Favorite non-skiing sports movies?

[Ringrat]

A League of their Own
The Cutting Edge
We Are Marshall

And since those are about the only sports movies I can think of I guess that'll have to do.

I have seen some pretty awesome climbing vids, but I sure can't remember the names of any of them...

 

[gardenmary]

(Omg, this is a great thread!)

BASEBALL: “A League of Their Own” (1992) - about 2 sisters and the first female professional baseball league during World War 2. Great performances by Geena Davis, Rosie O’Donnell, Madonna.

BOXING: “Rocky” (1976) - The first. The best. Sylvester Stallone. Won Academy award for best picture. Cue the music.

PRO FOOTBALL: “Heaven Can Wait” (1978) - Warren Beatty co-wrote, produced and directed this gem, a fantasy/sports pic about “destiny.” Watch the real-life-couple chemistry between Beatty and Julie Christie. “You must be the quarterback!” 7 Oscar nominations.

OLYMPIC HOCKEY: “Miracle” (2004) “What America needed was a miracle. What it got was a hockey game.” Stellar, intense performance by Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks, coach of the 1980 men’s Olympic hockey team - a true story and great memory for any/all who remember it.

BOXING: “Raging Bull” (1980) - tour de force performance by Robert DeNiro as Jake La Motta. Black and white early brilliance by director Martin Scorsese, won 2 Oscars. Arguably Scorsese’s best work.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: “Rudy” (1993) Sean Astin gives a heart-warming performance as the kid too small for Notre Dame football. Great ending.

PRO FOOTBALL: “Brian’s Song” (made for tv, 1971, often on HBO etc) The real-life relationship between Chicago Bears teammates Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers. Won 3 Emmys. (my dad cried at this one)

BASEBALL:“The Pride of the Yankees” (1942) Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig, who played 2130 games before succumbing to ALS at the age of 37. Another brilliant performance. 10 Oscar nominations.

(Have to add a classic ski movie...sorry...)
OLYMPIC SKIING: “Downhill Racer” (1969) An understated, good performance by Robert Redford, co-starring Gene Hackman as the coach - incredible action footage, mega-retro equipment - enjoy

I'm just going to echo MSL, this is an awesome list. Though I have to add "The Natural" because it's just such a great film, and because the San Diego Padres had a very similar moment that same year when we were about to lose the playoffs to the Cubs - Steve Garvey came through with just that kind of a home run (I think it was a 3-run homer) that saved the game and sent us to the World Series (where we were annihilated by Detroit, but that's another story). So that last hit by Redford was very personal for us Padres fans.

PS - you have to be made out of rock to NOT cry during "Brian's Song". And Gary Cooper saying "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth" - wow. Great moment. BTW did you know Babe Ruth played himself in that movie?

 

[geargrrl]

I was very impressed by The Blindside. Sandra Bullock who generally I think is an actress who lacks depth, was awesome.

I'd second that if you only watch one, it should be The Miracle. I too thought Blue Crush was better than expected.

Basketball: Coach Carter and Glory Road are worth a look.

Climbing: Touching the Void. Must see.

But...this makes me want to think of worst sports movies, too, heehee..."worst" being silly, overdone, bad acting, utter predictability, sensational representation of a sport...
Cliffhanger
The River Wild
Facing the Giants
Ski Patrol
Vertical Limit

 

[geargrrl]

Chariots of Fire

definately!!

 

[gardenmary]

Omigosh how could I forget "Hoosiers"?? Wonderful, wonderful movie. Great performances, especially by Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper. Makes me long for the glory days of the NBA when the Celtics-Lakers rivalry was forged with Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlin et al.

 

[T]

Lords of Dogtown...for sure....my Fiance's favorite is Field of Dreams

 

[Mom of Redheads]

Here's an interesting link...

An SI gallery of academy award nominated sports movies. Some way back in the early days won quite a few awards, then it kind of dwindled to nominations but no wins... Last one that won much of anything was "Million Dollar Baby." Haven't seen Moneyball, but it's got a lot of nominations...

https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/m...ovies-academy-awards/content.1.html?eref=sihp

Enjoy!

 

[cathocon]

Jenny and Husband - I'm with you! Slapshot and Major League are my top favorites too. Hilarious!

 

[Ski Spirit]

St. Ralph
Bend it like Beckham
Miracle
The Greatest Game Ever Played (something like that...about golf)
Blue Crush (I like surfing movies....especially about women surfers)
Soul Surfer

 

[pinto]

Moneyball was really good, I thought...

 

[geargrrl]

It was! I don't think it was out when we started this list.

 

[Christy]

Moneyball was great. And no one has mentioned Bull Durham??

I wish there were a great horse racing movie, but I can't think of one. Seabiscuit was good. Secretariat was not, which is a shame--it's such a good true story, and Hollywood had to make it a cheesy flick for young girls.

 

[VickiK]

For horse-racing/steeplechase, maybe National Velvet? - I didn't see the movie, but read the book & it was great, as were Man O' War & The Black Stallion.

Great movies, great thread, I cannot add anything that hasn't already been mentioned!

 

[geargrrl]

National Velvet with Liz Taylor and Mickey Rooney!

 

[snoWYmonkey]

If you liked Seasons, check out any of the MTB movies by The Collective. Not as artsy but still fun to watch. Where the trail ends is also anok MTB flick, but I have reservations about off trail riding, and looking so far from our own backyards for epic oines to ride.

 

[geargrrl]

Murderball https://www.murderballmovie.com/
is a documentary about paraplegics who play rugby. They are really serious about thier sport. You also get some insight about life in a wheelchair, and the different stories of how the different guys got there. It was very inspirational.

We can't forget Will Farrell -
Blades of Glory
Talledega Nights

 

[ski diva]

Another good one: "Seabiscuit." And "The River Wild," too.

 

[deannatoby]

Million Dollar Baby was so fantastic.

My vote for the skiing category, which we're not supposed to mention, isn't a tear-jerker. But sometimes you just need to relax with some great laughs in a Hot Tub Time Machine. I didn't even ski in the 80's and think its hysterical.

 

[shnu]

Cool Runnings
Invictus

 

[lisamamot]

Just found this thread! Love, love many of the above...Remember the Titans, Invincible, Miracle, Rocky

A League of Their Own "there's no crying in baseball" is often quoted in our house

I also love.......

Boxing
The Fighter

Baseball
Trouble with the Curve

Surfing
Soul Surfer

Horse Racing (not a racing fan, but movies were well done)
-Seabiscuit
-Secretariat