Valhalla (2013)

Valhalla: Directed by Ben Sturgulewski, Nick Waggoner. With Cody Barnhill, Casey Ogle, Sierra Quitiquit, Alex Monot. Valhalla, Sweetgrass Productions’ fourth feature film, is the tale of one man’s search to rediscover the freedom of his youth. Beyond action sports– with Valhalla’s totally unique style and structure, is a daring new spin on the ski film, exploding the boundaries of the genre, and opening the eyes and melting the hearts of any story-loving soul. With hard-hitting ski an snowboard action complimenting a more narrative-driven approach than our past films, or perhaps any other ski movie before it, we follow one man’s escape into the Northern woods, and his wild journey towards satisfaction, understanding, and love in some of the deepest snows on earth.

“As a longtime snowboarder, I tend to shy away from ski-oriented films (especially the corny self-absorbedness of Warren Milleru0026#39;s yearly offerings), however, the description for this one on Netflix piqued my interest as it seemed to offer something other than toothy grins in day- glo jumpsuits.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe filmu0026#39;s dramatized story revolves around a community of free spirits who have set up camp (u0026quot;Valhallau0026quot;) in the snowy mountains of BC, led by a bodhisattva of sorts. Mesmerizing footage of skiing and snowboarding is interspersed with biographies of – and tales associated with – various u0026quot;tribeu0026quot; members. The common Warren Miller devotee will likely find such depth and reflection unappealing, but for those of us who enjoy something more to life than Jaegerbombs with u0026quot;brosu0026quot; and Dave Mathews Band playlists, this film is very refreshing.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe soundtrack alone (criminally unreleased, btw) is worth the price of admission as it features an eclectic, dreamy tapestry designed to further enhance the inescapable feelings of bliss obtained while viewing.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCheck this one out. You donu0026#39;t have to be a skier, snowboarder or even an outdoors enthusiast to enjoy it – just someone who can appreciate life outside of societal conventions and constraints.”