Matt W
I began playing in Pittsburgh as a Carnegie Mellon graduate student in 1991 and played for the Pittsburgh men's club team, and so I lived some of this history, albeit on the periphery. At Mother's Day in Philly in 1993, for example, NYNY rolled up a half hour late on Sunday morning for our game with them. They sat in their cars and drank coffee until they felt like playing. We worked up the courage to count points on them (a late team can fall behind at a rate of a point for every 10 minutes' lateness if their opponents are ready and on the line), and they shrugged it off. Those six phantom points may have been the only ones we scored. I picked up Kenny on D after a turnover and it felt like he both caught and threw every pass, including the goal. I grew up in the area, so my dad stopped by to watch. Later, he ran into Kenny at Wawa. "My son tells me you're the greatest player in the world," Dad said to him.
"That means a great deal coming from an opponent," Kenny replied.
Earlier that weekend, Moons, Pare, and skeleton crew of Boston guys (they said they liked to play short handed in spring tournaments to build chemistry, conditioning, etc..., but maybe they just couldn't get a full crew) also spanked us easily. I was on the field when they got a double-greatest goal against us. Out the side, out the back, score. Over the years, I've gotten to be friends with some of these guys, and played against some in the old-people divisions.
All of which is to say that, for ultimate players, especially of our vintage, this is our story, and it's really magical to see it unfold in Cribber's film here. Pat King is right that that the only people who understand it all are the guys featured in the movie and, to a somewhat lesser extent, all of us who played then. We poured our hearts into the game and went home on Sundays, most of us without even a trophy like Pat's to show for it. We'd drag ourselves into work, sunburnt, wind-burnt, sore and exhausted but also uplifted and proud, but for most of us, it wasn't even worth mentioning to our colleagues; they didn't understand, but it didn't matter. It was so worth it, and Cribber nails that feeling..
If you didn't play, or haven't started yet, this movie is still a delight. There's plenty of offbeat history, some surprising appearances (George Plimpton), Alec Baldwin's narration, outsize characters (in Moon's case, literally), and a great segment on Dave Barkan's Ultimate Peace Camp that is uplifting and, in the current context, really wistful and sad. I think only Cribber could have gotten Kenny to open up on camera as he did, and whether you've ever heard his name before or not, his passion is moving. At 5'6", he's always been larger than life.
The parade of the game's legends is remarkable. Stork! TK! Mike O'Dowd! Kraynick’s Nakae! Dominique Fontenette! For longtime players, this is an archaeology of a sport young enough so that even its founding dinosaurs still roam the Earth. Some appearances by more recent greats like Beau Kittredge and Claire Desmond, though by 2024 they're old timers, too, give a window on the progression of the sport, but it's the old friendships and rivalries that give the movie its real seasoning, for both old flatballers and those who have never picked up a disc.
I think it's always tricky to try to capture what's special about a subculture for those outside its small bubble. It doesn't often translate. Somehow, Dennis "Cribber" Warsen, I think, gets it here.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/08/24
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kevin r
Being an ultimate player, seeing so many friends and tournaments from the past, everything came flooding back to me. This film captures the evolution of the sport and the passion of those men and women who played it,....... for nothing but bragging rights. Thanks Dennis
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
A must see film if you play Ultimate or ever played Ultimate!
An interesting and fascinating look into one sports and culture and one of the world's fastest-growing sports if you didn't play. Warsen weaves film clips, assorted media and interviews from larger than life participants into a wonderful documentary. Excellent narration by "that guy" Alec Baldwin. Two Big Thumbs Up, while holding on to the disc!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/20/23
Full Review
Audience Member
I like documentaries. This one is excellent and it captures a great era for a great sport that many have never heard of. It's on Netflix. I stayed up too late watching it.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/20/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Excellent depiction of the transition from a laid back game to a serious sport.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/25/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Awesome job by Dennis Warsen really capturing a history of a sport I have long played and loved.
It is not the easiest sport to bring to life. Much of the history is an oral one with limited video to bring it to life. But Dennis does a great job filling in these gaps with interviews with the giants of the game.
I highly recommend this movie to all who care at all about ultimate, but also to those just looking for a cool story about a counterculture sport.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/05/23
Full Review
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