The 15 Best Surf Movies & Documentaries Streaming Right Now

A Streaming Survival Guide with Surf Spot Pairings, Because Waves Don't Wait

Intro: Surfing the Algorithm, Dodging Closeouts

Here's the deal: surfing and streaming are basically the same ride. You paddle out into chaos, you hope for the right set, and most of the time you're stuck in the whitewater, wondering why you even left the couch.

I've been doing both long enough to know—waves and movies come and go fast. I grew up in Cocoa Beach, paddling out on mushy East Coast peaks until my shoulders gave out. In my twenties I headed west, chasing Ventura point breaks and a life that revolves around surf forecasts and streaming queues.

Here's my list of the best surf movies and docs you can stream right now—because finding a good surf film in the algorithm is like spotting an empty lineup at Malibu: rare, beautiful, and gone if you don't drop in quick.

And yeah, I've paired each with a surf spot I've ridden. Because movies, like waves, each have their own personality.

1. The Endless Summer (1966) – Prime

Bruce Brown's masterpiece is the surf film. It's not just about waves—it's about the pursuit, the travel, the culture. Every surf flick since owes it a debt. The pacing is slow by modern standards, but it's meditative, charming, and it'll remind you why chasing waves feels like chasing ghosts.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like Rincon on a clean winter swell—crowded, historic, and still magic after all these years."

2. Chasing Mavericks (2012) – Disney+

Yeah, Hollywood cheesed this one up, but Jay Moriarity's story is still powerful. Watching him prepare to surf Mavericks makes you rethink your own excuses. Gerard Butler's beard deserved its own credit, but beneath the melodrama, it's a reminder that respect is the core of surf culture.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like your first paddle at Mavericks—you might not make it out, but the lesson stays with you forever."

3. Surfwise (2007) – Prime

The Paskowitz family's radical nomad surf life makes you question everything about the 9-to-5 grind. It's messy, chaotic, inspiring, and a little uncomfortable—kind of like sharing a single van with nine siblings. I admire it, but I'll still pay rent in Ventura.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like Cocoa's Jetty when you're 16—wild, lawless, everyone's half-naked, and somehow it all works."

4. Maya and the Wave (2024) – Netflix

Maya Gabeira's journey isn't just about surfing Nazaré—it's about pushing through injury, sexism, and every barrier stacked against her. Heavy, intimate, and one of the few surf docs that actually left me a little choked up. Maya doesn't just ride waves; she redefines the sport.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like charging Puerto Escondido at sunrise—you're scared the whole time, but you can't look away."

5. 100 Foot Wave (HBO via Prime add-on)

This series tracks Garrett McNamara's obsession with Nazaré, and it's a masterclass in both hubris and bravery. It shows how big-wave surfing is less about glory and more about calculated madness. Honestly, it's also proof that surfers are a little insane. Myself included.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like a closeout day at Ventura overhead—humbling, violent, and it'll remind you who's in charge."

6. Surf Girls: International (Prime)

This series takes you into the lives of young women trying to crack the WSL. It's as much about cultural identity and sacrifice as it is about competition. And honestly, it's refreshing—surf culture is still too bro-heavy, and this series shows just how global and diverse the lineup really is.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like flying into Bali for the first time—fresh energy, stacked talent, and every lineup buzzing."

7. The Surfer (2024) – Peacock (VOD)

Nic Cage as an outcast clashing with locals on an Australian beach. It's not a surf film in the traditional sense—it's more like a psychological pressure cooker with waves in the background. But Cage brings his patented chaos, and honestly, surf culture has its own dark underbelly, so it lands harder than you'd expect.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like surfing Ventura Point in pea-soup fog—eerie, unpredictable, and you're not sure what's real."

8. Under the Sun (2010) – Prime

This doc explores Byron Bay and the Gold Coast, exposing the clash between surf purity and commercialization. Gorgeous waves, but it hits you with a reminder: surf culture sells fast. Watch this if you want to reflect on whether your $80 surf wax candle really matters.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like Venice Beach surf shops—equal parts soul and sellout, and you're not sure which wins."

9. View From a Blue Moon (2015) – Netflix

John John Florence doesn't just surf—he paints. Every frame of this is pure art, the kind of thing you show to people who don't even surf just to prove why we're addicted. The cinematography is jaw-dropping, but it's John John's flow that steals it. A visual hymn to surfing itself.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like Malibu on a clean summer evening—too pretty to be real, too smooth to last."

10. Riding Giants (2004) – Prime

Stacey Peralta takes you through the origins of big-wave surfing. Laird Hamilton, Greg Noll, the legends who looked at moving mountains of water and said, yeah, let's go. It's not just history—it's mythology.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like Waimea Bay on a heavy day—you can feel the legends in the lineup with you."

11. Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable (2018) – Netflix

Bethany Hamilton's story is famous, but this doc takes you deeper into her grit and triumph. It's not a pity narrative—it's about someone who refuses to stop paddling, no matter the set rolling at her. Inspiring without being saccharine.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like paddling through a kelp-choked Ventura lineup—tough, sticky, but you push through and catch the wave anyway."

12. Resurface (2017) – Netflix

A short but gut-punching doc about veterans healing through surf therapy. Honest, raw, and proof that the ocean doesn't just entertain—it repairs. Heavy stuff, but it deserves your time.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like your first dawn patrol after heartbreak—you're not fixed, but you're breathing again."

13. The Endless Summer II (1994) – Netflix

The sequel doesn't carry the same magic as the original, but it still captures that restless surfer's need to chase horizons. Cheesy at times, but there's a joy in watching the baton being passed. It's like looking at old surf photos—you smile, you cringe, but you love it anyway.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like finding a new sandbar at Cocoa—you know it won't last, but for a moment, it's perfect."

14. Shaping Jordy (2020) – Red Bull TV (Hulu add-on)

Jordy Smith explores waves and life back home in South Africa. The guy surfs like he's part locomotive, part artist. The film dives into the culture that shaped him, reminding you that surf isn't just about the rider—it's about the roots.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like stumbling on a Ventura reef break—you leave different than you arrived."

15. The Other Side of Fear (2017) – Red Bull TV (Hulu add-on)

Mark Mathews faces the wipeout that nearly ended him—and finds his way back. Heavy stuff about fear, resilience, and why surfers keep paddling out even when it doesn't make sense.

Surf Spot Pairing: "Like paddling back out after the worst wipeout of your life—you're shaking, but alive, and you'll never take a clean face for granted again."

Closing Thoughts: Stream Before the Tide Shifts

Here's the brutal truth: movies vanish from streaming faster than waves vanish from a sandbar. One day they're front and center, the next they're buried under a pile of reality shows and algorithm-approved fluff.

That's why I wrote this lineup. These films are reminders that surfing isn't just about riding waves—it's about history, culture, community, and obsession. They're time capsules, love letters, and warnings. Watch them while they're here.

Because like a perfect swell, once they're gone, they're gone.

– Arlo Martinez, Streaming Survivalist