10 Movies That Take You to Hawaii and the Pacific Islands

From Here to Eternity (1953)

The winner of eight Oscars, including best picture, best supporting actor (Frank Sinatra) and best supporting actress (Donna Reed), this black-and-white classic about WWII GIs in Hawaii on the eve of the attack on Pearl Harbor is still best remembered for Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr’s steamy smooch session in the surf (shot at Halona Beach Cove on Oahu). But the rest of the drama is just as memorable. Director Fred Zinneman had to battle both the studio and the ratings board to keep the story’s taboo themes intact. Thank goodness, he won out.

Watch it: On Prime Video, YouTube

Soul Surfer (2011)

This faith-based drama chronicling the real-life story of 13-year-old surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost one of her arms in a shark attack, was filmed on picturesque Kauai. AnnaSophia Robb (with the help of some seamless effects) plays Bethany with inspirational resolve — she refuses to let her terrifying brush with death keep her from getting back on her surfboard. The always welcome Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt costar as her equally determined parents.

Watch it: On Prime Video, YouTube

Princess Kaiulani (2009)

Actor Q’orianka Kilcher (who was raised in Kapa‘a) headlines this factual period drama about the Hawaiian royal family’s fight for independence in the 1800s when the United States began trying to annex it. While the movie probably leans a bit too heavily on the young princess’s romantic life, its detours into politics and scenic cinematography make it worth checking out. Interesting footnote: This was the first movie allowed to film inside Honolulu’s Iolani Palace.

Watch it: On Prime Video, YouTube

The Endless Summer (1966)

Bruce Brown’s documentary travelogue about a group of surfers who hopscotch around the world in search of the perfect wave is hands down the most influential film ever made about the sport. Brown shows that surfing isn’t just something to do, it’s a way of life and a state of mind. While Brown’s camera traveled to Tahiti, Ghana and Australia, for my money the most intoxicating chapter is when the crew hangs ten at Hawaii’s Waikiki Beach.

Watch it: On Prime Video, YouTube

Jurassic Park (1993)

Steven Spielberg’s delirious action-adventure blockbuster about a tropical theme park populated by dinosaurs brought back to life by unwisely messing around with their DNA is set on the fictional island of Isla Nublar, said to be off the coast of Costa Rica. In reality, the lush green mountains and soaring waterfalls were filmed in Hawaii, mostly on Kauai but also Maui and Oahu. The untouched and untamed natural beauty gives you the sense of what the planet must have looked like before we got our hands on it.

Watch it: On Peacock, Prime Video

50 First Dates (2004)

Adam Sandler seems to go out of his way to shoot his big-screen comedies in exotic locations (nice work if you can get it!). For this rom-com, Sandler reunites with his costar from The Wedding Singer, Drew Barrymore, in a tale about a playboy who lives in Hawaii and finally meets the one (Barrymore), only to discover that she suffers from short-term memory loss, forcing him to woo and win her over anew every day. This romantic riff on Groundhog Day isn’t particularly deep, but the stars’ easy chemistry is undeniable.

Watch it: On Hulu, Prime Video

(Left to right) Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez and Sanoe Lake in "Blue Crush."

Alamy

Blue Crush (2002)

Kate Bosworth and Michelle Rodriguez head up this surfing movie about an adrenaline junkie (Bosworth) who’s training for the annual Rip Masters tournament only to get sidetracked by love. Directed by John Stockwell, who really knows how to shoot the movie’s white-knuckle surf sequences and captures the laid-back beach lifestyle, Blue Crush may inspire you to book a flight to Oahu’s North Shore before you even reach the end credits.

Watch it: On Prime Video, YouTube