Top 10 sports movies
Top 10 sports movies. Actor Sylvester Stallone as 'Rocky Balboa'. Source: Supplied
IN this week's top 10 we step back from the sideline and in to the lounge room for a look at the best sports movies of all time.
Documentaries are ruled out, along with movies about fishing, which contrary to the protestations of some mates on Boxing Day, is not a sport.
Some of them make us laugh, some of them make us cry, but they all leave us loving sport even more.
Which is your favourite? And what have we left out?
Top 10 sports movies. Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in the original Rocky.
Source: Supplied
ROCKY (1976)
For practicality, we are lumping the complete Rocky franchise under this banner, otherwise the Italian Stallion would occupy about half the spots on this list.
The classic underdog-made-good story, deemed good enough to win a bunch of Oscars, what's not to love?
Sure, Rocky could have learnt to actually block a punch or two over the years, but for sheer jumping-out-of-your-seat-cheering-wildly entertainment, it is hard to go past.
Top 10 sports movies. Denzel Washington in the 2001 film "Remember the Titans".
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REMEMBER THE TITANS (2000)
Another inspirational story, this one even more so than Rocky because it is actually true.
Based on the racial tensions enveloping small-town US in the early 1970s, Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) takes over as head coach of the TC Williams High School Titans.
The way he brings black and white players together will bring a tear to your eye and as they march towards the state championship you'll be cheering until you're hoarse.
Top 10 sports movies. Poster for 2005 film "Cinderella Man".
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CINDERELLA MAN (2005)
Based on the true rise of American boxing legend James Braddock, Cinderella Man sees Russell Crowe transform himself in to a Great Depression-era heavyweight boxing champion.
The movie gives a fascinating insight in to the troubles of living through the Depression as well as showcasing some stellar performances from an all-star cast.
To box like Braddock, Crowe spent months working with revered boxing trainer Angelo Dundee, the man who mentored the great Muhammad Ali.
The result is some of the best boxing sequences captured on the silver screen.
Top 10 sports movies. Robert Redford in the film "The Natural".
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THE NATURAL (1984)
"The best there ever was" is how Robert Redford's Ray Hobbs describes his own prowess on the baseball diamond, but he could also be making a claim about the movie itself.
A genuine favourite among sports fans, The Natural follows the story of a young baseballer cut down in his prime only to emerge from the wilderness a decade later for one more shot at the big time.
Hobbs isn't the most likeable character, but you find yourself cheering for him just the same as he thumbs his nose at the boardroom politicians and shady gambling types trying to undermine his beloved team.
It helps that Redford has a beautiful batting style who looks every bit the part of the movie's title.
Top 10 sports movies. Adam Sandler in a scene from the film Happy Gilmore.
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HAPPY GILMORE (1996)
If only golf really did have a Happy Gilmore, the sport's TV ratings would probably go through the roof.
Adam Sandler stars as a hopeless ice hockey player who has an accidental talent for smacking a golf ball further than anyone else in the history of the game.
His John McEnroe antics bring a Rock Star element to the golf gallery, which in turn is met with disdain by the established golfing fraternity, especially the evil Shooter McGavin.
Happy Gilmore is purely fictional, but I have heard more than one golfing executive whisper that they wished it was true.
Top 10 sports movies. Scene from 1994 film 'Cool Runnings'.
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COOL RUNNINGS (1993)
Loosely based on the true story of the Jamaican bobsled team at the 1988 Winter Olympics, this is one cool movie.
A misfit collection of failed sprinters form their own bobsled team, convincing a former US champion played by John Candy to take over as coach.
The team goes through highs and lows, but by the end of the movie they have won not medals, but international respect.
Some of the story is not entirely accurate, but hey, this is Hollywood, so why let the facts get in the way of a good story?
Top 10 sports movies. Actors Amy Madigan and Kevin Costner from 1989 film "Field of Dreams".
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FIELD OF DREAMS (1987)
Kevin Costner's baseball classic strikes a chord with the little boy in all of us.
If you had the room, who wouldn't want to build a sports stadium in their backyard?
This movie delivers some pretty strong messages and teaches you to have faith if you want to achieve your goals.
It also spawned one of the most oft-quoted lines of all-time: "If you build it, they will come".
Top 10 sports movies. Actors Will Ferrell (right) and John C Reilly in 2006 film 'Talladega Nights: The Ballard Of Ricky Bobby'.
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TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY (2006)
This is not a sports movie to inspire you to perform great deeds, but when it comes to the funniest of the genre, it's in definite gold medal contention.
Will Ferrell and Sacha Baron Cohen star as bitter rivals on the American NASCAR circuit.
In the tried-and-true formula, Ricky Bobby (Ferrell) rises from nothing to everything only to have it all taken away from him before climbing off the canvas for a return to glory.
Yes, this movie is stupid and it is included at the expense of legitimate flicks like Chariots of Fire, Big Wednesday and Raging Bull, but it is a winner just the same.
Top 10 sports movies. Geena Davis in 1992 film "A League Of Their Own". E
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A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN (1992)
Women are rarely cast as the centre of attention in sports movies, which is what makes this one a refreshing change.
Another one based on a true story, this movie follows actual events in 1943, when World War II creates a serious drain on the playing stocks of Major League baseball, sparking a new women's league.
Geena Davis shines as the main star, but Tom Hanks, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell make up a great supporting cast.
We'll also give an honourable mention to Million Dollar Baby, but A League of Their Own wins out for its more uplifting storyline.
Top 10 sports movies. Rudy: Sean Astin (of Hobbit fame in Lord of the Rings) stars as Rudy, a little bloke with big dreams of playing American football for the prestigious Notre Dame University.
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RUDY (1993)
This plucky little guy is arguably the most loveable sports movie star of all-time.
Sean Astin (of Hobbit fame in Lord of the Rings) stars as Rudy, a little bloke with big dreams of playing American football for the prestigious Notre dame University.
Despite a wealth of obstacles, Rudy shows enormous heart to rise above his challenges and achieve his dream, even after his fiancee starts dating one of his brothers.
Rudy is the ultimate father-son bonding movie and perfect for when Little Johnny complains he is too small to be any good at football.
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