There are a lot of sports movies out there and stories that sports create look amazing on the big screen.
Hollywood attempted to capture the magic of sports in “GOAT” and “Marty Supreme” and it got us thinking, what is the best sports movie? There is no shortage of films to choose from, but what movies are so good that it even has non-sports fans rewatching them?
Adan- “Remember the Titans”
Despite what I said in my depictions of sports in movies article, I love “Remember the Titans” because of its captivating story that just happens to use football as a vessel to tell that story.
Denzel Washington plays his character perfectly as coach Herman Boone and is exactly what everyone envisions when they think of a tough, outspoken football coach. Everything from making his players run until they throw up to getting in the referee’s face over a bad call makes the movie charming.
The plot and evolution of characters is done so well. I went from hating Gerry Bertier at the beginning of the movie for his typical school bully look and blatant racism to shedding tears for him when Julius Campbell visited him during the hospital scene.
Overall, this movie is the whole package. Great characters, progression, plot and story, what isn’t there to like about this movie?
Tanner – “The Sandlot”
No single movie takes me back to my childhood more than The Sandlot, but this claim is more than nostalgia.
This heartfelt film captures time before cell phones and technology when childhood was defined by imagination, freedom and the kind of innocent camaraderie kids are meant to share.
What makes the movie truly great begins with its cast of characters, each of whom feels relatable in their own way.
Tom Guiry perfectly embodies the “lonely kid searching for belonging” as Scotty Smalls. Mike Vitar shines as Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez, the confident leader who steps in like an older brother and brings Smalls into the group when no one else will.
Another reason “The Sandlot” is the greatest sports movie of all time is how incredibly quotable it is. Even the most casual baseball fan can recall Ham and Smalls’ iconic interaction when Ham shouts, “You’re killing me, Smalls!” A quote that has lived long beyond the film itself.
When you add this onto the heartwarming plot, unforgettable characters and its strong sense of nostalgia, it’s undeniable that “The Sandlot” is the greatest sports movie of all time.
Ty – “Miracle”
I have a deep love for all sports movies, but in my mind, there are only two movies that can go punch-for-punch with some of the top movies in film history –Remember the Titans and Miracle.
While “Remember the Titans” is an outstanding film, no sports movie can match the very real drama that “Miracle” creates.
“Miracle” follows the 1980 U.S Men’s Olympic hockey team who pulled off the greatest upset in sports history by defeating the undefeated Soviet Union.
Sports are the greatest live action drama that anyone could watch, it is why we love watching it as fans. So when you take that action and display it in a film, it cannot be beat.
Miracle portrays one of the most culturally significant games in sports history. Even though you know how it ends, you still feel all the drama and the emotions like you are watching the game live for the first time.
The fact that you can know how a movie ends and yet you are still so caught up in all the emotions shows just how good the directing and script was for this movie.
If you then take all the drama and cultural significance and wrap it into the amazing quotes and moments that were written in to this film, there is no doubt that this is the absolute best sports movie of all time.
Noah – “Ford v Ferrari”
Because of the lack of production value seen in sports films, we don’t see much quality in the output, however, when you bring together the director James Mangold (A Complete Unknown, Logan, 3:10 to Yuma), Christian Bale and Matt Damon, you’re bound to get a thrilling sports experience.
This film tells the story of Carrol Shelby (Damon) and Ken Miles (Bale) and their struggle to financial and competitive success. Car after car, the Ford company can’t seem to get it right, leaving the audience wondering if they’ll ever achieve their goals.
It’s hard to make cars driving the same lap over and over again engaging, but the sound, camera angles and cinematography create either extremely loud, stressful or beautiful shots.
Bale and Damon are not new to the screen whatsoever. Their experience not only gives us an entertaining time, but a passionate and emotional one as well.
A big film technique sports movies take on is the complex hero. They struggle with themselves in order to become a better player, etc. Mangold takes this technique and masters it. Giving us two older characters who have families makes the emotionally complex characters truly captivating. Because of this, the film feels more mature, separating its narrative from most sports movies and creating a unique experience.
“Ford v Ferrari” is the best sports movie of all time because we haven’t seen this much quality go into a sports film thus far in cinema history.
Shot from “Remember the Titans.” Graphic by Josiah Dolan.