My Ten Favorite Sports Films
Jul 28 '01
The Bottom Line These are ten great sports movies!
There have been numerous outstanding sports movies made. I decided to compose a list of my ten favorite sports films. A couple of self imposed parameters on the list, however. First, it obviously has to be a movie that I have seen. There may have been better ones made artistically in the history of the media in the field of sports but if I did not see it I can not include on the list. Second, sports has to be the central theme of the plot. It can not be an ancillary theme; it must be the primary emphasis of the film. There are no time frame limitations on my list either although most of these are more recent ( although there is one black and white film ).
These rankings were tough. I teetered back and forth but some of them are interchangeable. Well, here it goes.
10.Bad News Bears
Hey, this movie isn't a masterpiece but it is a great movie. A Little League team of misfits is brought together by Walter Mathau and they go from the basement to the championship. They even get to play the final game at the Astrodome, a major league stadium ( at that time ). I remember seeing this when I was younger and really enjoying it and have seen it on cable a couple of times since. It really holds up well, in my opinion. A fun film nothing more but it makes you root for the Bears!
9.Rocky I
I think that the original Rocky is the best of the whole series. It follows the development of Rocky Balboa ( played by Sylvester Stallone ) into a world champion fighter and his pursuit of the championship ( and Adrian! ). This is a goose bump producer even after watching a couple of times.
8.Hoosiers
Another great story that is full of emotion. The state of Indiana is fanatical about their high school hoops and this movie about that fanaticism. Gene Hackman stars in the film. This is a brilliantly written film that is sincere and touching too.
7.Cutting Edge
The one on my list which will really raise eyebrows. I just think this was a great film. It stars DB Sweeney as a hockey player who had to retire from the sport due to eye injuries and become a pairs figure skater with a Russian skater who is used to being a single figure skater. As they pursue the Olympic Gold, they fall in love. A really nice film with great skating scenes and action as well.
6.Field of Dreams
Not sure why Kevin Costner is in two of my favorite sports movies of all time but this is another great one. "Build and they will come" he is told and so he does in the corn fields of Iowa. Some of the overhead shots of the baseball diamond built in the field are breathtaking. I thought James Earl Jones character was really good. If this movie was real life, I wish I could have been the character of Kevin Costner with the stars of yesteryear coming to my baseball field behind the house. A movie that makes me remember why I love baseball so much.
5.Pride of the Yankees
The one really old film on my list. Gary Cooper stars in this film about the greatest sports team in history ( a little artistic license by me! ). It is not only a very emotional movie but Cooper is absolutely sensational as Lou Gehrig. For those that don't know Gehrig was the first baseman of the Yankees' dynasty in the 1920's and '30's who died tragically from a disorder that destroyed his nervous disease known today unfortunately as Lou Gehrig's disease.
4.Rudy
First off, I will say hate Notre Dame football. That being said, this is a great movie. Although history shows that much artistic license with some of the facts was taken, it will bring tears to your eyes. The movie is about the struggle of a five foot three student named Rudy Ruettinger to make the Notre Dame football team for just one game. A heart warming story.
3.Hoop Dreams
This independent film releases follows the "hoop dreams" of two young urban kids from a poor neighborhood as they are used and manipulated by the system. A great film generates emotion in the viewer; this one succeeds tremendously at that. The kids are treated as tokens in a game and used by the coaches at both the high school and college levels. They place their whole life into the dream of the National Basketball Association but they end up not making it. The film makers had total access to all the behind the scenes things that happened. An intriguing look at what happens when someone does not make the NBA.
2.Slap Shot
My favorite hockey movie of all time. It follows the exploits of a minor league hockey team. It was filmed in the 1970's when fighting was a more prevalant part of the game unfortunately. However, the fight scenes are well filmed and the story itself it great. Who can ever forget the Hanson brothers! And who can ever forget the player who skates and strips off his uniform around the ice and tosses his equipment into the crowd. The great Paul Newman is the star of this film and although the film is over twenty years old, the movie is still great. I saw it again about six months ago on cable and enjoyed it thoroughly.
1.Bull Durham
The great baseball movie of all time with an all-star cast. Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, and Tim Robbins are the stars of the movie. It follows the exploits of a minor league baseball team, the Durham Bulls as they go from perenial losers to champions. A great film with sensational baseball action and a great love story too.
Well there is my list. Let the controversy begin!
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roynyr
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Member: Roy
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Update 2/22/09 - I have written my 300th review!!
GAME ON!
Huge NY Rangers fan!
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