Article by Daniel Nodzak
A few weeks ago I shared a handful of mainstream movies either about rollerblading or prominently featuring the sport as a part of the plot. With many people still feeling the impact of COVID-19 in their local communities I figured that I’d share a few more notable movies along with some documentaries that you can add to your watchlist this weekend. If you have any suggestions for movies you’d like us to cover in the future, or you want to share your thoughts on the titles we’ve covered so far, drop a comment below!
The movies discussed in this article are limited to titles that are available through subscription or free ad supported streaming services and digital rental/purchase platforms. Availability and prices mentioned in this article are only for services within the United States. If you’re in another country and would like to find out how to watch these movies I recommend searching for the titles on justwatch.com which is a service that provides listings for content on streaming platforms throughout most of North and South America, Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
The Aggressives (2005)
Not to be confused with an acclaimed American documentary of the same name which was also released the same year, this 2005 South Korean melodrama follows a teenager named Soyo. After being kicked out of his house by his parents he quickly finds himself thrust into the midst of South Korea’s aggressive inline scene. Unlike some of the movies we’ve discussed so far in this series rollerblading plays a central part of the plot. While there are some head-scratching moments in this movie it’s depiction of aggressive inline skating is by and large the most authentic and modern put forth in a mainstream film, foreign or otherwise. True to the time period it even features an IMYTA style jam session. So suck on that one Brink! Note: The trailer linked above does not have subtitles but the movie itself will on streaming platforms.
The Aggressives does not have listings on Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic. So critic and audience scores are not available.
IMDB also doesn’t have much information about this movie so unfortunately stunt credits are nonexistent.
How to watch: The Aggressives is available to stream for free with ads on TubiTV’s website and the TubiTV apps.
The Mighty Ducks Trilogy (1992, ’94, and ’96)
If you were a kid in the early nineties you know this series. Hell, if they didn’t make you take up hockey they at least made Rollerblade™ inline skates look like the coolest thing since Nirvana. And make no mistake about it, we’re talking Rollerblades with a capital R. Product placement abounds throughout this series and each installment includes at least one dope scene where our heroes take to the streets to hone their skating skills… Except Goldberg. Goldberg falls a lot. If you’re looking to make a drinking game out of it, finish your drink every time the Rollerblade™ logo appears in frame and report back.
The Mighty Ducks has a 23% critic score and 65% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. D2 fairs worse with a 20% critic and 59% audience score respectively. D3 rounds out the trilogy with another 20% critic score and a depressingly low 45% audience rating. This is one of those trilogies were you just have to ignore the critics.
How To Watch: The Mighty Ducks is available with subscriptions to Disney+ or HBO Max. The sequels are currently only available with an HBO Max subscription. Though both sequels will be moving to Disney+ in the fall of 2020. All three movies can also be rented for $2.99 or purchased for $9.99 a piece on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Youtube, and Vudu.
Rolling Along: An Inline Movement (2017)
Rolling Along is a documentary about aggressive inline skating made by Richard Audley Vaughan. It won the “best editing of a documentary” category at the International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema in Madrid (2017). I can’t describe this one better than the man himself did, so here’s the description on Amazon: “In the 1990’s alternative sports proliferated. One sport that captured the vibe of this era was Aggressive Inline. Rolling Along: An Inline Movement is the story of this sport from it’s birth, to it’s rapid ascent, crash and current underground status. Featuring legends of the sport’s past and present who represent the true blading spirit.”
Interviews and skaters include: Chris Edwards, Coco Sanchez, Michael Opalek, Tom Hyser, Jon Julio, Brian Freeman, Franky Morales and more.
How to watch: Rolling Along: An Inline Movement is available to stream for free for Amazon Prime members. Alternatively, Amazon also allows you to rent the documentary for $2.99 or purchase a copy for $9.99 if you’d like to support the filmmaker. Physical copies on DVD are also still available through some skate shops including Oak City and Intuition.
Jack Be Nimble (2008)
Jack Be Nimble is a road trip documentary by Andrew Kazlauskas and John Adams that follows a group of friends as they embark on a 20,000 mile trip across North America to follow the then newly established competition circuit comprised of 50 events many of you may remember fondly as The Roll Series. It’s worth noting that Jack Be Nimble was actually among some of the earliest content available on Hulu when it made it’s public launch in 2008. So not only does it provide a genuine time capsule of an era of rollerblading but it also found a home on what would eventually become one of the most popular subscription streaming services in the United States.
How to watch: Jack Be Nimble is no longer available on Hulu but you can still find it on Amazon. However this one isn’t available free for prime members. A rental will cost you $3.99 or you can purchase a digital copy for $19.99.
