider must ollie from a still position to jib the moving feature. Or their attempt at building and over-vert skatepark style shell bowl or jibbing rocks on the side of the road. this dvd is all about fun times and keeping you updated with the unexpected edits and cuts.
Highlights: This dvd is like a mixtape, constantly changing from idea to idea, with skits and fake commercials. Like a half hour of MTV snowboarding without the hype the MTV.
Editing: A++ very pleasing editing, nice mixture.
Constructive Criticism:
Soundtrack: A-, cool unique songs
Bonus Features: b-.
The Company: Random Bastards
The Movie: Random Bastards Vol 3
Locations: Based out of Sweden
Film Quality: digital video
Status/Budget: Euros doing their own thing, they do have some good sponsors
Riders:
Description: A mixed snow/skate vid from Sweden. The DVD comes with a bonus CD with the soundtrack music.
Highlights: Cool use of their name and logos for shots like a skateboard shot with a zoom-in on the sticker stuck to a obstacle. Tons of different riders and styles to check out with a nice mixture of locations.
Editing:
Constructive Criticism:
Soundtrack: a mixture of punk tunes and local bands, seems they might have their own record label.
Bonus Features: b-.
The Company: Sandbox
The Movie: Flavor Country
Locations: Based out of Canada, this was filmed in Whistler/Blackcomb, Blue river, Alberta rockies, Colorado, Japan, New Zealand, Quebec, South America, & Turkey.
Film Quality: 16mm with the occasional digi shot
Status/Budget: Top-Notch Canadian Company Run by Kevin Sansalone, with a sizeable budget. They deserve it after consistently producing great films each year from the Skids franchise to Sandbox being formed in 2005.
Riders: Andrew Hardingham, Kevin Sansalone, Dustin Craven, Mark Sollars, Joni Makinen, Rube Goldberg, Ryan Hall, Tyler Lepore, Paul Gonzalez, Scott Shaw, Jonas Guinn, Brendan Keenan, Jeff Keenan, Rusty Okenden, Jeff Pepperdine, Geoff Brown, Andrew Burns, Mike Sudermann, Mikey Pederson, & Logan Short
Description: The Sandbox family returns again. As soon as you see the 3-d hologram cover, you know its going to be a sick flick. Enter travels across Canada and the world + Top Riders + Good Filmers = solid dvd worth watching again.
Highlights: Brendan Keenan's Part. The unique feel and look of a Sandbox feature with great shots all around, interesting cinematic travel footy. His footage has a unique feel with it since he edits his own stuff.
Editing: Solid Editing, you know this is footage of Canada's finest. Some of the funniest editing in snowboarding in Hardingham's footage.
Constructive Criticism: I say keep it going, these guys have a good formula working for them.
Soundtrack: Good Soundtrack
Bonus Features: Andrew Hardingham's Bonus video "I want Juice" is worth buying the movie for, its hilarious!
The Company: FYC Pics
The Movie: Two videos on one DVD.
Steady as She Snows is a lifestyle vid that could be considered a lifestyle video about a day at the mountain. These guys say its a teaser for a future full length vid about day in the life's of their crew. Nice angles and filmwork, a little slow in parts where more cuts and less shots could be key to a better overall piece.
Thanks for Nothing is the main movie featuring each of the 15 riders and their own styles and personalities.
Locations: Based out of Colorado
Film Quality: Mini-DV
Status/Budget: Local's Video
The Riders: Jon Raevsky, Jay Sims, Brad Snow, Teddy Hoffman, Brett Summers, Chris Harrison, Josh Eichen, Zach Meisner, Timmy Bates, Nate Miller, Topher, Nic Nagel, Silas Hatch, Moona, Ricky Bates,+ Friends
Highlights: Unique Editing makes this movie much more interesting than the average local video with rapid cuts. The interviews spiliced into the riding provided a good way to get to know the riders and were short enough to keep things moving. You can tell these guys spent some serious time in post-production polishing it up with interesting ideas like the bonus menu of mini-dv tapes each labeled as a section.
Constructive Criticism: Too much park riding, take it to the backcountry! The street rails were mostly small.
The Company: Whiteout Films
The Movie: Wear it Well
Locations: Based out of Whistler B.C. with worldwide travels
Film Quality: 16mm
Status/Budget: Pro Video
The Riders: Eero Niemela, Jesse Fox, JF Pelchat, Matt Dano, Trevor Andrew, Chris Brown, Kale Stephens, TJ Schneider, Dwayne Wiebe, Alex Auchu, Paavo Tikkanen, Jaako Seppala, Rube Goldberg, Benji Ritchie, Reno B, Shin Campos, Tadashi Fuse, Mikey Rencz
Highlights: Hurley Road Gap & Bonus Section w/ Trevor, Mikey, Jaako, & Tadashi. Pillow lines galore. Eero kills it. Kale Stephens' huge fs tailgrab 1080 & 900. Trevor's sick style and shots from Valle Nevado, Chile. Tadashi gets you pumped to go out and ride with smooth style and creative ideas like grabs over a gigantic Japanese snowman and ends his part with a seriously sketchy cliff with deadly consequences and he stomps it. Mikey has epic jumps and great style. Cool movie packaging.
Editing: This movie shows what a good film crew can do with a budget, and impresses us with great looking intros and titling that ups the ante for creatively produced shots. I was thouroughly impressed with the end credits where it is or seems to be one continous shot.
Constructive Criticism: A little more bonus features, please! Film more Tadashi, this guy rips.
