Sports movies: The top 50 sports films of all time

Get into the game with our definitive list of the best sports movies: inspirational dramas, rude comedies and classic documentaries celebrating the real thing.

By David Fear, Joshua Rothkopf and Keith Uhlich Wed Aug 1 2012

Sports movies: Sugar (2008)
Sports movies: Pat and Mike (1952)
Sports movies: Friday Night Lights (2004)
Sports movies: The Natural (1984)
Sports movies: The Endless Summer (1966)
Sports movies: Ali (2001)
Sports movies: Seabiscuit (2003)
Sports movies: Tokyo Olympiad (1965)
Sports movies: The Karate Kid (1984)
Sports movies: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)

Sports movies: Sugar (2008)

Sugar (2008)

For every Adrián Beltré success story (he was signed to the Dodgers at age 15 and transitioned well), there are a dozen Dominican players like the fictional composite Miguel “Sugar” Santos—a talented pitcher hacking it out in the U.S. minor leagues. Filmmakers Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden lay on the culture clashes beautifully, but it’s the dangling promise of the American Dream that really gets this movie hitting fly balls over the fence.—David Fear

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Pat and Mike (1952)

In real life, Katharine Hepburn was no slouch on the tennis court or the golf course; that’s Kate herself swinging those rackets and clubs in this rom-com costarring Spencer Tracy. Her natural abilities, plus cameos from pro athletes like Betty Hicks and Gussie Moran, add an edge of realism to this story about competitions of the body and the heart.—David Fear

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Friday Night Lights (2004)

Before there was a beloved TV series, there was Peter Berg’s feature film about high-school football in Texas—a lyrical, stirring look at the way communities revolve around their pigskin heroes. Even a viewer who doesn’t know a punt from a pass could understand how these games could give an economically gutted small town something to believe in.—David Fear

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The Natural (1984)

This is the moment when baseball becomes golden-hued pageantry onscreen, the diamond dappled with sunbeams and the promise of redemption. Even if the film changed the ending of Bernard Malamud’s classic novel, there’s no doubting the genius of cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (Zooey’s dad) and effortless star Robert Redford.—Joshua Rothkopf

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The Endless Summer (1966)

The granddaddy of surfing docs follows longboarders Mike Hynson and Robert August as they trek around the world looking for the perfect wave. Bruce Brown’s lively film not only set the template for every extreme-sports vérité profile that followed, it helped sell surf culture to a global audience, inspiring thousands to start hanging ten.—David Fear

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Ali (2001)

Michael Mann’s vivid, visceral biopic explores an eventful decade (1964–1974) in the life of prominent prizefighter Muhammad Ali (Will Smith, exuding both mystery and magnetism). More than just the story of a man, this hypnotically impressionistic film weighs the influential athlete’s accomplishments against a tumultuous historic period.—Keith Uhlich

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Seabiscuit (2003)

As Gary Ross’s biopic shows, the title’s gangly bay beat the odds to become a champion racehorse and brought out the best in his stellar jockey, Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire). It also demonstrates how, like the best champions, the thoroughbred inspired a wounded nation to brush itself off and get back in the saddle.—David Fear

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Tokyo Olympiad (1965)

Japan’s first hosting of the Games in 1964 was considered a massively important moment for national rebranding. After testy Akira Kurosawa was taken off the plum assignment, the job went to the more flexible Kon Ichikawa, who produced an unusually thorough and artful tribute to both winners and losers.—Joshua Rothkopf

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The Karate Kid (1984)

Or Rocky for teens: The underdog in this rousing ’80s gem is bullied adolescent Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) who crane-kicks his way to the top with the help of martial-arts sage and car-waxer extraordinaire Mr. Miyagi (Noriyuki “Pat” Morita).—Keith Uhlich

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The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)

Angrier-than-thou young man Tom Courtenay wants to pick a fight with the world; instead, this borstal boy finds solace in competitive running. This British drama gives viewers a great sense of the way sports can help troubled kids wrestle their demons and gain self-confidence. It also ends with one of the most unlikely inspirational movie moments ever.—David Fear

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50–41
40–31
30–21
20–11
10–1

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(2 ratings)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEcvBODOhys&feature=player_embedded This is best scene lol

Devin Howard Fri May 24
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May be top 100 would be better, because there are a lot of other films out there. "He Got Game" "Above the Rim" "varsity Blues" and oh lol Rob Lowe "Young Blood"

Devin Howard Fri May 24
Rated as: 4/5
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Not in any specific order....Bull Durham, Raging Bull, Rocky, Hoosiers,Major League, The Natural, always make every top10. Hoop Dreams and Caddyshack top 10? Good flicks...not top 10, esp. when Remember the Titans, Hoosiers, and so many othe great films ranked lower!

jcwebb Fri May 10
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The wrestler made the list and not The Program? Where is Rocky 4? Remember the Titans? He Got Game? Blue Chips?

Chris Williams Thu Mar 28
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Raging Bull should have been number 1 in my opinion it was so masterfully done. And I agree Cinderella Man should have been included.

Rhys Mon Mar 18
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What about Secretariat or Cinderella Man? And Any Given Sunday shouldn't even be on the list. It was terrible.

Daniel Thu Mar 14
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How could you or anybody else not even mention not to have Secretariat. Come on that is one of the greatest sports stories of all time. Karate Kid and not Secretariat.

Kent U Thu Mar 7
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I no I'm not from the "greatest city on earth", yawn! but this list is wildly inconsistent, and geocentric to New Yawk. While I applaud the research done to compile a list that includes many forgotten and great sports doc's, therein lies the problem. Is Lincoln up against Searching for Sugarman for best pic this year? No, and it shouldn't be, different art form. So I take issue with the criteria used for ranking them, personal taste, I suppose. Guess I'm just bitchin cuz I'd have Hoosiers over the Italian Stallion, and I'm from Michigan! But I went through the whole damn list, so...thanks!

Kirk Sat Feb 23
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And you have field of dreams at 44. And how did the Karate Kid make this list. Caddy Shack is a good movie but not much of a sports movie.

Darrin Fri Feb 22
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Wow you forgot Warrior, The Longest Yard, Sandlot, Remember the Titans, We Are Marshall, and a number of others.

Darrin Thu Feb 21
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