Sports Movie Reviews

But the best part is the way the menu lets you jump around without spending time searching by way of fast forward or rewind. If you're reviewing for a test or need a quick refresher of the forms, you can work on #4 then jump right to #2 or #8 without having to keep stopping and checking for the form you need, like you would with a tape. I also liked the bonus footage of the applications. While we don't practice these at my school, it's nice to know what the movements are supposed to be for. A great DVD - I definitely recommend to anyone doing WTF style TKD.

This is all nature action all the time. With freely applied rowdy music. (The director's track says one of the main tunes was picked coz his little kid wanted it. Now that's a good Canadian-style reason!)

This new flick follows a trajectory that outdoor people of so many stripes know and love and which no one else has covered before: it shows what we do all year 'round. Simple. Instant variety. Most people are generalists, no? So show it all...and this movie does.

Anyway, the movie starts as good as I could ask with retro footage of XC people on long old wood skis and ole leather boots...then some freak in wool whips by doing a fool new skate move and the others join in. Fun follows as people explore what you can do with big boards. Knickers and rock'n'roll in full deployment.

It never lets up. You get yer skiing. Then a showdown between rock-runnin fools and mtbike champs on singletrack. Then bike racing, inline racing, rollerski racing, triathloning, adventure racing...clapskating with Pilot-skates. LAND SAKES!

The thing is that none of it is what I'd call rad or extreme. There's air, but it's casual XC air that you can throw anywhere. People are bouncing here and there as they ski, but there's no special equipment. It's a movie about real life and fairly normal people, as action-movies go. It's truly just showing what an action outdoors person does all year. OK, these people are pros, and they have a great soundtrack, but many are MASTERS. They have KIDS. It's an accessible, friendly world of color. No attitude need apply.

They film a lot in Gatineau Park by Ottawa. I never knew how huge and rich that park is! Right by town. They have some worldclass XC events there for the whole family. I better visit!

The how-to disk is fine, too, using a lot of the same footage with coaching talk and slow-mo applied to teach all the various skills. Neat!

OK, and there's tons of other stuff included, including a whole other inspirational, instructional multi-media program called the Tao of Skiing that they usually sell separately. Whoa!

In Los Angeles the Yankees were bombed 11-5 in Game 1, with Davey Lopes hitting a pair of homeruns for the Dodgers, and then lost 4-3 in Game 2 with Ron Cey driving in all the runs for L.A. Because he pitched the playoff came in Boston, Yankee ace Ron Guidry, who sent 25-3 in the regular season, was not available to pitch until Game 3, at which point he beat Don Sutton 5-1. Reggie Smith's homer gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead in Game 4, but the Yankees came back to win in 10 innings to even the series. Game 5 saw Yankee catcher Thurman Munson drive in five runs on the way to a 12-2 romp. Back in Los Angeles Catfish Hunter and Goose Gossage combined in the clinching 7-2 victory for another six game victory over the Dodgers. However, three years later the Los Angeles Dodgers would return the favor, dropping the first two games to the Yankees in New York and then winning four straight to earn Tommy Lasorda his first World Championship.

Bucky Dent, who batted .417 on 10 hits and had 7 RBIs, was named MVP while his keystone partner, reserve infielder Brian Doyle, led all batters with a .438 average, as the bottom of the batting order came through for the Yankees making the homer run heroic of Reggie Jackson from the previous World Series unnecessary. This color video runs about 45 minutes has all of the highlights of the 1978 season and World Series and a minimal number of shots of George Steinbrenner, making it a nice collection of memories for Yankee fans.

From Todd Richards to Mickey LeBlanc, everyone in this video spents very little time on the snow and a lot of time in the air or on a rail (or two). We're not talking simple trick like straight air with a grab; think Rodeo, CAB, BS720, 50/50 on a tree branch, handrails, etc. Guys go BIG with a capital B, I, and G. This is not really a snowboard video as much as it is a stunt video involving snowboards. Jackie Chan would pay to see stuff like this.

And lastly, a good trick needs a good film crew to capture it. And Whitey is one of the best at doing that. Bottom line, Destroyer will fill up the hungriest freestyle enthusiast.

If your into Freeride, get this film and enjoy it.

The DVD is thoughtfully laid out, and the lessons are easy to follow. Moreover, the graphics are outstanding. Again, this is a first clasee production, from start to finish.

Now, I look forward to hitting the links and improve my handicap -- as opposed to before, when I didn't know what game I was bringing out there.

Thanks GolfSpan!

Johnny Nick

Jim Stevens MPLS, MN