Sports and entertainment are nearly one in the same, and it’s hard to differentiate between the two at times. Professional sports is viewed as a form of entertainment, but there are also movies and films that depict sports as something else.
MLB odds and other professional odds have started to dominate how some think about sports, but this used to be done when watching movies. The entertainment industry has always done such a great job of making sports feel more life-like, and there are some great movies that illustrate this.
It’s never easy coming up with a list of the best sports movies of all time, but here is an attempt to do just that.
7. Moneyball
Moneyball highlighted Billy Beane and the Oakland Athletics as they tried to take on Major League Baseball by using money-saving tactics. Not only did the Athletics accomplish this, but they also introduced analytics to the game of baseball.
Some would argue that the “Moneyball” scheme has killed baseball since it was invented, but that shouldn’t take away from the movie at all. This was a terrific film and one that can be watched over and over.
6. Field of Dreams
There are so many great classic movies about baseball that it’s hard to choose just one. Field of Dreams is the choice at this spot simply because it hits on all of the romantic aspects of baseball and playing catch on a field.
The premise of Field of Dreams is a bit out there, but it just includes so many historical characters and events that it is hard to ignore. What makes this movie more special now is the fact that it still stands up and has inspired an annual baseball game.
5. Remember the Titans
Disney is known for taking a true story and putting its own spin on it, and that’s exactly what happened with Remember the Titans. Even if the “true story” was changed a bit on film, the basis of what takes place would always be of some significance.
Remember the Titans is a movie about integration and domination on a football field. This movie also has a loaded cast of characters and perhaps one of the best movie soundtracks of all time.
4. Miracle
It’s hard to argue with a movie about one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports, and one that took place at the Olympics. The 1980 US Men’s Hockey team will go down as one of the best of all time, and “based on a true story” film captured exactly what was taking place at the time.
There were some scenes in this movie that were clearly modified for entertainment, but the names and events were unchanged. If you are an American, then it’s hard to watch Miracle and not get excited at the result.
3. The Sandlot
The Sandlot is not going to receive a great score on Rotten Tomatoes, and there are some serious issues with the film. Movie critics find plenty of things wrong with the Sandlot, but that wasn’t the intent behind making this movie.
Everyone has a memory as a little kid of playing some sort of baseball on the sandlot, and this movie took that and ran with it. Everything tied together perfectly, and you also got some baseball history while watching the film.
2. Hoop Dreams
If we were strictly putting together a list of the best cinematic films related to sports, then Hoop Dreams would be at the top of this list. This documentary is one of the best that was ever created, and it shows the trials and tribulations of two inner-city basketball players trying to find their way with basketball.
The fact that this movie is based on a true story makes it even better, but this story wasn’t changed just to provide entertainment. Hoop Dreams is not a movie that has been seen by many, but it is a film that should be watched by everyone.
1. Hoosiers
Earning the number one spot on this list is Hoosiers, and it’s only slightly above another basketball movie in Hoop Dreams. While the story of Hoosiers is a bit more Hollywood than what takes place in Hoop Dreams, it is still something that plays out in Indiana to this day.
Everyone loves a good underdog story, and it’s hard to argue against Jimmy Chitwood and company taking on the big schools in the Indiana state basketball tournament. This movie really has a little bit of everything, and it is still a film that is enjoyed to this day.
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