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Surfing Film Reviews and Cool Vids

24

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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,150 ✭✭✭kumate_champ07


    promethius wrote: »
    Point Break:

    I always risk credibility whenever i say this in surfing circles but i don't care! I love this film!!!!
    There must be a few not familiar with it. It's an action feature film based in 1990's california, most of the action but not all is centred around surfing.
    It's best watched with a few beers and the critical surfing senses switched off.

    The plot involves FBI special agent Johnny Utah (yes really, Johhny Utah!) infiltrating a surfing gang that robs banks to pay for the ultimate surfing lifestyle (i'm not making any of this up)

    The film follows Johhny's double life as a clean cut agent and an outsider trying to fit into the surf culture of Los Angeles.

    The characters are what make this film what it is, I've already mentioned Johnny. Then there's:

    Pappas: his older partner (gary busey), a real i don't give a **** what anyone thinks anti-establishment hot head
    Bodhi (Bodhisattva): The ultimate soul surfer always searching for the ultimate thrill and enlightenment through surfing.
    Ben Harp: Asshole boss of the two agents, he's in scrubs as well, great lines.

    The surfing is patchy, literally. Some nice surfing but the way it's pasted together with the actors is jarring at best for some of it. The switch from small whitewater with keanu to the surfing double in overhead conditions is hard to watch.

    A great sky diving scene and also a running chase through LA.

    It's got one of the red hot chilli peppers in a minor role, don't know them anyways so don't ask which one.

    A lot of the themes are those of struggle.

    Bodhi must somehow reconcile his spiritual beliefs and deep love of surfing with stealing from banks and potentially injuring or killing innocent people. Never resolved really.

    The obvious struggle for Johnny is between his undercover roles as FBI agent and a guy who's fallen in love with surfing and everything that goes with it.

    However: I've heard another struggle down the years that Johnny has to deal with, that of repressed homosexuality! Then you think about it, he wants to spend all his time with toned, semi naked tanned young men. He won't take the shot at bodhi when he knows it will likely lead to bloodshed and death later (which it does). His possibly token boyish girlfriend has what i thought was a man's name (Tyler, it can be a girls name), short hair and is flat chested. Here's a better explanation of it

    The director katherine bigelow went on to win an oscar as best director for the hurt locker.
    love that movie! its not homosexuality, its something else, hard to describe. guy crush? he's in love with that characters lifestyle/outlook on life and has a deep admiration for him.


    katherine bigelow also made top gun, and happens to be homosexual herself which is interesting.



    or maybe it was a movie about a repressed homosexual FBI ex quarterback star turned surfer


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,150 ✭✭✭kumate_champ07




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,728 ✭✭✭rodento


    The Elusive is well worth the watch, very chilled out and relaxing

    http://www.pembrokeshiretv.com/elusive/index.htm


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭promethius


    or maybe it was a movie about a repressed homosexual FBI ex quarterback star turned surfer

    johnny utah always gets his man :D
    that re-edit was classic btw


  • Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,073 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo



    katherine bigelow also made top gun

    Nah that was Ridley Scott's brother Tony.

    I watched Point Break again tonight, hadn't seen it since I was a young fella. Its a great film in fairness, some of the surfing bits in it are cringe worthy though :D

    And that was Anthony Kiedis from the Chilli Peppers that shoots himself in the foot! Flea the bass player played Needles in the Back to the Future films too fact fans :P

    I re-watched Big Wednesday again during the week aswell. Its pretty cheesey in places but overall its a great film. Its pretty sad at the end and I think anyone who surfs seriously can relate to it in some way. Anyone know what break most of the surfing was filmed at? Looks magic!

    Speaking of Hollywood surf movies, they're making one about Jay Moriarty at the moment called Of men and Mavericks. Gerard Butler plays his mentor Frosty Hesson. He nearly got himself killed at Mavs after he was held down for two waves.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 286 ✭✭keryl


    Forgot to add, Point Break is being remade. How the hell do you replace Swayze and Busey. Reeves for the matter?


  • Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,073 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    keryl wrote: »
    Forgot to add, Point Break is being remade. How the hell do you replace Swayze and Busey. Reeves for the matter?

    ea I heard something about that. Its set in "te world of international extreme sports" so might not be surfing this time. I hope they know its pointless to call it Point Break if its not based around surfing.......


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭promethius


    who would you use alright,

    utah - doesn't need to be a top actor as such, maybe josh hartnett
    certainly could pull off the look and is athletic enough to do it, he's decent in the things i've seen him in.

    pappas - gary oldman, don't think he'd do it but he's a genius of an actor and would be excellent in the role.

    bodhi - tough one. i'm gonna say matthew mc connaghey.
    with his hair grown long he'd look the part, good enough shape for the part too and he can surf. about the right age too. he's annoying in a lot of films so could ruin in come to think of it.

    any others?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,150 ✭✭✭kumate_champ07


    promethius wrote: »
    who would you use alright,

    utah - doesn't need to be a top actor as such, maybe josh hartnett
    certainly could pull off the look and is athletic enough to do it, he's decent in the things i've seen him in.

    pappas - gary oldman, don't think he'd do it but he's a genius of an actor and would be excellent in the role.

    bodhi - tough one. i'm gonna say matthew mc connaghey.
    with his hair grown long he'd look the part, good enough shape for the part too and he can surf. about the right age too. he's annoying in a lot of films so could ruin in come to think of it.

    any others?
    maybe Brandon Routh?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandon_Routh


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭promethius



    good call! never thought of him. haven't seen him much since that ill fated superman reboot, wasn't his fault either.


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  • Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,073 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    Couldn't go wrong with Mcconaughey in fairness! Or if they went with a younger actor Chris Hemsworth from Thor. He might even be able to surf coming from Oz! I wouldn't mind seeing Routh in the Keanu role, or someone like Chris Evans or Chris Pine. For Pappa I'm not sure, maybe Dennis Quaid?

    Here's a full surf movie called Lost Atlas, not got around to watching it yet but might be good:



    If you watch it on youtube its in HD


  • Registered Users Posts: 243 ✭✭Decos


    Mcconaughey has some practice in a surfing role.... Have any of you ever seen 'surfer, dude'? Don't. Terrible terrible film!


  • Registered Users Posts: 286 ✭✭keryl


    Yeah McConnaughy I suppose, he surfs as well apparently. Shia LeBouf fits a role in there too I would say.

    North Shore is a must watch for sheer cheese. Also Soul Surfer with Bethany Hamilton, amazing story really obviously it's one of 'those' films but if it gets kids into surfing than it can only be a good thing. She's a good role model.


  • Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,073 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    keryl wrote: »
    Yeah McConnaughy I suppose, he surfs as well apparently. Shia LeBouf fits a role in there too I would say.

    North Shore is a must watch for sheer cheese. Also Soul Surfer with Bethany Hamilton, amazing story really obviously it's one of 'those' films but if it gets kids into surfing than it can only be a good thing. She's a good role model.

    Here's what i said about soul surfer in the films forum a while back :D
    Watched Soul Surfer, biopic of real life pro surfer Bethany Hamilton who had her arm bitten off by a shark and went on to make it as a pro regardless. Pretty inspiring story = pretty dull, cliched, cheesey, glossy, shallow and downright below average film made for impressionable teenage girls.

    At no point did it feel like the film was set in the real world at all, it's overly sentimental but has absolutely no depth to it whatsoever, everything is too easy, we're never really shown her struggle to get back to her old self, doesn't make for a very compelling movie, although she was quite quick to get back in their in real life too. Also for what proclaims to be a true story we're presented with the usual charicatures you get in any underdog sports movie, the loving supportive parents, the best friend who never stops believing in them and (worst of all) the villainous rival (that didn't exist in real life) who always wears black and quite unbelievably still acts like a dick after their main rival has their arm bitten off, oh and guess what, the villain miraculously respects the underdog at the end for no reason whatsoever. Awful awful tripe but you can bet loads of people will lap this up as an accurate portrayal of real life.

    I'm willing to let the overtly christian overtones(which aren't too overplayed i suppose) of the film slide since the character is a bit of a bible basher in real life anyway.

    One plus, the surf footage in it is great though there are some discrepencies on what is actually possible in one or two places, regardless of that, I would recommend everyone just go and watch Point Break instead.

    in hindsight its probably not as bad as I made it out to be, just a bit of fluff really. :o


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭promethius


    never thought u were so cynical mick, the poor girl lost her arm :p


  • Registered Users Posts: 451 ✭✭OldGuysRule


    katherine bigelow also made top gun, and happens to be homosexual herself which is interesting.

    Was she not married to James Cameron from 89 - 91, I know that being married does not preclude being lesbian / gay, just had not heard that about her before.


  • Registered Users Posts: 286 ✭✭keryl


    lol


    Yeah Soul Surfer isn't exactly my cup of tea but it gets the kids going.

    Wonder did she do Hurt Locker because she hates men?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭promethius


    she's 60 years old :eek: sweet lord
    what a waste if she is indeed batting for the blues

    220px-82nd_Academy_Awards,_Kathryn_Bigelow_-_army_mil-66453-2010-03-09-180354.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,728 ✭✭✭rodento




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭promethius


    rodento wrote: »

    surfing, a chilled out way to relax at the beach, to get away from all the stress and aggro in the world :p


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭promethius


    It's been mentioned in the thread here's my review of
    September Sessions

    This one is classified as surf porn, ie no real story or much dialogue just loads of surfing!
    Jack Johnson shot this in glorious 16mm back in 2002, he doesn't just do songs for childrens movies :D

    It's a trip to Sumatra with some of the best waves i've seen on film.
    The perfection and the consistency of the waves is out of this world, it's the kind of thing a surfer goes to bed at night and is thinking about last thing before they go to sleep.

    Top notch surfers including Kelly Slater (with hair!), Shane Dorian and Rob Machado feature and some of the Kelly footage is for me as good as it gets. No heats, points, interference, it's just wave after wave after wave. The scenery is spectacular and a few bits of surf wisdom from the lads too.

    Soundtrack fits real nice with the film. This is my favourite in this category of surfing film. It's a great one to throw on the night before a surfing day, really gets you in the mood and is very relaxing to watch.


  • Registered Users Posts: 243 ✭✭Decos




  • Registered Users Posts: 55 ✭✭Brandog


    promethius wrote: »
    It's been mentioned in the thread here's my review of
    September Sessions

    This one is classified as surf porn, ie no real story or much dialogue just loads of surfing!
    Jack Johnson shot this in glorious 16mm back in 2002, he doesn't just do songs for childrens movies :D

    It's a trip to Sumatra with some of the best waves i've seen on film.
    The perfection and the consistency of the waves is out of this world, it's the kind of thing a surfer goes to bed at night and is thinking about last thing before they go to sleep.

    Top notch surfers including Kelly Slater (with hair!), Shane Dorian and Rob Machado feature and some of the Kelly footage is for me as good as it gets. No heats, points, interference, it's just wave after wave after wave. The scenery is spectacular and a few bits of surf wisdom from the lads too.

    Soundtrack fits real nice with the film. This is my favourite in this category of surfing film. It's a great one to throw on the night before a surfing day, really gets you in the mood and is very relaxing to watch.

    What a beautiful piece of filming!!Surf porn? Certainly put the surf horn on me:D:D:D


  • Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,073 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    rodento wrote: »

    Memories eh? Were you the snaker or the snake-ee? :pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭promethius


    watched this one recently:

    blue horizon




    This film by legendary surf videographer Jack McCoy follows competition surfer Andy Irons RIP and freesurfer Dave "Rasta" Rastovich over the course of two years all over the world as they do some travel and also take part in the world tour.


    There is plenty of really good comment and out of the water stuff along the way and it looks back to some of the legends that have inspired the two guys as surfers. Some of the bits about Rasta's background are brilliant, he used to compete with olympic swimming legend grant hackett in surf lifesaving. His dad is a real character.


    The music is as good as i've seen in a surf film, varied and always suits the mood of the scene.


    Rasta whom i'd never come across before is very likeable, chilled out and interesting. Any doesn't come across very well, doesn't seem a particularly nice guy but will leave it at that. Kelly Slater features a bit as part of the world tour and there's some Bruce Irons in there too. Eddie, Archie, Gerry etc get brief mentions. All or most of the good international breaks feature.


    There's a short (thankfully) piece on tow in surfing, no new footage it's all been done to death in countless other movies. The film does acknowledge that the true test of a waterman is to paddle in at the end of the segment.


    It's a good insight into the tour and how it works, this doesn't dominate the film and is cut back to throughout it which works very well.


    Then there's the cinematography, without doubt it's the most complete surfing film in this regard.
    Some of it is pure art, tropical barrells with hyponotising colours and light. The camera work is so strong, i was trying to figure out how they actually captured some of the shots it doesn't seem possible. Every angle is covered and makes you feel part of the action. Mindblowing stuff.


    This is an inspiring and beautiful surf film and makes you want to catch waves more than most!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 296 ✭✭Cecil Mor


    Crystal Voyager.

    This is probably not to the taste of most on here, no up & down monkey dancing nonsense, but its a classic featuring some important characters from surfing's history.

    Part 1:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjWhqgs4uEo

    Part 2:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eRNbyiquq4

    Part 3:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THQDD0vPKhk&feature=related

    Part 4:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2N3WC_cKRY

    Part 5:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHct27wG84I&feature=related

    Part 6:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t791nWbWE-g&feature=related


  • Registered Users Posts: 286 ✭✭keryl


    Great film

    Really captures that 70s Country movement.

    Love the soundtrack, it's a guilty pleasure.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭promethius


    Cecil Mor wrote: »
    Crystal Voyager.

    This is probably not to the taste of most on here, no up & down monkey dancing nonsense, but its a classic featuring some important characters from surfing's history.

    Dude thank you for sharing that, i really enjoyed watching it.
    The music is so good and the vibe is really relaxing.
    As for the boat, i think that's one of the best examples i've ever seen of "living the dream"
    lots of changes since then, the opening sequence with leashless boards flying in all directions is an eye opener :D
    imagine if you'd shown him a go pro back then and said this was the future! pioneering stuff there.

    got a beautiful clean (big) reef session in this morning at first light and all these movies are greatly increasing the stoke and motivating me!

    keep em coming!


  • Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭OuterBombie


    Cecil Mor wrote: »
    Crystal Voyager.

    This is probably not to the taste of most on here, no up & down monkey dancing nonsense, but its a classic featuring some important characters from surfing's history.

    Great flick, props for getting it up here. I love his dream about a car that was a boat!

    I recently lent my copy to a friend who's building his own boat, the scene where he's transferring the lead is hero stuff!

    I don't see the Pink Floyd Echo's piece in there. Its at the end on the VHS I have at home:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEZTheet3jc

    Skip on to about the 3 minute mark and pull in :P

    Greenough was on water camera for a lot of the surf shots for Big Wednesday.

    Some legend.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 263 ✭✭VNP


    My eyes wont dry III triple box set, I Got it a few months ago, not really worth the money thb, but If you want to see amazing barrel riding barrel after barrel every 25 seconds with a few shots of Brian Conley driving to the beaches in his massive jeep and no tangents its the movie for you. In fairness the guy has cahones of steel and its amazing to see some of waves he goes for in mexico etc, but the lack of humor or a tales makes it difficult work, I enjoyed it no end but my non surfing friends were talking over it before long:o.


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