Three of the Best Sports Movies of all time

Movies are meant to move us, to stir emotion inside. The best of them make us laugh deep in our stomachs, weep into our hands, and feel a fierce surge of joy when our protagonist gets their happy-ever-after.

If there’s one genre in particular that ticks all of these boxes and more, it’s sports flicks. Driving us to experience a rich and varied array of emotions, these films take the pastimes we’re so passionate about and turn them into cinematic masterpieces – ones that often stand among Hollywood’s greatest titles.

Beautiful, poignant, and emotive – here are three of the very best to watch the next time a rainy Sunday rolls around.

Seabiscuit (2003)

Featuring a fresh-faced Tobey Maguire alongside the acting talent of Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and the inimitable Elizabeth Banks, Seabiscuit is a film that makes you care. Telling the story of a quirky racehorse, a down-on-his-luck jockey, and the two men who put their faith in them, it’s a tale of defying the odds and overcoming every obstacle set in your path. It’s this, perhaps, that makes it so special.

The work of director Gary Ross, the film is based on a true story, a fact that makes it even more poignant. Bursting onto the scene in the midst of the Great Depression, when so many had lost hope, the real-life Seabiscuit (an undersized and overlooked Thoroughbred) captured the spirit of a nation – one that would not be kept down even in the face of the greatest adversity.

Today, Seabiscuit’s descendants continue to race, with his 108 foals featuring in the pedigrees of many modern winners. LeoVegas, not only listed as a top real money casino Canada on comparison platforms but also known for its sports betting offers, actually features some of them among its lists of runners.

Rocky (1976)

In an initial review of Rocky, one critic famously compared star Sylvester Stallone to a young Marlon Brando, and it’s easy to see why. Featuring some exceptional acting from the rugged young movie star, the film captured the hearts of a generation and remains a classic even today– over 40 years after its release.

Telling the story of a past-his-prime boxer, who meets the girl of his dreams and decides to make something of his life, it is an ode to the underdog; to the sporting star who shouldn’t hit the big time but does. Featuring all the grit and realism that the 70s’ cinema was famed for, the protagonist at its core is, above all, likeable. Not only can we sympathize with him, but we’re rooting for him too, from start all the way through to the magnificent finish. If that’s not the mark of a good sporting flick, we don’t know what is.

Ali (2001)

Upon its release in 2001, many people wondered what the point was of making a biopic about the already well-documented life of boxer Muhammad Ali. One of the most famous sporting stars ever to live, it seemed there was little left to tell about his storied and successful life.

They soon quietened down once Ali hit cinemas. Starring the acting might of the exceptionally talented Will Smith, the film did the most wonderful job of capturing the great sportsman’s spirit and swagger. Focusing on the issues of race and politics that pervaded his life, its primary focus was nonetheless about the making of a champion – and it proved to be amazingly good watching: powerful, moving, and incredibly acted.

Tell us, isn’t it time you experienced the movie magic of these three fantastic films for yourself?