Laird (White Knuckle Extreme)
He stands 6-foot-5, with long golden hair--and he still looks minuscule when photographed against the backdrop of the mammoth waves in this outstanding surfing documentary. Laird Hamilton travels to Hawaii and Tahiti in search of the biggest waves anyone has ever tried to ride. Skimming across the side of a wall of water, he's harnessing both gravity and the power of the wave in a death-defying balancing act. There is something almost therapeutic about watching the endless slow-motion images of Hamilton riding one wave after another, meticulously photographed to capture both the pounding force of the water and Hamilton's daring ability to tame it. The footage is set to a contemporary score, featuring musical acts as diverse as Moby, Ben Harper, and Bender as the backdrop for Hamilton's startling feats.--Marshall Fine