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Photos: Susie Floros
Events like Snowboard on the Block are necessary for the soul of snowboarding. We need a place to gather and share in the stoke that has defined the lives of so many people and to honor the films that keep the pulse of this lifestyle alive and well. There was a massive turnout this year in Downtown Denver and the action was full throttle from 11:00am all the way until through The Misfits’ encore at 9:00 that night. But most importantly, snowboarding was represented to the fullest. Below are the standout films of Jens Heig, Online Editor and Susie Floros, Editor in Chief of Snowboard Mag, but it should be stated that Think Thank’s Right Turn Left Turn provided a much needed introspect to the fundamental act of snowboarding in a way that left us craving more, and Videograss’ Mayday closed out Snowboard on the Block with the best tone possible: The heaviest display of street riding in modern snowboarding.
Susie’s Picks of Snowboard on the Block 2014
Absinthe Films: Heavy Mental
The grandiose, pristine Alaska peaks, deep snow, helicopters, insane riding, and eclectic soundtrack featured in Absinthe Films’ Heavy Mental are sure to get you fired up to snowboard. This showing was standing room only in Denver and you could feel the anticipation for winter in the stifled September air. With a line-up that includes Victor De Le Rue, Manuel Diaz, Jason Robinson, Rusty Ockenden, Blair Habenicht, Cale Zima, Brandon Cocard, Sylvain Bourbousson (Our Issue 1 cover rider) to name a few, it was Bode Merrill’s massive one-footers and Wolle Nyvelt’s noboarding that left our jaws dropped. In short, Absinthe’s Heavy Mental lived up to its name. This movie is a potent, mental must-watch!
Preorder now from kidsKNOW Distribution.
Riders (The Mentalists): Bode Merrill, Wolfgang “Wolle” Nyvelt, Austin Sweetin, Victor de Le Rue, Jason Robinson, Victor Daviet, Blair Habenicht, Romain de Marchi, Mat Schär, Scot Brown, Johnnie Paxson, Mathieu Crepel, Sylvain Bourbousson, Nils Arvidsson, Ozzy Henning, Rusty Ockenden, Manuel Diaz
Snowboarder Magazine: The SNOWBOARDER Movie: Foreward
I was stoked to see a movie from the editorial perspective from our friends at Snowboarder Magazine. Snowboarder’s last film 1999, directed by Jamie Mosberg, debuted 15 years ago, when VHS still reigned, so anticipation was high. “Opportunity” is a recurring theme throughout the new film. With young riders like Ben Ferguson, Spencer Schubert, Sam Taxwood and the Mindnich brothers you can be assured opportunity was not lost. I had the pleasure of catching up with Snowboarder’s Creative Director, Pat Bridges, (sans referee suit) before and after Foreword played to a packed Snowboard on the Block crowd. Bridges said most of the young riders hadn’t filmed in the backcountry or owned sleds before they began shooting Foreword, but each rider went out and put it all on the table. Everything from the riding to the soundtrack is fresh in this film. Go see it!
Riders (The Opportunists): Ben Ferguson, Blake Paul, Sam Taxwood, Dillon Ojo, Spencer Schubert, Dylan Alito, Garrett Warnick, Hans Mindnich, Nils Mindnich, Jaeger Bailey
Jens’ Picks of Snowboard on the Block 2014
Under Dawgs: Video Mixtape
When I first looked at the festival schedule, there was no mention of Video Mixtape being played on any of the screens. But I soon learned that the nearly the whole crew had driven from Salt Lake City the night before to premiere the highly anticipated follow-up to DAE and when the lights dimmed, I knew that the hype was real. Every shot was a hammer and with Colton Morgan’s mastery in the edit bay, he gave each rider the spotlight they deserve for their tremendous work last season. This film does not fit “the format” of snowboarding movies. It is completely its own, a video mixtape that you will be playing over and over again. Fortunately in this age, you won’t have to worry about a DVD wearing out. Buy this film. It will get you stoked beyond words to go snowboarding.
Preorder now from kidsKNOW Distribution.
Riders (The Dawgs): Gus Warbington, Jesse Gouveia, Dan “Vinny” Vinzant, Corey Schneider, Sammy Spiteri, Michael Wick, Brady Lem, Max Tokunaga, Gared Schneider, Brandon Sakiewicz, Durell Williams, Jordan Morse, Blake Geis
CAPiTA: Defenders of Awesome 2 – STAY BADASS
Team movies are a cornerstone in the foundation of snowboarding and I am pleased to say that this crew has fortified it for many years to come in DOA 2. It has been three years since Defenders of Awesome was released upon the world, and it is safe to say that the CAPiTA team has maintained its dominance in all things BADASS. What makes this ensemble of snowboarders so incredible is the diversity in riding style; each rider brought something new to the screen, pushing the limits of their own abilities and throwing out the status quo of what you expect to see in a snowboard film. Like Under Dawgs, almost the entire CAPiTA team was in attendance to represent an era of progression in snowboarding. Get ready to watch evolution unfold right before your eyes.
Pre-order now from kidsKNOW Distribution.
Riders (The Defenders of Awesome): Scott Stevens, Kazu Kokubo, Jess Kimura, Dan Brisse, Phil Jacques, Cale Zima, Brandon Cocard, Dustin Craven, Mike Rav, Johnny O’Connor, Dylan Gamache, Brendan Gerard
