The highest earning sports blockbusters are usually sports dramas. Number 1 on our list brought in $265 million at the box office. That’s the highest-earning sports movie of all time.
There’s something about an underdog who believes in him or herself and goes on to become victorious. Read on for a selection of 10 best sports movies that you should watch again and again.
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1. The Blind Side
This 2009 sports drama is based on the book with the same name by Michael Lewis.
Sandra Bullock stars as Leigh Anne Tuohy, a privileged suburban mom who takes in a homeless black teen, Michael Oher.
We watch as Oher becomes acquainted with his adoptive family, pulls up his grades and eventually gets the first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2009 NFL draft.
The rags-to-riches storyline is not new. But we love it. That’s why it brought in $265 million at the box office.
The Blind Side makes us tear up and cheer in all the right places. Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher performs beautifully. And it’s no surprise that Sandra Bullock walked away with several awards including an Oscar for Best Actress.
2. Remember the Titans
Remember the Titans released in 2000 is based on the true story of football coach Herman Boone portrayed by Denzel Washington.
We watch at the edge of our seats as Denzel creates a racially diverse team in 1971 Virginia. The brotherhood, the lockerroom antics, the nail-biting plays and the team overcoming huge odds–it’s all there in Remember the Titans. That makes this film one of the greatest sports movies of this century.
3. White Men Can’t Jump
Moving onto a more lighthearted sports movie, White Men Can’t Jump has a clever script and a charismatic duo in Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes.
The two team up to con black basketball players who think that white guys can’t play the game.
The slick and witty dialogue result in surprises and laughs the whole way through.
4. When We Were Kings
Director Leon Gast filmed the 1974 Muhammad Ali/George Foreman “Rumble in the Jungle” fight in Zaire. He spent the next 20 years trying to fund his film.
It was worth the wait. When We Were Kings won an Oscar for best documentary. It also scored 11 other wins and five nominations.
When We Were Kings is one of the best sports movies of all time because it shows us that against the odds, the underdog can take on an undefeated heavyweight champion and come out victorious.
If you are going to enter the ring, make sure to visit this site for a post-boxing massage afterward.
5. The Sandlot
This 1993 coming-of-age story speaks to our inner child. If you didn’t grow up watching the film, it’s never too late to start.
Follow the story of a group of kids as they play ball and learn life lessons during the summer of 1962.
It’s sweet and nostalgic and reminds us of what it’s like to be a kid. And that’s what earns it a spot on any top sports movies list.
6. The Natural
This film is loosely based on the novel by Bernard Malamud. It’s about a 35-year-old baseball player who finally gets his shot at the big leagues after missing his opportunity years before.
The score is brilliant, and it’s hard not to shed a tear at the end.
Cinema magic at it’s best allows Rob Redford, aged 48, to play Roy Hobbs at both age 19 and 35 years old.
7. Cool Runnings
When we talk about sports movies that show unlikely heroes, nothing compares to Cool Runnings.
The film is about the Jamaica national bobsleigh team as they practice in the Jamaican heat for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta.
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll cheer for the underdogs as they prove to the world that they have what it takes.
8. Million Dollar Baby
Here’s another emotionally supercharged boxing movie that should be on everyone’s top sports movies list.
It follows a has-been boxing trainer as he tries to redeem himself by a helping novice work towards her dream of becoming a professional boxer.
Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood star in this 2004 drama that hits you in the feels.
Though Swank isn’t on the list of Hollywood’s actors who do their own own stunts (for good reason), the emotion is raw and accessible.
It’s so much more than a boxing movie. Million Dollar Baby is an intensely emotional and motivational drama that pulls all your heartstrings.
Million Dollar Baby won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
9. A League of Their Own
This film is set in a time when America was realizing that the docile homemaker was no use during WWII. Instead, the American society needed competent, strong women who could excel in many areas.
And women rose up to the challenge. Rosie the Riveter became the symbol for womanhood during this time. And the world discovered that women can play professional sports.
A League of Their Own has the usual stock characters, but they work together to explore their old expectations and their new freedom.
It’s a good lens to explore women’s issues in sports both at the time and in our day.
10. Chariots of Fire
A four-time Academy Award winner, Chariots of Fire is the true story of two runners who compete in the 1924 Paris Olympics.
On top of the moving racing scenes, the true gem in this movie is the emotional depth of the main characters. One a devout Christian, the other a Jew, both are fueled by their convictions as the go for the gold.
The score has become famous in its own right and works beautifully to swell emotions during this cinematic journey.
The moral of the story is that victory comes after sacrifice, devotion, and commitment.
Bottom Line on Best Sports Movies
It’s difficult to make a list of the best sports movies when there are so many incredible options to choose from.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this selection. If there are any films on this list that you haven’t seen, now is your chance to grab some popcorn and enjoy.
Next, check out this list of five of the best disaster movies in cinema history.