Top Ten Sport Movies of All Time

Top Ten Sport Movies of All Time

As a proud South African I recently performed my civic duty and watched the movie “Invictus”. (In case you live on Saturn and don’t know what the film is about, its a dramatised version of the Springboks winning the 1995 World Cup, starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman, directed by Clint Eastwood.)

Sadly, when the credits rolled and the film had ended, I felt disappointed. Look its not that the film was bad, but I was in South Africa during 1995. I know how that 1995 World Cup win felt for the whole of South Africa. Clint Eastwood is a fantastic director. I loved Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby, but his fault in this film lies in the fact that he is not a South African. The symbolism is there. The emotional aspect of being a South African during 1995 is off the mark. And as good as an actor that Morgan Freeman is (again, I loved Million Dollar Baby), there is no man that can play Nelson Mandela. Madiba is Madiba. Mr. Mandela does not win Oscars, he wins Nobel Peace Prizes.

As I continued to watch the credits of Invictus, I began to think of other sport movies, most of which I thoroughly enjoyed. Yes... Slowly but surely I ranked them. Finally I had a list of my top ten sport movies of all time.

Two rules. Rule #1 - No picking of more than two movies from the same sport. Rule #2 – The movie must be based on a sport that actually exists. (Sorry to all the Vin Diesel fans. Street racing is not a sport. Drag racing is a sport. So “Fast and the Furious” does not qualify.

#10 – Two for the Money
Starring Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey and Rene Russo.

I was surprised that this film didn’t receive rave reviews by the critics. Then again most sport films don’t. The film is a kind of sporting translation of the Devil’s Advocate with Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino. Instead of playing uhm... the devil, Pacino plays the devil of sport, namely a sports bookie. McConaughey plays a potential American Football star who has his career ended in his last college game. However, McConaughey possesses a talent in predicting the outcome of sports games. Pacino invites him to the city and they begin a successful working relationship together. McConaughey is an overnight success and is soon on a hot streak in picking the results of games. Not everything goes according to plan, soon the streak stops. The action is superb. The dialogue between Pacino and McConaughey is superbly acted. By the end of the film we see how unpredictable sport is and how by making a business out of sport, the passion and enthusiasm for the game is lost. If you haven’t seen this film go out and rent it.

#9 – Million Dollar Baby
Starring Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank

This film won countless Oscars. The performances delivered by Eastwood, Freeman and Swank are flawless. I don’t watch women’s boxing much. Don’t think I ever will. But you have got to give credit where it’s due. Swank is the second greatest actress of all time (Meryl Streep is obviously #1). I know you watched this film. I know you loved it. Yes, it does get a bit too sentimental at the end, but you cannot take away the fact that it deserves to be in the top ten.

#8 – Maverick
Starring Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster

Yes, poker is a sport. It’s on ESPN everyday. I know that most people might rank “Rounders” with Matt Damon as the greatest poker film of all time, but me... I’m picking Maverick. The storyline is okay. The whole wild west theme provides a great backdrop. The performances of Gibson and Foster help the film skip along at a decent pace. And the poker... well let’s just say that although the technical aspects are explored in depth, the excitement and skill of the game made me a fan. This is poker in the old sense. Five card draw poker. It’s the wild west... there was no Texas hold ‘em back then. Texas is in the south.

#7 – Any Given Sunday
Starring Jamie Fox, Al Pacino and Dennis Quaid

Al Pacino starring in two movies in the top ten sport movies of all time? “Who would thunk it?” I love American Football. I was crazy about this film. Willie Beaman, played by Fox, is the back-up Quarterback who gets his chance when the starter, played by Quaid, is injured. Pacino plays the coach who can’t believe how lucky he is when Fox delivers star performances. Fox’s ego explodes and his performances suffer. Pacino gives him the pep talk. Quaid comes back to show Fox how a leader is supposed to lead his teammates. Fox, learns and comes back better than ever. The game of American Football was the winner in this movie. Outstanding sport action sequences. And ofcourse Mr. Willie Beaman as that mobile and exciting Quarterback. Yes Willie Beaman, you are steaming.

#6 – White men can’t jump
Starring Wesley Snipes and Woody Haralson

Hands down the best basketball movie of all time. And yes I know that street basketball is not exactly a sport, but they do play street basketball in the States and it does have officially sanctioned events. Haralson plays Billy, the white guy that nobody thinks can shoot hoops. Sydney (Wesley Snipes) is the ultimate street basketball player, he’s got the skill, the moves, the attitude, but he misses in the clutch situation. A great duo is born when the two team up. Haralson compliments Snipes’ skills by having a range of good passes, the defence and delivering the clutch shots. The movie is not really about white men that can’t dunk. Haralson hits a dunk at the end of the film. Rather the movie is about teamwork, team chemistry and trusting your teammate. I love the unclipped shots of Snipes and Haralson hitting their shots in the movie.

#5 – Jerry McGuire
Starring Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jnr and Reese Witherspoon

SHOW ME THE MONEY!!! There are some films where all you have to do is mention a line from the film or sing a song and everyone in the room instantly knows what you are talking about. This film is definitely one of them. As a sports agent Cruise hits rock bottom when he is fired and his only hope lies in his last client, an American Football player (Cuba). Witherspoon leaves her job to join Cruise as he starts a new sports agency along with a fish that Cruise steals as he leaves the old company. The relationship that Cruise and Cuba build throughout the film enables them both to achieve on and off the sports field. It’s a serious feel-good film. Cuba won an Oscar. You can watch this film with your girlfriend as the relationship between Cruise and Witherspoon provides the romance. The only downside is that after watching the film with your lady, you won’t again be able to use the can’t fail lines of YOU HAD ME AT HELLO.... and YOU COMPLETE ME.

#4 – Major League Baseball
Starring Charlie Sheen and Wesley Snipes

No matter how many times I see Charlie Sheen in the series “Two and a half men”, I can’t help thinking, there goes WILD THING. Yes, that’s the power of this film. Next time you’re sitting with your mates just say WILD THING! out of the blue... Then watch as they instantly either start singing the theme song to this film or start rolling on the floor laughing. Although the film is about baseball and Sheen plays a young pitcher, fans around the world when watching any sport still look at the ground’s gates when things are not going their sides way... and they hope to hear the music and see WILD THING step through the gates and save their team. You know it’s true.

#3 – The Natural
Starring Robert Redford

I encountered this film one late evening while watching the networks play old films or re-runs, and this film blew me away. Grab your TV guide and see when it is playing again or go and rent this movie at the local video store. Redford plays a young baseball prodigy who seemingly has it all, and perhaps could be the greatest ever. Then before even starting a game in the bug league, he is shot. Fifteen years later he finally gets his chance in the big league. Older, wiser, but still carrying physical and emotional injuries from being shot all those years ago, Redford begins to play a season that will go down as one of the greatest. I am not a Robert Redford fan (Sorry Mom.), but his performance in this film blew me away just like he blew out the floodlights when hitting his last homerun. This is a must see for any fan of sport movies.

#2 – Victory
Starring Pele, Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine.

The symbolism in this film is what draws you in. Yes it’s great to see Stallone as a goalkeeper and Pele as the dream striker. But here we have a game of soccer being used to show that evil (in this case the Nazi’s) can be defeated. Delivering probably one of his greatest performances, Michael Caine plays the coach of a team of prisoners that will play a match against a team representing the Nazi’s. You’ve got to enjoy Stallone’s performance as a goalkeeper. And Pele’s bicycle goal at the end... Glad to see the great man on TV and not just promoting “performance enhancing” medication in those creepy adverts.

#1 – Rocky
Starring Sylvester Stallone aka Rocky Balboa

I could have listed as least three of the six Rocky movies in the top ten of sport movies. That just wouldn’t be fair to the other movies. If you have never watched a Rocky movie before, then you’re either dead or lying. How many young guys wanted to by Rocky? How many people want to start running up steps when they begin to hear the intro to the Rocky theme music and Eye of the Tiger. How many times has a bigger guy looked at you the wrong way and you thought, he’s lucky that I don’t go Rocky on his #$$. The film established Stallone as a Superstar. The film encapsulated everything it means to be a sports athlete and a sports fan. If you didn’t like one Rocky then you don’t like sports. That’s how guys should test if a potential girl is the one for them. Put on a Rocky film. Let her watch with you. If she shouts “COME ON ROCKY!!!” Get on your knees... You’ve got a keeper.

Let me know your top ten people.