Top Ten Sports Movies

Many movies are based on sports. Of course, not all of them become popular or are enjoyable. However, some movies based on sports are great to watch and we love to enjoy them again and again. They create excitement and passion in us and even encourage us to try for something bigger in life.

Here, I am made a list of top ten sports movies. All of them are great and very popular. Of course, there are other great movies based on sports too and I would like to request you to list your favorite movies in the comment section.


Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Image Link: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Released in August, 2006, this comedy movie is about a famous NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby. From his childhood Ricky Bobby loved to drive and drive faster. Gradually, he rises to fame as a NASCAR driver. He was challenged by another French driver, Jean Girard (Baron Cohen). Girard takes the number one position. Ricky trying desperately crushes his car and wounds himself. Although he recovered from the wound he could not recover mentally. Gradually, with the help of his former teammate Susan, who eventually becomes his girlfriend. With their support Ricky comes back to track and wins again. The film is directed by Adam McKay, Will Ferrell who is playing the central character Ricky Bobby also co-wrote the film.


Enter the Dragon

Image Link: Enter the Dragon

The first movie on martial art produced by an US studio, Warner Brothers, which made martial art very popular in USA and one of the best performances of martial art legend Bruce Lee, Enter the Dragon is a great movie. Bruce Lee died month before the release of the film in USA. A martial art competition, held by a crime lord in an island, is actually a process to hire fighter for his organization. Three men: Lee (Bruce Lee), Roper (John Saxon) and Williams (Jim Kelly) have come to participate with different intentions. Lee is appointed as a spy to uncover Han’s operation, and avenge his sister’s death who was killed by one of Han’s men. Released in 1973, the movie grossed $100 million and one of the most profitable movie made by Warner Brothers.

Seabiscuit


Image Link: Seabiscuit

This movie is based on a book by Laura Hillenbrand, titled “Seabiscuit: An American Legend.” The book was written on a legendary racing horse named “Seabiscuit.” In 2001, the book won William Hill Sports award and made into a movie in 2003, by Gary Ross. Seabiscuit was a race horse with some uncommon features. The horse was undersized, knobby-kneed and very lazy. Despite all these negative aspects he was one of the best race horses from 1933 to 1947. The film won Academy Award Nomination for best picture in 2003.

Major League

Image Link: Major League
This movie was not only successful but had a major influence over the American baseball. It collected $50million in USA. There are two sequels of this movie but none of them were very successful like the first one. The movie is about a team, Cleveland Indians, who never won any major game. The ownership of the team comes to a showgirl named Rachel Phelps. She got it from her husband and she is planning to move to Miami. The team consists of players with exceptional characters, but the most attractive of them all is pitcher Rick Vaughn (Charlie Sheen), a punk felon from the "California Penal League" with an ability to pitch at a speed of 80 miles per hour. The most interesting scene of the movie is the climax where playing against the Yankees, Vaughn comes out and in the background; “Wild Thing,” a hit song by The Troggs are played. After the success of the movie this whole event became a ritual in the game. Many pitchers entrance is followed by a rock song. The character of Vaughn is also a milestone is Charlie Sheen’s character. Many baseball players believe that Sheen acted like a real life pitcher.


Wimbledon

Image Link: Wimbledon

Released in 2004, this romantic comedy movie is about the relationship between two tennis players. Peter Colt (Paul Bettany) and Lizzie Bradbury (Kirsten Dunst), meet each other in Wimbledon championship. Colt, once a rising star, is now ranked 119 and Lizzie is a promising young player. This is the last game Colt will be playing and his only chance to win Lizzie’s heart is by winning the Wimbledon Championship.

Blue Crush



Image Link: Blue Crush
This 2002 movie is based on a female surfer living in Hawaii. Anne Marie Chadwick (Kate Bosworth), Eden (Michelle Rodriguez), and Lena (Sanoe Lake) are best friends. Anne’s younger sister Penny (Mika Boorem), working with Eden and Lena as a maid at a large resort hotel, and pursuing a professional surfing career. Once a promising surfer, Anne loses her confidence after an accident during surfing. Gradually she overcomes her fear and wins the Pipe Masters surf competition.


Happy Gilmore

Image Link: Happy Gilmore

A comedy movie on golf by famous comedy actor Adam Sandler. He also starred in two other rugby movies WaterBoy and The Longest Yard. Happy Gilmore is an wannabe ice hockey player. He has a very good slapshot but gets rejected all the time for his poor skating skills and aggression. Meanwhile, his grandmother has lost her house as she did not pay the tax money. Desperate to help her mother, Happy suddenly discovers his slapshot playing ability can be used to play golf. Then he sets off to play professional golf, wins the tournament and pays the money for his grandmother’s house. Made in 1996, the movie was nominated for MTV movie awards. Total Film Magazine voted it 31^st greatest comedy film of all time. The film also ranked 97^th on Bravo’s “100 Funniest Movies.”

Coach Carter

Image Link: Coach Carter

Based on the real life story of Ken Carter, this 2005 movie collected $67million in USA. The movie was directed by Thomas Carter. Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) is the basketball coach of Richmond High School. He took this job as a challenge and turns the basket ball team “The Oilers” into a promising group. However, before he started his training, the player signed a contract with him that they have to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.3, attend every class and sit in the front row of every class. When the team is on a winning streak, he finds out the poor academic performances and puts a lock on the gym and stops all the practices. Despite intense opposition from the parents and school board members, Carter holds on to his decision. The players than finally realize that Carter was right. He does not want to make a player only but a truly gentle man from every player.

Million Dollar Baby

Image Link: Million Dollar Baby

This academy award winning movie of 2004 was directed by Clint Eastwood. Maggie (Hilary Swank), dreams to become a boxer. Maggie comes from a very poor family, her mother, sister and brother does not care for her. She is a waiter in a restaurant and the money she gets is not enough. Her biggest problem is that she is thirty one years of age which is not ideal for boxing. Despite all these obstacles she is strong willed and devoted to her goals. One of the most touching scene of the movie is when Maggie collects the left over in the restaurant and raps it in an aluminum foil so that she can eat it. When the customer looks at her she says, “For my dog.” Maggie caught the attention of Frank Dunn, a great trainer but alienated by the society. At first, Dunn was not serious about Maggie but her regularity and hard work convinced him. Eventually he trains her and a strong bond grows between them; a father daughter kind of relationship. With Dun’s training Maggie becomes a good boxer. Her career meets a tragic end while she fights with the WBA Welterweight Champion in Las Vegas. A foul attack puts Maggie crushing on her corner stool. The injury was very severe and Maggie was paralyzed. The ending scene of the movie is very emotional. Maggie tells Dunn to do something for her. She tells that she has “seen it all” and tells how her dad killed their pet dog. He tells Dunn to kill her and relive her from her suffering and Dunn keeps her last request. I can bank that viewers who watched this movie in the theatre must have came out with wet eyes.


Chariots of Fire

Image Link: Chariots of Fire

David Puttnam, the producer of this movie got the idea while he was reading An Approved History of the Olympic Games by Bill Henry. In 1924, E.H. Liddell, a Scottish student was driven out from 100 meters competition, his favorite event. He then competes in the 400 meters and finishes in record time. Liddell had also another problem. He was bandy legged. Personally, Puttnam also faced many hardships to produce this movie. When he submitted the submitted the script to Columbia pictures, they turned it down. He then collected half the money from Twentieth Century Fox, in exchange for foreign distribution rights and half from Dodi Al Fayed. Son of a rich shipping magnate. When the movie was released it was a big heat. Puttnam became the chairman of Columbia Pictures. He hanged the rejection letter of Chariots of Fire.

Rocky: This movie was not expected become big hit but not only it was successful but it won academy awards in 1976 for best direction and best picture. Stallone, an out of work actor, wrote this movie after watching a boxing match between Muhammad Ali, the then heavy weight boxing champion and Chuck Wepner, an unknown fighter. Wepner fought total fifteen rounds with Ali before he was knocked out. After writing the movie within three days, Stallone started to look for producers. None of the famous producers wanted to buy the movie. At last, Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff agreed to make the movie. The total movie cost around $1 million. Till now, the movie collected around billion dollars. This film inspired many people in their personal lives.

Over the Top: This movie was not very successful but it is considered to be one of the best performances of Sylvester Stallone. Over the top was released in 1987. Licoln Hawk (Sylvester Stallone) is truck driver who arm wrestles for extra cash. Her wife Christina is ill. She asks Hawk to pick up their son, Michael, from military school. Riding with his father Michael learns about his father. The movie created a minor cult following.