If surfing, skateboarding, motoring across 1,000 miles of desert and doing even stupider shit fall under the ever-expanding “action-sports” umbrella, then two icons of action-sports movies come to the Lido in Newport Beach over the next few days to pimp their projects. Dana Brown exceeded everyone's expectations in 2003 when 37 years after his father Bruce's ground- and wave-breaking TheEndlessSummerhe unveiled one of the best surf films ever: Step Into Liquid. He's traded the surf for turf with Dust to Glory, a doc about the odd mix of vehicles and riders who arrive in Ensenada every fall, for 37 years and counting, to take part in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, the longest point-to-point race in the world, and among the most grueling. Everything from tricked-out off-road super trucks to stock unmodified vintage VW bugs are captured by 14 crews on the ground and 3 in the air. Much of their footage is jaw-dropping, including shots of spectators dashing in front of speeding hunks of metal for shits and giggles. Using the 2003 race as a backdrop, Brown, who also narrates, provides the history of an event whose participants have included Indy superstar Jeff Gordon and Hollywood leading men Steve McQueen and James Garner. Dust to Glory won't open for its regular Orange County run until April 8 (which is when our review will run), but you can catch it 11 days earlier at a benefit for the upcoming Newport Beach Film Festival. Brown and others involved in the production are scheduled to appear Tuesday.
MTV Viva La Bam jackoff Bam Margera also darkens the Lido's doorstep for the world premiere of Elementality, the Element skateboard company's first video in more than five years. Besides showcasing Margera and his Element teammates Terry Kennedy, Jeremy Wray, Mike Vallely, Vanessa Torres and others in action, the flick explores the roots of the Element brand. This screening benefits Elemental Awareness, a youth outreach that sponsors skateboard demos and youth camps. If you miss Friday's premiere, you can pick up Elementality Vol. 1 on DVD for $24.99 at finer skate shops everywhere.
Elementality at Regency Lido, 3459 Via Lido, Newport Beach, (949) 673-8350. Fri., 9 N 10 p.m. $10. Dust to Glory at Regency Lido. www.newportbeachfilmfest.com. Tues., 8 p.m. $10.
MattCoker
We recommend: BrideandPrejudice,Constantine,GuessWho,Hostage,HotelRwanda,MillionDollarBaby,Millions,Knows,TheSeaInside,Sideways,TheUpsideofAnger,TheWildParrotsofTelegraphHill.
