Everybody loves a good underdog story and no film genre captures an audience quite like sports. While loved by audiences, sports films rarely find themselves nominated for Best Picture on Oscar night. Ranging from the more obscure biking, boxing and racing to familiar staples like baseball and football, only a select few hold the honor, but things are about to change.
King Richard, the just released movie staring Will Smith as the infamous father of Tennis phenoms Venus and Serena Williams is currently on track to join the group as a Best Picture nominee at the 94th Annual Academy Awards set to air on ABC March 27. Like its contemporaries, the drama explores life on and off the court and what it takes to succeed in life.
10 Jerry Maguire (1996) - 7.3
In addition to being a true underdog story, the majority of sports movies also contain a strong sense of morality while overcoming obstacles as the protagonist strives to succeed in life and accomplish their goals. Directed by Academy Award Winner Cameron Crowe, Jerry Maguire stars Tom Cruise as a sports agent fired for doing what he thought was right as he tries to hang on with the one client and co-worker who stuck by him.
Maguire is led by the strong acting of its leads. Cruise, Renée Zellweger and Best Supporting Actor winner Cuba Gooding Jr. easily steal the show. Audiences can't help but root for the trio as they strive to make all of their dreams come true without sacrificing their beliefs. In addition to sports fans, the movie stands out among best picture nominees for combining sports with romance to create a relatable tale that can be loved by all.
9 Field Of Dreams (1989) - 7.3
With famous quotes such as "If You Build It He Will Come," Field of Dreams stands alongside Jerry Maguire as the two nominees who strive to be more relatable to the general public. The film stars Kevin Costner as Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella who decides to build a baseball field in a cornfield after he starts hearing voices in his head.
To celebrate the films 30th Anniversary, Major League Baseball decided to build a stadium in Dyersville, Iowa and play a game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox. In a testament to the movies reception, the competition was the most-watched regular season MLB game in 16 years with 5.9 million viewers. A true love letter to the sport of baseball, the movie also shows the drive of one man fighting to do what he deems right while perfectly capturing the father-son familial dynamic.
8 The Blind Side (2009) - 7.6
The first of many nominees based on a real life figure, The Blind Side is a true crowd-pleaser through and through. The movie stars Sandra Bullock in a Best Actress winning role as Leigh Anne Tuohy. The true-life story follows homeless high school Offensive Tackle Michael Oher as he fights the odds to make the NFL with help from the Tuohy family.
The Blind Side benefits from a captivating performance from Bullock who lights-up the film whenever she is on screen. The movie also benefits from an easy to digest story that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. It is hard not to get invested in Oher's plight as he strives to overcome his difficulties and become a first-round NFL draft pick.
7 Moneyball (2011) - 7.6
Based on the book by Michael Lewis, Moneyball tells the true story of a man who looks to change the game after the deck is repeatedly stacked against him. Brad Pitt stars as Oakland Athletic General Manager Billy Beane who bucks the trend and uses computer-generated analysis to build a team on a budget changing a sport stuck in its ways.
Written by Aaron Sorkin, Moneyball can be considered one of the most realistic baseball movies ever made. While most sports flicks focus on the big game, Moneyball stays off the field. For baseball fans, it can be fun seeing all the goes on behind the scenes when it comes to running a team including trades, scouting, and locker room drama. The stand-out, is Jonah Hill who proved he could break away from comedy earning his first Supporting Actor nomination in a strong nuanced performance.
6 Breaking Away (1979) - 7.7
To be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, it is safe to say a movie has to have more going for it than a basic generic plot. A true-coming-of-age-tale, Breaking Away isn't so much about sports as it is about a blue-collar Indiana teenager and his friends who try to figure out their lives while being obsessed with cycling.
Breaking Away has an advantage in that nearly everyone has ridden a bike. Starring Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern and Jackie Earle Haley the tale certainly has a lot going for it. The movie deals with themes like living in a small town, being unsure of one's future and economic disparity as they take on the rich kids in a race.
5 The Fighter (2010) - 7.8
One of four boxing focused Best Picture nominees, The Fighter most notably stands out for some stellar acting performances. The movie stars Mark Wahlberg as fledgling boxer Micky Ward who tries to escape the shadow of his older brother and family to become a champion despite his past.
In addition to Wahlberg, the supporting cast help carry the familiar underdog story that kept audiences glued to the screen with two Oscar wins and a nomination. Christian Bale won Best Supporting Actor for his role of screw-up brother and trainer Dicky. Melissa Leo won Best Supporting Actress as Ward matriarch Alice while Amy Adams was nominated for Best Actress as Wahlberg's girlfriend Charlene.
4 Rocky (1976) - 8.1
The ultimate underdog story, Rocky is one of two sports movie in the top 10 to go all the way on Oscar night and win Best Picture. The movie responsible for putting writer and star Sylvester Stallone on the Hollywood map needs no introduction to fans of the genre. The movie stars Stallone as Rocky Balboa, a small-time Philadelphia boxer who gets a shot at stardom.
While the story may be predictable, it is hard not to get wrapped up in the tale. Stallone plays the every man Balboa with enough charm that it is impossible not to root for him in the final fight against Apollo Creed. Capturing the best of the genre, Rocky reinforces that anything is possible if you work hard enough and follow your dreams.
3 Million Dollar Baby (2004) - 8.1
Directed by Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby tells the tale of a determined woman looking to become a professional boxer. The film is the second sports movie in the top 10 to win Best Picture. It saw Hilary Swank win for Best Actress and Morgan Freeman bring home the gold for Best Supporting Actor. Eastwood also stars in one of the coolest movie roles of his career.
While an inverse of Rocky, the familiar underdog tale swerves audience expectations and digs a little deeper. Led by its strong actors, the story looks into life inside and outside of the ring. It also looks at the dangers of living life as a boxer and the profession as a whole. While still an underdog story, Eastwood challenges the viewers to question life and the cost of following your dreams.
2 Ford Vs. Ferrari (2019) - 8.1
The most recent nominee, Ford vs. Ferrari takes the action to the track Starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale. The true story follows American car designer Carroll Shelby and driver Ken Miles who create a race car for Ford in order to defeat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
Damon and Bale steal the show as two men looking to do the impossible. Despite no one believing in them, the duo keep going and show no quit. The movie does a great job of keeping non racing fans engaged with the human emotion while still delivering action with its racing scenes.
1 Raging Bull (1980) - 8.2
The highest rated sports nominee sees legendary director Martin Scorsese with his best non-gangster movie and legendary actor Robert De Niro team up in a boxing drama for the ages. Raging Bull follows the life of boxer Jake La Motta who's violence and temper help him in the ring while destroying his life out of it.
De Niro won Best Actor for his portrayal of La Motta. While an underdog story on the surface, Raging Bull proves to be much more of a character study than a feel-good boxing drama. It captures what it really takes to make it as a top flight athlete in a brutal sport and the risks of what may happen if one is unable to leave that intensity in the ring.
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