Breaking Away is pretty good, though not on my all-time top list. Another good cycling themed sports film is American Flyers, an early Costner film that (along with Fandango) is pretty good.
Along with the two movies I mentioned earlier, I do like the first Major League and Bang the Drum Slowly (featuring a young De Niro). Odd that those are all baseball movies.
In the case of Jaws, I think you should make an exception.
This is like saying Friday the 13th was a hockey movie.
Rocky, you heathens.
They have fucking sports? Awesome! I guess I could see why fishing wouldn’t count as one.
My vote is Hoosiers.
Another vote for Slapshot.
Field of Dreams
Most definitely Slapshot for me. I also rate Miracle really high, but that may be skewed by the fact that the Miracle on Ice was a pretty significant part of my childhood and I go into full on nostalgia mode whenever I watch it.
Are documentaries eligible? Because if so, then I’d have to choose Hoop Dreams. Not only the best sports movie for me, but definitely one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen.
The Man Who Skied Down Everest.
Breaking Away, by far.
It’s got everything. It’s real people living real lives. The sport figures prominently in the plot. Jackie Earle Haley is in this, as well as being in the second best sports movie ever(Bad News Bears). It’s got heart, as it’s about an underdog reaching for the stars. It’s got Paul Dooley doing what only Paul Dooley can do. AND Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern, and Barbara Barrie in key supporting roles. Dream cast, dream script, with no cheesy sentimental crap. Everything is earned.
Blades Of Glory
Raging Bull.
“Best (Not Favorite) Sports Movie” requires some clarifications. Some martial arts movies could be classified as “sports movies,” but I don’t count those. Some “sports movies” are probably better classified as biopics (Pride of the Yankees, Raging Bull).
“Best”
Actual Favorites (in case anyone cares)
I’m not into sports at all, but I’ve loved:
Hoosiers
The Natural
The Rocky movies
:-)
I’m also not really into sports, but:
A Knight’s Tale (professional jousting)
Happy Gilmore (golf)
Teen Wolf (basketball)
The Rocket (hockey)
The Set-Up (boxing)
What criteria figure into Best Sports Movie again? Is it how much of an underdog are the main characters?
Bloodsport.
Caddyshack!
So I get disqualified because my pick is not sporty enough?
This is a sport.
If you are saying sports feel…then Top Gun is the greatest sports movie ever. Jock is talented but undisciplined, so much so it costs him his friend and almost his job, but in a moment of clarity he plays by the teams rules comes out the hero after defeating the nameless unbeatable bad team, and even has a victory dance at the end.