Reel Rock 2011 Review

Overall i think that it was just ok. I really enjoyed last years a lot more. I mostly went to see the Dawn Wall and the Race for the Nose. I thought that the Obe and Ashima film was weird, because it just shows how nuts parents can be with their children. it made climbing seem like a tee ball game where some parents freak out or whatever. also, i didn't like the "sketchy andy" slacklining film. IMO, it was a waste of time...yeah he is a great slackliner, but so what? i didn't come to watch a guy nearly kill himself base jumping and highlining. And since when did base jumping have to do with climbing (except Dean Potter)? I just felt that sketchy andy gave a lot of people bad ideas. I'm tired of climbing around people who don't know what they are doing as it is.

I thought Cold was the best of the films, and would also really like to see the longer version. It might have sucked the energy out of the bro brahs, but so be it. I thought the Obe Carrion film was really creepy - I feel really sorry for people who lose their childhoods like that.

glad to see I'm not the only climber who doesn't enjoy watching movies about slacklining. I enjoyed the others.

It was good. Lots of variety, but still enjoyed them all for the most part.

The Larry wrote: Worthless without pics.

twist my arm.

Andrew Gram wrote:I thought Cold was the best of the films, and would also really like to see the longer version. It might have sucked the energy out of the bro brahs, but so be it. I thought the Obe Carrion film was really creepy - I feel really sorry for people who lose their childhoods like that.

+1

So what if Cold "sucked the energy". I didn't go to reel rock to feel the energy. I came to watch a good film showing people pushing their limits and the envelope of climbing.

I started thinking about what else I could be doing when ashima started crying when she didn't send her V10 or whatever it was.

I was a bit disappointed... not that the stories weren't cool, but here is my airing of grievances:

1. Most movies were too long.
2. Although, they were interesting, I don't really care about speed climbing or slacklining. Has rock climbing really gotten that boring that we have to turn to this for entertainment?
3. The ice cave was awesome, and about the right length.
4. The alpine adventure movie was the best one.
5. The kid bouldering story was great, a bit too long though.

If they cut 25% off each film, they could have fit in another one with more concentration on 'standard' rock climbing...

But still worth seeing.

Pushing the envelope of climbing? That's long gone,....

I'm bored by this stuff. Perhaps I'm getting old, but it's the same old thing; look at how significant we are; look at how insignificant the mountains are. The great days of exploration are over, and here we are just masturbating.

Any yet....something tells me that the truly great adventures are yet too be endeavored upon - but we're all too self-obsessed to perceive them.

Maybe it's because I've only been climbing a couple years, or I've only gone to 2 Reel Rock tours, but I thought the whole thing was great. Without taking any of it too seriously, I felt the Sketchy Andy film was an entertaining look at people on the fringe of our sport, Obe/Ashima was an inspiring glimpse of an upcoming star who I hope doesn't burn out as Obe did, Dawn Wall is just an absurd free climb and it's exciting to see shots of what Tommy is doing up there right now, the Race for the Nose was bold and something most people will never experience, Cold provided great contrast to the light-hearted tone of many of the films and documented a remarkable achievement, and the ice cave was simply beautiful and awe-inspiring. The only thing that I thought didn't stand out was the fan-made videos - really just so-so this time. Maybe I just don't think too deeply about these shows and prefer to just enjoy them for the feelings (& sweaty hands) they evoke.

I very much enjoyed the Reel Rock Film Tour, I saw the first showing in Boulder.

I may be young but I am not a narrow minded boulderer, Cold in my opinion was the best film, it made one feel cold, it didn't make the crowd happy, psyched or anything of the sort, you felt cold.

The film with Ashima did not impress me at all, perhaps if I were a parent I would have been moved but it would only have been due to an emotional connection with the subject opposed to the quality of the film.

Dawn Wall, I don't have much to say about it, I enjoyed the film.

Speed Record, Could of had a few less shots of the two brothers in tight jean shorts... besides that awesome.

Ice Cave: The filming could have been better but I also recognize the difficulties of filming a project like that. I was a little disappointed with the story as well.

Andy, Kicks ass... again not completely related to rock climbing but Chuck put out a good film and I laughed.