Celtic Fan
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soo I assume we all like sports movies here since we all love sports.
I admit I'm a sucker for sports movies, good and bad. Sure most of them are formulaic and predictable and yet I usually am sucked right in to them regardless, save for a few exceptions (Any Given Sunday being the biggest one)
Sports documentaries however, are almost always interesting and quite a few are great. I'd watch a good sports documentary on water polo. The one documentary I haven't seen and really want to see is the one about wheelchair basketball, murderball.
Here's my list of fav sports movies and sports documentaries;
1. Hoosiers - classic movie, great acting, great atmosphere, I get sucked in every time
2. Hoop Dreams - Great documentary and dose of reality for any HS basketball player who's counting on making the NBA no doubt.
3. Friday Night Lights - engrossing characters, doesn't have the typical feel good ending and some great acting by unknown actors
4. Rocky - "Adddrian!!!" If you don't like Rocky.. well there's little or no hope for you as a sports fan.
5. Slap Shot - I missed out on this movie for years and finally saw it and nearly pissed myself laughing. Paul Newman is great as always in this indie feeling film.
6. The Longest Yard (original) - Burt Reynolds at his cocky best, as he leads the inmates vs the prison guards in football in an improbable story that draws you in anyways
7. Remember the Titans - what can I say, it's got that Disney feel but still it draws you in and the fact that it deals with race relations in the south during the 60's too.
8. Rocky III - Clubber Lang has to be one of my all time fav bad guys "Hey, Woman. Hey, Woman! Listen here. Since your old man ain't got no heart, maybe you like to see a real man. I bet you stay up late every night dreamin' you had a real man, don't ya? I'll tell you what. Bring your pretty little self over to my apartment tonight, and I'll show you a real man." "What do I predict for the fight?" "Pain."
9. Brian's Song - Based on a true story about Bears running back Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers. This was a TV movie but damn if the acting is great. I get sucked into this movie every time I catch it too.
10. When We Were Kings - documenting 'The Rumble in the Jungle' of Ali vs Foreman, this is a great look at the build up to this great boxing match.
11. Rounders - hey if ESPN can bludgeon us over the head with Poker, then I'll toss in this well acted movie about this sport. Great performance by Ed Norton, Matt Damon, John Turturro and John Malkovich as Teddy KGB.
12. The Smashing Machine - documentary following one time MMA star Mark Kerr during the height of his popularity in Japan as an MMA fighter for Pride FC. This unflinching look at this caring, friendly and flawed person shows just how messed up a person can be while at the height of their athletic career. Mark gives the documentary crew all access to his success and demons which makes for a fascinating story, regardless if you're a fan of the sport or not.
13. Beyond the Mat - you don't have to be a fan of WWE style wrestling to watch this documentary. Wrestling isn't an actual sport as it is scripted but it still takes ton of athletic ability to do the fall and stunts they perform so it makes my list. This documentary follows 3 main wrestlers and the events that happen to them and around them. What you'll see is so engrossing you can't help but talk about it afterwards. Jake 'the Snake' Roberts is both sad and scary at the same time. A must watch for anyone who enjoys engrossing documentaries.
14. Victory - Sly Stalone playing soccer with Pele?? yup this is not your typical WWII POW movie
15. Million Dollar Baby - Clint Eastwood once again delivers a poignant movie that is well acted. The fact that it's about female boxing just shows you how diverse Clint is and the he's one of this era's great directors and actors.
16. The Natural - I swear I've never seen the entire movie beginning to end in one sitting, but I've been sucked into watching it from wherever I catch it on TV about a dozen times. Robert Redford is of course superb.
17. The Hustler - Paul Newman as a great but flawed pool Hustler who's out to prove he's the best no matter what. It may be a bit too artistic and dialogue driven for anyone who lives and dies by action movies and comedies, but if you enjoy a well acted film that has depth to it, this is a great film.
18. Caddyshack - sure it's dated a bit, but the cast makes this still a funny film
19. Happy Gilmore - Just some good outrageous fun made at the expense of the serious sport of golf "The Price is wrong Bitch!"
20. Coach Carter - a solid feel good basketball story and once again based on real events. Having Samuel L Jackson adds a lot to this movie IMO as he delivers his usual brilliance.
that's my list.. did I miss any greats?
what's your list of favorite sports movies?
I admit I'm a sucker for sports movies, good and bad. Sure most of them are formulaic and predictable and yet I usually am sucked right in to them regardless, save for a few exceptions (Any Given Sunday being the biggest one)
Sports documentaries however, are almost always interesting and quite a few are great. I'd watch a good sports documentary on water polo. The one documentary I haven't seen and really want to see is the one about wheelchair basketball, murderball.
Here's my list of fav sports movies and sports documentaries;
1. Hoosiers - classic movie, great acting, great atmosphere, I get sucked in every time
2. Hoop Dreams - Great documentary and dose of reality for any HS basketball player who's counting on making the NBA no doubt.
3. Friday Night Lights - engrossing characters, doesn't have the typical feel good ending and some great acting by unknown actors
4. Rocky - "Adddrian!!!" If you don't like Rocky.. well there's little or no hope for you as a sports fan.
5. Slap Shot - I missed out on this movie for years and finally saw it and nearly pissed myself laughing. Paul Newman is great as always in this indie feeling film.
6. The Longest Yard (original) - Burt Reynolds at his cocky best, as he leads the inmates vs the prison guards in football in an improbable story that draws you in anyways
7. Remember the Titans - what can I say, it's got that Disney feel but still it draws you in and the fact that it deals with race relations in the south during the 60's too.
8. Rocky III - Clubber Lang has to be one of my all time fav bad guys "Hey, Woman. Hey, Woman! Listen here. Since your old man ain't got no heart, maybe you like to see a real man. I bet you stay up late every night dreamin' you had a real man, don't ya? I'll tell you what. Bring your pretty little self over to my apartment tonight, and I'll show you a real man." "What do I predict for the fight?" "Pain."
9. Brian's Song - Based on a true story about Bears running back Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers. This was a TV movie but damn if the acting is great. I get sucked into this movie every time I catch it too.
10. When We Were Kings - documenting 'The Rumble in the Jungle' of Ali vs Foreman, this is a great look at the build up to this great boxing match.
11. Rounders - hey if ESPN can bludgeon us over the head with Poker, then I'll toss in this well acted movie about this sport. Great performance by Ed Norton, Matt Damon, John Turturro and John Malkovich as Teddy KGB.
12. The Smashing Machine - documentary following one time MMA star Mark Kerr during the height of his popularity in Japan as an MMA fighter for Pride FC. This unflinching look at this caring, friendly and flawed person shows just how messed up a person can be while at the height of their athletic career. Mark gives the documentary crew all access to his success and demons which makes for a fascinating story, regardless if you're a fan of the sport or not.
13. Beyond the Mat - you don't have to be a fan of WWE style wrestling to watch this documentary. Wrestling isn't an actual sport as it is scripted but it still takes ton of athletic ability to do the fall and stunts they perform so it makes my list. This documentary follows 3 main wrestlers and the events that happen to them and around them. What you'll see is so engrossing you can't help but talk about it afterwards. Jake 'the Snake' Roberts is both sad and scary at the same time. A must watch for anyone who enjoys engrossing documentaries.
14. Victory - Sly Stalone playing soccer with Pele?? yup this is not your typical WWII POW movie
15. Million Dollar Baby - Clint Eastwood once again delivers a poignant movie that is well acted. The fact that it's about female boxing just shows you how diverse Clint is and the he's one of this era's great directors and actors.
16. The Natural - I swear I've never seen the entire movie beginning to end in one sitting, but I've been sucked into watching it from wherever I catch it on TV about a dozen times. Robert Redford is of course superb.
17. The Hustler - Paul Newman as a great but flawed pool Hustler who's out to prove he's the best no matter what. It may be a bit too artistic and dialogue driven for anyone who lives and dies by action movies and comedies, but if you enjoy a well acted film that has depth to it, this is a great film.
18. Caddyshack - sure it's dated a bit, but the cast makes this still a funny film
19. Happy Gilmore - Just some good outrageous fun made at the expense of the serious sport of golf "The Price is wrong Bitch!"
20. Coach Carter - a solid feel good basketball story and once again based on real events. Having Samuel L Jackson adds a lot to this movie IMO as he delivers his usual brilliance.
that's my list.. did I miss any greats?
what's your list of favorite sports movies?
