Sports and movies are among the top recreational activities that most men are into regardless of age. You’ll often find kids pretending to be like Lebron James, Lionel Messi, or Tom Brady when they’re playing. Or maybe like Superman or Iron Man or some other superhero they saw on the big screen or Netflix.
Here’s a list of must-see sports movies for men:
While there are a lot of other great sports movies, we feel that the ones that made it on this list have a great impact on people and resonate with men regardless of generation.
1. The Sandlot (1993)
Starring: Patrick Renna, Chauncy Leopardi, Mike Vitar
Sport: Baseball
The Sandlot is a movie that has a lot of goofball moments that remind us of our childhood. It is about a bunch of guys who liked to play ball and hang out together and go on one misadventure to another. It’s a movie that has a lot of heart and is filled with laughs.
2. Raging Bull (1980)
Starring: Rober de Niro
Sport: Boxing
Raging Bull is hailed by critics not just as one of the greatest sports movies of all time but one of the greatest movies of all time. De Niro’s portrayal of a washed-up boxer whose temper brought him glory in the ring but destruction in his life outside boxing is stellar and earned him an Oscar.
3. The Hustler (1961)
Starring: Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason
Sport: Pool
The movie The Hustler follows the story of an up-and-coming professional pool player, Fast Eddie Felsen (Newman), and his journey to dethrone long-time billiards champion and one of the all-time greats Minnesota Fats. But is he willing to give up everything in pursuit of his goal?
4. Caddyshack (1980)
Starring: Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and Rodney Dangerfield
Sport: Golf
What’s not to love about this disastrous golf movie. Murray. Chase. Dangerfield. The hilarious dancing and mischievous gopher. If you’re looking for something to make you laugh, look no further than Caddyshack.
5. Rocky (1976)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone
Sport: Boxing
Who would have thought that an exhibition match pitting a nobody with the reigning heavyweight champion would end up to be quite controversial and sensational? Well, that’s exactly what happens in the movie as amateur boxer Rocky Balboa (Stallone) goes toe-to-toe with champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers).
6. Remember the Titans (2000)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Ryan Gosling, Ryan Hurst, Hayden Panetierre
Sport: Football
This 2000 movie is about the story of a high school football team in the ‘70s that had to overcome their awful performance by doing away with their horrible chemistry caused by racism. Denzel Washington as Coach Herman Boone led the team to a perfect season by addressing their heart issues.
7. Miracle (2004)
Starring: Herb Brooks, Kurt Russell
Sport: Hockey
Based on the true story of the American hockey team in the 1980 Winter Olympics, Miracle showed us the struggles of the US team as they set out to face and defeat Soviet Union’s heavily-favored team 4-3 in the final match. It is undoubtedly one of America’s greatest victories in any sport.
8. A League of Their Own (1992)
Starring: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna
Sport: Baseball
When most men were enlisted for military service and deployed during the Second World War, the women were forced to step up on the baseball field to keep the sport going. What follows after is an inspiring and hilarious tale of the first professional female baseball players.
9. Major League (1989)
Starring: Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes
Sport: Baseball
Major League is a typical comedy sports movie that involves a team of losers beating all odds to come out on top. Charlie Sheen became a fan favorite here as hotshot pitcher Rick Vaughn who needed the help of a good eye care doctor to make him a bigger threat to the opposing teams. It still remains to be one of the funniest sports movies ever made.
10. Hoosiers (1986)
Starring: Gene Hackman, Maris Valainis, Dennis Hopper
Sport: Basketball
We’ve seen it before. The high school basketball team that is least likely to win. The new coach comes in and turns things around despite all the friction created. And a game-winning basket from the person least likely to make the shot. Formula, yes, but truly inspiring.
These are just some of the movies that we believe every man should watch at least once in his lifetime. We know we’ve seen several of them numerous times already that we can already quote them by heart. Do you have any other suggestions for this list? Drop them in the comments below.
