Top Ten Sports Movies That Make Me Yell GO TEAM!
Feb 26 '07
The Bottom Line These are my ten favorite sports movies.
In general, I find sports movies to be predictable, formulaic, and somewhat annoying. The following ten, however, I find myself enjoying, some based on nostalgia and some due to a plot that actually provides some substance. I do not proclaim that these are the BEST sports movies ever made, but they are definitely my favorites. Play ball!
10. Hoosiers - (1986) As a long-time Indiana resident, I’m contractually obliged to include this Cinderella story of a small-town basketball team made good. Formulaic as it is, the story has a lot of heart and seems less trite than so many other sports movies following the same theme. This generally pleasant film will at least make you smile.
9. Bring it On - (2000) – This cheerleading comedy succeeds by not taking itself too seriously. Supercute young Kirsten Dunst stars as Torrance Shipman, cheerleading captain. She learns many of her squad’s routines, unbeknownst to her, have been stolen from another team. I love the zany cheer language used in Bring it On. Think “Cheerocracy.” Even more, though, I love watching the fabulous stunts and pretending that I am somehow still capable of such acrobatic feats as I engaged in during my tenure on my high school cheerleading squad.
8. The Sandlot - (1993) My sister and I practically wore this DVD out when we were young. Set in the 1960’s, The Sandlot follows Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry) as he befriends and causes trouble with the neighborhood baseball gang. Kids today will probably find the antics as funny as my sister and I did, and parents probably won’t mind this charming film much either.
7. Caddyshack - (1980) I have watched this Chevy Chase movie with my dad more times than I can count. Really, can you imagine a combination better than golf, Chevy Chase, and a dancing gopher? Worth watching for the gopher alone (SO CUTE!), Caddyshack is a must see for any fan of sports or comedy.
6. Invincible - (2006) – I was surprised how much I truly enjoyed this Depression-era sports film, considering hubby had to physically drag me there. Loosely based on a true story, Mark Wahlberg shines as lovable underdog Eagles recruit Vince Papale. Also, Mark Wahlberg is a ridiculous hottie. The movie manages to stay true to its period setting while also providing realistic characters and some decent football scenes. Invincible is just an all around great sports movie.
5. Angels in the Outfield - (1994) – While I haven’t seen the original 1951 version, this remake is one of my favorite feel-good sports films of all time. Troubled child Roger (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) prays that the Angels will win the pennant, after his drifter father tells him they will be a family again when this happens. Divine intervention ensues, in the unlikely form of Christopher Lloyd, also known as Al the Angel. This funny, good-hearted movie remains enjoyable for families more than ten years later.
4. Remember the Titans - (2000) – I absolutely love this inspirational movie that combines football and racial issues. Denzel Washington stars as Coach Herman Boone, an African-American coach given the difficult job of dealing with a newly racially integrated football team. While a bit melodramatic at times, Remember the Titans has a good heart, a good message, and some fairly realistic scenes of racial tension.
3. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story - (2004) – Celebrating one of the world’s less glamorized sports, this film teaches us the five fundamentals of Dodgeball: Dodge. Duck. Dip. Dive. Dodge. Good guy gym owner Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaugh) goes head to head with steroid overdosed bad guy White Goodman (Ben Stiller) in the American Dodgeball Association of America’s international dodgeball competition. The prize? $50,000 and a chance to save Average Joe’s Gymnasium. The film is, in fact, as ridiculous as it sounds. If you love this kind of comedy (and I certainly do), Dodgeball pretty much rocks.
2. Field of Dreams - (1989) – Just about everybody loves Field of Dreams. You know, “If you build it, he will come.” This unique sports/fantasy combo has me ready to go build a baseball field every time I watch it, and I don’t even like baseball. Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones both give particularly stand-out performances, but the entire cast excels.
1. A League of Their Own – (1992) – Not just one of my favorite sports movies, A League of Their Own makes it onto my overall list of favorite movies of all time. This film tells the story of the Rockford Peaches, one of the first four teams of the All-American Women’s Baseball League. Tom Hanks stars as coach Jimmy Dugan and Gina Davis and Lori Petty as baseball star sisters Dotti and Kit. A League of Their Own manages to capture the humor, drama, and sense of history these women likely enjoyed. It contains plenty of laughs as well as some very sad moments. The excellent acting, interesting subject matter, and well-crafted plot combine to make A League of Their Own my favorite sports movie of all time.
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