The greatest films to come out of Japan
Director Martin Scorsese brought to the big screen one of the most celebrated sports-themed movies ever made with 'Raging Bull,' the true story of world middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta, flawlessly portrayed by Robert De Niro.
Ben Affleck stars as Jack Cunningham, once a star basketball player and now a hopeless alcoholic construction worker who is recruited to become head coach of the basketball team at the high school he used to attend.
This biographical sports drama follows Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) from his time as a homeless and traumatized kid to becoming a football player and first-round NFL draft pick. His success has much to do with the love and support offered by his adoptive parents, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy (Tim McGraw and Sandra Bullock).
Directed by Clint Eastwood and based on fact, 'Invictus' follows the efforts of President Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) to unite a land still scarred by apartheid by enlisting the national rugby team, the Springboks, captained by Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Brad Pitt stars as real-life Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletic baseball team, who attempts to assemble a competitive team by calling on the skills of Yale graduate Peter Brand (based on Paul DePodesta), who uses sabermetrics to select players based on their on-base percentage. Pictured is the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as Art Howe, the Athletics' team manager.
The late Chadwick Boseman stars as Jackie Robinson, the first black athlete to play in Major League Baseball during the modern era. Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey is portrayed by Harrison Ford.
Based on the true story of Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg), who played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 to 1978, 'Invincible' also stars Greg Kinnear (pictured) as coach Vermeil, who encourages Papale in achieving his goals.
In 1999, basketball coach Ken Carter made headlines for suspending his undefeated high school basketball team due to poor academic results. In this biographical film, Carter is played by Samuel L. Jackson, who has to explain why he benched his entire team.
Few films had managed to capture the drama and high-octane intensity of competition ice hockey before the release of 'Slap Shot.' Paul Newman stars as Reggie Dunlop, the player-coach of a minor-league ice hockey team who decides to encourage violent play to gain popularity in a declining factory town after a string of losses in front of an increasingly hostile crowd.
Washed-up golf pro Roy "Tin Cup" McAvoy (Kevin Costner) makes an effort to improve his swing after meeting Molly Griswold (Rene Russo), a clinical psychologist, who wants a golf lesson. Unfortunately for McAvoy, Molly's boyfriend (Don Johnson) is a successful top-ranked professional golfer. McAvoy realizes that he'll have to sharpen his game if we wants his name on the scoreboard.
Fast-paced, action-packed 'Days of Thunder' is fueled by the appearance of several real-life NASCAR drivers, including Rusty Wallace and Neil Bonnett. The guy in the hot seat, however, is Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise), whose desire to win is matched only by his passion for Dr. Claire Lewicki (Nicole Kidman), a neurosurgeon who develops a relationship with Cole.
Set up to and during the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966, 'Ford v Ferrari' chronicles the efforts of automotive designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale, pictured) to develop a revolutionary race car for Ford to defeat the perennially dominant Ferrari racing team at that year's event.
Steve McQueen is depicted as driving a Gulf-Porsche 917K in the 1971 production of 'Le Mans,' which actually captures race action from the 1970 edition. McQueen plays race driver Michael Delaney, who feels responsible, in part, for the death of a colleague, killed the previous year at the same event. With that guilt hanging over his head, he sets out from the grid hoping to pass first under the checkered flag.
This fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is directed by Penny Marshall and set in 1943. Tom Hanks stars as the manager of the Rockford Peaches, a team that includes Dorothy "Dottie" Hinson (Geena Davis) and "All the Way" Mae Mordabito (Madonna).
Thoroughbred racehorse Seabiscuit was a sensation during the Great Depression, winning numerous races and being voted American Horse of the Year for 1938. This film, loosely based on the life and racing career of Seabiscuit, stars Tobey Maguire (pictured) as real-life Canadian jockey John "Red" Pollard, who rode Seabiscuit first past the post on many occasions. Maguire did his own riding in the film, but had to lose a considerable amount of weight to "fit" the part.
A 14-year-old Elizabeth Taylor plays 12-year-old, horse-crazy girl Velvet Brown, who wins a spirited gelding in a raffle and decides to train him for the Grand National steeplechase, one of the most prestigious competitions in Britain's racing calendar. A twenty-something Mickey Rooney costars as Velvet's assistant, Michael "Mi" Taylor.
This movie is based on the true story of African-American coach Herman Boone, portrayed by Denzel Washington, and his efforts to racially integrate the T.C. Williams High School football team in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971.
A classic rags to riches story, 'Rocky' is considered by many critics as one of the greatest sports films ever made. The film launched the career of Sylvester Stallone, who plays Rocky Balboa, a boxer who works his way out of the slums of Philadelphia to get a shot at the world heavyweight championship.
Small-time pool hustler "Fast" Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) dreams of breaking into the big time. But to do so he must first beat the best pool player in the country, "Minnesota Fats." The stakes are high, but the personal price Eddie pays is even higher.
Two British athletes, Eric Liddell, a devout Christian, and Harold Abrams, a Jew determined to overcome prejudice, compete at the 1924 Olympic Games. Abrams went on to win the 100 meters sprint; Liddell clinched the 400 meters. Their triumph on the track is depicted in this memorable movie, which is also celebrated for its stirring electronic theme song by Vangelis.
Oliver Stone directs this sports drama depicting a fictional professional American football team and the managerial and executive staff that lead it. The movie perfectly captures the high drama on and off the field and in the backroom, and stars Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx, and a host of other A-list Hollywood names.
In 1973, 55-year-old former champion tennis player Bobby Riggs challenged the then-women's champion, Billie Jean King, to an exhibition match that became known as the "Battle of the Sexes." Riggs boasted that, even though he was in his mid-fifties, he could still beat a woman. King's eventual win is considered a milestone in public acceptance of women's tennis. The film stars Emma Stone and Steve Carell as King and Riggs.
Robert Redford stars as middle-aged Roy Hobbs, an individual with great "natural" baseball talent, who seemingly comes out of nowhere to become a member of the Knights, a struggling ball team, and helps them advance to the World Series.
'Glory Road' is based on a true story surrounding the events leading to the 1966 NCAA University Division Basketball Championship. Josh Lucas heads the cast as Don Haskins, head coach of Texas Western College, a team with an all-black starting lineup, a first in NCAA history.
Based on the early life of golf champion Francis Ouimet, portrayed by Shia LaBeouf, 'The Greatest Game Ever Played' is set in 1913 when golf was perceived as a game only for the wealthy. Ouimet was an amateur, but became the first non-professional to win the US Open.
English athlete Michael Edwards became an unlikely sports hero when in 1988 he became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping since 1928. As an unflappable underdog, he wins the audience over, and the media embrace him as Eddie "The Eagle." This film, which stars Taron Egerton as Edwards, follows his flight from obscurity to coming last in all his jumps.
The title of this romantic comedy sports film refers to English soccer star David Beckham and his skill at scoring from free kicks by curling the ball past a wall of defenders. It's a talent 18-year-old Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) wants to emulate, so she joins a local women's team where she meets fellow Beckham enthusiast Jules Paxton (Keira Knightley).
Russell Crowe gloves up as boxer James J. Braddock, who was the world heavyweight champion from 1935 to 1937 and earned the nickname "Cinderella Man" after an unlikely comeback in 1935, when he fought Max Baer for the heavyweight title and won.
Faded and aging professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rouke) is urged to retire after failing health and waning fame. However, he finds his quest for a new life outside the ring a dispiriting struggle and decides to compete in one more bout, a decision that will probably kill him.
When English jockey Bob Champion was diagnosed with cancer at the height of his career in 1979, nobody thought, not least Champion himself, that he'd ever climb back in the saddle. But after successful treatment he did just that—and won the 1981 Grand National on racehorse Aldaniti! John Hurt (pictured) plays Champion in this inspiring biopic.
The miracle in question is the United States men's ice hockey team's win over their heavily favored Soviet opponents at the 1980 Winter Olympics, a triumph that secured them the gold medal. Kurt Russell plays Herb Brooks, the US hockey team coach whose calls for changes to the practice schedule and strategy in the run-up to the event is credited with securing the historic win.
Slightly conceited but hugely talented downhill skier David Chappellet joins the United States ski team in Europe to compete at international level. He sets his sights on Olympic glory, but has to deal with personality clashes with team coach Eugene Claire (Gene Hackman) and a complicated love life.
After a tiger shark attacked her and severed her left arm just below the shoulder, professional surfer Bethany Hamilton figured she'd never compete again. But she ultimately returned to top level competition. 'Soul Surfer' is based on Hamilton's 2004 autobiography and stars AnnaSophia Robb as the brave and resilient athlete.
Sources: (Sports Conflict Institute)
See also: Sports stars you didn't know had medical conditions.
Some of the most inspirational sports movies ever made are less about winning and losing and more about clearing seemingly insurmountable personal and professional hurdles. Prejudice, discrimination, and social standing are often cited as barriers to a successful career in sport. But injury, health issues, or a complete lack of self-confidence in what you're trying to achieve are also contributing factors. When we watch a film about sport where the protagonist overcomes all the odds, suddenly we're all winners!
The 'Creed' film series is one of the most successful sports-centered franchises since 'Rocky,' which is appropriate considering it's a spin-off from the Sylvester Stallone classics! 'Creed' follows Adonis "Donnie" Creed, the son of Rocky's famous opponent, Apollo Creed. Created by Stallone and starring Michael B. Jordan as Donnie, the first two films have been a hit both at the box office and with critics. The third installment in the series is scheduled for release in March of 2023 and is already hotly anticipated. The first trailer was released on October 18, igniting further excitement for what looks to be an epic showdown. Actor Jonathan Majors will step into the ring as the character Dame Anderson, a former friend of Donnie's who spent the last 18 years in prison. A promising boxer before he was put away, Anderson promises Donnie that he's “coming for everything.”
Click through the following gallery and get back on track with these sports movies made to inspire.
The most inspirational movies about sport ever made
The trailer for the upcoming 'Creed III' shows Michael Jordan gearing up to fight new opponent Jonathan Majors
MOVIES Sports
Some of the most inspirational sports movies ever made are less about winning and losing and more about clearing seemingly insurmountable personal and professional hurdles. Prejudice, discrimination, and social standing are often cited as barriers to a successful career in sport. But injury, health issues, or a complete lack of self-confidence in what you're trying to achieve are also contributing factors. When we watch a film about sport where the protagonist overcomes all the odds, suddenly we're all winners!
The 'Creed' film series is one of the most successful sports-centered franchises since 'Rocky,' which is appropriate considering it's a spin-off from the Sylvester Stallone classics! 'Creed' follows Adonis "Donnie" Creed, the son of Rocky's famous opponent, Apollo Creed. Created by Stallone and starring Michael B. Jordan as Donnie, the first two films have been a hit both at the box office and with critics. The third installment in the series is scheduled for release in March of 2023 and is already hotly anticipated. The first trailer was released on October 18, igniting further excitement for what looks to be an epic showdown. Actor Jonathan Majors will step into the ring as the character Dame Anderson, a former friend of Donnie's who spent the last 18 years in prison. A promising boxer before he was put away, Anderson promises Donnie that he's “coming for everything.”
Click through the following gallery and get back on track with these sports movies made to inspire.