&o2005
Directed by:Jon Klaczkiewicz; Arden Oksanen; Trask Mcfarland; Jason Winkler

If you have ever fantasized about quitting your day job and making downhill skiing the main priority of your life, you can get a taste of that fantasy by watching this ski movie. Filled with beautiful scenery, extreme skiing, skier profiles, and a fitting soundtrack, The Waiting Game will have you feeling the anticipation for ski time.

The movie opens itself up with several skiiers sitting around a campfire telling about a ski fantasy or goal that they are waiting to have or had to wait for to happen. This theme of anticipation stories ties each scene of the film together. There are more skiiers in this film than should be listed in an article, with each one having their own action scene in a beautiful and famed ski location.

The film takes the viewer to several Utah locations, Haines and Valdez Alaska, and Jackson, Wyoming. Shots from the road travel are included, giving a sense of what the travel time must be like. The filmmakers also include some of each ski towns' scenic backdrop other than it's ski slopes. For example, the port of Valdez is shown before the Alaska ski scenes.

The soundtrack adds to the mood of each ski scene. Without music, an adrenaline rush trip down a slope would look like peaceful lines being drawn on a nice snowy background of your tv. The soundtrack of this film effectively helps the viewer to step into the mindset of the skier on screen.

Narration of the thoughts and reflections of these different people who have dedicated their lives to skiing peppers throughout the movie. Interview footage of Bill Briggs, the legendary Jackson Hole skiier who was the first to ski the Grand Tetons in 1971, shows that for those who make this lifestyle choice, it will be a choice without regret.

Briggs also plays his banjo and sings about skiing in the opening campfire scene. This turns into one of the films drawbacks. Skiiers are telling about what they are or have waited for at the same time, so you can't really understand Briggs or the skiiers.

The Waiting Game comes with a second disc of special features, including a music video of Briggs song. The video doesn't have the skiiers talking, so at least you get the opportunity to here just the song. There is also an action only version of the film. My favorite on the second disc was the history of heliskiing in Alaska's Chugach mountains. A few product and company promos are included on the second disc. Overall the second disc really does add to the set - it isn't just a few things thrown together to make a set without adding anything worthy of viewing.

I am giving this film a four out of five. I am glad I took the time to check it out from my local library and watch it.