It’s spring again, and we all know what that means: The NBA and NHL are getting down to the wire, P.A. announcers across the land have dusted off their copies of John Fogerty’s "Centerfield," and the Nationals have already been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. In honor of this pivotal time of year, we at Rotten Tomatoes are proud to present our Top Sports Movie Countdown!
We’ve got a veritable plethora of scrappy underdogs, from Jamaican bobsledders ("Cool Runnings") to foul-mouthed little leaguers ("The Bad News Bears"). We’ve got inspiration galore, from rags-to-riches prizefighters ("Rocky," "Cinderella Man") to rough-and-tumble paraplegics ("Murderball"). And we’ve got films that remind us sports are more than a game ("Hoop Dreams," "Remember the Titans," "Offside").
"Cinderella Man" only 42 on the list? Angry Giamatti demands recount!
Before getting up in arms about some of your favorites being omitted from the list ("Brian’s Song," "The Endless Summer," etc.), allow us a word of explanation. Each film on our list has at least 20 reviews, a number we felt would allow some older movies to make the cut, but maintain a measure of critical weight. And we left certain movies off the list for not being "sporty" enough ("The Big Lebowski," "Match Point," "On the Waterfront").
"Murderball" kills the competition with a surprising #2 placing.
From dramas to comedies to fiction to documentaries, from hoops to baseball to golf to bowling, our countdown has a little something for every sports fan — and for those who couldn’t tell Albert Pujols from Albert Einstein. Ready? Get set! Go here for our complete list!
