Category Archives: Scene

It Ain’t Warren Miller If There’s No Warren Miller? Ski Like There’s No Tomorrow!

Leave a comment

skier jumping in like there's no tomorrow

The evening at Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah, was all the hype and hipness you’d expect to kick off the upcoming ski season. To honor the 62nd annual Warren Miller flick, Like There’s No Tomorrow, there was a red carpet for the featured athletes, a panel table on stage for the filmmakers’ press conference, an upper level soirée for VIP mingling (along with Corona’s, a shot ski and sliders), giveaway booths- I earned a pair of Smartwool socks by competing in a who-can-layer- their-body-with-Smartwool-clothes-the-fastest game, athlete poster signing and general hugs and welcome backs for old friends in the ski industry. You almost didn’t need to see the film. But really, who can avoid an excuse to roar for the winter. Not to mention that with your ticket you also get a free Canyons lift pass. That’s well worth the price of admission. I coveted mine like a kid winning the golden ticket in a Wonka Bar.

The lights deadened. A hush fell and the images rolled to the sound of Jonny Mosely doing his best to narrate segments from some ski movie that wasn’t Warren Miller. Yes, it has WM’s name. WM Entertainment made sure of that. But Like There’s No Tomorrow is not Warren Miller. Every year, the program gets further away from the warmth, humor and accessibility that used to define Miller Flicks. The writing echoed the passion we all feel about snowsports and the mountains. Now, it’s just filler. You could easily flatline the audio and still be watching the same movie. This is not to say LTNT is bad. It’s fine. It’s just time to change the Warren Miller name. These annual WME movies would do a lot better if they just called themselves something else instead of having to continually compete with the true Warren Miller legacy.

The footage balances powder with the prerequisite hucks and park tricks, there are ripping chicks and a decent segment featuring Big Cottonwood faceshots and local Utah athletes. Ski Salt Lake invested a sizeable sum to promote Salt Lake skiing so you won’t see a call out to any particular resort in the Utah scenes. But one thing you will notice is that the Utah athletes actually get a credit during their respective runs whereas you’re left guessing who’s who in every other segment. Same goes for the location too. Instead of moving from one place to the next, this WM installment jumps back and forth from the locations so much you give up wondering where you are. The jogging back and forth is no accident according to one of the film’s crew. It has to do with budgets and who’s not paying to be in a Warren Miller ski movie.

Lastly, what’s with the yeti? The costumed wildebeest debuts in the Canadian section and is just plain stupid. Athletes shouldn’t be forced to act (Scared of the yeti? Where is the yeti?); it’s not a pretty sight.

Matchstick Productions “Attack of La Niña: the bitch is back” doesn’t ask their athletes to do more than clown around. There are some seriously funny moments with Colby West as he tumbles with an inflatable doll and dives into a hottub of Betties. And while the movie seems to forget that their theme is La Nina, you still get to see a lot of powder stashes blowing up. MSP lists several places in the U.S. for filming locations but Attack is really all about Canada. The time flies as you watch run after run of people skiing pillows in Chatter Creek, B.C., and those who care little for gap jumps can take a short siesta during the Alyeska, Alaska segment.

For the most part, you get exactly what you pay for when you buy a ticket to Like There’s No Tomorrow or Attack of La Nina: a group of current ski and board athletes, reminding you of what it’s like to share the mountains in winter. That’s really what all of these ski porn flicks do- get you randy for the upcoming season. Would it be better to wait for the DVD? NO. Unlike real porn which is best viewed in the privacy of your own home, the beauty of ski movies is in the camaraderie and collective appreciation for the white stuff.

For film tour dates go to Attack of La Nina and Like There’s No Tomorrow.

Cow Ballet MOOVES Park City Locals

Leave a comment

Overheard at the Cow Ballet in Peoa, Utah, this afternoon: “You just can’t describe this thing; you gotta be here to see it.”

We considered skipping the 13th annual event when the torrent of rain washed over Park City this afternoon. But way off in the distance- in the direction of the ranch where cows would be dazzled with tutus and children’s faces painted like mystical creatures, the weather looked clear. I doubt a little sprinkle would keep the cows away anyway so we piled into the car and headed out towards Browns Canyon to support Mountain Town Stages. The non-profit is responsible for all the live free music you hear around Summit County. Those concerts at Canyons, Newpark, Quarry Village, the Silly Market, and more. We don’t want them to disappear so we rally to help them raise money.

The Cow Ballet is one of those few fundraisers where any age kid can get down and dirty. I mean where else are you hucking your meat over a hulking pile of cow manure? The irony is that the beer drinking race came after the jump.

The tickets were a fairly priced $12 with kids under 10 free. Now why can’t more benefits be this reasonable? The upcoming Utah Avalanche Fundraising Party is $35 and you get to stand around a parking lot for four hours drinking beer with your backcountry buds. Of course, it’s all in the name of a cause that could very well save your life and the lives of those friends. I suppose the price is in the realm of value when you consider that we also spent $4/beer and $7 for a cheeseburger at the Cow Ballet. And then there are the benefits that keep out the riffraff. I volunteered at the Friends of the Animal’s Barking Ball the night before and tickets were $100 a pop! Granted, you got hors d’ oeuvres and wine included and an excuse to dress up but the Cow Ballet offered something those fancy bashes don’t- a benefit to share with the whole family. Plus, you have a lot more money in your pocket to spend on the silent auction.

So what exactly is the cow ballet? A bunch of big kids dressed in cow costumes, dancing to songs about cows and making their friends and families laugh out loud.

‘

Locals’ Days Coming To PC Main Street

Leave a comment

by altopower

 

It’s still not free parking 24/7 but downtown Main Street is trying- just a little- to lure us locals to Main Street this fall. You can already use those 2-for-1 coupons in the Park Record and Restaurant.com for dining deals around town. Now, they’ve added this “Shown’ the Love” program Thursdays from 5-8 p.m. through October 20. First off, we get free parking all day. Then there are discounts up to 25 percent at retailers and 50 percent at restaurants. You don’t have to ‘prove’ you’re local, just mention the offer to see if you get a deal. You know, say something like, “Can I get a locals’ discount?” It works for me at Park City Bread and Bagel, and the owner of Wasatch Bagel LOVES locals. If you ask me, the best thing Historic Park City can do to get us into town and away from all the fun stuff at Kimball Junction is to crush those f*&king meters into dust. If they’re worried about squatters, enforce the same two hour limit that’s on Park Avenue near the Art Center.

Oh, and please coordinate the lights on HWY224 so it doesn’t feel like we’re navigating the 405. Thank you.

To see specific deals at participating businesses, head over to www.historicparkcityutah.com.

Outdoor Retailer Show Opens with the Open Air Demo

Leave a comment

My feet cried uncle, the backs of my legs are fried and my eyes are can barely focus. Yep. The Outdoor Retailer Show 2011 is on. The morning at Jordanelle Reservoir started off sunny both in weather and dispositions. Despite the clouds that bubbled in the distance the vendors at this year’s show couldn’t be more excited to meet and great retail store buyers and media.

Nearly 200 companies set up tents around the Hailstone section of the Park with the boating and stand up padding guys rimming the shoreline. Before we even hit the water Eton’s iPod speaker cases stopped me in my tracks. They’re solar powered, splash resistant and pretty decent sounding.

Next door we spotted these pretty “Sweaty Bands” – hair head bands created to stay put even during your workouts. I don’t know if it’ll hold up to one of Abi’s Sports Conditioning classes but it felt secure. The inner lining is velvet that grips your hair.

There were a few toy distributers present because of course no day on the water is complete without Frisbees, Smashballs, and ring tosses like The Original Ring Stix Game..As Seen On TV (the packaging says).

I haven’t had a chance to wear the Agion Active shirt but the built-in, “next generation odor elimination technology” sounds intriguing. Another top I can’t wait to wear is a body hugging KoreDry Bounceless Bra sport top from Victory. The girl at the booth demonstrated how a C-cup didn’t move while you wore it. Sorry, Guys. Plus, the quick dry Koredry fabric repels water but also breathes. It’s meant for water sports but I’m thinking it’s perfect for skiing.

The eco thing is alive and well it should be at OR. I got a tour through the Sustainable Living Roadshow bus with its solar top, bamboo interior and biodiesel engine. It still looked like a hippy band’s dormitory. We tossed trash into baskets and threw beanbags at targets painted with oil rigs and smoke stacks.

After a round of geocaching with Magellan’s little geocache specific, handhelds we went down to the water to talk boats. Everyone was out paddling. SUPs ruled the water with canoes a distant second. A decade ago whitewater kayaks were topdog. Now, only a handful of companies represent at OR- Prijon, Piranha, Liquid Solution, Wavesport. Paddleboards are just so simple on the water. You need a board and a paddle. You don’t even need a PFD apparently. In addition, many companies are busting out new lighter-weight designs.

My favorite sight was the “Mormon” kayak. Have another kid, add another cockpit. J

By the time on my new waterproof Flexx digital watch that looks kind of like one of those Lance Armstrong cancer wristbands, things were winding down for the day. I wish I had it on my trip to Montana. At $15 it’s exactly what you want when you’re doing class IIIs and swimming.

I headed home, changed and hit the road again for the Verde PR Media Suite at the Hotel Monaco. I’d tell you all about it but that will have to wait for tomorrow. I’m desperate for sleep and have to head to SLC at 6:30 a.m.

Wintervention Comes To Utah

Leave a comment

 

Wintervention at Abravanel Hall

 

Just got back from watching Warren Miller’s Intervention. The place was packed and the energy electric. I love how ski movies are part of our pre-season ski conditioning. They get you drooling for the white stuff the way a cupcake makes a five-year-old’s chin drop. You shut your eyes and imagine the same cold smoke wash over you. But I have a problem with this year’s Miller entry.

The skiers are getting farther and farther away from being relate-able. I’m never going to ski Antarctica or Georgia and there’s no resort (ie Telluride) that’s going to send me out with a guide to ski deep untracked before allowing public access to it. WM producers would have you think the only people who ski inbounds are jibbers who use the lift shacks and towers as terrain park features.

In Utah, we have some pretty mind-blowing turns but to send the Crists over to ski Cedar Breaks National Monument where NO ONE that’s not with a film crew is ever going to ski because 1) it’s not a true ski area and 2) everything is mandatory air, is pushing it. To be fair, the filmmakers did say that this 61st annual installment was meant to be exotic. I just would have liked the exotic to also be realistic as a destination.

The running theme on addiction and staging a ‘wintervention’ for your recovery hit home. My favorite quote of the night was “I keep turning down my future just to go skiing one more time.”

Anyone who anxiously watches the fall weather patterns for those first signs of snow knows what it’s like to Jones for winter. The segments of the late Arne Backstrom floating in Heavenly’s untracked (shot at 7 .m. before the mountain opened to the public) were right on the money. And those crazy Kiwis ripping at the Freeskiing Championships and bungee jumping in the New Zealand segment were sick.

No Warren Miller production would be complete without a narrator and Jonny Moseley has finally gotten a handle on his voice overs. They’re more friendly and casual- much more like he’s talking than reading us something someone else wrote. However, the movie sound in Abravanel Hall was so loud that most of what was said by the athletes was distorted and difficult to understand. Wish I could say that the music was better but it seemed a bit ‘off’ as well. The songs themselves were great but they didn’t complement the moments. Take Mr. Scruff “Music Takes Me Up”, for example. It’s a very cool song… about music not skiing. And not life.  And how about the punkish Grinderman? Something about sucking her dry and biting him on the 29th floor?

Still, you can’t get too technical about a Warren Miller film. They call it ski porn for a reason. It’s not ‘real’. The athletes and photographers bust their butts to bring you some stunning imagery and inspiration so even if you will never spend a night in a tent on a Norwegian island surrounded by polar bears, you can appreciate the effort. Besides, at the end of the night it gets the job done. Wintervention reminds you that it’s time for a fix.

Wintervention plays at 8 p.m. in Park City, Oct. 29/30 at the Eccles Center for the Performing Arts.

More film dates.

1 … 54 55 56 57 58 … 61