This is almost as awesome as the movie itself!
My totally unprofessional, Still Filthy-based prediction is that REUBYN ASH is going to be huge. His SF section is nonsensical. I don’t know, like I said, I have absolutely no authority to make these kinds of wild conjectures, but I just have this hunch that he’s gonna blow up.
I discovered, via one of Taylor Steele’s “tweets,” that The Drifter is now available on iTunes. Paying $10 seemed like a much better idea than paying $30, or whatever exorbitant amount it costs to purchase the actual DVD, so I impatiently pretended to read while waiting for it to download. Then I settled in for the long haul (yeah, 57 minutes) with a bowl of soup and clicked play.
Halfway through, despite the phenomenal cinematography, I found myself getting antsy. I wondered if Rob, who shirks all responsibilities and severs ties in the name of cutting loose, as they say, will ever begin to enjoy his trip, which most surfers will only ever dream of taking.
“High expectations make poor travel companions,” he says at one point, and while it may be a clever one-liner, it also seems to say, pretty clearly, that he’s miserable in paradise.
Rob Machado is undoubtedly a beautiful surfer, but a few too many melodramatic shots of him not smiling is enough to bring anyone down. I thought this was going to be carefree?
The end becomes a little bit more upbeat, thankfully, when Machado befriends local villagers and the jungle heat finally melts his intense exterior so that his inner human (-itarian) can come out and play with the kids.
I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy it; The Drifter is a well-crafted glimpse into the life of our most beloved afro-endowed barreller (no, that’s not a real word). I’m just letting you know that it is weirdly intense (read: depressing) at times. Does a happy ending conquer all?
A friend sent me this video, which I think is really interesting, and could, possibly, be a new thing- at least for those who have access to the expensive equipment involved. Mike Douglas and Cody Townsend, who are both professional free skiers, were always curious about whether it was possible to ski on waves, they say. After “years of dreaming” and much experimentation, they settled on alpine setups (crazy!) and gave it a shot in Hawaii. They had to be towed in, for fairly obvious reasons, but once they were in, they were independent. Their success is kind of amazing. Watch it and let me know what you think of this nutty hybrid.
There’s a mighty painful looking wipeout around 1:46… Enjoy!
Or the American Red Cross
Or the World Food Programme
In situations like this, even the smallest contribution can help.
Water, Water Everywhere And Not A Drop To Drink 