I will preface this with two thoughts. Despite my love of sports, for the most part, I despise sports movies, because they rarely capture the essence of the sport. My second point is very simple. This list will infuriate almost every sports fan who reads it. My judgments are based on the merits of the film as cinema, not as sport. It's those movies that capture what it is like to play, to compete, to win and to lose that make it all worth it for me. I do not believe a great sports movie should be embraced due to one spine tingling scene. There will be no Rudy or Jerry MacGuire. I will not count movies that have an athlete in them, but that is secondary to the story, so there will be no On The Waterfront or Basketball Diaries. I will not penalize a movie for its sport being an individual endeavor not seen as athletic. And to most people's shock and awe, I will not include three films which are universally considered the three best sports movies ever. There will be no Field of Dreams, because despite it's wonderful story, it's simply not in my top 15, let alone 10. There will be no Hoosiers. While I enjoyed the film, there was something just way too contrived about it, despite it's being based on a true story. Finally, and this will knock people's socks off. There will be no Raging Bull, for one painfully simple reason. I didn't like it at all. To me it was DeNiro being DeNiro, Pesci being Pesci and lost in the shuffle was Cathy Moriarti's great performance as Vicki Lamotta. The boxing scenes were done in such a way, it didn't ever feel real. I know everyone will disagree, but even Rocky's phantom punches seemed to work better.
Before I start the list, here is a couple that just missed cracking the top ten. The Big Blue, The Karate Kid, Major League, Moneyball, Rocky II, The Color of Money, Rounders and North Dallas Forty, Dead Solid Perfect and Friday Night Lights.
10. Kingpin - arguably one of the funniest Farrelly brother movies, it combines a ridiculous story of an Amish runaway with a ridiculous sport, Bowling. Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid & the incomparable Bill Murray, portray characters so completely off the wall, it just works. Throw in Vanessa Angel for eye candy and it's nearly a perfect comedy.
9. The Hustler - Now some may question pool getting a nod over some other sports, but this movie is about so much more. It's a wonderful tale of good vs evil and a man down on his lucky looking for that one shot to pay off. Paul Newman is brilliant as the troubled soul, while Jackie Gleason (a real life amazing pool player) plays real life Minnesota Fats. George C Scott and Piper Laurie fill out the all-star cast in this classic film.
8. The Longest Yard - Easily the greatest football movie, the best part of this is that the game takes place in a prison. It's not a season or a championship, but a simple game, between the prisoners and the guards. The entire film is about redemption. For one man to do something right, for others once in his life. Burt Reynolds is brilliant as the ex-pro Paul Crewe and Eddie Albert is pure evil as the warden. Funny, sad, and meaningful, this movie not only delivers, but stands the test of time.
7. Chariots of Fire - The tale of two runners (and a few others) who come from different backgrounds, but desire to compete in the 1924 Olympics. The film is about people's faith being tested and how they triumph amid great adversity. The film, it's soundtrack and cinematography are beautiful, with a handful of scenes that are unforgettable. Contains one of the greatest compositions for a film ever, Vangelis.
6. Breaking Away - What is so great about this film is that it's about cycling. We've all done it and these no name kids decided to form a team. We all have delusions of grandeur, but these guys come through. When the movie came out, the entire cast was a bunch of nobodies, but nearly all, but the actual star made it big eventually. This is the epitome of a feel good film.
5. Caddyshack - If there is a funnier movie, it'd be hard find. That being said, there is enough golf to truly make it a sports movie. The film is one hilarious scene after another, with some of the greatest characters in the history of comedy, portrayed by Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight and Chevy Chase. The rest of the cast just stays out of their way and let the masters work. No movies one liners have been repeated more while actually playing a sport than this ones.
4. Rocky - Now, if you continue reading you'll probably become incensed by two of the next three, but hold on. When Rocky first came out it was one of a kind. It was classic in that it had the underdog tale, but what set Rocky apart from other movies was the ending. The hero loses. He loses the fight but wins respect and that is the underlying theme of the entire movie, survival and making those around you proud.
3. When We Were Kings - I had thought of excluding this, because it's a documentary, but it's absolutely a perfect film. The film looks at the 1974 fight in Zaire between the infamous Muhammad Ali and the unbeatable George Foreman.The movie is a collection of clips, spliced together with interviews of those who were witness to one of the greatest fights and strangest strategies in the history of the sport. The movie came out in the 90's but all the filming and interviews took place nearly 20 years prior, so the perspective is fresh. One of the greatest documentaries ever made.
2. The Bad News Bears - Baseball movies tend to be awful. They generally lack that certain something because the game lacks that pop that say, football or basketball does. Sure some like the silly theatrics of The Natural or the laughs of Major League, but the reality is, that no baseball movie captured baseball like The Bad News Bears. Partially because the movie is a bunch of misfit kids with a drunk manager, but mostly because it was something we can relate to. Anyone who has played or coached, knows every character in that movie. Even if they aren't connected to the game directly, we know all these kids and even more, we know the adults. Like Rocky, it's not about winning and losing, but coming together, when nobody expects it. Oh, and it has Tanner Boyle, the most foul mouthed youngster in a movie until Kick-Ass came out.
1. The Fighter - Now I know what some are thinking. The Fighter over Rocky? Yes! This tale about Irish Mickey Ward and his half-brother Dicky is amazing. One, it's a true story and the fight scenes have been recreated almost exactly and they are done with a balletic precision. Mark Wahlberg is absolutely incredible in a role he was born to play and that being said, Christian Bale is even better. Add in Amy Adams and Melissa Leo, who are so incredibly perfectly cast and you have a perfect movie. Where it surpasses Rocky is in two places. The realism of the fight scenes and the side stories are simply more interesting. Where we tire of seeing Rocky train, we see the characters in the Fighter struggle to live normal lives. Where there were not real expectations for Rocky, there were great expectations for Mickey and Dicky. While I would rate both films five star movies, The Fighter just has that little bit extra.
I'm sure the exclusion of Raging Bull, Field of Dreams, Hoops Dreams, Rudy, The Natural and Hoosiers will have most people scratching their heads, but this is my list and I'm sticking to it. Until something new comes out and knocks my socks off. One side note. It was a coin flip between including the comedy Kingpin, North Dallas Forty & Rounders, but it finally came down to the ability to watch them again and comedies always have that little extra.
Before I start the list, here is a couple that just missed cracking the top ten. The Big Blue, The Karate Kid, Major League, Moneyball, Rocky II, The Color of Money, Rounders and North Dallas Forty, Dead Solid Perfect and Friday Night Lights.
10. Kingpin - arguably one of the funniest Farrelly brother movies, it combines a ridiculous story of an Amish runaway with a ridiculous sport, Bowling. Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid & the incomparable Bill Murray, portray characters so completely off the wall, it just works. Throw in Vanessa Angel for eye candy and it's nearly a perfect comedy.
9. The Hustler - Now some may question pool getting a nod over some other sports, but this movie is about so much more. It's a wonderful tale of good vs evil and a man down on his lucky looking for that one shot to pay off. Paul Newman is brilliant as the troubled soul, while Jackie Gleason (a real life amazing pool player) plays real life Minnesota Fats. George C Scott and Piper Laurie fill out the all-star cast in this classic film.
8. The Longest Yard - Easily the greatest football movie, the best part of this is that the game takes place in a prison. It's not a season or a championship, but a simple game, between the prisoners and the guards. The entire film is about redemption. For one man to do something right, for others once in his life. Burt Reynolds is brilliant as the ex-pro Paul Crewe and Eddie Albert is pure evil as the warden. Funny, sad, and meaningful, this movie not only delivers, but stands the test of time.
7. Chariots of Fire - The tale of two runners (and a few others) who come from different backgrounds, but desire to compete in the 1924 Olympics. The film is about people's faith being tested and how they triumph amid great adversity. The film, it's soundtrack and cinematography are beautiful, with a handful of scenes that are unforgettable. Contains one of the greatest compositions for a film ever, Vangelis.
6. Breaking Away - What is so great about this film is that it's about cycling. We've all done it and these no name kids decided to form a team. We all have delusions of grandeur, but these guys come through. When the movie came out, the entire cast was a bunch of nobodies, but nearly all, but the actual star made it big eventually. This is the epitome of a feel good film.
5. Caddyshack - If there is a funnier movie, it'd be hard find. That being said, there is enough golf to truly make it a sports movie. The film is one hilarious scene after another, with some of the greatest characters in the history of comedy, portrayed by Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight and Chevy Chase. The rest of the cast just stays out of their way and let the masters work. No movies one liners have been repeated more while actually playing a sport than this ones.
4. Rocky - Now, if you continue reading you'll probably become incensed by two of the next three, but hold on. When Rocky first came out it was one of a kind. It was classic in that it had the underdog tale, but what set Rocky apart from other movies was the ending. The hero loses. He loses the fight but wins respect and that is the underlying theme of the entire movie, survival and making those around you proud.
3. When We Were Kings - I had thought of excluding this, because it's a documentary, but it's absolutely a perfect film. The film looks at the 1974 fight in Zaire between the infamous Muhammad Ali and the unbeatable George Foreman.The movie is a collection of clips, spliced together with interviews of those who were witness to one of the greatest fights and strangest strategies in the history of the sport. The movie came out in the 90's but all the filming and interviews took place nearly 20 years prior, so the perspective is fresh. One of the greatest documentaries ever made.
2. The Bad News Bears - Baseball movies tend to be awful. They generally lack that certain something because the game lacks that pop that say, football or basketball does. Sure some like the silly theatrics of The Natural or the laughs of Major League, but the reality is, that no baseball movie captured baseball like The Bad News Bears. Partially because the movie is a bunch of misfit kids with a drunk manager, but mostly because it was something we can relate to. Anyone who has played or coached, knows every character in that movie. Even if they aren't connected to the game directly, we know all these kids and even more, we know the adults. Like Rocky, it's not about winning and losing, but coming together, when nobody expects it. Oh, and it has Tanner Boyle, the most foul mouthed youngster in a movie until Kick-Ass came out.
1. The Fighter - Now I know what some are thinking. The Fighter over Rocky? Yes! This tale about Irish Mickey Ward and his half-brother Dicky is amazing. One, it's a true story and the fight scenes have been recreated almost exactly and they are done with a balletic precision. Mark Wahlberg is absolutely incredible in a role he was born to play and that being said, Christian Bale is even better. Add in Amy Adams and Melissa Leo, who are so incredibly perfectly cast and you have a perfect movie. Where it surpasses Rocky is in two places. The realism of the fight scenes and the side stories are simply more interesting. Where we tire of seeing Rocky train, we see the characters in the Fighter struggle to live normal lives. Where there were not real expectations for Rocky, there were great expectations for Mickey and Dicky. While I would rate both films five star movies, The Fighter just has that little bit extra.
I'm sure the exclusion of Raging Bull, Field of Dreams, Hoops Dreams, Rudy, The Natural and Hoosiers will have most people scratching their heads, but this is my list and I'm sticking to it. Until something new comes out and knocks my socks off. One side note. It was a coin flip between including the comedy Kingpin, North Dallas Forty & Rounders, but it finally came down to the ability to watch them again and comedies always have that little extra.
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