darkjezter Reviews

Out Cold (2001)

An entertaining slobs versus snobs comedy.

[7/10 · 26 May 2008]

Out Cold is a little-known comedy gem from 2001 that has somehow managed to find its way on my list of movies that I watch on a semi-regular basis.

The film is set in the fictional ski town of Bull Mountain, Alaska, a place which manages to maintain its unpretentious, laid-back small town atmosphere despite being located in an area famous for its great skiing and snowboarding. The plot focuses on a group of young twenty-something local residents who enjoy snowboarding, getting drunk, getting high, and playing practical jokes on each other. Leading this group of likable misfits is a man named Rick Rambis (played by Jason London), who is unable to form a relationship with attractive snowboarding instructor Jenny (played by A.J. Cook) because he is still pining over a girl he met during a drunken binge in Cancun, Mexico.

When wealthy businessman John Majors (played by veteran actor Lee Majors) steps in with the intent of buying Bull Mountain and turning it into an Aspen-like "espresso and tofu" resort that caters to rich yuppies, the residents of Bull Mountain begin to fear that they will all be fired and forced to leave town. Adding to the turmoil is the arrival of Majors' two daughters: Inga, (played by former Playboy Playmate of the Year Victoria Silvstedt) a gorgeous blonde bombshell, and Anna (played by Caroline Dhavernas), Rick's old flame from his Cancun vacation.

What follows is a slobs versus snobs comedy in the tradition of "Caddyshack" and "Animal House" as the locals try to stop their town from being taken over by Majors and his cronies. The film also directly parodies Casablanca in several parts, with Rick finding himself in a situation similar to Humphrey Bogart's most famous character from his most famous film.

The acting or script will never win any awards, but the film does provide enough humor to make it worth a rental. It also features some truly impressive snowboarding footage performed by some of the top snowboarders in the world. I also feel the need to mention David Koechner, who provides a hilarious performance as Stumpy, a hard-drinking, tall-tale telling local who is probably insane.

One complaint I have about the movie is that it feels like several scenes were edited or removed entirely so that it would be given a PG-13 rating rather than an R rating. Hopefully someday an unrated DVD will be released.

I give this film a 7 out of 10. It's not a classic comedy, but it's entertaining enough to be worth a rental.

Joe Dirt (2001)

Forrest Gump meets Jeff Foxworthy.

[7/10 · 10 May 2006]

Despite the fact that this movie was trashed by critics, Joe Dirt still makes me laugh every time I watch it. If you've seen other movies made by Adam Sandler, then you should know what to expect: lots of low-brow humor and implausible situations. This movie definitely isn't for film snobs, but if you're just looking for a cheap laugh, Joe Dirt is definitely worth a rental.

This movie tells the life story of a man named Joe Dirt (played by David Spade), the mullet-wearing, hard rock-loving embodiment of every white trash stereotype in existence. This is a very different type of character for David Spade, who usually plays sarcastic and bitter male secretary types as opposed to the likable moron he plays in this.

As the movie begins, Joe Dirt is working as a janitor at a radio station when he is noticed by a Howard Stern-like DJ played by Dennis Miller. The DJ calls Joe Dirt into the studio and starts asking questions, intending to use the trashy janitor as a target for ridicule. It is here where we begin to learn the back story of Joe Dirt, beginning when he was a little kid abandoned by his parents during a trip to the Grand Canyon.

After the initial radio interview, the story of Joe Dirt becomes a national pop culture phenomenon. Our hero is invited back into the studio to continue his story, which consists of his various adventures as he travels around the country looking for his long-lost family. During his travels he befriends the beautiful and kind-hearted Brandy (Brittany Daniel), is bullied by a arrogant jerk named Robbie (Kid Rock), teams up with an American Indian fireworks dealer named Kicking Wing (Adam Beach), and crosses paths with a school janitor with a shady past (Christopher Walken). You also discover that, despite the fact that Joe Dirt is a crude and ignorant individual, you can't help but find yourself rooting for him and admiring his ability to keep a positive attitude despite all the bad things that keep happening to him.

I gave this movie a 7 out of 10. It's funny, even uplifting, and worth seeing at least once if you aren't offended by toilet humor.

Aspen Extreme (1993)

An enjoyable enough ski movie.

[7/10 · 8 May 2006]

The story of Aspen Extreme focuses on two best friends from Detroit, Michigan who decide to leave their blue-collar jobs and head to Aspen, Colorado with the goal of becoming ski instructors to the rich and famous. T.J. Burke (Paul Gross) is a friendly, yet somewhat shy man who dreams of becoming a writer. His friend, Dexter Rutecki, is cocky and awkward, yet likable.

Upon arriving in Aspen, T.J. manages to easily get the ski instructor job, and also attracts the attention of two beautiful (but very different) women: a wealthy businesswoman named Bryce Kellogg (Finola Hughes), and a down-to-earth radio DJ named Robin Hand (Teri Polo). Things don't work out quite as well for Dexter, however; despite being a great skier, he does not get the ski instructor job because he isn't good-looking enough (according to the ski school director, ski instructors are expected to "fulfill a fantasy" in addition to teaching people how to ski), but T.J. manages to get him a job teaching children how to ski while dressed as Santa Claus. Other events that greet the friends after arriving in Aspen are troubles locating affordable housing (which is remedied when Robin directs them to an old railroad caboose that has been converted into a house), and Dexter saving T.J.'s life during an accident while skiing out of bounds.

The second half of the movie takes on a much darker tone than the first half. T.J.'s relationship with Robin is thrown into chaos when Bryce returns from a long absence and seduces him, while Dexter is suspended from his ski instructor job and goes to work for a drug dealer. The culmination of these events causes a falling out between the two protagonists. With the help of Robin, the two men manage to reconcile, but tragedy strikes soon after when Dexter is killed by an avalanche.

The final act of the movie is rather predictable, but still entertaining. T.J. writes a story about Dexter and his own adventures in Aspen and manages to fulfill his dream of becoming a published writer, ditches Bryce, and patches things up with Robin. And, of course, no ski movie would be complete without a big downhill competition at the end.

While this movie will probably never be considered a classic, it's enjoyable enough if you don't mind the clichéd story elements and characters. The real reason to watch this movie is the ski sequences, which feature both gorgeous scenery and nice stunt work. I bought the DVD of this movie in a bargain bin for about seven bucks, and I enjoy popping it in and watching it once or twice a year when the snow starts to fall and visions of skiing start to fill my head.