"Splice" Review - Sundance 2010 (family day edition)

Sundance 2010 (family day edition) - Splice Review from Kreshjun on Vimeo.

Mr. Monk and the Odlands...

After working on the hit USA series Monk for the last 3 seasons I was honored to attend the show's final wrap party. Here are a couple pictures of Tony Shalhoub with me and my mother. Yes, I'm a good son, I take my mom to fancy schmancy Hollywood parties.

Haven't blogged in a while. Here's why...

For the past few months things have been very hectic in the life of Kristian Odland. The madness all started at the end of July with Comic-con 2009 in San Diego. As usual the convention was completely enjoyable (as you can see in the photo). My badness brothers, Tim & Kyle, joined me at the convention and we partook in the geeky goodness. Click here to see all the pictures from the madness.

Only days following the magic that was Comic-con, came the Odland family vacation. I packed my bags and flew east to Utah to meet up with the family for our week-long trip to Jackson Hole, WY. There was loads of outdoor fun to be had including canoing, hiking and swimming. But as it is true with all vacations, it went by WAY too fast. The downside of my vacation coming to an abrupt end was the fact that I had huge pile of stuff to deal with on my plate of life. A new job at KTLA and the giant chore of finding a new roommate.

Now, weeks later I'm working 7 days a weeks, have found a new roommate and couldn't be more content with life. Now I just need to get back to blogging. I have neglected you, oh Royal Journal, for too long now. Time to reconcile!

Oh in case you're wondering what I'm doing at KTLA, I'll show you...



Freelance news writer KTLA, Los Angeles
short by Sarah Grooters

Gearing Up For Sundance 2009....

Now that a new week is upon us, I find myself trying to mentally and physically prepare for my grand return to the Sundance Film Festival 2009 in Park City, Utah. I have not attended this annual collection of Independent films since I made my Utah exodus in 2006. As you can imagine, I am more than excited to make my return. With two "fest rookie" friends at my side, Matt (NY) and Megan (LA) we are going to conquer a total of 7 screenings in 4 days. Since the festival is already well underway (has been on since Thurs. Jan. 15), we will be a little behind the buzz, which from my experience will be to our benefit.

Our indy film adventure begins on Wednesday, when we fly into Salt Lake City. Matt and I have the exact same layover in Las Vegas, and coincidentally will be on the same flight from Vegas to SLC. We couldn't have planned it better! Once we land we will meet up with Megan, somehow, some way and will head to my parents house in Park City (pictured right). We'll hit the sack and rest up for the next few days, which will be mad busy.

Our plan will be as follows, feel free to meet up with us at the following screenings:

Day 1 Thurs. Jan. 22:

8:30 am Peter & Vandy @ the Raquet Club. (Matt's Choice)3:15 pm Big Fan @ the Eccles Theatre. (Matt's Choice)
Day 2 Fri. Jan. 23:

6:00 pm Black Dynamite @ The Tower Theater, Salt Lake City (Kristian's Choice)



11:59 pm Død Snø (Dead Snow) @ The Egyptian Theater (Kristian's Choice)


Day 3 Sat. Jan. 24:

9:00 am Moon @ The Eccles Theatre (Kristian's Choice)


8:30 pm Shorts Program V @ Prospector Square Theater (Matt's Choice)

11:59 pm The Informers @ The Tower Theater, Salt Lake City (Kristian's Choice)



As you can see we have a lot to look forward to this year. Many of these films are already getting lots of critical acclaim. Some have already been picked up for distribution (Black Dynamite). Although, I must say that my Norwegian bias paired with my love for horror movies has made Dead Snow the must see film of the Festival for me this year. I will do my best to give my take on each of these flicks in blogs to come. Stay tuned and stay warm while we're freezing our asses off in Park City.

My brother Timmy makes me proud!

A long time ago I mentioned that my brother Tim got a job for Skullcandy as a designing artist. It's been a trip for me to be shopping at my local Best Buy and spot an entire display of Skullcandy headphones with my brothers art all over them. As you can imagine, I am so very proud of my brother Timmy and all he's accomplished. In fact, it excites me to say that he and I are collaborating on something as we speak. Hopefully it will turn out to be something very special. Below is an add that appears on the Skullcandy home page. Isn't my brother BADNESS?

What a day, what a day, the 17th of May...

The 17th of May has always been a big date in the world of Kristian Odland. All my life I have celebrated the day as the "syttende mai" or Norway's Independence Day. It is also my parents wedding anniversary. This year marks yet another monumental day in the world of Kristian, for today I bought my first brand new car, EVER.

For the last 5 years I have been driving around my trusty little 1997 Toyota Rav4 (above). Donned as The Silver Hornet, it was my very first vehicle. It was able to get me safely up and down the snowy roads of Parley's Canyon during the final 2 years of my tenure as a student at the University of Utah. It also withstood the long trek from Utah to Los Angeles in 2006, and even the everyday wear and tear of that which is Los Angeles traffic. But like every beginning, there has to be an end.

I have been talking about getting a new car for a few months, and have even been saving some extra money during that time as well. I decided to go "look" at cars on Saturday and get a head start on my auto shopping. I arrived at the dealership in North Hollywood, touched base with my contact and went for a little stroll. The test drive was awesome. Everything about the car was a dream. The only exception was that the clutch was a little sensitive, so there were a few unexpected bumps in the ride(normal behavior of a transmission with less than 1,000 miles). When I got out of the car, I was sold. It took a little longer than I would have liked, but I finally cut the deal, signed the contract and pulled my new baby off the lot. For the FIRST time in my life I was officially "in love." With only 5 miles showing on the mileage meter, the sunroof open, and my spirits high, I could have not felt any better about purchasing my 2008 Scion tC.

*A little Knight Rider Nostalgia

A tribute to Mama-Dearest....for Mother's Day

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Ok, ok, that was a bit of an exaggeration, but in my eyes, my mama-dearest has done many things as equally miraculous as those shown above. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful lady in my life. Mama, you are truly an inspiration. I am eternally grateful for all the patience and guidance you have given me. Thank you for being such a good example in my life and for being the best friend I WILL ever have. I LOVE YOU.

-"Didon"

*"Didon" aka Kristian, man I was a cute little kid! You even dressed me well, mama!

I'm moving back to Utah...adios California!

After much consideration, and some VERY difficult decisions, I have decided to make the grand trek back to Utah. My time here in LA has been great, I have made my mark on the entertainment industry but it is time to get back to my family.

I have come to this conclusion after looking at how much money I had to spend just to survive in this place last year. Bottom line, it is just too damn expensive. So, at the end of this month, I will be loading up my car and making the trek back to the great Beehive State (aka Utah). On the bright side I will be be back with my family, and will be able to spend more time with my Utah friends again. OH YEAH! Not to mention, there are quite a few ladies that I want to pick things up where they left off with.


I know this is a very sudden decision, but I know in my heart that it is what is best for me. I will deeply miss all the great people that I have come to know over these past two years. My experience in the entertainment world has been MORE than valuable. I know it will suite me even better in Utah. I mean let's face it...I will be a virtual celebrity from the second I return., that's ALWAYS a good thing!

Now that this is out in the open, I need to plan some GRAND get together for my Cali peeps, before my triumphant exit. Keep your eyes peeled for an eVite , I'm thinking mid-April, I am really going to miss everyone out here. Almost as much as the weather, just kidding. Only one month left and then Mama, I'm coming home.

Another Odland making his mark...

You are looking at a picture that my little brother Tim sketched and designed for Skullcandy, a producer of headphones and other accessories. Skullcandy is best known for its products like earplugs, backpacks, and MP3 Players. Many of their headphones and earplugs use noise cancelling technology to block outside distractions while being used.

Anyway, long story short, my brother came up with this design, submitted it to the company and now they are using it on the packaging for their Ink'D line of ear buds. According to my brother, these are selling like hot cakes, the first numbers to come in showed these suckers were in their top listing.

In fact, Skullcandy is so pleased with Tim's work that they are currently considering bringing him on as a full-time artist. I will keep you in the loop as to what happens with my super talented brother.


See the packaging below, it's ALL HIM, baby! Good to see another Odland making his mark on the world. Proud of you brother!

I'm back and FATTER than ever...

I'm officially back from my little Utah adventure weekend. It was a really fun time. I got to see a lot of old friends and eat A LOT of good food. I must say that it was good to be in old Utah. I made it a point to stop by KUTV and visit some of the people I worked with before I made the trek out here to LA. That is always fun. I will admit that I am glad that I got out of there. The people were great, but the atmosphere and the hours are brutal.

Being with my family aside, one of the best parts about being home was hanging with my friends. Like the good old days, we got together at The Pie near the University of Utah. A lot of people showed up to my surprise and we had a good old time catching up. Also, my loving family treated me to a hearty steak dinner at Diamond Lil's in celebration of my upcoming 28th birthday. It was a very gluttonous event. All I need to say is that there was enough meat and drinks to feed an entire crew of viking. (For Pie and Diamond Lil's See the pictures below.)



Turns out that my trip home was the perfect little getaway for me. It's always fun to spend a good chunk of time with my awesome family in beautiful Park City. I'll be going back soon, so if I didn't manage to see you this time around, chances are I will do so next time.

Also, today I found out that I am apparently Obese. This comes as NO surprise to me after all the food I gorged on during my little trip. This information was brought to light by my boss. No, he didn't say, "Kristian, you are sure looking super fat today." He gave me a copy of this BMI Chart that his doctor gave to him. This Body Mass Index puts you in one of three categories: "Normal," "Overweight," "Obese," and "Extremely Obese." You simply match up your height with your current weight and it tells you what category you are in. I know what your thinking, obviously, I am not obese, so it is clear that this BMI chart is not a perfect science, but it has given me even MORE motivation to cut back on the junk, eat less, and exercise more. In fact, I remember back in High School, when I was in the best shape of my life, this BMI chart still said that I was overweight. I guess it's just another part of having rich Norwegian Viking Genes coursing through my veins. See where you stand:

Mama, I'm coming home...

Today is a good day, for I am hopping on a jet plane and making my way back to my hometown. March is a big month in Odland family. Both my mother and I have birthdays, so it has always been a fun time of the year for our family.

Ever since I moved to California, March hasn't been the same, for obvious reasons, I'm here, they're there (Utah). So this year, now that I can afford it, I am flying back home to see this wild group (pictured, circa 1992). If you know me, then you will believe when I say that my family knows how to have a good time. That is why I am SO looking forward to stepping off that plane and grounding myself on that beautiful Utah soil.

Family aside, it has been what feels like Eons since I last saw many of my Utah friends. That is why this time around I am also having a little get together at one of my favorite local Restaurants, The Pie. We used to always assemble in this ma & pa pizzeria, tip back pitchers of Hefeweizen and chomp on some of the best pizza this side of the Rocky Mountains.

The purpose of this entry is to throw out a warning that I will prob not be writing for the rest of the week. Keep your eyes open though, because I may manage to squeeze one out if I get around to it. And I'm off...

Bon voyage!

I'll be back Monday!

"I was a present" or "Halloween with the Odlands"

I've never been asked to be a birthday present for anyone until about a month ago. Angie, my brother's girlfriend (pictured on the right), called me and asked if i would come out to Utah for a weekend to visit my brother, not known to him of course. So I accepted, and even took it a step further, that's right, I am inside that box. I thought not only would it be fun to surprise Timmy, but thought it would be a lot of fun to actually be wrapped like a present. So, Angie and I made plans, I flew out of LA early on a Saturday morning, she picked me up at the airport and we headed up to Park City to surprise him. Once we got up there, I hopped in the box , we wrapped it up and I sat and waited for the birthday boy to come out.

And waited...



Amazingly, Tim was totally surprised and didn't expect a thing. We ended up having a great Halloween weekend. As Odland tradition carries we all ended up getting in costume and went out to eat. Aren't we a scary bunch?

Family Tragedy....

On April 14, 2007, I lost my dear uncle Knut Harold Odland after he was injured during a high speed police chase in Salt Lake City. The tragedy happened on Friday the 13th at about 5:00 pm. Uncle Knut was walking home from the Hideaway bar on 1700 S. Main Street when two cars collided in the intersection, slid toward my uncle, smashing him against a wall. He was rushed to a nearby hospital were hospital staff intensely worked on him. He later died from internal bleeding, he was 49 years old.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office charged Donald Lee Snyder, 36, the man responsible for the tragedy, with manslaughter, failing to stop at command of police, theft by receiving stolen property and possession of a dangerous weapon, all second-degree felonies. He was also wanted for parole violation out of Virginia. The driver of the other car involved in the collision, 36-year-old Douglas Butcher, was listed in critical condition following the crash. Doctors told Butcher's family the trauma to his body was too severe and that there was nothing they could do to save him. He died a week later on April 20 from injuries he sustained in the crash.

Because this was such a freak accident, you can imagine the shock my family has gone through.
Click Here to see news story.
Knut was my father's little brother, and because of his different lifestyle we did not see him frequently. In fact, my last memory of Uncle Knut was in my early teens. But each and every one of those memories are great ones.

Although this tragedy has been hard on the family, it has been a blessing in that it brought the Odland family closer together. Following the tragedy, all of the Odland's living in Utah got together for the first time in over a decade. I was able to travel home and spend time with my family. We gathered to honor and remember the life of our Uncle.All the Odland children, minus Tim A. It's amazing how such a terrible tragedy can strengthen family unity.

We will miss you Uncle Knut, hang tight, we'll see you soon.

To read Knut's Obituary CLICK HERE

Fleet the parents...

I've been out in California now for a little over three months now and it truly is amazing to look back on all that I've done since my arrival. I think the weight of it all came to my realization when my parents showed up last week. They arrived last Tuesday (Jan. 9 2007) and I led them all around southern California until the following Sunday. Up until their arrival I had not understood the magnitude of the job I have. Like any job, you get used to your duties and tend to forget how many others would LOVE to do what you do. And my parents visit made me realize just how lucky I am.

It was the first time my folks have ever been out in the LA area. It was a lot of fun to take them to all of the sites. You know, downtown Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Universal Studios. As you can see, it was a riot. I hope they had a good time and will come back someday soon!

Why Christmas is BETTER this year....

Every year Christmas seems to sneak up on us and many of us find ourselves asking the question, "It's Christmas ALREADY!" On top of the excitement for the holiday festivities, many of us spend most of our time worrying about getting that perfect gift for our friends and loved ones.

For me, many of those feelings are the same this year, only there is another added level of anticipation thrown into the mix that I haven't experienced in a long time. The best way to describe the feeling I'm talking about is to think back, way back, to your childhood. Remember the nights you spent looking out your bedroom window at the snow-covered landscape, dreaming of Santa Clause swooping in on his slay to deliver your much wanted present? Well that's the same level of anticipation that I'm talking about, only my anticipation isn't for the arrival of Father Christmas, but rather, for my arrival home.

For the first time in about 5 years, I'm living far away from my family. Unfortunately, one learns how much their family really means to them when they are separated from them for an extended amount of time. So in the same spirit a small child dreams about Santa bringing their favorite present down the chimney, I can't wait to come home for Christmas. And that is why it's better this year than any other year.

But it won't be easy. My journey home begins tomorrow, and I say "journey" because with recent weather problems in Denver this week, it truly will be just that. The first flight in two days took off from Denver's airport today, after a powerful snowstorm paralyzed the airport with up to 2 feet of snow (as you can see). Many flights were canceled causing major delays for the holiday rush. Hopefully, everything will be back on track this weekend. I can only wish that everything will go as planned and "I'll be home for Christmas" in one piece. And for all of you who may be traveling home for the holidays, may your travels be safe and bring you to your families in time for Christmas.

Kristian