There are many great films and TV shows to watch right now while spending more time at home, and sports films are just one entertaining genre to get into. If there is one thing that has been proven time and time again in society, it is that you don’t need to be a big sports fan in order to enjoy sports films.
Sports-themed movies have a tendency to inspire the kinds of heroism and ‘feel good’ stories that audiences love to see again and again. There is nothing like rooting for an underdog and seeing their journey through from start to finish.
It just so happens that some of the most beloved films in the history of cinema have been sports-related. From boxing to football and from ice-skating to basketball, many sports have been covered in their fun and unique ways.
Whether you’re a lifelong supporter or like to have an occasional flutter at a site like 21.co.uk, it’s more than likely that there’s at least one movie about your favorite sport. Whether they are classic Oscar winners or timeless cult classics, there is no doubt that sports movies hold a special place in their hearts of many film lovers across the world.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular sporting films that you should be putting on your to-watch list.
For football fans: Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Football and classic British romantic comedy have never come together so perfectly as they do in Bend It Like Beckham. The 2002 film was made at the height of David Beckham’s worldwide fame and tells the story of a British Asian teenage girl who defies her family’s strict rules to join a football team and live her dream. Bend It Like Beckham is the perfect introduction to sports in films for those who wouldn’t necessarily call themselves fans in the real world!
For ice-skating fans: I, Tonya (2017)
One of the most recent additions into the sporting movie hall of fame, I, Tonya is based on the true story and tells the infamous tale of the career of figure skater Tonya Harding. It covers her rise through the ranks of the U.S Figure Skating Championships and her connection to attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan in 1994. Margot Robbie received an Oscar nomination for her performance as Harding, very impressively training for four months in preparation for skating scenes. According to Insider, I, Tonya ranks as one of her best film performances with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 89%.
For basketball fans: A League Of Their Own (1992)
Another film inspired by true events, A League Of Their Own tells the story of the rise of the Rockford Peaches women’s baseball team, in a time during the Second World War when women’s baseball became one of the most followed and most-watched sports in the United States. With a cast boasting the likes of Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, and Madonna, A League Of Their Own became an instant crowd-pleaser.
For boxing fans: Rocky (1976)
Countless sequels might have resulted in a slightly disrespectful attitude towards the Rocky franchise over the years, but a lot of people tend to forget that the film that started it all won the Academy Award for Best Picture back in 1976! Sylvester Stallone produced some of his very best work in his first outing as the now-iconic Rocky Balboa, and this boxing movie gives the audience another great mixture of sporting action and character drama that blends to great effect.
For fans of winter sports: Cool Runnings (1993)
A stone-cold cult classic, Cool Runnings is a live-action Disney project that is loosely based on the true story of the Jamaica national bobsleigh team’s debut in the 1988 Winter Olympics. There is more than a hint of Disney magic and manipulation in the storytelling here, but audiences fell for Cool Runnings the moment it hit theatres in the 90s, and the fanbase remains strong and passionate to this very day.
For fans of running: Chariots Of Fire (1981)
If you’re a fan of running or jogging, then four-time Academy Award winning film Chariots Of Fire is one iconic film that you need to watch. Released in 1981 and perhaps boasting one of the most iconic film scores of all time, this film is an all-time classic sporting movie that tells the true story of two British athletes competing in the 1924 Olympic Games.
