Sports & Competitions: My All-Time Fav Movies & TV
Films & TV Shows I've actually seen.
Shows/Films listed randomly except that I placed active ongoing TV series, recent films and upcoming (watchlisted) items on top.
Shows/Films listed randomly except that I placed active ongoing TV series, recent films and upcoming (watchlisted) items on top.
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- StarsLee Jung-jaePark Hae-sooDylan BesseauHundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits with deadly high stakes: a survival game that has a whopping 45.6 billion-won prize at stake.1 season / 9 episodes: Ongoing Series
AKA:Squid Game
South Korean, English DUB available.
According to Hwang Dong-hyuk (the series' director and writer) a "second season of Squid Game would be completed and broadcast by 2024" (source: wikipedia). - CreatorBrendan HuntJoe KellyBill LawrenceStarsJason SudeikisHannah WaddinghamJeremy SwiftAmerican college football coach Ted Lasso heads to London to manage AFC Richmond, a struggling English Premier League soccer team.3 seasons / 34 episodes: Series Complete
I finally decided to watch this series and it was a great experience. This series had a lot of the things that make a show pleasant and soothing to watch.
Great storyline, great characters, light drama and an contagious optimism brought to life by Ted Lasso himself. - DirectorAndrew ErwinJon ErwinStarsZachary LeviAnna PaquinHayden ZallerThe story of NFL MVP and Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, who went from stocking shelves at a supermarket to becoming an American Football star.Watched this on Jan/2023. I was impressed by how well executed the film was and how true to life it remained.
It actually took me much longer to get through the film because I would stop to review things online.
I would look over Wikipedia entries, research Arena Football, watch a few of the original games online. I even watched Kurt Warner's 1996 ArenaBowl (highlight) game against the Tampa Bay Storm.
The producers did an exceptional job staying on track, not adding additional "artistic" elements and focusing on telling a great real-life story. Something that's incredibly rare for a film (or TV series) - as most "based on true stories" are usually a shell of their true selves. - CreatorMichael WaldronStarsStephen AmellAlexander LudwigAlison LuffTwo brothers and rivals - one a villain, or "heel," in the ring; the other a hero, or "face," war over their late father's wrestling promotion, vying for national attention in small-town Georgia.2 season / 16 episodes: Series Complete
I never really had any intention of watching this series. Gave season 1 a shot during May/2023 and it pulled me in fairly quickly. Good drama.
I don't know if 'Heels' will continue to draw me in. I started to feel a little... tired with the family dynamics during season 1, mostly with the behavior of Jack Spade (Stephen Amell).
I thought there was a lot of story that could have come from the other wrestlers - their lives, their struggles, their needs... It might have made the series feel bigger and incorporated more of this particular small town.
With such a focus on the Spade brothers, there was nothing else to buffer the plot if the main storyline faltered.
In contrast, see my write up on 'Sweet Home' in my Vampires / Monster list or anything created by one of the masters of layered story-telling - Gregory Thomas Garcia (Greg Garcia) in shows like 'My Name is Earl' or 'Sprung'. These shows are great examples of using the entire cast.
Still... looking forward to season 2 and hoping they freshened up this series-ending final season. - CreatorBruce PaltrowStarsKen HowardKevin HooksByron StewartA white former NBA professional retires from the pro game and gets a job as a basketball coach in a predominantly Black inner-city high school.One of the best dramatic scripted TV show about sports ever produced. It's been decades since I saw this last. I wonder if it's still modern viewer friendly (tube socks not withstanding).
- DirectorDavid S. WardStarsTom BerengerCharlie SheenCorbin BernsenThe new owner of the Cleveland Indians puts together a purposely horrible team so they'll lose and she can move the team. But when the plot is uncovered, they start winning just to spite her.Great baseball film with great characters and entertaining script.
- DirectorDavid S. WardStarsCharlie SheenTom BerengerCorbin BernsenThe Indians are now a World Series contender. But last year's hunger is now replaced with complacency, and bad decisions by the new owner threaten to tear the team apart.
- DirectorRowdy HerringtonStarsJames MarshallCuba Gooding Jr.Brian DennehyTommy Riley has moved with his dad to Chicago from a 'nice place'. He keeps to himself, goes to school. However, after a street fight he is noticed and quickly falls into the world of illegal underground boxing - where punches can kill.Personal note: It's been so long since I watched this. Recently saw the "Never Back Down" series (Feb/2022) and have an urge to rewatch this (just to see how it compares).
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update, 04jan2024: 2 years later and I never got around to watching this. Reviewing this list reminded me of this film. It's queued and ready to go...
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update 2, 04jan2024: Watched it tonight! What a great film. Stronger plot, meaner, grittier than 'Never Back Down' with a superb finish. - DirectorCameron CroweStarsTom CruiseCuba Gooding Jr.Renée ZellwegerWhen a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent agent with the only athlete who stays with him and his former colleague.Great performances by Cruise and Gooding highlight an entertaining light drama.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.
- DirectorSpike LeeStarsDenzel WashingtonMilla JovovichRay AllenA basketball player's father must try to convince him to go to a college so he can get a shorter sentence.Great cast. Immersive plot revolving around the pressures of a high school basketball phenom. Layered story-telling that also involves the player's home life and his father's role in it.
- DirectorKaryn KusamaStarsMichelle RodriguezDouglas SantiagoJamie TirelliDiana, without her father knowing it, trains as a boxer and achieves impressive success, blazing new trails for female boxers.This is the very first thing Michelle Rodriguez did in the industry. It set her on course.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsHilary SwankClint EastwoodMorgan FreemanFrankie, an ill-tempered old coach, reluctantly agrees to train aspiring boxer Maggie. Impressed with her determination and talent, he helps her become the best and the two soon form a close bond.Powerful drama within a boxing setting. This is the film that made me a forever fan of Hilary Swank. Many other great performances in this film.
- DirectorJohn DahlStarsMatt DamonEdward NortonGretchen MolA young, reformed gambler must return to playing high stakes poker to help a friend pay off loan sharks, while balancing his relationship with his girlfriend and his commitments to law school.In 1999, someone at work passed this along to me (VHS) with a strong recommend. If not for this, I might have missed out on this great film.
- DirectorDavid AnspaughStarsGene HackmanBarbara HersheyDennis HopperA coach with a checkered past and a local drunk train a small-town high school basketball team to become a top contender for the state championship in 1950s Indiana.I got so much more from the excellent character portrayals, the relationships, the town, the journey. This is where the film shines within a basketball backdrop.
- DirectorSteven ZaillianStarsJoe MantegnaBen KingsleyMax PomerancA prepubescent chess prodigy is encouraged to harden himself in order to become a champion like the famous but unlikable Bobby Fischer.Well done drama that pulls you into the life of a child chess prodigy. Not too many films/series about chess (The Queen's Gambit didn't make this list, see my: SPOILER Rich Review for why).
This is far and away my favorite film centering on chess. I wish they made more... the training, the mindset of players, the actual chess competitions are so incredibly immersive! - DirectorPhil Alden RobinsonStarsKevin CostnerJames Earl JonesRay LiottaIowa farmer Ray Kinsella is inspired by a voice he can't ignore to pursue a dream he can hardly believe. Supported by his wife, Ray begins the quest by turning his ordinary cornfield into a place where dreams can come true.Every baseball fan's dream.
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Related: Field of Dreams: Announced on August 2021: the film is being remade as a television series for Peacock.
update, 04jan2024: 2 and 1/2 years later... not a peep about the TV Series. Possible vaporware. - DirectorShawn LevyStarsHugh JackmanEvangeline LillyDakota GoyoIn the near future, robot boxing is a top sport. A struggling ex-boxer feels he's found a champion in a discarded robot.It's boxing... sci-fi style.
- DirectorTom McCarthyStarsPaul GiamattiAmy RyanJeffrey TamborA struggling lawyer and volunteer wrestling coach's chicanery comes back to haunt him when the teenage grandson of the client he has double-crossed comes into his life.I went in with no expectations, expecting something average. Rewarded with a great drama, brilliant characters.
- DirectorJeremiah ZagarStarsAdam SandlerQueen LatifahJuancho HernangomezA basketball scout discovers a phenomenal street ball player while in Spain and sees the prospect as his opportunity to get back into the NBA.Solid light drama, lots of great cameos integrated very well into the story (including a real-world cult favorite "The Professor"), great overall cast.
I can't say I'm a fan of Adam Sandler but he always seems to deliver a decent (albeit, low-key) performance in the few things I've seen him in - including here. He's not an actor by any means but someone who is comfortable enough in front of the camera to just be himself.
Overall moderate performances from all those involved in this undemanding, light script.
The film's major failing... is that it's formulaic, predictable. It's so predictable that you know how the entire film will unfold just by reading the synopsis. It doesn't mean it's not enjoyable in a relaxing way - which is what this film ultimately delivers and why it makes this list. I enjoyed it. - DirectorMichael RitchieStarsWalter MatthauTatum O'NealVic MorrowAn aging, down-on-his-luck ex-minor leaguer coaches a team of misfits in an ultra-competitive California little league.Still love this film (I've seen it a few times). Brings back tons of nostalgia. There's a timelessness about this film. It's Americana.
- DirectorThomas CarterStarsSamuel L. JacksonRick GonzalezRobert Ri'chardControversy surrounds high school basketball coach Ken Carter after he benches his entire team for breaking their academic contract with him.Why is it that I forgot most details of this film and yet I know that I enjoyed it! I recently saw a clip of a scene (26dec2023) on a social video site and was blown at the intensity of the exchange.
This is going to be one of those films that I will "see again, for the first time". - CreatorAaron SorkinStarsJosh CharlesPeter KrauseFelicity HuffmanCasey McCall and Dan Rydell are sports anchors and best friends on "Sports Night", a nightly cable program.Peripherally tied to sports in a fun way. Also co-stars Sabrina Lloyd who I followed from one of my all-time fav series... Sliders.
- DirectorJeff WadlowStarsSean FarisDjimon HounsouAmber HeardA frustrated and conflicted teenager arrives at a new high school to discover an underground fight club, and meets a classmate who begins to coerce him into fighting.Enjoyed the original tremendously (I gave it an 8 rating based on Entertainment Vaue). Finally watched the sequels recently:
Watched Feb/2022: Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown (2011)
vs. the original: acting weaker, story not as strong. Did not have the "heart" of the original. Very predictable. Still, it had good entertainment value. Rating this a 6.5
Watched: Feb/2022: Never Back Down: No Surrender (2016)
You're watching this for Michael Jai White. No stunt men, no choreography. This is Jai White displaying his impressive physical skills. Overall acting for film weak but Esai Morales was outstanding. Rating this a 6.0
Watchled: Feb/2022: Never Back Down: Revolt (2021)
Currently rated a 3.9 by 333 on 22feb2022. Way too low. Acting much better than previous two installments (listed right above). Plot was also much better, more layered than previous two films.
Fight scenes were by far the weakest of all films. Pretty bad actually. This may account for current low rating. Despite this, film draws you in better than any of the previous films. Rating this a 7.0 - DirectorWalter HillStarsWesley SnipesVing RhamesPeter FalkWhen heavyweight champion George "Iceman" Chambers lands in prison, the resident gangster arranges a boxing match with the reigning prison champ.This film started a well-done franchise. It is essentially a standalone film with no direct sequel. The next three Undisputed films restart the franchise - creating a cult favorite.
- DirectorIsaac FlorentineStarsMichael Jai WhiteScott AdkinsBen CrossSequel to the 2002 film. This time, Heavyweight Champ George "Iceman" Chambers is sent to a Russian Jail on trumped-up drug charges.This second installment is a kind of reboot with an all new cast and can be considered the first film in the Undisputed film series. While Michael Jai White stars, it introduces the character Yuri Boyka.
- DirectorIsaac FlorentineStarsScott AdkinsMykel Shannon JenkinsMark IvanirBoyka is back. This time he is fighting in the first ever inter-prison tournament with one knee.This second film in the rebooted franchise now centers on Boyka.
- DirectorTodor ChapkanovStarsScott AdkinsTeodora DuhovnikovaAlon AboutboulIn the fourth installment of the fighting franchise, Boyka is shooting for the big leagues when an accidental death in the ring makes him question everything he stands for.The Boyka storyline continues. It's also the last film in the franchise.
- DirectorBennett MillerStarsBrad PittRobin WrightJonah HillOakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players.
- DirectorMorgan MatthewsStarsAsa ButterfieldRafe SpallSally HawkinsA socially awkward teenage maths prodigy finds new confidence and new friendships when he lands a spot on the British squad at the International Mathematics Olympiad.Like chess and poker, math olympics are also a sport:-) Solid film, enjoyable drama. These kinds of films rarely fail to entertain.
- StarsKeith JacksonBob SeagrenLaura Lee BlearsThe idea was to select ten famous athletes from the ten most popular television spectator sports. The ten sports would be baseball, football, basketball, ice hockey, auto racing, boxing, tennis, bowling (which was very popular on ABC-TV Saturday afternoons), golf and horse racing. Each of the ten athletes would select seven of ten events to compete in and would be barred from competing in their own specialty sport. The competition began with ABC Network's iconic sports announcer, Jim McKay, introducing the "Superstars at the summit."Major sports stars from various sports competing in a variety of events to determine a winner. So much fun to watch back in the day.
- DirectorRoger GoodmanStarsHoward CosellGabe KaplanDarleen CarrTelevision stars are the contestants as the three major networks ABC, NBC and CBS battle each other in a variety of games including the tug-o-war and the obstacle course.The major TV network stars competing in various sports-related events to determine the best team.
I do not think modern viewers will enjoy this nearly as much as us older viewers. I think sports competition transcends a time period and the fun is in the competition itself.
Some younger viewers might still derive lots of entertainment in seeing how little things have changed (or perhaps how much they've changed).
For us older viewers, this series is a trip back in time... - DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungA small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.
- DirectorSylvester StalloneStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungRocky struggles in family life after his bout with Apollo Creed, while the embarrassed champ insistently goads him to accept a challenge for a rematch.
- DirectorSylvester StalloneStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungRocky faces the ultimate challenge from a powerful new contender, and must turn to a former rival to help regain his throne as the undisputed fighting champion.
- DirectorSylvester StalloneStarsSylvester StalloneAntonio TarverMilo VentimigliaThirty years after the ring of the first bell, Rocky Balboa comes out of retirement and dons his gloves for his final fight against the reigning heavyweight champ Mason 'The Line' Dixon.
- DirectorJohn SaylesStarsJohn CusackClifton JamesJace AlexanderA dramatization of the Black Sox scandal when the underpaid Chicago White Sox accepted bribes to deliberately lose the 1919 World Series.
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsRobert RedfordRobert DuvallGlenn CloseA middle-aged unknown comes seemingly out of nowhere to become a legendary baseball player with almost supernatural talent.
- DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsRalph MacchioPat MoritaElisabeth ShueA martial arts master agrees to teach karate to a bullied teenager.
- DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsPat MoritaRalph MacchioPat E. JohnsonDaniel accompanies his mentor, Mr. Miyagi, to Miyagi's childhood home in Okinawa. Miyagi visits his dying father and confronts his old rival, while Daniel falls in love and inadvertently makes a new rival of his own.
- DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsRalph MacchioPat MoritaRobyn LivelyOstracised villain John Kreese attempts to gain revenge on Daniel and Miyagi, with the help of a Vietnam War comrade, the wealthy owner of a toxic waste disposal business.
- DirectorRobert LorenzStarsClint EastwoodAmy AdamsJohn GoodmanA daughter tries to remedy her dysfunctional relationship with her ailing father, a decorated baseball scout, by helping him in a recruiting trip which could be his last.
- DirectorGavin O'ConnorStarsBen AffleckAl MadrigalJanina GavankarJack Cunningham was a high school basketball phenom who walked away from the game, forfeiting his future. Years later, when he reluctantly accepts a coaching job at his alma mater, he may get one last shot at redemption.
- CreatorPeter BergStarsKyle ChandlerConnie BrittonZach GilfordA drama that follows the lives of the Dillon Panthers, one of the nation's best high school football teams, and their head coach Eric Taylor.First three seasons recommended - with the first season being the best of the lot, by far.
Last two seasons sees annoying coach's wife gain too much airtime (imo), a big segue into social issues and a sharp decline from what the show previously was. - DirectorIvan ReitmanStarsKevin CostnerChadwick BosemanJennifer GarnerAt the NFL Draft, General Manager Sonny Weaver has the opportunity to rebuild his team when he trades for the number one pick. He must decide what he's willing to sacrifice on a life-changing day for a few hundred young men with NFL dreams.
- DirectorJohn Lee HancockStarsDennis QuaidJD EvermoreRachel GriffithsA Texas baseball coach makes the major league after agreeing to try out if his high school team made the playoffs.
- DirectorNorman JewisonStarsJames CaanJohn HousemanMaud AdamsIn a corporate-controlled future, an ultra-violent sport known as Rollerball represents the world, and one of its powerful athletes is out to defy those who want him out of the game.So many years since I saw this as a kid. Listed here based on my faulty memory of the film. If I ever rewatch, I'll reconsider listing it.
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsAl PacinoDennis QuaidCameron DiazA behind-the-scenes look at the life-and-death struggles of modern-day gladiators and those who lead them.
- CreatorBrad GarrettDavid E. KelleyDean LoreyStarsJohn StamosJessalyn GilsigSophia Mitri SchlossA temperamental college basketball coach who gets fired from his job and must take a teaching and coaching job at an elite all-girls private high school.2 seasons / 20 episodes: Series Complete
22jun2021: Completed the 10 ep first season and loved it. Did not expect it to be so entertaining.
Started watching season 2 and had trouble getting into it. Too much tension from unlikable new character. I know it'll smooth out and get better but I had trouble sticking with it. I think I watched only 1.5 episodes.
On backburner for now. The problem with backburner stuff... there's so much other stuff to watch, it could take a very long time for me to get back to it. - DirectorSteve JamesStarsJared LetoR. Lee ErmeyEd O'NeillBased on the life of Olympic hopeful Steve Prefontaine, a long distance runner who lived in Oregon and died young.Great sports film built around the making of the runner. Jared Leto at 21 years. A quarter of a century later... he's Morbius.
- DirectorJohn WarrenStarsScott BakulaCorbin BernsenDennis HaysbertA lousy minor league baseball team full of many different personalities gets a new manager, an aging minor league pitcher.I completely forgot what this movie is about. Maybe it was really that bad (4.6 rating as of 24may2021). Keeping it listed for now (since I have the two previous films listed) until such time as I get to rewatch it.