What’s the best sports movie? The Rules: Subscribe to post answers. Post your answer as a comment. Make it clear that this is your official answer, one per member. Winner chooses the next week's fight.
Several of my top picks were already taken so I'm falling back on the sports movie that I watch most frequently, and that is Miracle. I'm a hockey player and until Miracle came out we were stuck with terrible movies to represent our sport. The best we had to cling to was Youngblood, which wasn't good, and later on Mystery Alaska (meh) and Mighty Ducks 3 (where they finally started playing some actual hockey for a change).
Miracle was exceptional because they chose to find hockey players who knew how to act instead of finding actors willing to learn how to play hockey. It made all the difference. Even Kurt Russell is a hockey player and therefore knows how hockey players talk and act. Watch this to see what I mean: https://youtu.be/2RJRkIQuW28?si=HTjvZ00nDIqyWx0V
I punted this choice to my husband, who's more knowledgeable about sports movies than I, and although we discussed many titles—some winners, some losers—he kept coming back to "Hoosiers" as the best.
I just told Shannon last night that this was going to be my choice. Dangit. Hoosiers is great because it hits all of the sports movie high notes without being bland and tropish, which characterized so many sports movies that came later trying to emulate it.
It's got flawed characters you still root for, perfect pacing, and is beautifully shot. But mostly I was gonna pick it because I just watched Barbara Hershey in something playing an evil witch and wanted to remembner her as a moral character again.
I don't know if this adds or detracts from my vote, but I don't like sports movies...like, ever. But I did like (loved, even) Remember the Titans, which had great characters, hard conflict, and tons of humor amid all the sportsy-McSportsiness of the football games.
You'd like it anyway. It's about two schools in the 70's, a white school and a black school, that merged during bussing. The two football teams merged and had to overcome racism. Great performances by Denzel Washington and others. True story. I read the white coaches book, he's a Christian.
I’m going with Iron Will! Gorgeous scenery. Beautiful dogs. Shows the value of the love of family and perseverance. A great movie night for the whole family. It’s what made me fall in love with mushing. Win-win-win!
Ooops Rocky also chosen. I’ll nominate a very different boxing movie, Raging Bull. Because of all the highs and lows. It’s an intense character study and I get it’s not exactly a crowd pleasing sports movie. But it’s hard not to be drawn into his downward spiral.
To me, the best sports movie is Woodlawn. Based on historical events, this movie shows spiritual revival starting with a sports team at a public school, and all the furor that happens around that awakening.
I had to remind Shannon that yes, we did see this one. Great movie. Some other sports movies where the actual sports take a backseat to the larger drama are Cinderella Man, Brian's Song, Rudy, Titans, A League of Their Own, Cool Runnings (which is cheesy but not bad), and filed under the NOT family friendly subheading, Jerry Maguire, The Program, The Last Boy Scout, Coach Carter.
It must be like a gravitational black hole. My beloved aunt has been planning to move out of CA for years and then last week when she finally does move she goes to Laguna. The heck, California. Let me people go!
It's fun when you recognize movie locations. Shan can hardly watch a movie shot in L.A. where I don't point out, "Hey I used to eat at that cafe," or, "That's the intersection downtown where I got my first fake ID," etc...
We were watching an episode of Jericho once (supposedly set in Kansas) and I instantly recognized the oak trees and hills of Thousand Oaks or Camarillo. Nice try Hollywood.
Okay the tie is finally broken and the winner is Mama Mia with The Karate Kid. Congratulations, MM, you get to choose Monday's question.
Several of my top picks were already taken so I'm falling back on the sports movie that I watch most frequently, and that is Miracle. I'm a hockey player and until Miracle came out we were stuck with terrible movies to represent our sport. The best we had to cling to was Youngblood, which wasn't good, and later on Mystery Alaska (meh) and Mighty Ducks 3 (where they finally started playing some actual hockey for a change).
Miracle was exceptional because they chose to find hockey players who knew how to act instead of finding actors willing to learn how to play hockey. It made all the difference. Even Kurt Russell is a hockey player and therefore knows how hockey players talk and act. Watch this to see what I mean: https://youtu.be/2RJRkIQuW28?si=HTjvZ00nDIqyWx0V
Miracle, I love it.
Never seen it. I guess I need to make a list.
🤦
Hahaaaaa
The Karate Kid (the original). Great movie (and like Shannon, I don't like sports-anything, but I love that movie).
I punted this choice to my husband, who's more knowledgeable about sports movies than I, and although we discussed many titles—some winners, some losers—he kept coming back to "Hoosiers" as the best.
I just told Shannon last night that this was going to be my choice. Dangit. Hoosiers is great because it hits all of the sports movie high notes without being bland and tropish, which characterized so many sports movies that came later trying to emulate it.
It's got flawed characters you still root for, perfect pacing, and is beautifully shot. But mostly I was gonna pick it because I just watched Barbara Hershey in something playing an evil witch and wanted to remembner her as a moral character again.
I don't know if this adds or detracts from my vote, but I don't like sports movies...like, ever. But I did like (loved, even) Remember the Titans, which had great characters, hard conflict, and tons of humor amid all the sportsy-McSportsiness of the football games.
I don’t even know if I’ve seen this…but I like your description.😄
Never seen Titans??!! Tony, you must rectify this situation.
Haha…it’s hopeless. I don’t have the football gene.
You'd like it anyway. It's about two schools in the 70's, a white school and a black school, that merged during bussing. The two football teams merged and had to overcome racism. Great performances by Denzel Washington and others. True story. I read the white coaches book, he's a Christian.
I really like, "Warrior," but I'm throwing my hat in the ring* for Rocky.
*do you see what I did there?! :D
I’m going with Iron Will! Gorgeous scenery. Beautiful dogs. Shows the value of the love of family and perseverance. A great movie night for the whole family. It’s what made me fall in love with mushing. Win-win-win!
Ooops Rocky also chosen. I’ll nominate a very different boxing movie, Raging Bull. Because of all the highs and lows. It’s an intense character study and I get it’s not exactly a crowd pleasing sports movie. But it’s hard not to be drawn into his downward spiral.
To me, the best sports movie is Woodlawn. Based on historical events, this movie shows spiritual revival starting with a sports team at a public school, and all the furor that happens around that awakening.
Haven’t seen that one.
I had to remind Shannon that yes, we did see this one. Great movie. Some other sports movies where the actual sports take a backseat to the larger drama are Cinderella Man, Brian's Song, Rudy, Titans, A League of Their Own, Cool Runnings (which is cheesy but not bad), and filed under the NOT family friendly subheading, Jerry Maguire, The Program, The Last Boy Scout, Coach Carter.
I used to love that movie but haven't seen it since my own BC. 😀
What year did you escape L.A.? I got out in 1995.
It must be like a gravitational black hole. My beloved aunt has been planning to move out of CA for years and then last week when she finally does move she goes to Laguna. The heck, California. Let me people go!
It's fun when you recognize movie locations. Shan can hardly watch a movie shot in L.A. where I don't point out, "Hey I used to eat at that cafe," or, "That's the intersection downtown where I got my first fake ID," etc...
We were watching an episode of Jericho once (supposedly set in Kansas) and I instantly recognized the oak trees and hills of Thousand Oaks or Camarillo. Nice try Hollywood.