Greatest Sports Movies: Elimination Poll #2 (multiple-choice poll!!)

[JasonEvans]

THIS IS A MULTIPLE CHOICE POLL!!!

YOU MAY VOTE FOR AS MANY OF THESE AS YOU WANT.

If you are confused about what is going on here, please consult this thread for information.

--Jason

[DevilAlumna]

This was a far better movie than Seabiscuit, but Man from Snowy River really deserves to take home the prize for the "Best Tom Burlinson Horse Movie" competition.

[JBDuke]

Wow, this is a killer group. I voted for six different films, which seems ridiculous, but when I looked back at them, I couldn't in good conscience eliminate any.

"Rudy" and "Remember the Titans" are fairly recent releases from major studios with big audiences. I suspect most folks here have seen both and know about them, and I'd guess they be the top two films in this group based on a popular vote. But I want to include some info on the four other films I voted for, and which I can recommend to just about anyone that wants to see some superior sports-oriented films.


"Chariots of Fire" is an Oscar winner for Best Picture, has one of my top 10 favorite soundtracks of all time, contains some absolutely stunning cinematography and acting, and is a compelling story. Has to move on.

"Raging Bull" is one of Martin Scorsese's triumphs - really more of a character study than a boxing film. I recall that it was considered the best film of the 80's by several prominent critics. It lost the 1981 Oscar to "Ordinary People", a result that in retrospect looks like an Oscar crime. Jason asked in an earlier post what was the best acting performance in a sports movie - my vote would be De Niro in this film. He won the Oscar for acting - the Academy got that one right. Roger Ebert has a great review of "Raging Bull" on his site here: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/...401010354/1023

While I disagree with DevilAlumna that "Phar Lap" is better than "Seabiscuit", I do agree that it is an amazing horse movie about a too-little known story. And I would put it on par or maybe slightly ahead of "The Man from Snowy River" in my own opinion. (I love the horse action in "Snowy", but the love story and the Kirk Douglas dual role pull it down for me.) Anyone that doubts that horses can have courage and competitive drive needs to see "Phar Lap". A great story - and a quintessentially Australian one - but some weak acting, a mediocre soundtrack, and weaknesses in the script's characterizations keep it from being a great film. Certainly not in the class of the first two, but one that should move on. Given that most folks haven't seen it, I suspect it won't.

"Bend It Like Beckham" is one of my personal favorites. It stars two up-and-coming young actresses - Parminder Nagra before she hit it big on "E.R." and Kiera Knightley before the "Pirates of the Carribbean" franchise vaulted her to superstardom. Both deliver wonderful performances. Again, this is more of a character study than a sports movie. Parminder's character, Jess, is a Sikh living in London, and she's struggling, like many teens struggle, to figure out her place in the world. The movie largely revolves around her desire to be true to her family and its traditions and her love of soccer and her crush on her coach. Personally, I think it's a better sports coming of age story than "Breaking Away", which more folks may have seen. And it also gives real insight into the life of Sikhs in England, and I'm all for movies that educate as well as entertain. A very good movie - especially for teenage girls - that relies on the strength of its story and the acting ability of a fine cast. I highly recommend it, and it should definitely move on.


I have not seen "The Greatest Game Ever Played", but I've heard it is good. Golf needs a flagship movie, and this may be it. However, I can't vote for a film I haven't seen.

I loved "Dodgeball", but it's not really a sports movie by any reasonable definition.

"Mystery, Alaska" has its moments, but it never really rises above mediocrity.

Anyone that votes for "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh" or "The Best of Times" or "Teen Wolf" needs to have their head examined...

So, my ranking of the 11 films in this group that I have seen would be:

1. "Raging Bull"
2. "Chariots of Fire" - (I actually LIKE this one better, but "Raging Bull" is a better film.)
3. "Remember the Titans"
4. "Bend It Like Beckham"
5. "Rudy"
6. "Phar Lap"
---------
7. "Dodgeball"
8. "Mystery, Alaska"
9. "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh"
10. "Teen Wolf"
11. "The Best of Times"

* - "The Greatest Game Ever Played" not ranked, as I haven't seen it.

[DevilAlumna]

I loved "Dodgeball", but it's not really a sports movie by any reasonable definition.

how can you speak such blasphemy about a movie that introduced us to the A.D.A.A., the 5 D's of Dodgeball, and best of all, ESPN 8, The Ocho?!?

"Nobody makes me bleed my own blood. Nobody."

[Deslok]

If Chariots of Fire and Raging Bull don't move on, it will be criminal. Beyond that its a tougher call, Phar Lap, Bend It Like Beckham, Remember the Titans, Rudy, and Mystery Alaska(ok, its not cinematic genius, but the quirky nature just appeals to me) are all good movies. Dodgeball is a good, completely nonserious movie(in the same vein as Major League from the last poll). Sorry, but The Greatest Game Ever Played really didn't do much for me. And Teen Wolf, The Fish, and The Best of Times are way behind the rest. But picking 2 from the ones behind Chariots and Raging Bull is tough, as all are good, but flawed films.

[micah75]

Great performance by DeNiro. Not only did he win the Oscar, but production of the film stopped for several months after the fight scenes so that he could gain 60 lbs to portray the older, washed-up Jake LaMotta. Method acting at its finest.

[dukemomLA]

I agree with Deslok. Raging Bull and Chariots of Fire are the cream of this crop.

[colchar]

How the heck does "Teen Wolf" make it through and "Slapshot" doesn't?!?

[Bob Green]

Not only is "Raging Bull" one of the greatest sports movies of all times, it is one of the greatest movies of all times! I rank it right up there with:

Casablanca
North by Northwest
Gone with the Wind
Cool Hand Luke
The Sand Pebbles

[JasonEvans]

How the heck does "Teen Wolf" make it through and "Slapshot" doesn't?!?

Sigh. No offense Colchar, but are you even paying attention to the rules and methodology behind these polls?

-Jason "Slapshot is in Group 7" Evans

[Indoor66]

Sigh. No offense Colchar, but are you even paying attention to the rules and methodology behind these polls?

-Jason "Slapshot is in Group 7" Evans

You have got to realize that many of us have short attention spans. What is this pole about?

[billybreen]

Yuck, Dodgeball.

Am I the only one here who hates the 'frat pack' and Old School, Wedding Crashers, and Dodgeball? Maybe I'm just too old.

[colchar]

Sigh. No offense Colchar, but are you even paying attention to the rules and methodology behind these polls?

-Jason "Slapshot is in Group 7" Evans

Sorry Jason...I saw this thread and voted the first time round the morning after completing my comps. Let's just say my head was more than a little cloudy (and sore) that day.

[DevilAlumna]

Yuck, Dodgeball.

Am I the only one here who hates the 'frat pack' and Old School, Wedding Crashers, and Dodgeball? Maybe I'm just too old.

Yes, yes, you are the only one.

[bjornolf]

"Mystery, Alaska" has its moments, but it never really rises above mediocrity.

Oh, come on, that movie was great. When the guy shoots the evil empire (read "Wal-Mart") rep for trying to run him out of business, I fell out of my chair! There were several fun moments, and I thought the story was pretty good too. It sure beat Mighty Ducks in my book for the "feel good david v. goliath/bad news bears of hockey" movie.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I "won" free tickets to Mystery Alaska courtesy of a local radio station (850thebuzz) when it was debuting way back when. I got a "Mystery Alaska" ball cap when I got to the theater. I think I paid too steep a price for the hat...

[JasonEvans]

If first place really mattered in this poll, we'd have an exciting barn-burner on our hands. But, seeing as all that matters is being in the top 4 this poll is sorta dull. 4 films have really separated themselves from the pack. I voted for 3 of them (Rudy, Raging Bull, Chariots), so I am cool with it. I have never been all that much of a fan of Remember the Titans. I found it very unoriginal and obivous. Despite what appears to be a very strong cast, I never really got into the characters or the acting either. Still, I can understand that others like it a lot.

Anyway, I'll close this poll fairly early tomorrow in all likelyhood and we will move onto Group 3, which I think is the Group Of Death with a bunch of extremely worthy films.

--Jason "remember, you can vote for as many choices as you want... even all 12" Evans

[JasonEvans]

This poll is closed. The following films have qualified for the semi-finals:

Raging Bull
Rudy
Chariots of Fire
Remember the Titans

By combining the results of this poll with earlier ones, the following films are now the 4 leading vote-getters in the race for the wild card:

The Color of Money - 17
Bend it like Beckham - 12
Happy Gilmore - 10
Dodgeball - 9

--Jason "new poll coming momentarily!" Evans

[juise]

This poll shut before I got a chance to vote. I would have been sad if Remember the Titans (one of my favorite movies) had been left out. I'm glad the top 4 advance.