We have pulled together a list of what we feel are some of the best American sports movies of all time. Has your favourite made the cut??
Looking for an old-school film? We have put together a list of what we feel are some of the best American sports movies of all time.
Has your favourite made the cut? Let us know your favourite ever films in the comment box below…
10. Mighty Ducks Released October 2nd, 1992
Take your pick from this trilogy, and you won’t be disappointed. Kids or no kids these films are filled with laughs for all ages. A pee-wee hockey team of underdogs is placed with a new coach Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) who is still not over his own past shortcomings years ago in his pee-wee career. Inspired by an embarrassing lose to his former coach, Gordon Bombay leads the Ducks on the most unlikely ride to the top of pee-wee hockey and more. The film franchise was so successful that in 1993 Walt Disney founded a NHL team in Anaheim named after the Mighty Ducks.
9. Coach Carter Released January 14th, 2005
One time Richmond High School basketball star Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) returns to his alma mater with plans on coaching his team about much more than just the game of basketball. Coach Carter sees a talented team, but he also sees a group of young men that must learn that self respect, and being stars in the classroom is just as important as being a star on the basketball court. Staying true to his beliefs Coach Carter refuses to change even when the entire town turns against him because he knows he is helping improve his players as people while also making a possible run at the state championship.
8. Major League Released, April 7th, 1989
Living in Cleveland and desperately trying to move her baseball team to Miami for her own personal pleasure, Cleveland Indians owner Rachel Phelps (Margaret Whitton) does whatever she can to lower the season attendance by under 800,000 to guarantee her teams relocation. Phelps orders the team manager to put together the worst team possible, but her plan backfires. Lead by star pitcher Ricky Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) this group of misfits attempts to pull off an unlikely miracle, and keep the Indians in Cleveland in one of the best comedies of all-time.
7. Friday Night Lights Released October 8th, 2004
High School football in Texas is more that just a game, and this 2004 film based on a true story depicts just what it’s like to be a player on one of these teams. The Permain High School Panthers are in Odessa County an oil town that has to deal with a decline in the oil business. All the city has is their High School football team which has the best winning record in the state to bring them together at their 20,000 capacity stadium every Friday night in the fall. The team themselves are pegged as a favorite to win the state championship, which brings a pressure on the players that they have never experienced in their lives.
6. Space Jam Released November 15th, 1996
What happens when you combine the best basketball player of all time and the best cartoon character of all time? Movie gold. Michael Jordan plays himself in the film as a retired basketball player now trying to become a baseball player. While in the animated world Bugs Bunny and the Loony Tunes gang are kidnapped by a group of Aliens called the Nerdlucks. The Nerdlucks believe that an appearance of Bugs Bunny will improve attendance at their amusement park. Bugs strikes a deal with the Nerdlucks to play a basketball game for the Loony Tunes freedom. When the Nerdlucks steal the talent of NBA stars to become Monstars, Bugs convinces Michael Jordan to return to the court for a game of basketball unlike any other.
5. Hoosiers Released, November 14th, 1986
Set in the 1950s Hoosiers tells the story of former college basketball coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) who becomes the coach of a high school basketball team in a rural town in Indiana. Fearing being rejected by the city, coach Dale inspires the team to a run at the state championship.
4. Rocky Released November 21st, 1976
America loves an underdog, and there are hardly any movie characters that fit this mold more than Rocky Balboa. Played by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky a one time promising boxer is on the brink of falling into non-existence when he receives the chance of a lifetime from Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) the biggest boxer at the time to fight him in a July the 4th bout. Rocky renewing broken ties with his former trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith), begins training for the fight everyone believes he has no chance of winning.
3. Remember the Titans Released September 23rd, 2000
In 1971, 3 high schools in Virginia (2 white, 1 African–American) are forced to combine their students and faculty. In a movie filled with plots much larger than winning a State title, coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) the newly appointed head coach must learn to get along with the former head coach, now Boone’s assistant Bill Yoast (Will Patton), and also turn a team with two different races that don’t trust one another into a family.
2. Miracle Released February 6th, 2004
Based on a true story of the 1980 US Men’s Olympic hockey team, Coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) must put together a team of unknown college kids to go up against the worlds best teams. Corresponding at the same time as the Cold War, tensions between the USSR and USA are at boiling point win the unbeatable USSR hockey team faces Herb Brooks’ USA team in the tournament in this most of patriotic of films, and brings up the question, do you believe in miracles?
1. Sandlot Released April 1st, 1993
When Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry) moves into a new town he hopes to make friends by playing baseball with kids in the neighborhood sandlot. The only problem is he has no idea how to play baseball. After being humiliated, Scotty comes back for a second shot to join the group of boys. Fortunately for him the group only has 8 kids, and they need 1 more to make a full team. Benny Rodriquez (Mike Vitar) gives Scotty a chance to be in the group, which leads to the wildest summer of any of their lives including the ultimate battle with “The Beast.”