02/03 Movie Reviews

This year yielded many great ski movies, and some not-so-great ski movies. In an effort to help you decide which ones to buy, we reviewed some movies that we felt deserved special attention. Keep in mind that these are just our opinions! We encourage you took add comments with your opinion as well.


Movie: Happy Dayz
Company: Poorboyz Productions
Web page: www.poorboyz.com
Price: $27.95 US
Reviewed by: Matt Harvey

I watch Happy Dayz at least five times a week. I honestly can't say that about any other movie. The filming is near perfection. The editing is smooth and very inviting to the eye, and the skiing... well, it really doesn't get any better. In my opinion, Poorboyz Productions has been the leader in newschool ski films since Degenerates came out four years ago. One would think that after riding the high-train for a couple years, Johnny and his team of highly-trained professionals would get lazy, or cocky. Well let me tell you, quite the opposite is true.

The all-star cast of athletes would be enough to sell this movie, but the editing, filming, music, and over all flow makes you want to watch it day in and day out. Watching Candide throw that corked five over a 110 foot spine, or Tanner doing a text book d-spin 10, switch 450 to 270 off a rail, or Pep doing an unnatural corked 5 safety at High North are what last year was all about, and Johnny captured and presented it with that same style and excitement.

Downsides? If you're looking for epic backcountry lines, you aren't going to see any. Also, the Swollen Members come like a fury, so if you're tired of them, you may not like a couple of the sections. But that's it!

Happy Dayz is what my friends and I watch every friday and saturday night before going out to the bars. And we watch it many times when we get home. And then again when we get up in the morning. I think the best part is that everyone: skier, snowboarder, or your mother, will enjoy watching this movie.

Poorboyz Productions has officially shown that they're a high-class film company.



Movie: Happy Dayz
Company: Poorboyz Productions
Web page: www.poorboyz.com
Price: $27.95 US
Reviewed by: Ryan Spinks

Johnny DeCesare is known for capturing the most progression and style in his videos, and he has done it again in Happy Dayz. PoorBoyz newest flick combines the biggest jumps, most insane rails, and the most popular skiers in the industry.

In the past, Johnny has filmed mostly in the park, and the majority of the shots were filmed on the glaciers in the summer season. Happy Dayz however is much more broad, with Mike D and Shane Szcos going huge and cutting insane lines in the Canadian backcountry, along with JP Auclair?s powder booters. Candide Thovex goes the biggest, with a cork 9 over a 120-foot table, and the apex of his air is easily 35 feet above the table. Sticking with the roots, Happy Dayz shows the true progression on rails on and off the mountain. Evan Raps pulls a very clean 450 out of the 180* curve rail, and a small number of riders tackle the most insane rail of all, but you have to watch it and you will see what rail I speak of.

Happy Dayz soundtrack is easily one of the best soundtracks on any action sports movie ever made. A great combination of Punk, and Hip-Hop, it is one that you will be looking up the MP3?s immediately. The flow is perfect with music and video coming together to form ski movie bliss, you will not want to turn your eyes or ears away for the entire movie.

I highly recommend the DVD version for extras including other trailers, interviews with almost all the riders, music videos from some of the bands featured, and other bonus footage to keep you busy when you are not skiing.



Movie: Strike Three
Company: Level 1 Productions
Web page: www.level1productions.com
Price: $27.95 US
Reviewed by: Ryan Spinks

After Josh Berman injured his knee in the 99/00 season, he decided to film his buddies for something to watch in the summer. Today, those friends are some of the top freeskiers in the world. Since his first film, Balance, Josh and the rest of the crew have turned Level-1 Productions into one of the most respected production companies in skiing. Strike Three proves this, and is a testimony of the riders love for the sports.

Strike Three features a plethora of riders, mostly the new ?rookie class? from the October Freeze, plus other skiers you may have never heard of killing it. Backed by top skiers like Candide Thovex, Tanner Hall, Phil Belenger, Phil LaRose, Steele Spence and Mikeal Deschenaux. It is a great balance of big air in the park, competition highlights, and urban rails that you wouldn?t think were possible. Berman captures the creativity of Steel Spence, Peter Olenick, Derek Finn, Scott Hibbert, and others as they search through the cities for a jib. Whether it is an 80 foot quad kink, a 40 foot long concrete ledge, or an electrical box, Berman?s cameras are there to show what is possible on skis. There are a ton of riders in this movie, so many in fact that you never see the same trick with the same grab twice.

All these insane tricks are complimented by a great crash section proving that the skiing in this movie is not easy. It will re-open your eyes to the difficulty of sliding a kink rail in Boulder, CO, or hitting a hip near a tree.

The soundtrack is sick, smooth hip-hop is definitely the majority, backed by some other great tunes that you can easily ski to. To make sure I didn?t miss anything, and because I flat out wanted to, I watched this movie 3 times in 12 hours before writing this review. It is just that good. I wont give away anymore, but if you talk to Berman, ask him how is limo is doing?

Strike Three is available in the Newschoolers.com store right now. Order your copy today!



Movie: Strike Three
Company: Level 1 Productions
Web page: www.level1productions.com
Price: $27.95 US
Reviewed by: Matt Harvey

How would one define progression? Bigger air. More stylish tricks. 80 foot long quad kinked hand rails. Whatever tickles your fancy, Strike Three has it.

Josh Berman has shown us, time and time again, that a movie shot in the digital medium can compete with the 16mm big boys. The fact is, some of the footage Josh captured over the passed season just wouldn't be possible on 16 without a $100,000 budget. Most people I know can't grease a 50 step rail on their first or second try, and the reality that is protrayed in Strike Three explains that exact point to us. Showing not only the glitter and success of being a pro skier, Strike Three shows the grit, the hard work, and the pure dedication the athletes put behind making their segments.

The jumps shown in Strike Three are well shot and compliment the urban scenery very well. The hits are huge, like in all of this year's movies, and the tricks stylish. Making trips to Parkasaurus and other major events, Josh was able to show everything that went down this season, even given the immensly low budget that was available.

Although the jumping in the movie is of high quality, I would say that my primary reason for watching Strike Three is for the epic rails. Three, four, five, six kinks.. doesn't seem to matter! It's only a matter of time before they're greased. The other part of the movie that I enjoy is the 'comfertable' feeling. Josh somehow makes you feel like you're right there watching the skiers hit the rails, and helps you relate with what skiing is really like.

And speaking of what skiing is really like, the bail section will leave you crying to your mommy time and time again. Level 1 Productions never holds back on the bails, that's for sure.

When asked by people which movies to buy this year, I always suggest Strike Three. For a standard price of $27.95, and a very long running time, this movie gives you a great bang for your buck.

Did I mention that it's available in the Newschoolers.com Store? Help support a great community, while watching a great movie! Buy Now!.



Movie: Blunt
Company: Jibtech Productions
Web page: www.poorboyz.com
Price: $24.95 US
Reviewed by: Matt Harvey

If I were asked to describe this movie in one word, it would be easy: Entertaining. I can?t say that there?s a single other movie out there that entertains like Blunt does. It has an incredibly original sound track, the best skiers, the best digital and 16mm film provided by numerous contributing cinematographers, and of course the Dave Levin special: Comedy!

The great thing about this movie is that no matter what you?re looking for, it probably has it. There are 30 second segments outlining the comedy that is JF Cusson, there are great tricks like Candide?s corked 5.. there?s even the odd snowskating clip!

The movie is short, running at around half an hour, but that just means that when it?s over, you watch it again.. and again. If you saw Scandalous!, Jibtech Productions? first release, just increase the quality of humour, but remove all the extras, and up the level of skiing ten fold. While you?re ad it, ad a better sound track, and 16mm footage. The result is Blunt, a movie sure to keep you glued to your screen for hours on end.



Movie: In the Haze
Company: NSM
Price: $10.00 US
Reviewed by: Matt Harvey

Produced by Jeff Thomas and Matt Schwagler, In the Haze presents the most artistic view of skiing I have seen. Shot mostly in Whistler and Hood, this film shows that skiing is an art, and should be portrayed as such. The great thing about this movie is that it is so different than all the others. It feels more like a dream than a ski movie, as the tweaked out colors and image overlays rival the trippest of night time escapades.

In the Haze showcases riders such as Jon Reedy, Chris Turpin, and Mark Abma. The music is mostly trip hop and hip hop, with some oldies thrown in the mix. The footage is mostly high-quality park footage shot in the summer, which portrays fun and excitement in skiing. As with Jeff's past movies, a huge high-point in my books is that amount of work that goes into building jumps and quarter pipes. Half the movie is shot on hand-made hits, which really bring forth a personal side. Examples of such are after-season hits at Mount Baker, and hand-crafted quarter pipes at Blackcomb.

If you're looking for something creatively edited, with high-class skiing, and exceptional filming, In the Haze is definititely for you.

For a limited time, you can get the VHS for only $10.00! Click here to buy it now.


Movie: Quality Control
Company: Skibum Productions
Web page: www.skibumproductions.com
Price: $10.00 US
Reviewed by: Matt Harvey

When watching Skibum Productions? latest release, one will notice vast improvements over last year?s film. These improvements include stepped up editing, better competition footage, and more non-competition footage. Many see Skibum Productions as a look at the best shots from the passed season?s competition, and I personally think that they are second to non in that respect. From local competitions to the US Open, they?ve got them all on film, and present the clips in a smooth and entertaining manner.

Something that I didn?t like about the film was that some of the cuts between segments weren?t tweaked properly, leaving gaps in some transitions. This small blemish takes away from some of the flow that the film is otherwise excels in.

If you?re looking for the best of the best in competition footage, and some inside looks at up-and-coming riders, then Quality Control is for you. If you?re looking for switch misty nines off back-country booters, you may want to look else-where.

You can purchase Quality Control in the Newschoolers.com store right now! Buy Now



Movie: Solid Powder
Web page: www.solidpowder.com
Price: Free!
Reviewed by: Matt Harvey

This is the first ever Internet-only ski movie, and let me tell you, it?s worth far m ore than the $0 it costs! When I first heard about this project, I have to admit I was a little skeptical. If it?s free, it can?t be that good! But then I remembered that Newschoolers.com was free and quickly retracted my thoughts.

This movie brings you all over the world: Sweden, Finland, Australia, USA, or Canada.. it has clips from them all. And I?m not talking home-town, backyard rail slides from these places? I?m talking 80 foot jumps, superpipes, and superparks. The quality of footage makes you wonder why it?s being given away, and I still can?t figure it out. The editing is high quality, and the music is pretty okay.

The only downfall is that you have to download a couple hundred meg file. If you convert that to cost, it?s a couple hours of time, and you don?t even have to be there. I strongly suggest checking out this movie. We?ll have to wait and see what happens to this free-downloadable movie for next season; I can only see even bigger, better, and just as free things!