Wishing you could hit the waves this summer? Get ready to hang ten while surfing Prime Video with these delightful movie selections. The Endless Summer Even 57 years after its release, this 1966 doc still thrills as it follows surfers Mike Hynson and Robert August traveling around the globe to hang ten on coasts from California to South Africa’s now-iconic Cape St. Francis. Directed and narrated by filmmaker Bruce Brown, Summer brought the sport to a broader audience and continues to be held as the gold standard for films exploring surf culture. Available Now (Credit: Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection) Blue Crush In this 2002 drama based on an Outside magazine story, girlfriends Eden (Michelle Rodriguez), Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth), and Lena (Sanoe Lake) live for riding waves off the North Shore of Oahu. But with an eye on becoming pro, Anne Marie enters the Pipeline Masters. Can she win it all,...
- 7/2/2023
- TV Insider
Kate Bosworth didn’t let early 2000s Hollywood crush her ahead of her big break in “Blue Crush.”
The actress reflected on her breakout role and easily what could have been a bikini-clad “Girls Gone Wild” parody of a sports surfing film.
“I was reading a lot of scripts in 2001, and the parts for women were certainly not multidimensional,” Bosworth told Vulture. “The ones that were exhibiting a lot of depth were quite competitive, and I was a ‘no one’ at the time. Being a young blonde girl, there were a lot of roles that were stereotypical bitchy, dumb, or vapid. Not getting roles wasn’t frustrating because that’s the name of the game, but the stereotypes felt disappointing.”
She added, “If you remember the early 2000s, they could be pretty cruel for young girls, so I was feeling a little dejected.”
That is, until director John Stockwell and...
The actress reflected on her breakout role and easily what could have been a bikini-clad “Girls Gone Wild” parody of a sports surfing film.
“I was reading a lot of scripts in 2001, and the parts for women were certainly not multidimensional,” Bosworth told Vulture. “The ones that were exhibiting a lot of depth were quite competitive, and I was a ‘no one’ at the time. Being a young blonde girl, there were a lot of roles that were stereotypical bitchy, dumb, or vapid. Not getting roles wasn’t frustrating because that’s the name of the game, but the stereotypes felt disappointing.”
She added, “If you remember the early 2000s, they could be pretty cruel for young girls, so I was feeling a little dejected.”
That is, until director John Stockwell and...
- 8/13/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
It's a cruel summer—except for the anniversary of Blue Crush's release. 19 years ago, Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez and Sanoe Lake teamed up to take on the famed Pipeline competition in the surf drama. The trio played best friends trying to make ends meet in Hawaii while Anne Marie (Bosworth) pursued her dream of becoming a pro surfer after a near-death accident in the water. Since its release in 2002, earning $55 million at the box office to become one of the summer's sleeper hits, Blue Crush has remained a cult classic, thanks to its depiction of female friendships and a young woman trying to make her mark in a male-dominated sport. And there was even buzz in 2017 that a Blue...
- 8/16/2021
- E! Online
The stars of Blue Crush are missing the big swells of Oahu's North Shore. Exactly 18 years after Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez and Sanoe Lake brought surf culture to the big screen, they've reunited to discuss the film's impact on young women, the possibility of a sequel and the lifelong memories they made along the way. "For me," Kate told her co-stars during their virtual catch-up, "Blue Crush is the one that everyone, and especially young girls, come up to me and say, 'You inspired me to do this! You guys are all my heroes!' It's so incredible." As a Hawaii native and lifelong competitive surfer, Sanoe was the only...
- 8/7/2020
- E! Online
Surf's up. Blue Crush is set to come barreling back...as a TV show. NBC is set to reboot the beloved 2002 surf movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. What's the opposite of a cruel summer? Oh, a happy fall. (Ok, we admit, that one was lame.) Currently in development and in the early stages, the TV version of Blue Crush will be executive produced and written by Hannah Schneider (The CW's Reign), with Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo and Jillian Kugler also serving as EPs. The film version starred Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez and Sanoe Lake as three surfers living in Hawaii, with Bosworth's character attempting to make her mark in the surfing world after...
- 10/13/2017
- E! Online
Surf's up at The Peacock Network. NBC has made a script commitment with penalty to a Blue Crush TV show adaptation. Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, and Sanoe Lake starred in to 2002 surfing feature film of the same name.Deadline reports Switched at Birth creator Lizzy Weiss, who co-wrote the film with director John Stockwell, will write the Blue Crush TV series adaptation. She will also executive produce.Read More…...
- 11/12/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
According to reports, NBC will adapt the 2002 female 'surfer' feature "Blue Crush", in a return to 'jiggle tv':
The new series will be produced by Universal, with Francie Calfo executive producing from a script by Lizzy Weiss ("Switched at Birth").
"Blue Crush" the movie, was directed by John Stockwell, following best friends 'Anne Marie' (Kate Bosworth), 'Eden' (Michelle Rodriguez) and 'Lena' (Sanoe Lake)...
...who have a passion to surf Hawaii's famed 'North Shore'.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Blue Crush"...
The new series will be produced by Universal, with Francie Calfo executive producing from a script by Lizzy Weiss ("Switched at Birth").
"Blue Crush" the movie, was directed by John Stockwell, following best friends 'Anne Marie' (Kate Bosworth), 'Eden' (Michelle Rodriguez) and 'Lena' (Sanoe Lake)...
...who have a passion to surf Hawaii's famed 'North Shore'.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Blue Crush"...
- 11/11/2016
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Kirsten Howard Rob Leane Oct 16, 2017
The TV reboot of John Stockwell's 2002 surfing flick Blue Crush is back on at NBC, it appears..
Back in November of 2016, we reported some news we'd heard about a Blue Crush TV series in development at NBC. Since that time, however, there have been exactly zero updates on the project.
See related Star Trek: Netflix reveals the most rewatched episodes New on Netflix UK: what's added in October 2017?
Then, last Thursday, The Wrap cheerfully brought word that the whole thing is back on.
NBC are still the network trying to make it fly, but Lizzy Weiss - co-writer of the original film - is out, and Hannah Schneider (Reign) had taken her place as the lead writer.
Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo are the show's executive producers on the reboot, and the story "will focus on a surfer in Hawaii’s North Shore...
The TV reboot of John Stockwell's 2002 surfing flick Blue Crush is back on at NBC, it appears..
Back in November of 2016, we reported some news we'd heard about a Blue Crush TV series in development at NBC. Since that time, however, there have been exactly zero updates on the project.
See related Star Trek: Netflix reveals the most rewatched episodes New on Netflix UK: what's added in October 2017?
Then, last Thursday, The Wrap cheerfully brought word that the whole thing is back on.
NBC are still the network trying to make it fly, but Lizzy Weiss - co-writer of the original film - is out, and Hannah Schneider (Reign) had taken her place as the lead writer.
Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo are the show's executive producers on the reboot, and the story "will focus on a surfer in Hawaii’s North Shore...
- 11/11/2016
- Den of Geek
Surf’s up at NBC.
The network is developing a TV series based on the 2002 movie Blue Crush, which starred Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez (Lost) and Sanoe Lake as a trio of friends riding waves in Hawaii, our sister site Deadline reports.
RelatedCruel Intentions Sequel Series Not Moving Forward at NBC
Switched at Birth creator Lizzy Weiss, a co-writer on the film, will pen the project and serve as an executive producer.
Ready for more of today’s newsy nuggets? Well…
* Outlander has cast Hannah James (Mercy Street) and newcomer Tanya Reynolds to play the Dunsany sisters, Geneva and Isobel,...
The network is developing a TV series based on the 2002 movie Blue Crush, which starred Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez (Lost) and Sanoe Lake as a trio of friends riding waves in Hawaii, our sister site Deadline reports.
RelatedCruel Intentions Sequel Series Not Moving Forward at NBC
Switched at Birth creator Lizzy Weiss, a co-writer on the film, will pen the project and serve as an executive producer.
Ready for more of today’s newsy nuggets? Well…
* Outlander has cast Hannah James (Mercy Street) and newcomer Tanya Reynolds to play the Dunsany sisters, Geneva and Isobel,...
- 11/11/2016
- TVLine.com
Exclusive: One of the most popular surf movies, Blue Crush, is headed to television. NBC has given a script commitment with penalty to a series based on the 2002 Imagine feature directed by John Stockwell, which starred Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez and Sanoe Lake. Lizzy Weiss, who co-wrote the movie with Stockwell, will pen the series adaptation and will executive produce. The movie’s producer, Imagine’s Brian Grazer, also will executive produce with the company’s…...
- 11/10/2016
- Deadline TV
"Spock, I do not know too much about these little Tribbles yet, but there is one thing that I have discovered. I like them … better than I like you." –Dr. McCoy, "Star Trek" (1967)
Greetings from the apocalypse! The trouble with Tribbles is not how cute they are but how much they multiply, or in the case of "Star Trek Into Darkness," the silly plot point for which they cameo. That's the only thing I'll spoil from that movie (besides that it stinks), but luckily there's some sweet alternatives this week that boldly go where no J.J. Abrams movie has gone before … coherence.
Friday, May 17
Pow! In Theaters
Oh boy. "Star Trek Into Dumbness" finally fulfills J.J. Abrams' five-year mission to run this franchise through a Cuisinart of stupidity. I would need a spoiler avalanche to make a proper case for how this sequel squanders classic characters and scenarios from...
Greetings from the apocalypse! The trouble with Tribbles is not how cute they are but how much they multiply, or in the case of "Star Trek Into Darkness," the silly plot point for which they cameo. That's the only thing I'll spoil from that movie (besides that it stinks), but luckily there's some sweet alternatives this week that boldly go where no J.J. Abrams movie has gone before … coherence.
Friday, May 17
Pow! In Theaters
Oh boy. "Star Trek Into Dumbness" finally fulfills J.J. Abrams' five-year mission to run this franchise through a Cuisinart of stupidity. I would need a spoiler avalanche to make a proper case for how this sequel squanders classic characters and scenarios from...
- 5/17/2013
- by Max Evry
- NextMovie
This week sees the release of several new movies and TV shows, some for the first time ever on Blu-ray. Of the ones coming out this week, we’re excited for a few of them in particular.
These esteemed examples of entertainment include A Nightmare on Elm Street, Pirate Radio, the debut of Voltron Beast King Golion, the thirteenth season of Dallas, the DVD release of the very funny Defendor and the 15th Anniversary Blu-ray of Apollo 13 (pictured above with Bill Paxton, Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise and Kevin Bacon).
Check them out:
Movies
A Nightmare on Elm Street ~ Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, John Saxon (Blu-ray)
Apollo 13 (15th Anniversary Edition) ~ Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise (Blu-ray)
Creature of Darkness ~ Devon Sawa, Sanoe Lake, Matthew Lawrence (Blu-ray and DVD)
Defendor ~ Woody Harrelson, Kat Dennings, Sandra Oh, Elias Koteas (DVD)
Final Storm ~ Luke Perry, Lauren Holly...
These esteemed examples of entertainment include A Nightmare on Elm Street, Pirate Radio, the debut of Voltron Beast King Golion, the thirteenth season of Dallas, the DVD release of the very funny Defendor and the 15th Anniversary Blu-ray of Apollo 13 (pictured above with Bill Paxton, Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise and Kevin Bacon).
Check them out:
Movies
A Nightmare on Elm Street ~ Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, John Saxon (Blu-ray)
Apollo 13 (15th Anniversary Edition) ~ Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise (Blu-ray)
Creature of Darkness ~ Devon Sawa, Sanoe Lake, Matthew Lawrence (Blu-ray and DVD)
Defendor ~ Woody Harrelson, Kat Dennings, Sandra Oh, Elias Koteas (DVD)
Final Storm ~ Luke Perry, Lauren Holly...
- 4/13/2010
- by Joe Gillis
- The Flickcast
There's only so long the darkness can last, with its creepy shadows, sharp teeth, and werewolf howls. At some point, as they sing in Hair, you have to "let the sunshine in." Just a few days after we learned that Sean Penn is thinking about returning to the surf to mentor Jay Moriarty, not to mention today's earlier beach bums, another surfing tale hits the wire. Production Weekly's Twitter feed reports that Universal is gearing up for a sequel to the 2002 film Blue Crush, with plans to film in South Africa at the end of next month.
Starring Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, and Sanoe Lake, the original Blue Crush followed Anne Marie, a slacker girl addicted to the surf. While Anne Marie is eagerly awaiting a surf competition, she's also trying to put a dangerous wipeout out of her mind ... until she meets a sexy pro quarterback (Matthew Davis of...
Starring Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, and Sanoe Lake, the original Blue Crush followed Anne Marie, a slacker girl addicted to the surf. While Anne Marie is eagerly awaiting a surf competition, she's also trying to put a dangerous wipeout out of her mind ... until she meets a sexy pro quarterback (Matthew Davis of...
- 4/1/2010
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
Creature of Darkness is a film from Showcase Entertainment and Mti Video which will release on to DVD April 13th. The film utilizes both the sci-fi and horror genres to deliver great lines like: "let's be ingenious!" Wow, that is exciting writing. Watch the trailer at an off site location to get the campy feel for this 2009 production.
The synopsis for Creature of Darkness:
"Andres is haunted by the nightmare of dying a horrible death in the claw of a rampaging creature. A friend convinces him the only way to conquer his imagined fear it to confront it head on. When they invite an adventurous group of off-roaders for radical cycling in remote terrain, no one knows they are being led to the time and place the nightmare unfolds. As sunset plunges them into darkness, the dreadful dream turns real, and they are attacked by The Catcher, a skilled...
The synopsis for Creature of Darkness:
"Andres is haunted by the nightmare of dying a horrible death in the claw of a rampaging creature. A friend convinces him the only way to conquer his imagined fear it to confront it head on. When they invite an adventurous group of off-roaders for radical cycling in remote terrain, no one knows they are being led to the time and place the nightmare unfolds. As sunset plunges them into darkness, the dreadful dream turns real, and they are attacked by The Catcher, a skilled...
- 2/20/2010
- by Michael Ross Allen
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Is it just my imagination or have we been reporting on the Devon Sawa monster movie Creature of Darkness for two years now? Sure feels like it has taken its sweet time. At long last, the monster movie funded by a Powerball lottery winner (true story!) will finally begin stalking DVD shelves this April.
"Whatever happened to" Devon Sawa (Final Destination, Idle Hands, Extreme Ops) stars as a young man plagued by nightmares in which he repeatedly sees himself and his friends being slaughtered by a supernatural monster known as The Catcher. His friends, who have apparently never seen a horror movie in their lives, attempt to cure him of his recurring nightmares by taking him to a secluded forest where his dreams indicate The Catcher lurks. Guess what dream monster turns out to be very much a reality?
Writer-director Mark Stouffer's Creature of Darkness co-stars the likes of Latin singing sensation Fernanda Romero,...
"Whatever happened to" Devon Sawa (Final Destination, Idle Hands, Extreme Ops) stars as a young man plagued by nightmares in which he repeatedly sees himself and his friends being slaughtered by a supernatural monster known as The Catcher. His friends, who have apparently never seen a horror movie in their lives, attempt to cure him of his recurring nightmares by taking him to a secluded forest where his dreams indicate The Catcher lurks. Guess what dream monster turns out to be very much a reality?
Writer-director Mark Stouffer's Creature of Darkness co-stars the likes of Latin singing sensation Fernanda Romero,...
- 2/1/2010
- by Foywonder
- DreadCentral.com
Sundance Film Festival
PARK CITY -- Sundance has been criticized in recent years for surrendering to Hollywood. Indeed, many of the movies in this year's dramatic competition have well-known actors in the cast, which is probably how they got made. But the festival still offers a showcase to truly independent filmmakers and highlights daring work that would otherwise never get any notice at all.
Half-Life, showing in the New Frontiers section, reminds us why Sundance was launched and why it continues to have value, despite all the swag and corporate sponsors. First-time writer-director Jennifer Phang demonstrates an original talent, and though the film has imperfections and sometimes shows the strains of its low budget, it is an imaginative and deeply affecting effort. Its boxoffice prospects are limited, but it will find appreciative audiences over time.
The film is set in the not-too-distant future, when TV newscasts inform us that global warming has begun to have drastic effects all over the world. But in a suburban neighborhood of northern California, an Asian-American family is undergoing a lot of the same stresses that have always plagued families. Saura (Julia Nickson) is a single mother raising daughter Pam (Sanoe Lake) and younger son Timothy (Alexander Agate). Her new live-in lover, the much younger Wendell (Ben Redgrave), is taking a distinctly unfatherly interest in Pam. For her part, Pam is fixated on a neighbor, Scott (Leonardo Nam), the adopted son of a fundamentalist couple. Scott, however, has recently discovered his homosexuality and is having an affair with a black teacher (Lee Marks).
All of the turmoil in these two households is piercingly caught by Phang. There are plenty of moments of dark humor in the interactions of the characters, but there is also real pain and anguish. Performances vary in quality. Nickson and Lake contribute astute portrayals, but some of the supporting actors are less effective. Redgrave is too callow to capture Wendell's tortured personality, and his psychotic behavior in the final reel is not fully convincing.
But the film rests on the performance of young Agate, and here Phang has scored a triumph. Much of the film is seen through his eyes, and he conveys a wisdom well beyond his years, along with the wounds of a sensitive boy ignored or abused by the people who should be looking after him. Although the film has harsh comments to make about America's contributions to an environmental crisis, its most passionate concern is with this young boy. If we can't pay attention to our children, Phang seems to say, the earth is hardly worth saving.
Despite all that he suffers, Timothy has the resilience of many withdrawn children. He even begins to develop some supernatural powers. Phang and her expert crew execute some wonderful special effects to convey Timothy's paranormal vision. There are even a few brilliant animated sequences to suggest the boy's fears and imaginative powers. The picture is exceptionally well photographed by Aasulv Wolf Austad, and the music by Michael S. Patterson is haunting. Half-Life marks the debut of a promising, truly independent film artist.
HALF-LIFE
Fade to Blue Prods. in association with Mark E. Lee Prods. and Lane Street Pictures
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Jennifer Phang
Producers: Reuben Lim, Alan T. Chan, Robert Zimmer Jr.
Executive producers: Dylan Shields, Mark E. Lee
Director of photography: Aasulv Wolf Austad
Production designer: Aiyana Trotter
Music: Michael S. Patterson
Co-producers: Ben Berkowitz, Anthony Begonia, Robert M. Chang, Kristian Hansen
Co-executive producers: Wendy Jean Bennett, Richard Hall
Editor: Harry Yoon
Supervising editor: Gloria Vela
Cast:
Pam Wu: Sanoe Lake
Timothy Wu: Alexander Agate
Saura Wu: Julia Nickson
Wendell Olson: Ben Redgrave
Scott Parker: Leonardo Nam
Jonah Robertson: Lee Marks
Richard Parker: James Eckhouse
Lorraine Parker: Susan Ruttan
Running time -- 107 minutes
No MPAA rating...
PARK CITY -- Sundance has been criticized in recent years for surrendering to Hollywood. Indeed, many of the movies in this year's dramatic competition have well-known actors in the cast, which is probably how they got made. But the festival still offers a showcase to truly independent filmmakers and highlights daring work that would otherwise never get any notice at all.
Half-Life, showing in the New Frontiers section, reminds us why Sundance was launched and why it continues to have value, despite all the swag and corporate sponsors. First-time writer-director Jennifer Phang demonstrates an original talent, and though the film has imperfections and sometimes shows the strains of its low budget, it is an imaginative and deeply affecting effort. Its boxoffice prospects are limited, but it will find appreciative audiences over time.
The film is set in the not-too-distant future, when TV newscasts inform us that global warming has begun to have drastic effects all over the world. But in a suburban neighborhood of northern California, an Asian-American family is undergoing a lot of the same stresses that have always plagued families. Saura (Julia Nickson) is a single mother raising daughter Pam (Sanoe Lake) and younger son Timothy (Alexander Agate). Her new live-in lover, the much younger Wendell (Ben Redgrave), is taking a distinctly unfatherly interest in Pam. For her part, Pam is fixated on a neighbor, Scott (Leonardo Nam), the adopted son of a fundamentalist couple. Scott, however, has recently discovered his homosexuality and is having an affair with a black teacher (Lee Marks).
All of the turmoil in these two households is piercingly caught by Phang. There are plenty of moments of dark humor in the interactions of the characters, but there is also real pain and anguish. Performances vary in quality. Nickson and Lake contribute astute portrayals, but some of the supporting actors are less effective. Redgrave is too callow to capture Wendell's tortured personality, and his psychotic behavior in the final reel is not fully convincing.
But the film rests on the performance of young Agate, and here Phang has scored a triumph. Much of the film is seen through his eyes, and he conveys a wisdom well beyond his years, along with the wounds of a sensitive boy ignored or abused by the people who should be looking after him. Although the film has harsh comments to make about America's contributions to an environmental crisis, its most passionate concern is with this young boy. If we can't pay attention to our children, Phang seems to say, the earth is hardly worth saving.
Despite all that he suffers, Timothy has the resilience of many withdrawn children. He even begins to develop some supernatural powers. Phang and her expert crew execute some wonderful special effects to convey Timothy's paranormal vision. There are even a few brilliant animated sequences to suggest the boy's fears and imaginative powers. The picture is exceptionally well photographed by Aasulv Wolf Austad, and the music by Michael S. Patterson is haunting. Half-Life marks the debut of a promising, truly independent film artist.
HALF-LIFE
Fade to Blue Prods. in association with Mark E. Lee Prods. and Lane Street Pictures
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Jennifer Phang
Producers: Reuben Lim, Alan T. Chan, Robert Zimmer Jr.
Executive producers: Dylan Shields, Mark E. Lee
Director of photography: Aasulv Wolf Austad
Production designer: Aiyana Trotter
Music: Michael S. Patterson
Co-producers: Ben Berkowitz, Anthony Begonia, Robert M. Chang, Kristian Hansen
Co-executive producers: Wendy Jean Bennett, Richard Hall
Editor: Harry Yoon
Supervising editor: Gloria Vela
Cast:
Pam Wu: Sanoe Lake
Timothy Wu: Alexander Agate
Saura Wu: Julia Nickson
Wendell Olson: Ben Redgrave
Scott Parker: Leonardo Nam
Jonah Robertson: Lee Marks
Richard Parker: James Eckhouse
Lorraine Parker: Susan Ruttan
Running time -- 107 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 1/24/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Devon Sawa, Matthew Lawrence and Sanoe Lake have signed on to star in the horror/sci-fi indie Hunter's Moon for Stouffer Entertainment. The story centers on a man (Sawa) who dreams that he and friends will die at the hands of a brutal, otherworldly creature. Fernanda Romero, Dan White, Siena Goines, Kevin Alejandro, Jennifer Howie and Ryan Judd round out the cast. Mark Stouffer is writer, director and producer of the film, which is executive produced by Mark Litwak and Jay Sedrish. Wendy Winks is co-producing.
- 9/16/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Babes, bikinis and the beach. It's been an unbeatable cinematic combination at least since the days of Gidget. Add the sort of extreme-sports action so in vogue with the younger set these days, and you have a movie that Universal no doubt hopes will take some of the boxoffice edge off Vin Diesel's heroics.
Those hopes probably will be realized, at least for the short term. With its theme of female empowerment and its sappy romantic plot line designed to appeal to teen girls, along with plenty of killer wave footage and a comely lead actress spending 90% of the film in a state of near nakedness to entice their male counterparts, "Blue Crush" should ride a fairly substantial wave of opening-week boxoffice.
Based on the magazine article "Surf Girls of Maui" by Susan Orleans, the film, shot entirely on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, differs from such predecessors as "Big Wednesday" and "Point Break" by its concentration on "surfer girls," who, much to the happiness of Universal's marketing department, naturally spend most of their time wearing skimpy bathing suits.
The central character is Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth), who, along with her roommates Eden (Michelle Rod-riguez) and Lena (Sanoe Lake), works as a maid at one of the island's posh resorts while dreaming of a career as a sponsored professional surfer. That dream would be made possible by succeeding at the upcoming Pipe Masters surf competition, but lingering fears from a previous wipeout prevent her from fully committing to her training, much to Eden's annoyance.
Complicating matters even further is the arrival of a vacationing pro football team, with several of the players hiring Anne Marie and her friends to give them private surfing lessons. Soon, she's ro-mantically involved with Matt (Matthew Davis), the dreamboat quarterback who showers her with expensive gifts and the unspoken promise of being a trophy wife. She's in danger of becoming, in what is apparently the ultimate insult for these macho women, a "Barbie".
While the plot rarely rises above the level of serviceable, it's actually not as moronic as might have been expected, with the characterizations being somewhat less stereotypical than usual. Credit for this goes to screenwriter Lizzy Weiss and director/co-screenwriter John Stockwell, the latter of whom demonstrated his sensitivity toward teen romance with last year's "crazy/beautiful." Ultimately, however, what drives the film are the surfing sequences, which have been realized with great skill and, as the press notes breathlessly inform us, "without a single blue screen or tank shot."
Needless to say, the scenery is absolutely gorgeous, and Stockwell and his technical collaborators have provided several gripping sequences. Particularly powerful is the climactic Pipe Masters competition, which provides vivid depictions of what exactly it's like to be in the middle of a killer wave with deadly coral reefs just below the surface.
The gorgeous Bosworth, clad in a series of bikinis (with properly hip mismatched tops and bottoms, natch), is not exactly tough to look at for two hours and delivers a solid performance, managing to look credible on her surfboard despite a lack of previous experience. Rodriguez, who spends much of the film on Jet Skis, provides her usual strong screen presence, and Lake, a veteran surfer, displays convincing athleticism.
Davis is appealing as the sensitive hunk, Mika Boorem strikes the right notes as Anne Marie's pesky younger sister, and Faizon Love scores literally hefty laughs as a particularly husky surfing neophyte. An assortment of professional female surfers, acting both as doubles for the actors and playing themselves, are on hand to lend veracity to the proceedings.
BLUE CRUSH
A Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment presentation
A Brian Grazer production
Credits:
Director: John Stockwell
Screenwriters: Lizzy Weiss, John Stockwell
Producers: Brian Grazer, Karen Kehela
Executive producers: Buffy Shutt, Kathy Jones, Louis G. Friedman
Director of photography: David Hennings
Production designer: Tom Meyer
Film editor: Emma E. Hickox
Music: Paul Haslinger
Cast:
Anne Marie: Kate Bosworth
Matt: Matthew Davis
Eden: Michelle Rodriguez
Lena: Sanoe Lake
Penny: Mika Boorem
Drew: Chris Taloa
Kala: Kala Alexander
Running time -- 109 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Those hopes probably will be realized, at least for the short term. With its theme of female empowerment and its sappy romantic plot line designed to appeal to teen girls, along with plenty of killer wave footage and a comely lead actress spending 90% of the film in a state of near nakedness to entice their male counterparts, "Blue Crush" should ride a fairly substantial wave of opening-week boxoffice.
Based on the magazine article "Surf Girls of Maui" by Susan Orleans, the film, shot entirely on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, differs from such predecessors as "Big Wednesday" and "Point Break" by its concentration on "surfer girls," who, much to the happiness of Universal's marketing department, naturally spend most of their time wearing skimpy bathing suits.
The central character is Anne Marie (Kate Bosworth), who, along with her roommates Eden (Michelle Rod-riguez) and Lena (Sanoe Lake), works as a maid at one of the island's posh resorts while dreaming of a career as a sponsored professional surfer. That dream would be made possible by succeeding at the upcoming Pipe Masters surf competition, but lingering fears from a previous wipeout prevent her from fully committing to her training, much to Eden's annoyance.
Complicating matters even further is the arrival of a vacationing pro football team, with several of the players hiring Anne Marie and her friends to give them private surfing lessons. Soon, she's ro-mantically involved with Matt (Matthew Davis), the dreamboat quarterback who showers her with expensive gifts and the unspoken promise of being a trophy wife. She's in danger of becoming, in what is apparently the ultimate insult for these macho women, a "Barbie".
While the plot rarely rises above the level of serviceable, it's actually not as moronic as might have been expected, with the characterizations being somewhat less stereotypical than usual. Credit for this goes to screenwriter Lizzy Weiss and director/co-screenwriter John Stockwell, the latter of whom demonstrated his sensitivity toward teen romance with last year's "crazy/beautiful." Ultimately, however, what drives the film are the surfing sequences, which have been realized with great skill and, as the press notes breathlessly inform us, "without a single blue screen or tank shot."
Needless to say, the scenery is absolutely gorgeous, and Stockwell and his technical collaborators have provided several gripping sequences. Particularly powerful is the climactic Pipe Masters competition, which provides vivid depictions of what exactly it's like to be in the middle of a killer wave with deadly coral reefs just below the surface.
The gorgeous Bosworth, clad in a series of bikinis (with properly hip mismatched tops and bottoms, natch), is not exactly tough to look at for two hours and delivers a solid performance, managing to look credible on her surfboard despite a lack of previous experience. Rodriguez, who spends much of the film on Jet Skis, provides her usual strong screen presence, and Lake, a veteran surfer, displays convincing athleticism.
Davis is appealing as the sensitive hunk, Mika Boorem strikes the right notes as Anne Marie's pesky younger sister, and Faizon Love scores literally hefty laughs as a particularly husky surfing neophyte. An assortment of professional female surfers, acting both as doubles for the actors and playing themselves, are on hand to lend veracity to the proceedings.
BLUE CRUSH
A Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment presentation
A Brian Grazer production
Credits:
Director: John Stockwell
Screenwriters: Lizzy Weiss, John Stockwell
Producers: Brian Grazer, Karen Kehela
Executive producers: Buffy Shutt, Kathy Jones, Louis G. Friedman
Director of photography: David Hennings
Production designer: Tom Meyer
Film editor: Emma E. Hickox
Music: Paul Haslinger
Cast:
Anne Marie: Kate Bosworth
Matt: Matthew Davis
Eden: Michelle Rodriguez
Lena: Sanoe Lake
Penny: Mika Boorem
Drew: Chris Taloa
Kala: Kala Alexander
Running time -- 109 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 8/15/2002
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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