You are probably correct on that. Age clearly changes perspective. The best surf flick I ever saw was one highlighting the hawaiian Barry kalaupuni or whatever his name was, really tearing up with deep turns and cut backs, made about 25 years ago. Photography was outstanding, and to watch that guy work the waves the way he did was truly impressive. I forgot the name of the movie; I am not a movie nut; watch them once and forget it 5 minutes later.
Endless Summer is the standard us old geezers grew up with. I like em all. But Endless Summer really blew minds way back in the day. An awesome travelogue!
I can honestly say, Step Into Liquid changed my life. That's a bold statement, but I stand by it. It allowed me to believe that surfing can be a lifestyle as well as a culture, and it encouraged me to live out my dreams of living that lifestyle. Other movies: No Friends 1 + 2 , Momentum 1 + 2
I just shared this video with a few of my students. The people in this video made me feel like a complete, out of shape, coward... I'm racing a 5k tomorrow. I'm not very extreme anymore...
http://www.magpictures.com/surfwise/ Surfwise is my all time favorite. Just a great story about a family living off the grid (most of the time).