Hawaii is definitely the kind of place you want to be. It’s warm, tropical, and has the kind of atmosphere that seems entirely friendly if you’re willing to enjoy it. Movies filmed there seemed to have an almost laid back feel that is evident in their plot and story line. Sure there are plenty of issues to be had in any film no matter where it’s filmed. That’s the nature of a movie, that it has a conflict and resolution. But movies filmed in Hawaii still seem to have that tranquil kind of sensation that allows the audience to kick back and just enjoy themselves.
Here are some of the top films that have been filmed in or have something to do with Hawaii in the past years.
5. The Descendants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWHNXJ1K4yA
This story is so touching because truthfully it deals with a man that rightly labels himself as “the back-up parent”. He doesn’t connect much with his own family and to be honest it isn’t too surprising when he discovers that his wife, now in a coma, has been having an affair. He has little connection to his daughters, but throughout the movie he begins to realize just what is important and how he must come to terms with a life he lost track of years before.
4. 50 First Dates
Based almost entirely in Hawaii, this rom-com is one of Sandler’s best simply because it shows a level of dedication that is simply unheard of in this day and age. Argue if you want to about that but the idea that anyone would go to the lengths that Sandler does to insure that his love interest will remember him each day is impressive. Overcoming Lucy’s condition is physically impossible, but insuring that she will know that she’s loved and that she does in fact have a life is something that Sandler doesn’t ever see fit to give up on.
3. Moana
You can buy into the massive controversy surrounding this film or you can admit that it’s an amusing and playful look at Polynesian culture. While you don’t necessarily hear the word Hawaii that much, if at all, you definitely get the idea that the native peoples of the islands were intrepid wayfinders that were unafraid when it came to crossing the wide ocean to find a new home and continue the expansion of their culture. Now if you want to get into the discussion about Maui, that’s another article all in itself.
2. Lilo and Stitch
See? Aliens don’t just land in the heartlands or off in some podunk town where the locals drink too much moonshine and confuse a bug zapper with an alien ship. Stitch is perhaps one of the more endearing characters that Disney has come up with and unfortunately one of the most forgotten. Maybe it’s his strangeness coupled with the fact that Hawaii isn’t really thought of as alien central, but he hasn’t gotten as much play as he possibly could for being such a cool character.
1. Blue Crush
There are A LOT of places to surf throughout the world, but Hawaii seems to be one of the premier spots in films. It could have to do with the nice weather or the killer waves that are seen offshore so often, but it’s definitely a favorite spot. It’s also a very competitive area for surfers and can lead to some people getting a little territorial. If you can handle the wave though you should be considered worthy of being called a surfer.
Shout out to the movie North Shore as well.
Hawaii is definitely a favorite spot for movies. The atmosphere and the environment are such that the landscape just lends itself to film without the need for anything other than the right venue.
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