Step Into Liquid

Huge waves crash down on a seemingly unsuspecting surfer. Just as you expect the water to decimate him, he turns and flips, riding the wave expertly into shore. Claiming to have "no special effects, no stuntmen" and "no stereotypes," Step Into Liquid deals with surfers and their way of life, which isn't always sun-drenched and happy. Narrated by Dana Brown, a surfer himself, Step Into Liquid features some of the most beautiful surfing locations around the world. Gorgeous shots of Maui, California and other wave-friendly locales make this a visually stunning film. With waves high enough to make anyone dizzy, surfers from all over show off their moves and briefly explain why they put their lives in jeopardy day after day. The feeling through the whole documentary is that surfing isn't just for beach bums who don't want to get real jobs; it's about people who love surfing and love living life to the fullest no matter how high the wave is, which is the kind of Zen feeling you want when faced with a 20-foot wave. All of the people who surf say the same thing: "it's about having fun and catching the biggest wave you can." Made up of mostly male surfers, Step Into Liquid lacks one thing: female surfers. Where are all the women who surf? Apart from a brief two-minute introduction and slide show of three women surfing, there is no mention of any of the female counterparts. If surfing is all about the fun, why is there so much testosterone? Surely the director could have found more than two minutes to spend on women who surf. Male surfers complaining that surfing isn't treated like other sports around the world aren't entirely correct. Surfing is just like every other sport in terms of not including the women who also participate. Plus: deleted scenes, more. (Alliance Atlantis)