Words by Ben Fee, Associate Editor - Snowboarder Mag:
“The brain is nothing short of the single most complex and variable structure imaginable. We’re talking 200 billion neurons, with up to 10,000 synapses per neuron, a quadrillion nerve cell connections…” Animation animates, and the latest of Think Thank’s creations unravels.
This was the universal premiere. Earliest I’ve ever seen. And it took place in the acoustically friendly skate bowls at High Cascade Snowboard Camp—hundreds of campers, staff members, locals, visitors, and feral dogs had been eagerly awaiting this treat.
Jesse Burtner and Sean Genovese have further proved themselves as the most cerebral and soulful filmmaker duo in snowboarding. With Thanks Brain, their latest installation to the Think Thank collection, they pull together a cohesive mind-blaster that requires viewing many times with a rewind button. Their brand of filmmaking is a brand unlike any other. They don’t need helicopters or 16mm cable cams to blow minds. It’s pure, brainful resourcefulness on a stick.
Each rider has a solid comprehension of what the Thinker Thankers are looking for, and executes their interpretations insanely. Scott Stevens takes the one-shot opener into his 2-song part, which is a 500% improvement over his one from last year. He is arguably the Crazy Legs or Sammy Davis Jr. of snowboarding, but with better vision. If last year was first grade for Scott, this year’s he’s Doogie Howser. His double flips continue, but his jumping and playfulness has grown exponentially. He does a stump bunk 7 out, a fastplant 3 off a tree and a front flip down a set of concrete steps… it was a constant barrage of cheers and yelps from the crowd.
Everyone’s favorite tattered transient, Gus Engle, was present for the viewing of his characteristically colorful take on snowboarding. He did a log ride over and back across a rushing rapid, jibbed an entire line of cones and dropped onto his board from atop a cliff to ghostride his whip. He makes people smile when he rides, and that’s like the switch double backside rodeo to lipslide the hardway, but of life.
Johnny Miller, the captain of happy-emission can do shovits and body varials. He can also marathon hippie hop over 11 bleachers to ride away. These are things most people wouldn’t even consider thinking about thinking of. But he can also do backside 9s with a glowing belt buckle.
Austin Hironaka spins and lands onto rocks. Pat Milbery does killer half kickflip 50-50s. They have no name that I know of. Maybe they should be called the Berry Picker. Each rider has amazing footage, but to put it onto paper, or computer screens, is to take away from it.
What got me the most, what really blew my mind, was watching the creators of this film get in front of the camera and prove they are just as adept with their sticks as they are with their Final Cut and Panosonics. Sean Genovese has one of the most stand out parts of the film, and breaks through more chains than the Junkyard Dog. Jesse Burtner closed the film. He shut it down. He raised the crowd, sat them down, and raised them again. He completed most of his section with only one foot strapped in, and a cab 5 into powder was one such instance. INSANE. His sensibilities with editing are as sharp as ever. He knows how to construct a part—how to build momentum. His part peaks and cuts just like that. Towards the last minute or so, every trick has you cheering louder and louder. And that’s it. It’s over. You will be scratching your head as you realize Jesse Burtner just might be one of the most gifted people riding a snowboard, he and Sean have built an amazing film factory, and yet, they are not heralded as kings in the kingdom of shredderdom. And rumor floats that Jesse has a whole part in the bonus; same song, completely different tricks. And that’s Thanks Brain! I think I can say on behalf of all viewers we would like to thank the brains of all those involved, and are anxiously awaiting whatever synaptic firing will fruit next year.
The Ice Cream Man was rollin' around southern California this last weekend passin' out delicious ice cream and sweet sweet swag. What goes better with a Flinstones Push Pop than a Wolrd Industries mini skateboard collectable? Spreadin stoke and handin' out treats in support of The Man Who Souled The World and Let It Ride. If you haven't checked out the theatrical schedule for both these films yet, visit the Ally home page more all the info.
Champion Visions, Ally's sister company in Japan, hosted the White Film Festival last week. It took place September 20th and 21st and showed new releases from US filmmakers and Japan filmmakers. The big screen played Mack Dawg Production's Picture This and Blank Paper Studios' In Short along with the Japanese films Ue Snowboarder from One Films Productions, and Fast Lane from Red Eyes Films. At the fest were US filmmakers Brad Kremer and David Benedek.
Holy Cannolies. There were two sick premieres in Seattle this past weekend, but it definitely felt like one giant blur of a screenplay. The action kicked off Friday night at The Showbox in downtown Seattle with the World Premiere of Capita's First Kiss. 
For the trip to ASR, Kelly and Aaron thought they'd rent some old people scooters and make the 1800 mile trek to LA at 5mph. Three months and 8 days later... ASR '07!!! "The scooters were just so bomb diggity, we had to rock 'em at the convention." - Aaron
A lot has been goin' on here at Ally. First off, Thanks, Brain! is out, so go to your local shop and buy it.... now. Sentimental Values is shipping to shops and Child Support will be shipping on the 1st of September. We also just got exclusive status on Sunset Films' new flick, Together. Ahhhhh, you can feel it getting colder. And, yesterday we watched the pre-final edition of Float, the new film from Neu Media, which by the way, is awesome! Uhhh, these ladies can ride, and they are really, really good looking... when riding.... More later
Ally has recently secured the rights to sell the long awaited film, "The Man Who Souled The World." The staff here at Ally had a little lunchtime screening of the movie yesterday. We were thoroughly entertained, and went back to work afterward a little shocked, a little amazed, and with some new ideas on how to run business... or not run business. 
So, we've been posting about Think Thank's latest nogin twister, Thanks, Brain! Why? Because we really like it. We actually like it so much that we felt shops who didn't get Think Thank's 2006 film, Patchwork Patterns should definitely see Thanks, Brain! We got so stoked on this film that I think a couple of people wore parkas into work the day after the premiere (even though it was a muggy 80 degrees in the Emerald City). Everybody should see this film, and as a friend, Ally wanted to make sure that everyone who missed out last year, won't miss out again. So, Ally is sending almost 800 free copies of Thanks, Brain! to shops around the country who didn't get Think Thank's Patchwork Patterns last year. It's our way of letting shops know that we're looking out for them. We're not trying to stuff a bunch of bologna down our cutomers' throats. If your buddy didn't hook you up with the latest sick flick when he thought you wouldn't watch it, then what kind of friend is that? Anyway, check out the pics.
Words by Ben Fee, Associate Editor - Snowboarder Mag:
Thanks Brain! Universal Sneaky Premiere Peek @ Mt. Hood July 9th 9:45 PM, so get yourself up there to check out this sweet new movie from Think Thank, the same guys who brought you last years' Patchwork Patterns. This film is gonna be awesome, with a killer linup of riders including Scott Stevens, Gus Engle, Bryce Lowell, Matt Edgers, Mark Thompson, Ben Bogart, Pat Milbery, Jesse Burtner and a bunch more of the zany Think Thank crew. Uhh, zany? Hell yeah, check back with Ally soon for teaser and to get more info. Look for this sucker to be on sale in late July. Winter is coming!
