Let’s jump into the time machine and visit the 1980’s when things were much more neon and rad. Bones Brigade is the brilliant documentary about the skateboarding team that Stacy Peralta put together in the early 80’s that dominated the competition for nearly a decade straight. The story of a group of misfit kids being led across the world doing what they love, making their dreams come true and creating a industry.

Stacy Peralta is one of the great pioneers of skateboarding and when he hung up his sneakers from competition in the late ’70s, he still lived for the culture and wanted to help it grow. Having a good experience on a short lived team, he thought making one of his own would be the right path to take. He kept an eye out for the same fire that was in himself. The absolute love and desire to do nothing but skate. Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, Tommy Guerrero, Lance Mountain, Rodney Mullen, Mike McGill. While many would be added over the years, these guys were the foundation of Bones Brigade.

This is such a good documentary with interviews of all the guys and archival footage of them changing the world as kids. They were in the middle of the rise and fall and the epic resurgence of skateboarding. They created countless new tricks and the vocabulary that is still used today. There’s a lot of inspirational stories (especially from Rodney Mullen) about what it was like growing up with such talent that for a long time was seen as a complete waste of time and effort. The stresses and joys of competition, business and keeping a level head through it all are all talked about.

I can’t really do this documentary justice with words. It’s one of the best I’ve seen and should be watched by any skateboard fan past and present. Even if you’re not a fan and have no idea who these guys are, it’s a great look at life.