There have been thousands of sports movies over the years. Some have been downright rubbish and most are mediocre at best, but there are a select few that remain deeply ingrained in our memories. Those movies not only invoke our passion for sports, but manage to pierce us and teach us greater life lessons. They teach us the importance of hard work and learning from our mistakes. They teach us that the impossible can become reality. That’s what I consider a great sports movie. Well, either that or it has to be a lot of fun.
Below are my top 10 sports movies of all time. Some popular movies are missing, either because I don’t think they’re as good as the others or because I haven’t seen them.
10. Major League – This falls into the comedy category. Willie Mays Hays, Jake Taylor, Pedro Cerano, Rick Vaughn and Jake Taylor somehow manage to come together to win the pennant despite its owner. It’s not the best comedy ever, but it’s definitely the best sports comedy ever. Major League 2 is just as good. Suppose Major League 3 never got made.
9. Remember the titans – The best part of this movie is that it shows how sports can transcend society. The black and white high school unification is only successful because of the ties formed between the two schools on the football field.
8. Rudy – How not to be inspired watching this? No one believed in this kid and he not only got into ND, but he made the football team. Most people would have given up long before Rudy, and it’s a testament to his character to stick it out and live his dream.
7. Miracle – I’m a big fan of ‘Miracle on Ice’, so I was a bit skeptical about the movie. They usually find a way to screw up the story. But surprisingly, Disney stuck to the story almost perfectly. By involving everyone from the original crew in the making of the film, including the late Herb Brooks, they ensured the film was accurate. I love that Al Michaels directs the action; He feels like he is watching the actual game!
6. Has game – This film tells the story of Jesus Shuttlesworth, a high school senior, the best college basketball prospect in the country, as he deals with pressure from his father and daughter, who try to influence his decision for their own benefit. Ray Allen is the perfect choice for Shuttlesworth because Allen WAS Shuttlesworth in real life a few years earlier. How many actors can make that claim?
5. Eight men out – The best part of the movie was that they didn’t try to simplify it for Hollywood: they tried hard to follow the story as told in the book. This meant it had the feel of a documentary, which is probably why this movie isn’t that popular, but true sports fans will appreciate that what they get is close to the truth.
4. Field of Dreams – This movie will appeal to sports fans and non-sports fans alike. Sports fans will love how they work in Shoeless Joe and other great classics. Sports fans will appreciate Ray’s fantastic journey to build the field of his dreams. “If you build it, it will come” is one of the great movie quotes of all time.
3. When we were kings – I’m too young to remember Ali as a fighter, but this movie really shows his greatness. Forman is a superior fighter, but Ali uses his wits to defeat Forman in “The Rumble in the Jungle”, one of the best fights ever.
2. Stockings – If you ever need to cheer yourself up, watch this movie. Nothing seems impossible after watching coach Norman Dale lead his team to the Indiana state championship.
1. The Natural – I have the DVD of The Natural and I’ve seen it more times than I can remember. However, every time I see it on TV, I immediately freeze and watch it. It captivates me like few movies. Roy Hobbs has that second chance we all want. He had the talent to be the greatest pitcher of all time, but a mysterious shooter took it away from him. Years later, he reappears as an outfielder and leads his team to the top of the league with his famous “Wonder Boy” bat.
