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Deputy News Editor
A list of the greatest sports movies
With the majority of sporting events being cancelled and postponed for the foreseeable future, the sports community is evidently suffering. While we can rewatch the glorious highlights of past triumphs all we want, it’s just not the same at all – largely because we know the outcome, thus removing the thrill and excitement. To combat this, many sports outlets have begun releasing their lists of what they consider to be the greatest sports movies ever made. The problem? They’re all actually quite shit. So, with that in mind, and ignoring the majority of god-awful sporting cinema, here is a list of the greatest sports movies in film history to watch, for your enjoyment, during quarantine.
Remember the Titans
This movie is a classic – perhaps even the greatest sports movie of all time. Even if you don’t like American football, there are more reasons to watch this movie than not; it tackles issues of racism, has a great soundtrack, and has the capacity to really bring people together, even while we’re apart.
Unbroken
While only tangentially related to sports, Unbroken shows us how our situation is nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Coach Carter
A basketball movie about overcoming obstacles. It’s a cult classic and shows the power we have to overcome anything, including this quarantine. The most famous line of the movie is perhaps what we need right now: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.” Cool, right?
Semi-Pro
Yeah, it’s another basketball movie, but it’s Will Ferrall fighting a bear, inventing the alley-oop, and cussing out a priest. What more do you need?
Invictus
A classic movie showing how sports sometimes are more than just a game. A real coming together film. Plus, I’m sure it’s the only blockbuster movie about rugby (*quickly checks Google*).
I, Tonya
This was a cinematic masterpiece that I think went under the radar and thus is a bit underappreciated. Allison Janney’s and Margot Robbie’s performances are absolutely stellar. It is both accurate and funny, and really illustrates a tale that is as bizarre as Tonya Harding.
Space Jam
Quick! Everyone watch this before the LeBron remake comes out and ruins it. This is our last chance to enjoy it. Hurry!
Happy Gilmore
This movie is perfect, as we have to change from our normal lives to live with Covid-19, like how Happy changed from a hockey enforcer into a PGA golfer.
Rocky IV
Alright, here we go with the best movie of all time. It is the most perfect movie for this situation. We must each of us become Rocky, isolating ourselves in the Siberian tundra training and growing in order to come back stronger and single-handedly defeat communism. “If I can change and you can change, everybody can change.”
Honourable mentions (the substitute’s bench):
Blades of Glory
We are Marshall
Miracle
Slap Shot
Any 30 for 30 short
Rudy
42
Chariots of Fire
Cool Runnings
Like Mike
The Damned United
Talladega Nights
