RIP IT UP MOVIE CLUB: Rip It Up’s Top 10 Sports Movies

Friday , 23 Sep 2011

Love it or loathe it… there is no denying that the 2011 Rugby World Cup has captivated the country like no event before it. Featuring fireworks, flags and flash-hakas… the next few weeks will go down in history marking quite possibly the biggest sporting event ever to be hosted in our small nation. So with New Zealand well and truly in the grip of rugby fever, it really wasn’t too difficult to decide what should feature in this month’s Rip It Up Movie Club count down. So without further adieu, I present to you… the Top 10 Sports Movies.

10. Blades of Glory (Figure Skating)

Considering that male figure skating doesn’t boast the biggest fan base at the best of times, how do you make an entertaining movie featuring two male figure skaters as the main characters? You cast Will Ferrell (Anchorman) and Jon Heder (Napolean Dynamite) in the headline roles, surround them with considerable talent (Will Arnett (Arrested Development), Amy Poehler (Baby Mama), Jenna Fischer (The Office), Craig T. Nelson (The Incredibles) & Romy Malco (The 40 Year Old Virgin)) and let them run wild (the film’s writers claimed that Ferrell improvised 88.773% of his lines) with a superbly scripted comedy. Whilst the style of comedy might not appeal to everyone, it’s hard not to crack a chuckle at the banter between Ferrell and Heder.

Further viewing: Dodgeball (2004), Semi-Pro (2008)

9. Jerry Maguire (American Football)

If there is a God in Hollywood, this should be the film Cuba Gooding Jr should be remembered for, before he disappeared into B-grade obscurity. The story follows Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise at his charismatic best), a down-on-his-luck sports agent, whose final chance at success lies with a talented footballer (Gooding Jr in his best performance since Boyz N the Hood) whose bad attitude has left his career in tatters. The two leads are superb and really do lift the film with what they bring to their role. Throw in a charming subplot with love interest Dorothy (Renee Zellweger) and her quirky son Ray (Jonathon Lipnicki), with some classic one-liners (“you had me at hello”; “show me the money”) and you definitely have a winner in Jerry Maguire.

Further viewing: Any Given Sunday (1999), The Replacements (2000)

8. The Hurricane (Boxing)

What is it about boxing that makes for a great movie? Despite the countless sports out there that have been represented in film, the sport of boxing has laid claim to… wait for it… four spots in Rip It Up’s Top 10 Sports Movies. Now I might know the difference between Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao, but I would hardly rate myself as enough of an aficionado as to let bias distort my perception, which suggests that boxing really can drive a great movie.

The first of these tributes to gloved gladiators to make the list is Norman Jewison’s biopic The Hurricane, which tells the story of controversial boxer Rubin ‘The Hurricane’ Carter, a professional boxer in the 1960’s, who was charged with three murders. With the ever-impressive Denzel Washington in good form lacing up the gloves to fill in the role of Carter, the film follows the true-story of the fight he went through as he sought to prove his innocence. Whilst it can’t lay claim to being the greatest boxing film in the market (see below), The Hurricane sure puts up one hell of a fight.

Further viewing: Ali (2001), Resurrecting the Champ (2007)

7. Baseketball (Baseketball)

From the mind behind The Naked Gun series, director David Zucker’s comedy sports flick should probably deserve an honourable mention simply for basing the film around a completely original sport, but the fact is that it is arguably one of the funniest sports movies of all time. Starring Trey Parker and Matt Stone (of Southpark fame), the story sees two losers invent the sport of baseketball, which becomes a huge success and quickly goes professional, resulting in the two naïve co-creators going head-to-head against a billionaire owner (Robert Vaughn) who wants to corrupt the sport. Stone and Parker are brilliant in the leads and the sport’s “psyche-out” sequences are comedic gems. Fans of Southpark should get a huge hit out of this.

Further viewing: Beerfest (2006), The Bench-Warmers (2006)

6. Happy Gilmore (Golf)

Before he was seemingly churning out movies for his next pay-cheque (Grown Ups, You Don’t Mess With the Zohan), comedian Adam Sandler actually had a run of pretty good movies. The high-point of this golden period has to be Sandler’s turn as Happy Gilmore; a wannabe ice-hockey player who is convinced to try his hand at golf. With the most explosive drive in golf history, and a temper to match, Happy quickly finds himself scorching his way up the PGA rankings, much to the chagrin of the tournament favourite Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald). Whether you’re a Sandler fan or not, this is the perfect film to remind yourself what the actor is capable of or to wonder what went wrong.

Further viewing: The Waterboy (1998), Caddyshack (1980)

5. The Wrestler (Professional Wrestling)

Though professional wrestling tyrant Vincent Kennedy McMahon would be the first to point out that it isn’t strictly a sport (“sports entertainment” is the preferred term), you can not deny the fact that its combatants are athletes and it does feature a strong element of sport… even if it is blended with elements of a soap opera. Regardless of whether you’re a member of the CeNation or you think it’s all fake, Darren Aronofsky’s sombre tale of professional wrestler, Randy ‘the Ram’ Robinson (Mickey Rourke), is a truly touching story. Well past his prime, ‘The Ram’ struggles with life outside of the ring, making ends meet through a dead-end job at the local supermarket, whilst he deals with a broken family and his romantic feelings toward an exotic dancer (Marisa Tomei). Rourke is absolutely perfect in the role (perhaps drawing from his own experiences as a struggling “has-been” in Hollywood), which has seen his career reignited once more. You’ll have to watch to see if Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson is as lucky.

Further viewing: Nacho Libre (2006), No Holds Barred (1989)

4. Raging Bull (Boxing)

If there was one athlete whose life would make an epic biopic it is the ‘Raging Bull’ Jake La Motta; and this is his story. A prized boxer in the 1940’s-50’s, La Motta (Robert De Niro in scarily good form) is an emotional train-wreck whose uncontrollable temper might make him unstoppable in the ring, but also makes him self-destructive in his private life. Suffering from intense paranoia and jealousy, La Motta deals to his friends and family the same way that he would with an opponent, leaving the feared boxer on a downward spiral to a life of isolation and loneliness. Directed by Martin Scorcese and featuring absurdly outstanding performances from the likes of De Niro and Joe Pesci, the Raging Bull is one of sports’ greatest stories.

Further viewing: Cinderella Man (2005), Goodfellas (1990)

3. Million Dollar Baby (Boxing)

Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood adds yet another gold star to his peerless resume (he has somehow managed to continue soaring to new heights over a career spanning 40+ years, whilst other actors/directors struggle to manage a decade in Hollywood… seriously, the man is 81 years old; I swear he’s not human), with this sports tale that will well-and-truly tug on your heart-strings. Starring fellow Academy favourites Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank, this film follows Frankie Dunn (Eastwood at his grizzled best), a hardened trainer, who reluctantly takes on aspiring female boxer, Maggie Fitzgerald (Swank). Along with best-friend/ex-boxer Eddie ‘Scrap Iron’ Durpris (Freeman), Frankie trains Maggie and guides her through the ranks of women’s boxing. As expected (you don’t last 40+ years in Hollywood by luck), Eastwood’s venture into the ring packs a powerful punch and its final knockout blow will leave many a viewer emotionally stunned. A fitting testament to one of film’s greatest talents.

Further viewing: Gladiator (1992), Girlfight (2000)

2. Remember the Titans (American Football)

Before she was a cheerleader, Hayden Panettiere was the feisty daughter of Coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) in Disney’s true tale about T. C. Williams High School’s greatest hour. Set in a segregated society in 1971, T. C. Williams High School made history when it opened its doors to students of all races and fielded an integrated football team, with the current white coach, Coach Yoast, being replaced by an African-American coach, Coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington). As the team gradually overcome their institutionalised differences, and they learn to trust and respect each other, their cohesion soon translates into success on the field and they soon find themselves as a symbol of unity in a racially-divided community. A touching story is elevated by some outstanding performances (the chemistry between players is second to none) and many memorable moments. Even the least-sports-minded individuals will find themselves sucked in and rooting for the mighty Titans.

Further viewing: Friday Night Lights (2004), Rudy (1993)

1. Rocky (Boxing)

The fact that this franchise can boast several sequels that don’t suck (sadly Rocky V dropped the ball), illustrates just how powerful a character Rocky Balboa (Sylvestor Stallone) is in film sports history. Voted the 7th Greatest Movie Hero of All Time by the AFI (American Film Institute) and having been immortalised by a bronze statue in Philadelphia, the character has gone head to head with some of films’ greatest antagonists in Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), Clubber Lang (Mr. T) and Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). Of course, the original Rocky set the pace for the series and is the best place for the uninitiated to begin. The original film tells the story of a small time boxer who receives a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the world heavyweight champ and is determined to go the distance for the sake of his self respect. If you’ve somehow missed this lesson in film history (it’s the film that launched Sylvestor Stallone’s career), or even if you last watched it on VHS, this really is a film that deserves to be dragged out of the archives. Despite some fancied competition, Stallone’s underdog story gets my vote as the #1 sports movie in film history.

Further viewing: Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982)