Two Really Good New Movies

[ChrisB]

I just saw a couple of great outdoor movies folks on this board might like:

Free Solo -- This is the story of Alex Honnold's amazing free climb on El Capitan. His audacious solo of Freerider (5.13) forms the basis of the story. The documentary really attempts to get inside his head as he preps for the climb, backs off on the initial attempt, gets into his first close relationship with a girlfriend, and eventually attempts the route again. The climbing photography by climber Jimmy Chin is breathtaking in its beauty and dramatic settings and exposure. A very well produced film from National Geographic.

I saw it as part of the Telluride Film Festival, but it might also be screened outside that venue.

Mountain -- This Australian film is a meditation on why we are drawn to mountains, and how mountains become a stage where life and death human dramas play out. The photography is amazingly beautiful and depicts climbers, skiers, trekkers, wing suit flyers and people who live in the high ranges around the world. Thoughtful narration by William DeFoe is accompanied by a beautiful and haunting music score. The result is pure poetry for the eye and ear. The use of very dramatic aerial photography really captures the scale and grandeur of these amazing ranges and the insignificance and fleeting nature of our human presence among them. Highly recommended.

Hope you get a chance to see one or both.

cb

 

[MikePS]

I believe Jimmy Chin was also associated with Meru another great movie. Thanks for the heads up, I will be on the lookout!

 

[DayTrip]

I just saw a couple of great outdoor movies folks on this board might like:

Free Solo -- This is the story of Alex Honnold's amazing free climb on El Capitan. His audacious solo of Freerider (5.13) forms the basis of the story. The documentary really attempts to get inside his head as he preps for the climb, backs off on the initial attempt, gets into his first close relationship with a girlfriend, and eventually attempts the route again. The climbing photography by climber Jimmy Chin is breathtaking in its beauty and dramatic settings and exposure. A very well produced film from National Geographic.

I saw it as part of the Telluride Film Festival, but it might also be screened outside that venue.

Mountain -- This Australian film is a meditation on why we are drawn to mountains, and how mountains become a stage where life and death human dramas play out. The photography is amazingly beautiful and depicts climbers, skiers, trekkers, wing suit flyers and people who live in the high ranges around the world. Thoughtful narration by William DeFoe is accompanied by a beautiful and haunting music score. The result is pure poetry for the eye and ear. The use of very dramatic aerial photography really captures the scale and grandeur of these amazing ranges and the insignificance and fleeting nature of our human presence among them. Highly recommended.

Hope you get a chance to see one or both.

cb

Do you know if these movies would actually get released on DVD? I researched show times and they are pretty limited and dates in New England are mostly in major metro areas. Might be hard to catch at a theater.

 

[dug]

Do you know if these movies would actually get released on DVD? I researched show times and they are pretty limited and dates in New England are mostly in major metro areas. Might be hard to catch at a theater.

Free Solo is in theaters. Dawn Wall is another one in theaters. Both, while look to be excellent movies from two excellent climbers, will have limited appeal I assume so a short run should be expected

 

[Sable]

I just saw a couple of great outdoor movies folks on this board might like:

Free Solo -- This is the story of Alex Honnold's amazing free climb on El Capitan. His audacious solo of Freerider (5.13) forms the basis of the story. The documentary really attempts to get inside his head as he preps for the climb, backs off on the initial attempt, gets into his first close relationship with a girlfriend, and eventually attempts the route again. The climbing photography by climber Jimmy Chin is breathtaking in its beauty and dramatic settings and exposure. A very well produced film from National Geographic.

I saw it as part of the Telluride Film Festival, but it might also be screened outside that venue.

For those who live in MA, the Coolidge Corner Theatre is showing Free Solo! I just saw it. Really, really well done - highly recommended.

 

[Hillwalker]

Mountain is currently on Netfxx. Watched it last night and found it wonderful.. Never figured that Vivaldi's Four Seasons would be such great accompaniment to a movie such as this.

 

[TomK]

I just saw a couple of great outdoor movies folks on this board might like:

Free Solo -- This is the story of Alex Honnold's amazing free climb on El Capitan. His audacious solo of Freerider (5.13) forms the basis of the story. The documentary really attempts to get inside his head as he preps for the climb, backs off on the initial attempt, gets into his first close relationship with a girlfriend, and eventually attempts the route again. The climbing photography by climber Jimmy Chin is breathtaking in its beauty and dramatic settings and exposure. A very well produced film from National Geographic.

I saw it as part of the Telluride Film Festival, but it might also be screened outside that venue.

Thanks for the heads up!

For those in Northwestern CT, Free Solo is playing at the Bantam Cinema, Bantam, CT thru the weekend and until Thursday. Saw it today, and it was well worth seeing!

TomK

 

[DayTrip]

Have a nasty cold this week so I've been binge watching various movies and documentaries on mountain climbing rather than actually mountain climbing. While this is a docu-short more than a movie I found "Apa Sherpa" on YouTube to be a pretty good short film: https://youtu.be/A6pLnf40OM0 His story was pretty inspiring. Only about 22 minutes long so worth a quick watch. If you click through to his website there is another shorter more "movie-like" documentary with some superb footage of the Himalayas in Vimeo format (super crisp hi-def).

And for what it's worth, I was also able to see Free Solo last weekend and thought it was outstanding like most of you. Highly recommend. That last 20 minutes or so while he was climbing was incredible to see on a big screen. You really appreciate the seeming impossibility of what he is accomplishing. Honnold is a fascinating person.

 

[ChrisB]

And for what it's worth, I was also able to see Free Solo last weekend and thought it was outstanding like most of you. Highly recommend. That last 20 minutes or so while he was climbing was incredible to see on a big screen. You really appreciate the seeming impossibility of what he is accomplishing. Honnold is a fascinating person.

One thing that struck me about this film was the effect this climb had on the film's makers. They realized that there was a reasonable chance they'd watch their friend fall to his death while filming him.

I'd never thought of that as a consequence the filming crew had to deal with. Those scenes on the Freeblast slab where Honnold has to cross feet, move left and push off a nubbin to grab a solid hold are riveting.

I don't think I'd have had the jam to watch him attempt those moves rope-less, 2500 feet above the valley floor, that through the lens of my camera.

Jimmy Chin for president!!

cb

 

[DayTrip]

One thing that struck me about this film was the effect this climb had on the film's makers. They realized that there was a reasonable chance they'd watch their friend fall to his death while filming him.

I'd never thought of that as a consequence the filming crew had to deal with. Those scenes on the Freeblast slab where Honnold has to cross feet, move left and push off a nubbin to grab a solid hold are riveting.

I don't think I'd have had the jam to watch him attempt those moves rope-less, 2500 feet above the valley floor, that through the lens of my camera.

Jimmy Chin for president!!

cb

He makes tremendous movies. Meru was another great documentary - excellent story and excellent cinematography. Generally speaking, I've found the North Face athletes to be very compelling people and the documentaries they make are excellent. I watched another really good one with Renan Ozturk and Alex Honnold about being a mentor, teaching, etc. The title escapes me but it was also excellent.

 

[griffin]

One thing that struck me about this film was the effect this climb had on the film's makers. They realized that there was a reasonable chance they'd watch their friend fall to his death while filming him.

I'd never thought of that as a consequence the filming crew had to deal with. Those scenes on the Freeblast slab where Honnold has to cross feet, move left and push off a nubbin to grab a solid hold are riveting.

I don't think I'd have had the jam to watch him attempt those moves rope-less, 2500 feet above the valley floor, that through the lens of my camera.

Jimmy Chin for president!!

cb

Seriously, I was on the edge of my seat watching the movie, and I knew how it ended! I can't imagine having watched/filed it live.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

One thing that struck me about this film was the effect this climb had on the film's makers. They realized that there was a reasonable chance they'd watch their friend fall to his death while filming him.

I'd never thought of that as a consequence the filming crew had to deal with. Those scenes on the Freeblast slab where Honnold has to cross feet, move left and push off a nubbin to grab a solid hold are riveting.

cb

When the cinematographers are afraid to look, you know it's bad.

The film also makes the point that most free solo climbers die. They discuss the idea that people will try to copy Honnold. They worry about the ethics of filming Honnold.

Climbing apart, Jimmy Chin and his wife Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi are really good filmmakers. I've seen The Dawn Wall as well, and while it has great footage of climbing, in my opinion it doesn't approach the insights, the tension, the structure and drive of Free Solo.