Archive for Reviews
November 19, 2006 at 12:56 pm | Spongercity DVD Reviews, Reviews News
DEEP HOLLOW // Siroco Productions.
This is a Spanish DVD, with 100% canarian (yellow island) footage. Mostly locals but also some big names such as Mitch Rawlins & co. Amazing waves and footage, good image quality and highly skilled riders. The guys are doing massive airs over the shallowest spots in the canary islands like it’s just a 2 foot shore break. Massive props ! The only downside (if there is one) is the fact that there is only footage from the canary islands so dont expect to discover any other spots in Europe. All you will see is the best riders on the best waves on yellow bird island !
November 18, 2006 at 12:54 pm | Spongercity DVD Reviews, Reviews News
VIDEO // Todd Barnes.
I hate having to rate the DVDs i review. A lot of guys ask me to put little stars to rate the DVDs so they can be sure that the DVD is good. I understand this but i still havent created the little stars or rating system because i feel and reckon that each video is unique and as good as the quality & content is, there’s a public for each DVD. All DVDs are good to watch. Anyway, i dont know why i’m talking about this. Oh yeah ! I know why : if i had to rate this DVD, i would give it 10 stars on a 5 stars scale. Period. Review done.
This DVD is that good ! We havent seen something like this since “No Friends 1″ and “The inside”. The editing is fucken perfect, the riders rip, the waves are nuts, the length of the DVD really good, the Bonus too, and last but not least, the music is cool. It has been said that the music was ‘underground’ and stuff but i’ve heard most of the music and bands that are in the DVD before, so yeah, it’s not sell out music but it’s not super underground either. Anyway, if you have to get one DVD this year and if you wanna spend money on something nice and tasty : go get V I D E O by Todd Barnes.
November 17, 2006 at 12:52 pm | Spongercity DVD Reviews, Reviews News
NO FRIENDS 9 : ROAD TO RUIN // No Friends Prod.
Already the 9th No Friends video ! I still remember watching No Friends 1, it feels like it was 2 years ago. Actually it’s been 8 years or something since the first NF video… Ah ! VHS tapes days…
This is the first time that Stoker doesnt edit the video and for those who have enjoyed his editing and filming talent since NF1 this is a new era. This new video is really good, like all NF vids but there’s a little something that is different, even if it’s not really perceptible. I guess it lacks the Stoker’ touch.
Anyway, the editing is still really good, the riders are good, the Hubb section is awesome, the Ross one as well and the Skippy one rocks ! The aussies smoked the Hawaiian barrels and ramps this winter and it shows in the video. So many guys killing it. The 2 backside pigdog barrels in the Lackey section are worth mentioning as well. The micronesia section is unbelievable, it’s your dream session. The music is good, the image quality as well. The only thing i disliked was the riders section opening titles, in a sort of big blurry white circle with the spinning letters effect on a black background which didnt match the NF usual artworks and the rest of the video that well. A must see anyway !
November 16, 2006 at 12:50 pm | Spongercity DVD Reviews, Reviews News
BOOGIE NATION // Tim Hamilton
Boogie Nation’s originality comes from the amount of underground rippers and the diversity of waves and spots you can see. So many good riders (hawaiians especially) and so many trips and sessions are featured in the video ! It’s refreshing. Lots of DK rippers in the video, Bud and Dub are killing it on the knee. The famous Dub DK roll is in this DVD and it looks pretty nice. The music matches the video and it’s refreshing as well. The editing and image quality are not the best you can find but the quality of the content is great.
The highlight of the video is the Iceland footage which i found was awesome. It’s freezing, it’s beautiful, it’s fucken wild and Brandon Foster manages to get himself pitted on the knee between icebergs and funny sea creatures. You gotta watch this. The mexico and tahiti footage are really good too.
November 15, 2006 at 12:48 pm | Spongercity DVD Reviews, Reviews News
SATURATED THOUGHT // InspireMe Prod.
Saturated Thought was a really good surprise, i didnt know what to expect and this new aussie video was actually really good. Mostly Hawaii footage from this past winter on the north shore and a little bit of Oz as well. The really mellow soundtrack and smooth editing fits the awesome water footage and super nice land stuff as well. It’s not a slow-mo shitty wannabe arty video.
The editing is clean and simple and the quality of the image is good through out the whole DVD, it’s not changing with crappy cams sometimes and good ones at other times. The pipe footage from the water, the whole day from dawn to dusk and the sessions with winny and benny and everyone will blow your mind, it really feels like you were out there too. Between the sections some of the big names pros talk a little bit about what bbing means to them etc. It not really philosophical but not uninteresting either.
To sum it up : good video, good footage, smooth soundtrack, not your classic ‘déjà vu’ stuff from Hawaii, really good stuff !
November 14, 2006 at 12:46 pm | Spongercity DVD Reviews, Reviews News
SEGREGATION 2 // Chad Stickney
Segregation 2 : the new Chad Stickney DVD. Like Segregation 1, this new release has some pretty cool footage from all around the world, footage of riders you dont get to see in other videos, nice wedge footage plus Cali. and Hawaii stuff. The soundtrack is nice with a little bit of reggae and dub stuff. The only downside would be the editing which ain’t ‘pro’ editing but it’s nothing to worry about since the water footage and land footage is pretty good. Lots of nice DK footage as well. Definitly worth watching
November 13, 2006 at 12:24 pm | Spongercity DVD Reviews, Reviews News
LIFE // Fisher Film Prod.
Life is one nice aussie DVD. First thing you’ll notice : the waves are fucken massive in that video and the guys are fucken charging. The music choice is good and fits the crazy footage, specially on that massive right hander in the middle of nowhere with Tau, M. Novy, R. Matic, B. Bayfield, Tyge etc. It’s worth watching the video just for that freakin’ session !
Otherwise, the chris James section’s really good (with a Bunting talking intro) on a cool song that was in Smorgasboard (california video back in the days). The Ben Bayfield section’s really nice too, anyway all the sections are good. The only downside would be the editing maybe which is not as good as the footage but it’s minor. Want a video with solid waves, good riders, & real music to get amped before you go surf ? Then try this one.
November 12, 2006 at 11:45 am | Spongercity DVD Reviews, Reviews News
5SOUTH BOARDERLINE // 5south Media
The 5SOUTH DVD. 5SOUTH managed to release a nice DVD showing the talent of all their team riders (richie leon, edo escobedo, james dawson, brian pelton, mike lepierre, dave wells, tim mendoza, matt hicks, omar leon, alex zimmerman, kevin jimenez, wally sani) and their friends. The editing is really clean, with nice titles, almost each rider has its section, the images are good too. The level aint really ‘pro’ when it comes to riding but they’re definitly good (both prone & DK) and you’ll be surprised to see how good cali breaks can get. The music choice is good and the overall feeling of the DVD is good. It’s all about friends but it’s a nice & clean video and you won’t fell like you’re watching an amateur thing, this DVD is the real deal, specially if you’re from cali, you gotta watch it.
November 11, 2006 at 11:43 am | Spongercity DVD Reviews, Reviews News
POVERTY LINES // Jason Bitzer
This is Jason Bitzer’s latest video. First thing you’ll notice : there’s a lot of hawaii footage in it, with Maui, Outer Islands and Oahu spots & riders, underground rippers included. The hawaii contests are covered too, the Honolua Bay footage from last year is cool. Then you’ve got footage from all around the world, with Brazil, east coast USA, Mexico etc.
The good thing about the video is that you’ll see a lot of places & riders that you dont get to see in other videos and it’s refreshing and gets you amped to go out and surf. The bad thing is that there’s a lot of contest footage, the editing and quality of the film isn’t as good as ‘big’ productions and the music aint always that good. Definitly worth watching and entertaining though.
November 10, 2006 at 11:40 am | Spongercity DVD Reviews, Reviews News
SEGREGATION // Chad Stickney
This is California videoman Chad Stickney’s first video. Among the last videos i’ve seen i enjoyed Segregation quite a lot. We need more small productions like this DVD. Chad went everywhere to film that one, and he filmed stuffs that we never see in other videos.
There’s a cool overall mood in this video, and it will make you wanna go tripping, or run to the nearest beach to go surf. The Mex and Hawaii sections are really nice, and you’ll see a lot of bodyboarders that you dont often see (Babby Quinones, Scotty Carter etc.). Dk lovers will dig this video coz’ there’s a lot of DK in the video. The music is good and diverse , it made me think of the INSIDE soundtrack a little bit sometimes (Beastie Boys, reggae music, south-american tunes…).
The waterfootage is good and entertaining, and the quality of the images is good most of the time, no blurry and fuzzy shit that you sometimes have in first effort vids, however, the editing and titles aint the best. Chad’s working on the next video and will probably improve the editing.
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