Every successful holiday season includes a warm time with the family, bundled up in their pajamas on the couch, with the TV controller in one hand and popcorn in the other, for a movie night. At the end of an extremely scientific consultation and intensive debates, all committed members of the sports team Newspaper talked about their favorite sports movies. There are dozens more, but here is the ultimate compilation of the 20 best of all time, at least in our opinion, to brighten up your movie-loving moments.
1. Rudy
(1993)
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This is the film that has landed in first place the most times. This classic is more than just a football film. It is impossible not to be touched by this story of perseverance of a small player and student without great opportunities, but extremely hardworking, who dreams of wearing the colors of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. If you're not motivated after that, take your vitals!
2. Rocky
(1976)
Photo: MGM
Does this film about the most overlooked boxer in cinema history need an introduction? Our parents were as thrilled by the Italian stallion's heroic deeds as we and our children were. The saga has spawned six films that will make you do push-ups and put on gloves against Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago who are ruining your life.
3. Slap shot
(1977)
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We were hesitant to include this cult hockey film because it's about family moments. But who says family doesn't mean little toddlers with chaste ears? If you have teenagers who are a fan of friendly locker room rudeness, they'll enjoy repeating the salty lines of this immortal comedy from memory as much as anyone has in over 50 years.
4. The young
(1997)
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How not to fall under the spell of a crazy crew of garage hockey leagues with a Quebec twist? All of Quebec has fallen in love with the characters that have made this franchise a cult series of five films and a television series. “In my opinion,” as Stan would say, it shows that the Boys fans are insatiable for the antics of this cowardly team.
5. Moneyball (The Art of Winning)
(2011)
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Seriously, “Moneyball” is fairly unanimously described as our sports department’s favorite baseball movie. This film, based on the true story of general manager Billy Beane's Oakland A's, explains this small organization's highly analytical approach to competing against major league powers and competing at a high level. Informative and captivating!
6. Happy Gilmore
(1996)
Toronto Sun Files/Promotional Photo/MCA/Universal Home Video
Happy Gilmore is a completely absurd comedy about a failed ice hockey player who accidentally retrains himself to play golf. “Happy Gilmore” can only make those who enjoy poking fun at golf etiquette laugh. Note that even the greatest lovers of the noble traditions of this sport end up being sucked into a role that suits him like a glove thanks to so much insanity on the part of actor Adam Sandler.
7. Jerry Maguire
(1996)
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This story, inspired by real-life NFL player agent Leigh Steinberg, played by Tom Cruise, took football fans behind the scenes of the sometimes heated negotiations between players and teams. Football is in the background, but above all it is a film about the relationships between agents and players and the wild world of sports agencies.
8th. The Mighty Ducks (A New Power Game)
(1992)
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You have to love the genre because it is Disney through and through! Still, this story about a pee-wee hockey team from Minnesota is pretty compelling. This team, which brings together everyone left behind in society, with players who can barely skate and has no equipment worthy of the name, tries to become competitive. Unrealistic? Maybe, but whatever, we'll stop at Christmas!
9. Maurice Richard
(2005)
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Probably the most serious hockey film in our selection, but a must-see for anyone who wants to experience or relive Maurice Richard's incredible epic in the NHL. Admired for his on-ice prowess, the Canadiens' star player pushed the boundaries of his sport and became a true Quebec hero. This film offers a return to a time when the Canadian offered more than promise.
10. Field of dreams
(1989)
AFP
“Build it and they will come!”… That is the basis of this story about a farmer who decides to build a baseball field in his field. He lives on the hope of attracting the late “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and the Chicago White Sox players, whose reputations were tarnished during the 1919 World Series when they accepted money to lose. It's imaginative, but it stimulates the imagination.
11. Friday Night Lights
(2004)
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This film was fascinating because it explains how important high school football can become in many cities in Texas. We clearly feel how much pressure young adolescents can experience and how much they are treated like professional players. If you think hockey is a religion here, you'll see that football is literally a sacred cow in Texas.
12. Wonder
(2004)
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A miracle was the performance of the American ice hockey team, which surprised the world at the 1980 Olympics by triumphing over the Russians, the overwhelming favorites. Of course, this was a time when NHL players were not invited and head coach Herb Brooks had to use every trick in the book to get the best out of his players. To see if we've revealed the beat!
13. Hurricane (Hurricane Carter)
(1999)
AgenceQMI
It's hard not to empathize with Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, whose story of social injustice is told here. Is this really a boxing film? Obviously, Hurricane was a boxer on the rise, but the story is mostly based on the fact that he was wrongly accused of a triple murder. Canadian activists try to free him in a fight more painful than any in the ring.
14. First League
(1989)
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When a corrupt owner inherits the Cleveland Indians and wants to move the team to Miami, she orders her baseball men to put together the worst team ever. We obviously suspect that the shooter who throws everything wrong, the wasted veteran, the little rocket who doesn't know how to hit, and the striker with a voodoo cult may not have had their last word. Hilarious!
15. 61*
(2001)
Portal
Another baseball film, this time in a more serious and biographical style. It tells the story of Roger Maris, an outstanding Yankees player but who lacks charisma and is unloved. Maris sets out to conquer Babe Ruth's home run record, set in 1927. Poor Maris had to endure the taunts for a long time under the pretense that his record of 61 home runs came in more games than Ruth.
16. Any Sunday
(1999)
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It's a pretty tough football film that, although fictional, exposes certain failings of professional football players and teams. The behind-the-scenes wars between seasoned veterans and the young people trying to take their place, as well as the excesses and abuses of power, are at the heart of this romanticized but realistic tale of a harsh environment.
17. American outsider
(2021)
AFP
The saga surrounding Rams quarterback Kurt Warner remains one of the greatest fairy tales in football history. Believing his career was ruined, Warner found himself bagging at a grocery store before getting a chance in an arena league and NFL Europe. In 1999, the Rams trusted him in a desperate situation and experienced the apotheosis. Unforgettable!
18. We are Marshall (team spirit)
(2006)
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Well, I might as well warn you, this is the kind of movie you'd better stick to the tissue box for… It's the very touching story of the Marshall University football program that was destroyed after the crash of the team's plane in 1970. It is also the ultimate story of resilience about rebuilding a team and a grieving community. Tears guaranteed!
19. I, Tonya (I, Tonya)
(2017)
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You can't blame us for only talking to you about professional sports! Tonya is Tonya Harding, the controversial former figure skater. In the 1990s, his rivalry with fellow American Nancy Kerrigan made headlines when Harding's relatives hired thugs to hurt Kerrigan after practice. Dirty, but well told!
20. 42
(2013)
Bettmann/CORBIS
You have to see the movie “42” to understand how difficult it was for athletes of color to integrate and be respected in the conservative world of professional sports a few decades ago. In this case, the career of Jackie Robinson, the first black player to play in major baseball, is narrated. The film appeals to both baseball fans and history buffs.