Two of my favorite things are sports and movies. I love both so much. The best things is when you mix them together! Sports movies, and there have have definitely been some classics.
Here’s a solid list of sports movies that I have put together over the years:
MY TOP 5
Hoosiers
It’s tough to decide which one of these great flicks deserves to be at the top of my list, but I’m going with Hoosiers at No. 1. Living in bordering Kentucky, I know all too well how big basketball is in these parts of the nation. The small-town feel of the community rallying behind their high school sports team was excellently displayed. Indiana captures that, the love of the game, and the essence of the 1950’s wonderfully. The character development is above par from what we expect from this genre and I love that in any movie. Being a based on a true-story was the difference between this and the rest of my top five.
Bull Durham
Baseball dominates nearly every best sports movies list and mine is no different. Of all the hardball flicks, Bull Durham is my favorite one. Kevin Costner nails Crash Davis and one some my favorite all-time favorite Hollywood quotes come from this classic. “Lesson number one meat, don’t think, it only hurts the team.”
Field of Dreams
Costner also was amazing playing Ray Kinsella, an Iowa corn farmer who risked everything based off voices he was hearing from his crop and decided to build a beautiful baseball field right in the middle of it. James Earl Jones was the icing on the cake as longtime writer Terence Mann. It was nominated for three Oscars in 1990, including Best Picture. The ultimate Father & Son tear-jerker moment gets me every time.
Major League
It may have lacked the masterful narrative and intense acting of some of the others in my top 5, but Major League was awesome. It was casted magnificently. Charlie Sheen was perfect to black Ricky Vaughn and his walk-up song of Wild Thing had an impact on real-life MLB players coming up with their own. Easily the top comedy sports movie of all-time.
Rocky III
No sports movie had better sequels than Rocky and despite its recognition by the Academy Awards it was the third movie of the series that by far was my favorite. It could have something to do with Mr. T being in it as Clubber Lang that makes me pity the full that doesn’t think this one was the best Rocky flick. One of my favorite parts of the Rocky movies was the soundtrack that accompanied each film and “Eye of the Tiger” on this soundtrack was like my theme song as a 7-year old boy.
MOST UNDERATED
The Sandlot – One of my highlights during high school as the sports editor of Dixie Heights High School’s Colonel Journal was getting to go to a sneak peek screening of The Sandlot and getting to meet and interview some of the cast. Despite the fact it was based in the 1960’s, I could personally relate to this movie based on my experience as a Midwest suburban kid in the 80’s.
MOST OVERRATED
Caddyshack – Don’t get me wrong, I like Caddyshack. I think I just might be burned out on it more than anything. Bill Murray was classic in this, but given the star power of this cast I just thought the movie could’ve have been better. It’s overplayed and overrated.
OTHER MUST-WATCH FLICKS
Any Given Sunday, Blue Chips, Creed, Dodgeball, Happy Gilmore, Miracle, Million Dollar Baby, Moneyball, Remember the Titans, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rudy, Seabiscuit, The Blind Side, The Fighter, The Hustler, The Karate Kid, The Natural, and Varsity Blues, We are Marshall.
*Let me know what movie you think is No. 1 @Dan Clasgens.