Films and sports have always gone hand in hand. A film’s storyline and general flow must be linked to a specific sport for it to be classified as a sports film. Essentially, the tension, climax, and resolution must all revolve around a sport. It’s tough to pick the best sports movies out of the hundreds that have been released over several years. The finest sports movies become clearer when we consider the number of Academy Awards won, nominations received movie critic scores, and total audience scores. We look at one of the best sports movies of all time.
List of the best sports movies
Rocky (1976)
IMDb: 8.1/10
Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky,” arguably the most inspiring film of all time, is at the top of the list. It is undoubtedly one of the best sports movies. It is a classic underdog narrative with some of the most inspirational music ever on record. It also won the two most prestigious Academy Awards: best film and best director.
Rocky Balboa, a struggling boxer, gets the opportunity to face heavyweight champion Apollo Creed. Rocky enters the ring in an attempt to gain respect and fame, oblivious to the difficult struggle that lies ahead of him.
Raging Bull (1980)
When Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese collaborate on a film, as they have done several times, the outcome is nearly always a masterpiece. This is no exception in the case of “Raging Bull.” This gripping movie examines a boxer’s life both inside and beyond the ring. The film delivers engrossing storytelling and, in the end, a genuine depiction of how boxers cope when it’s time to hang up their gloves.
A middleweight makes his way up the rankings to have his first opportunity at a boxing championship. But his anxiety, envy, and fury in his personal life stifle his professional advancement.
Field of dreams (1989)
IMDb: 7.5/10
“Field of Dreams” has been cherished by movie critics and sports enthusiasts alike since its premiere in 1989. For years, this film has brought dads and sons all across the world closer together via baseball. When a film pays homage to baseball icons, depicts the practicalities of creating a baseball diamond, and features a star-studded ensemble, it is certain to become a classic.
When Iowa farmer Ray (Kevin Costner) hears a strange voice stating “If you build it, he will come” one night in his cornfield, he feels compelled to act. Despite the ridicule, Ray creates a baseball diamond on his property with the help of his wife, Annie (Amy Madigan). Following that, the ghosts of great players, headed by “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, emerge from the crops to play ball. But, as Ray discovers, this field of dreams is about much more than bringing out previous baseball greats.
Hoosiers (1986)
This great basketball film has all of the criteria for a memorable sports film: it introduces a new coach who expects his players to live up to his high expectations, it features a memorable, motivating pregame speech, and it follows a team that epitomizes the underdog attitude. The film’s legacy is protected in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. It is a true tale of a small Indiana high school basketball team that won the state title.
Temperamental Norman Dale is the head coach of a high school basketball team in a small Indiana town. To atone for his mistakes, he forms a successful squad with the help of an alcoholic assistant coach named Shooter.
Million Dollar Baby
IMDb: 8.1/10
Clint Eastwood’s latest film, “Million Dollar Baby,” is nothing short of a masterpiece. The story follows an elderly, disgraced boxing instructor who tries to assist a destitute lady to realize her goal of becoming a professional fighter. Frankie Dunn, the coach, has always refused to instruct a female boxer. When a young lady called Maggie begins to train at his gym, however, he recognizes that she has the determination and mental toughness to succeed.
Frankie, an irritable old coach, grudgingly agrees to train Maggie, an ambitious boxer. He helps her become the greatest after being impressed by her dedication and talent. Then, the two quickly establishes a strong connection.
Miracle (2004)
IMDb: 7.5/10
By beating the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics, the United States Ice Hockey team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in contemporary sports history. The United States’ win was so unlikely that it was soon famous as the “Miracle on Ice”. Kurt Russell starred in a Disney film about it released in 2004. Herb Brooks is a former player who became a coach. Then, he led the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team to victory over the apparently invincible Soviet Union.
Remember the titans (2000)
IMDb: 7.8/10
It’s difficult to dismiss a film that has Denzell Washington in a remarkable performance. Also, it reveals racial differences in schools and society throughout the 1960s. The moral of this video is that, despite the racial divides that existed at the time, T.C. Williams was able to unify its student union and the town’s inhabitants via football.
An African-American, Herman Boone, is the new coach of a high school squad. Also, for the first time, the squad is playing as a racially integrated unit.
Rudy (1993)
IMDb: 7.5/10
Who doesn’t like a good underdog tale? It is a real tale. “Rudy” is a film about a young man’s goal of walking on and playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The film includes a lot of emotional highs and lows. It has an unforgettable ending that may leave some viewers in tears. What makes this film unique is how it emphasizes the importance of perseverance.
Rudy never lost upon his ambition despite being small, unskilled, and questioned at every turn. Rudy has been told his entire life that he is too tiny to play collegiate football. He is undeterred, though, and has the determination to achieve his goal of playing for Notre Dame despite the odds.