Rating: 
Summary: CREEPY BIO OF SKATER WHO FELL HARD
Review: Skatebarding phenom Mark "Gator" Rogowski's rise and fall is chronicled in STOKED (Lions Gate). Helen Stickler's compelling film begins with an almost benign look at California's skateboarding revival in the mid 1980s then tightens on Rogowski, a cocky half-pipe performer who collected fame and fortune as an endorser. But when the spotlight moved off him to the more radical street stunts by new players, his life, ego and mind apparently imploded into a dark hole. This creepy true-life parable includes a jail interview with a now thirty something Rogowski. Thus scary bio about a skater who fell badly hits hard and is memorable. A unique film by a talented filmmaker.
Rating: 
Summary: Part Of A Skateboard Trilogy
Review: Start in the late afternoon and watch Dogtown and Z Boys.Then go online and read the Sports Illustrated feature of May 2004 on Christian Hosoi - an 80s skate icon in jail for (thankfully only) drug trafficing. Then go have some dinner, freshen up and come back and watch Stoked. At the end of the evening you will never again envy someone who appears to have had it made while you struggled along in your own little world - whether it be skateboarding, surfing, school, business, marriage, whatever. Things are rarely as they seem on the surface and if you are getting up each day to some semblance of success and happiness you will come to value that even more from this trilogy. Personally I found Dogtown more fascinating than Stoked. But that's probably because it covered more ground and featured more varied charachters and footage, and I mean that comment with no disrespect. The films had different goals. Stoked has one purpose - the life of Gator - the tragedy of Gator, and it tells both very well. After watching it you will find yourself counting your blessings for days and days.
Rating: 
Summary: great flick for skaters AND even non-skaters
Review: stoked was a fantastic movie that basically had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. i never thought gator was as good as the other 80s skaters like stevie or mountain... or blender, ruff, magnusson and numerous other del mar locals. i thought he had a boring style. but this movie made me respect him a lot more as a skater because of what he meant to skating from a corporate standpoint. i remember the kids just loved this guy for whatever reason. but stoked also portrays a man with an ego gone wild. changing your name so you can make it big in hollywood? he went from rad vert skater to thinking he could be the next rock hudson. that had me laughing. and the 80s nostalgia was top notch. as a skater i liked watching it because it had some great skate footage and it had me longing for the days when life was simpler -- one big skate session if you will.... overall, i'd say anyone who grew up during the 80s and even had limited knowledge about the skate scene would be very entertained by this film. if you skated back then, it's a must see. hope this helps....
Rating:
Summary: Chilling.....
Review: There are plenty of "rise and fall" stories out there ---some fact, some fiction--- but this documentary is one of the best told of such stories. One of the most chilling, too. The story of pro skateboarder Mark "Gator" Rogowski is told in this docu through the mouths of his friends, love interests, and business associates. Add the wealth of video footage of his glory days and news footage of his fall from grace, and we have a complete look at a subculture that encountered unlikely and unexpected success. One of the main reasons that this documentary works so well is that Helen Stickler was able to show a viewer who knows zilch about the pro skateboarding scene (i.e. Me!)a clear picture of the smash success the industry underwent in the 1980s, and the various image changes it underwent in a rapid amount of time. Through interviews with Rogowski's fellow skaters, we learn how these young enthusiastic skateboarders became counter-culture icons with rough-around-the-edge attitudes overnight, how commercial success made them rich, and how many of them were not prepared for such a radical lifestyle change. While the "fame element" put many of the skateboarders in this flick in a dangerous line of fire via delusions of grandeur, Gator seemed most ill equipped to handle the baggage that goes along with being in the public eye. You see so many different faces of Mark Rogowski, from law-scoffing bad boy to an enthusiastic rock-star celeb on MTV to the arrogant know-it-all of the skateboarding world. His fall from fame is tough to watch, especially because pieces of it are caught on tape, namely his attempt to shift from showcasing his talent on traditional competition ramps to the raw "new wave" of street-style skateboarding. While we've heard similar stories, the intensity of Rogowski's personal demons combined with the sudden skateboarding industry boom makes this story stand out. His battles with his professional image, alcoholism, and childhood traumas short-circuit him, and he desperately grasps onto an extreme school of Christianity to grab a balance. The end result of his born-again stance seems to have done more harm than good, as people in his church told him his problems were purely Satan's doing, and discouraged him from seeking counseling. Sadly, his depression and rage toward his ex-fiance results in him taking the life of an innocent woman who had just befriended him. In the end, it's hard to feel empathy for Mark Rogowski, yet his tragic fall sinks into your gut. The film does much more than tell his story; it clearly illustrates the potential hazards of being cast into the public eye so quickly, and the delusions that fame can bring. Many of Rogowski's fellow skaters add great insight into the subject, especially Steve Caballero and Stacy Peralta, who seem to really keep the "fame baggage" in perspective. This is a tough film to watch, but it is a must-see.
Rating:
Summary: Chilling.....
Review: There are plenty of "rise and fall" stories out there ---some fact, some fiction--- but this documentary is one of the best told of such stories. One of the most chilling, too. The story of pro skateboarder Mark "Gator" Rogowski is told in this docu through the mouths of his friends, love interests, and business associates. Add the wealth of video footage of his glory days and news footage of his fall from grace, and we have a complete look at a subculture that encountered unlikely and unexpected success. One of the main reasons that this documentary works so well is that Helen Stickler was able to show a viewer who knows zilch about the pro skateboarding scene (i.e. Me!)a clear picture of the smash success the industry underwent in the 1980s, and the various image changes it underwent in a rapid amount of time. Through interviews with Rogowski's fellow skaters, we learn how these young enthusiastic skateboarders became counter-culture icons with rough-around-the-edge attitudes overnight, how commercial success made them rich, and how many of them were not prepared for such a radical lifestyle change. While the "fame element" put many of the skateboarders in this flick in a dangerous line of fire via delusions of grandeur, Gator seemed most ill equipped to handle the baggage that goes along with being in the public eye. You see so many different faces of Mark Rogowski, from law-scoffing bad boy to an enthusiastic rock-star celeb on MTV to the arrogant know-it-all of the skateboarding world. His fall from fame is tough to watch, especially because pieces of it are caught on tape, namely his attempt to shift from showcasing his talent on traditional competition ramps to the raw "new wave" of street-style skateboarding. While we've heard similar stories, the intensity of Rogowski's personal demons combined with the sudden skateboarding industry boom makes this story stand out. His battles with his professional image, alcoholism, and childhood traumas short-circuit him, and he desperately grasps onto an extreme school of Christianity to grab a balance. The end result of his born-again stance seems to have done more harm than good, as people in his church told him his problems were purely Satan's doing, and discouraged him from seeking counseling. Sadly, his depression and rage toward his ex-fiance results in him taking the life of an innocent woman who had just befriended him. In the end, it's hard to feel empathy for Mark Rogowski, yet his tragic fall sinks into your gut. The film does much more than tell his story; it clearly illustrates the potential hazards of being cast into the public eye so quickly, and the delusions that fame can bring. Many of Rogowski's fellow skaters add great insight into the subject, especially Steve Caballero and Stacy Peralta, who seem to really keep the "fame baggage" in perspective. This is a tough film to watch, but it is a must-see.
Rating:
Summary: Great Film, But Don't Pity This Monster
Review: This movie is a fascinating watch and I thoroughly enjoyed the history lesson and watching the not so unexpected capitalist takeover of skateboarding. It happens with everything that can be considered "hot" and "marketable" to young people who spend money.
As far as Gator himself goes, he bought into the hype and you could see what a joke he was in the latter stages of the film. He may have been a great skater and a nice guy but the most telling interviews are those conducted with the police officers and the court footage. Gator murdered this poor girl w/o even knowing her very well. He incapacitated her head with severe blows which caused massive bleeding. He then proceeded to take her to his room and cuff her and sexually assault her for 3 HOURS. Then he stuck her in a surf board bag and strangled her before dumping her body in the desert.
REAL NICE GUY
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