Warren Miller's Like There's No Tomorrow Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Warren Miller's Like There's No Tomorrow Blu-ray Movie Review

Nothing that cannot wait until tomorrow.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 9, 2012

There is no 'next winter' next winter.

Casual audiences will be drawn to the odd Warren Miller ski video for a glimpse at the breathtaking locations and for a few moments of appreciation for some of the dazzling feats the men and women featured in the videos perform, but the avalanche that is the accumulated collection of the yearly Miller video release is for niche audiences only. ...Like There's No Tomorrow brings nothing to the table that hasn't been seen before, at least looking at it from a casual perspective. The places and faces change -- generally -- but there's no depth beyond the inches of freshly fallen snow. The videos consist of admittedly well-photographed skiing footage and skiing aficionados sharing their love of sport, speaking of how there's nothing to life beyond skiing and sleeping. It's a case of "seen one, seen 'em all," at least for non-skiers or those not intimately familiar with the folks and slopes herein.

Precision skiing.

...Like There's No Tomorrow spans the globe, taking viewers on a journey of powder and the people who ski it. The film introduces viewers to Lel Tone, an Alaskan helicopter ski guide traveling through India to ski the finest in exotic cross-continent slopes. The film also heads to California's Squaw Valley for a look at the people who are everyday seen doing "something totally crazy" that's become the norm for the world-famous slopes. Squaw is also home to longtime Warren Miller Director of Photography Tom Day. The film also examines the draw of New Hampshire's Tuckerman Ravine and Andreas Håtveit's personal Norwegian backyard terrain park. Also highlighted, amongst other locales, are Portillo, Chile; British Colombia's Monashee; and the classic "rite of passage" ski destination of Salt Lake City, Utah.

There are two key components in ...Like There's No Tomorrow: sights and skiers. The film adequately brings both to the forefront, even if it's mostly a collection of footage with no real narrative to hold it together or maintain an interest level in those who don't live and breathe the sport, those only watching out of curiosity or to catch a glimpse of beautiful winter locales and/or hardcore skiing action. Indeed, the film is gorgeous, to say the least. These ski towns and slopes are arguably the most visually striking places on the planet, and the film captures all the sights with breathtaking accuracy. From New Hampshire to Norway, from Kashmir to Squaw Valley, the worldwide flavor makes for a strong attraction and a positive message about the almost spiritual bubble that seems to insulate skiers from all walks of life from the problems facing the rest of the world. It's a fascinating glimpse into the places and the people who ski them, but there's nothing of substance behind the veil (or Vail, as skiers might prefer).

Just as much of the film displays skiers in action, it also depicts skiers off the slopes, albeit briefly, generally, and with a humorous, feel-good vibe shaping the moment. The picture doesn't dig deeply into their lives beyond their love of sport. It's terribly superficial, enough to offer a glimpse of the lifestyle but far from adequate in getting deep into the mindset and the physical skill, both key requirements not necessarily to hit the slopes, but to ski with so much passion and skill. The movie doesn't offer much in the way of exploring the challenges of skiing, whether the physical toll, the financial cost, or the mental and emotional dedication required to perform at a professional level. This is a highlight reel, albeit a highlight reel crafted with the utmost care. ...Like There's No Tomorrow offers serviceable entertainment, but the repetitiveness and lack of depth makes its 90-some minute runtime feel far longer and more tedious than it should.

Warren Miller's Like There's No Tomorrow Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

...Like There's No Tomorrow certainly looks wonderful. Shout! Factory's high definition presentation captures the colors and textures of winter with nearly faultless authenticity. Details is marvelous; filmed segments are crisp and beautifully filmic, revealing the smallest textures in powder, winter clothes, and skin. Some smoother HD footage also looks quite good, consistently appearing robust, clear, sharp, and sturdy. Colors are brilliant. The transfer brings everything from white snow to bright green and orange winter ski apparel to vivid life. Skin tones are largely natural, and a few nighttime shots offer stable blacks. A few lower-end video shots tend to blow out in brighter light and there's a softness to various shots, but overall this is a wonderful presentation that captures what Warren Miller is all about.

Warren Miller's Like There's No Tomorrow Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

...Like There's No Tomorrow's DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack proves quite impressive. Musical delivery is the highlight here, and the track reproduces notes of all persuasions with equal accuracy. Whether Big Band tunes, Indian-inspired notes, or energized Rock songs, listeners will enjoy pinpoint clarity, wide spacing, natural surround support, centered vocals, and a quality low end. Sound effects are nicely handled, too. From footsteps on powder to the heavy, spinning whooshes of helicopter rotors, the DTS track breathes life into every effect, big and small alike. Dialogue is accurate, remaining focused in the center and playing with the sort of natural clarity listeners expect of an upper-end Blu-ray soundtrack.

Warren Miller's Like There's No Tomorrow Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

...Like There's No Tomorrow contains an assortment of brief highlight clip extras.

• Teasers (HD): Short clips previewing the following locales from the film: Tuckerman Ravine (1:38), Portillo (1:43), British Colombia (1:22), India (1:53), Norway (1:49), Squaw Valley (1:44), Utah (1:24), and New Zealand (3:47).
• Denver Big Air Event (HD, 1:17): Highlights from a nighttime event.

Warren Miller's Like There's No Tomorrow Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

...Like There's No Tomorrow will satisfy its fan base but leave most causal audiences out in the cold. The video is superbly produced and it looks fantastic, but there's next to no depth to be found. It's a collection ski footage and some scattered, choice clips of skiers sharing their ultra-focused passion for their sport. Shout! Factory's Blu-ray release of ...Like There's No Tomorrow features stellar video and fine audio but no extras of substance. Recommended for hardcore skiers and Warren Miller fans, recommended as a skip to all others.