Two things have withstood time sports and movies. If you put the two together you generally get a wonderful movie that will stick with you for the rest of your lives. They generally try to pull your emotional strings and can possibly make you tear up. Some make you relive your glory days of high school and college, some can even make you laugh til you cry. Sports movies are the type movies that bring interesting stories and present them in a manner were you really care for the characters and if they are true stories then they make you want to do research on the characters and how there stories have changed peoples lives.
There are also sports movies that have been nominated for numerous awards and some have been nominated for the Academy Awards highest honor ( Best Picture), while the only two to win the academy's highest honor are Rocky in 1976 and Million Dollar Baby in 2004. With this list I will tell you about my favorite sports movies of all-time.
10. Raging Bull-
Considered one of the greatest movies of all-time, Raging Bull tells the real life story of former professional boxer and Middleweight Champion Jake LaMotta and his struggles with rage, sexual jealousy, and an animalistic appetite which ruin his relationships with his wife and family. The story comes from LaMotta's memoir Raging Bull: My Story. Directed by Martin Scorsese this film is shot entirely in black and white and was mostly criticized because of its violence and language. LaMotta is portrayed by Robert DeNiro and LaMotta's brother is played by Joe Pesci. This movie is an all-time classic and it was nominated for 8 academy awards including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Sound, Cinematography, and Editing, while wining two ( Best Actor and Film Editing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=xve6QaqrPUQ
9. Million Dollar Baby-
If you love underdog movies then this is one for you. Directed by and staring Clint Eastwood as Frankie Dunn, it tells the story of a Missouri waitress Maggie Fitzgerald (played by Hilary Swank) wanting to prove to herself and her family that she be a world champion boxer. This movie also stars Morgan Freeman as a former boxer Eddie Dupris who is Dunn's partner. Though at the beginning Dunn does not accept Maggie as a boxer, he begins to realize though Dupris that Maggie is a hard working girl just trying to prove she can be the best. This film received high praise for its storytelling and Eastwood's work behind and in front of the camera. This Film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Editing, and Adapted Screenplay, while winning four (Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor, and Actress).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utz-RZwQpy
8. The Program-
This movie may be a shocker to most of you, but this is actually one of my favorite movies of all-time. It tells the story of the fictional ESU Timberwolves coached by Sam Winters (played by James Caan) and how the team must handle drug and alcohol abuse lives, the pressure to make a bowl game and their overall college lives. The team is led by All-American and Heisman Trophy candidate Joe Kane (played by Craig Sheffer) who feels the mounting pressure to be the best quarterback in college football. It also follows the story of Darnell Jefferson ( played by Omar Epps) and how he struggles to be apart of the team and also trying to win the love and affection of Autumn Haley ( played by Halle Berry). Throughout the movie as each person deals with their personal struggles they learn to be a team and come together to make the season successful. The film received a negative response and most critics considered the film to be "unimaginative". Though with all of the negative views I think it explains what happens behind the scenes of certain college programs and how college players can struggle when too much pressure is being put on them to succeed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsFBYq_h_J0
7. Breaking Away-
If I were a betting man (which i'm not), I would bet and say that most of you have never seen this movie or even heard of it. This is the coming of age story about four high school friends (played by Dennis Christopher, Daniel Stern, Dennis Quaid, and Jackie Earle Haley) not knowing what they want to do for the rest of their lives. The main character Dave ( Dennis Christopher) is obsessed with competitive cycling especially the Italians. Dave's dreams are to race with the Italians but his father (played by Paul Dooley) does not accept his sons dreams. Throughout the film the friends are teased by a group of students from Indiana University. Though they may struggle the four friends come togehter to help each other out through tough times and they help each try to become better people.This film was nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay and Original Score, while only winning one (Best Original Screenplay).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1jzs6dk4bs
6. Rocky-
Most consider this movie to be the greatest sports movie and one of the top 10 movies of all-time. It tells the story of underground Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone) and how he wants to be more then a low-life no name boxer. The opportunity of a lifetime arises when world champion boxer Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers) challenges Rocky to fight for the Heavyweight Championship. Though nobody thinks Rocky can win he trains with an old friend and gym owner Mickey Goldmill ( Burgess Meredith). One of the subplots is Rocky trying to draw his best friend Paulie's (played by Burt Young) sister Adrian (played by Talia Shire) out of her shyness and tries to show her that she is beautiful woman. The film received 9 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay and Editing, while winning three (Best Picture, Director, and Editing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvEnIkz82A0
5. Friday Night Lights-
What can I say about this movie that you already didn't know. It was adapted from the best selling book of the same name and was eventually made into a hit television show. It follows the 1988 Odessa-Permian Panthers trying to follow in the tradition f the school in winning a Class 5A state championship. Throughout the movie the team is faced with unsurmountable pressure to win and most of the players feel that the pressure is just too much and all they wan to be is normal kids. Head Coach Gary Gaines ( played by Billy Bob Thornton) is also facing the pressure of a first year coach in the fact that if he doesn't win a state championship, his job may very well be gone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-iPiN_YHjY
4. Miracle-
This movie is based on possibly the greatest sports victory of all time. The USA hockey team faced off against the Soviet Union (who was considered the greatest hockey team in the world). During the 1980's the Cold War was still raging on and some Americans were fearing of an imminent Nuclear strike. Herb Brooks (played by Kurt Russell) assembles a team full of college all-stars and tries to bring them together and to let them know that what they are playing for is bigger than just hockey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdmyoMe4iHM
3. Remember The Titans-
Probably one of the Greatest football movies ever, Remember the Titans is based on the true story of T.C Williams High School in Alexandria, VA. Herman Boone (played by Denzel Washington) is hired to take over a new football program of segregated athletes in a time when segregation was too well received. Former head coach Bill Yoast (played by Will Patton) is asked to become Coach Boone's assistant coach. Though the team doesn't like each other in the beginning they settle their differences and begin to play well togehter uniting a community and saying that if we can become friends then we all can become friends.and we must put our racial differences behind us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiqdA1B3_Nc
2. Any Given Sunday-
This movie at one point was my favorite movie of all-time but thanks to other movies it slipped a little down my list. This movie tells the story of the fictional professional football team the Miami Sharks and their struggles to become a cohesive unit to make a run at the championship. Tony D'Amato (played by Al Pacino) is an old time football coach struggling to keep peace on the team and with his new owner Christina Pagnicci (played by Cameron Diaz) daughter of the former owner and best friend of coach D'Amato who had recently passed away. During a game veteran quarterback Jack ''Cap'' Rooney goes down to an injury, he is replaced by third string quarterback Willie Beaman (played by Jamie Foxx) who struggles and argues with running back Julian Washington (played by LL Cool J). As Beaman struggles adjusting to his new found fame he still doesn't get the respect of Coach D'Amato because of his attitude.
This movie also has probably the greatest speech of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSDhhZtRwFU
1. The Wrestler-
I came across this movie a couple of years ago and I absolutely love this movie and what it means for so many people in the wrestling industry. This movie is about fictional professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (played by Mickey Rourke) and his struggles in the wrestling world. Once a star in the 1980's Randy now wrestles for a small time company in New Jersey and works at a deli mart. He has fallen on to hard times and resorts to drugs and strip clubs on a nightly basis. Randy befriends a stripper named Cassidy (played by Marisa Tomei) who tries to help him in restoring his old life back to normal again. I can honestly say that this movie brought me to tears especially at the end. It was nominated for 2 Academy Awards including Best Actor and Supporting Actress.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14BC9tBRAA
Also listen to this song by Bruce Springsteen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-6DM6iWKKo
So ladies and gentlemen do you agree or disagree with my list and what are our top 10 sports movies? I hope you all enjoy this list and I encourage you to watch at least one if not all of these great sports movies
Jonah Sparks
There are also sports movies that have been nominated for numerous awards and some have been nominated for the Academy Awards highest honor ( Best Picture), while the only two to win the academy's highest honor are Rocky in 1976 and Million Dollar Baby in 2004. With this list I will tell you about my favorite sports movies of all-time.
10. Raging Bull-
Considered one of the greatest movies of all-time, Raging Bull tells the real life story of former professional boxer and Middleweight Champion Jake LaMotta and his struggles with rage, sexual jealousy, and an animalistic appetite which ruin his relationships with his wife and family. The story comes from LaMotta's memoir Raging Bull: My Story. Directed by Martin Scorsese this film is shot entirely in black and white and was mostly criticized because of its violence and language. LaMotta is portrayed by Robert DeNiro and LaMotta's brother is played by Joe Pesci. This movie is an all-time classic and it was nominated for 8 academy awards including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Sound, Cinematography, and Editing, while wining two ( Best Actor and Film Editing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=xve6QaqrPUQ
9. Million Dollar Baby-
If you love underdog movies then this is one for you. Directed by and staring Clint Eastwood as Frankie Dunn, it tells the story of a Missouri waitress Maggie Fitzgerald (played by Hilary Swank) wanting to prove to herself and her family that she be a world champion boxer. This movie also stars Morgan Freeman as a former boxer Eddie Dupris who is Dunn's partner. Though at the beginning Dunn does not accept Maggie as a boxer, he begins to realize though Dupris that Maggie is a hard working girl just trying to prove she can be the best. This film received high praise for its storytelling and Eastwood's work behind and in front of the camera. This Film was nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Editing, and Adapted Screenplay, while winning four (Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor, and Actress).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utz-RZwQpy
8. The Program-
This movie may be a shocker to most of you, but this is actually one of my favorite movies of all-time. It tells the story of the fictional ESU Timberwolves coached by Sam Winters (played by James Caan) and how the team must handle drug and alcohol abuse lives, the pressure to make a bowl game and their overall college lives. The team is led by All-American and Heisman Trophy candidate Joe Kane (played by Craig Sheffer) who feels the mounting pressure to be the best quarterback in college football. It also follows the story of Darnell Jefferson ( played by Omar Epps) and how he struggles to be apart of the team and also trying to win the love and affection of Autumn Haley ( played by Halle Berry). Throughout the movie as each person deals with their personal struggles they learn to be a team and come together to make the season successful. The film received a negative response and most critics considered the film to be "unimaginative". Though with all of the negative views I think it explains what happens behind the scenes of certain college programs and how college players can struggle when too much pressure is being put on them to succeed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsFBYq_h_J0
7. Breaking Away-
If I were a betting man (which i'm not), I would bet and say that most of you have never seen this movie or even heard of it. This is the coming of age story about four high school friends (played by Dennis Christopher, Daniel Stern, Dennis Quaid, and Jackie Earle Haley) not knowing what they want to do for the rest of their lives. The main character Dave ( Dennis Christopher) is obsessed with competitive cycling especially the Italians. Dave's dreams are to race with the Italians but his father (played by Paul Dooley) does not accept his sons dreams. Throughout the film the friends are teased by a group of students from Indiana University. Though they may struggle the four friends come togehter to help each other out through tough times and they help each try to become better people.This film was nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay and Original Score, while only winning one (Best Original Screenplay).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1jzs6dk4bs
6. Rocky-
Most consider this movie to be the greatest sports movie and one of the top 10 movies of all-time. It tells the story of underground Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone) and how he wants to be more then a low-life no name boxer. The opportunity of a lifetime arises when world champion boxer Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers) challenges Rocky to fight for the Heavyweight Championship. Though nobody thinks Rocky can win he trains with an old friend and gym owner Mickey Goldmill ( Burgess Meredith). One of the subplots is Rocky trying to draw his best friend Paulie's (played by Burt Young) sister Adrian (played by Talia Shire) out of her shyness and tries to show her that she is beautiful woman. The film received 9 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay and Editing, while winning three (Best Picture, Director, and Editing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvEnIkz82A0
5. Friday Night Lights-
What can I say about this movie that you already didn't know. It was adapted from the best selling book of the same name and was eventually made into a hit television show. It follows the 1988 Odessa-Permian Panthers trying to follow in the tradition f the school in winning a Class 5A state championship. Throughout the movie the team is faced with unsurmountable pressure to win and most of the players feel that the pressure is just too much and all they wan to be is normal kids. Head Coach Gary Gaines ( played by Billy Bob Thornton) is also facing the pressure of a first year coach in the fact that if he doesn't win a state championship, his job may very well be gone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-iPiN_YHjY
4. Miracle-
This movie is based on possibly the greatest sports victory of all time. The USA hockey team faced off against the Soviet Union (who was considered the greatest hockey team in the world). During the 1980's the Cold War was still raging on and some Americans were fearing of an imminent Nuclear strike. Herb Brooks (played by Kurt Russell) assembles a team full of college all-stars and tries to bring them together and to let them know that what they are playing for is bigger than just hockey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdmyoMe4iHM
3. Remember The Titans-
Probably one of the Greatest football movies ever, Remember the Titans is based on the true story of T.C Williams High School in Alexandria, VA. Herman Boone (played by Denzel Washington) is hired to take over a new football program of segregated athletes in a time when segregation was too well received. Former head coach Bill Yoast (played by Will Patton) is asked to become Coach Boone's assistant coach. Though the team doesn't like each other in the beginning they settle their differences and begin to play well togehter uniting a community and saying that if we can become friends then we all can become friends.and we must put our racial differences behind us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiqdA1B3_Nc
2. Any Given Sunday-
This movie at one point was my favorite movie of all-time but thanks to other movies it slipped a little down my list. This movie tells the story of the fictional professional football team the Miami Sharks and their struggles to become a cohesive unit to make a run at the championship. Tony D'Amato (played by Al Pacino) is an old time football coach struggling to keep peace on the team and with his new owner Christina Pagnicci (played by Cameron Diaz) daughter of the former owner and best friend of coach D'Amato who had recently passed away. During a game veteran quarterback Jack ''Cap'' Rooney goes down to an injury, he is replaced by third string quarterback Willie Beaman (played by Jamie Foxx) who struggles and argues with running back Julian Washington (played by LL Cool J). As Beaman struggles adjusting to his new found fame he still doesn't get the respect of Coach D'Amato because of his attitude.
This movie also has probably the greatest speech of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSDhhZtRwFU
1. The Wrestler-
I came across this movie a couple of years ago and I absolutely love this movie and what it means for so many people in the wrestling industry. This movie is about fictional professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (played by Mickey Rourke) and his struggles in the wrestling world. Once a star in the 1980's Randy now wrestles for a small time company in New Jersey and works at a deli mart. He has fallen on to hard times and resorts to drugs and strip clubs on a nightly basis. Randy befriends a stripper named Cassidy (played by Marisa Tomei) who tries to help him in restoring his old life back to normal again. I can honestly say that this movie brought me to tears especially at the end. It was nominated for 2 Academy Awards including Best Actor and Supporting Actress.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u14BC9tBRAA
Also listen to this song by Bruce Springsteen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-6DM6iWKKo
So ladies and gentlemen do you agree or disagree with my list and what are our top 10 sports movies? I hope you all enjoy this list and I encourage you to watch at least one if not all of these great sports movies
Jonah Sparks
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