Rising Son: The Legend Of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi

Rating: Not Rated

Movie Release Date: Not available

DVD Release Date: November 14, 2006

Plot 411: Documentary about the ups and downs in the life of skateboarding phenom Christian Hosoi.

Review: In this doc narrated by Dennis Hopper, we explore the fast-paced life of Christian Hosoi. In the early '80s, Hosoi shot to stardom because of his natural gift for skateboarding and his charismatic personality. He was innovative and excelled in contests. He knew how to work the media and market himself and his companies to maximum profit. However, he also had a zen-like attitude toward money and believed that it was transitory and not the main meaning of life. His lifestyle grew more and more extravagant and skating took him across the world. He partied like a rock star with rock stars and actors and all of Hollwood. He was the "it" man of the '80s. When skating trends began to change, he wasn't able to cope and fell into drugs. He was eventually incarcerated for possession of crystal meth with an intent to sell. He served part of his time, found God in the process and was released early. If you're a skate fan, this is an intriguing look into the world of one of the originators. This era follows up the Dogtown and Z-Boys generation, and it's cool to see how the sport is progressing. Hosoi had a massive influence on thousands of skaters that came after him. The doc is filled with testimonies from world-class skaters, like Tony Hawk, and even some actors like David Arquette and Jason Lee. It also shows a bit about his early family life and the influence his dad had on him. His dad is from Hawaii and met his mom in the islands while in college.

Watch It: For a bit of skating history and a look at the cost of fame.

Skip It: If you haven't seen the Dogtown and Z-Boys doc yet. Some of the same people are in this film.