Warren Miller's Off the Grid

By Jess Nickelsen

More than a skiing documentary.

Off The Grid is Warren Miller's 57th movie for snow lovers, showcasing the world's best skiing and snowboarding and some awesome locations to boot. If you're not familiar with his format, Miller likes to create a film each year, usually centred around a particular theme. He likes to focus on the guys and girls out there who really push skiing and snowboarding to the limit, whether that be insanely off-road back country skiing, or the best half-pipe snowboard action around.

As you might guess, Off The Grid's all about the search for something off the beaten path, away from the crowds, or even just the crowd mindset. Over the course of the 90 minute DVD, we're introduced to all types of people, with hugely different preferences to how they like to put foot to snow. There are skiiers and snowboarders galore, sure, but also Jamie Pierre, who finds fun in dropping over 85 metres off a cliff (that's like jumping off a 25 storey building), and a couple of Salt Lake City fanatics, who drop everything for a perfect run through dry powder.

The film's not just about the skiing; there are some awesome travel moments captured as Miller follows different groups of skiiers and boarders as they travel through Kashmir, India, brave the wilds of Alaska, or touch down for a moment in Japan to rendezvous with a snowball-throwing league. The scenery is stunning.

Also stunning is the artistic merit in the camerawork in this film. It's not just about catching the perfect jump, or the most terrifying avalanche on camera; Miller's team is fantastic also in the way they see the importance of including the sparkle of the sun as snow crystals spray into the air, or the fluffiness of the powder, and the beatific expressions on the faces of all those making their way through the snow.

While there are loads of skiing and snowboarding DVDs out there, Miller's films really are tough to beat. If you've seen one before, you'll know how good they are; if not, I can't think of a single better way to warm the winter cockles, short of heading up the mountain yourself.

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