Sports movies tend to get a pretty bad reputation. People think that they are either cheesy dramas or funny comedies and that's why we don't take them seriously. And if we do a little digging, we find that there are some excellent films in this unjustly overlooked genre. We have selected five top films about sports that are worth watching.
1. Raging Bull, 1980
Martin Scorsese has never been a "fan" of boxing, but he still decided to tell the story of the incomparable Jake LaMotta. One of the greatest portrayals of boxing on screen, it works on so many levels that it's impossible to summarize. The greatest film of the eighties is simply a must-see.
2. The Hustler, 1961
Although Robert Rosson's The Hustler goes beyond the simple tag of “sports movie,” it does offer some of the most incredible pool scenes. Paul Newman as Fast Eddie Felson in one of his most memorable roles, suffering a pool loss at the hands of Minnesota Fats.
3. Rocky, 1967
The benchmark by which many sports movies are judged, Rocky tells the story of a debt collector and boxer who gets his chance in a fight with legendary boxer Apollo Creed. Not only did Slyvester Stallone write the script for the film, but he turned into a real star after his role in one of the most memorable boxing movies.
READ MORE: 14 of the most famous movie fight scenes
4. Hoosiers, 1986
The 1986 film is based on a real-life high school basketball team from a small town in Indiana that made it all the way to the national championship. The story follows a coach with an unpleasant past and a drunkard who leads the team all the way to victory.
5. Moneyball, 2011
The movie Moneyball is based on a true story. Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A's and the man who built the team, has an epiphany: all the wisdom in baseball is wrong. He is thus forced to reform his team and strategy, as he is supposed to outwit the richer clubs.
