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toddremington
Reviews
Aspen Extreme (1993)
A Yearly Ritual
Like many skiers in Colorado, as a ritual I pull out this DVD every season to get stoked for another year.
The transformative story about a Midwesterner moving to a ski resort and finding himself is compelling and often repeated in reality here in Colorado. Although the acting and details are not all together believable, the story line is strong enough to keep one's interest between ski scenes.
As a retired ski patroller however, the crevasse scene is hard to swallow. I have never seen a water filled crevasse in the middle of winter like the one T. J. fell into while skiing in the back country. Especially near 14,000 feet. But hey, Hollywood is at sea level and it adds to the drama. Despite this naive gaff, the movie has great ski scenes featuring Doug Coombs one of the great extreme skiers. The mountain scenery is also breath taking and was clearly filmed in Aspen.
The avalanche scenes on the other hand look all to real.
The Mission (1986)
An under rated movie
Yes it is an aesthetically pleasing movie. More importantly however, this complex story does not provide easy answers. Exploring the age old question of might versus right. And the struggles between Church and State. The movie portrays multiple sides in a way that encourages empathy for each from the audience. The inevitable and tragic end leaves the viewer questioning not so much what is right, but how to achieve a righteous life. Further, it is a treat to see both Jeremy Irons' and Robert De Niro's deliver some of their best acting. Also of interest is seeing the early acting careers of both Liam Neeson & Aiodan Quinn. A far cry from the usual Hollywood blockbuster that is short on substance. A must see.