FAVE FIVE: Breaking my own rules picking my favorite football movies – Times Record News

[ad_1]

 I was pretty harsh in my take on football movies in Thursday’s “Fave Five.”

And I took those shots at popular films such as Remember the Titans, The Blind Side and Friday Night Lights while writing about my favorite baseball movies.

I don’t dislike all football movies. I’m just a tough critic of them.

So, what are my favorite football movies?

Honorable mentions go to Adam Sandler’s The Waterboy, which has more realistic football action than Remember the Titans. And that’s just sad.

The Express is one of the more underrated football flicks. It chronicles the life of Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. I love the scene of Davis and Jim Brown playing catch with lacrosse sticks.

And is there a football film more fun than Little Giants?

Here’s my top five:

5. The Longest Yard (1974) – The Adam Sander remake had its moments, but the original is cinematic gold. It’s Burt Reynolds at his best leading a group of prison inmates in a football game against the guards.

The football action is over the top but believable because of the situation. How else would inmates play against their prison guards?

4. We Are Marshall – This story deserves a great movie. I feel like it got one.

Matthew McConaughey is fantastic as head coach Jack Lengyel trying to rebuild the Marshall University program after an unthinkable tragedy. Matthew Fox as assistant coach William “Red” Dawson was equally as great.

And the supporting cast is a home run too, including Ian McShane, Anthony Mackie and Kate Mara.

Plus, the football action is believable.

3. Invincible – I’ve been a Cowboys’ fan since birth. How could I possibly like a movie about the Philadelphia Eagles?

But the story of Vince Papale is one even Cowboys’ fans can cheer for. Mark Wahlberg is very good as Papale, while Greg Kinnear is a very believable Dick Vermeil.

And just for Cowboys’ fans, there’s a scene of Tom Landry’s visage, adorned in his trademark Fedora, walking across the opposing sideline.

That moment creates goosebumps.

That said, this movie is inaccurate with one of its critical scenes. Papale was not discovered at an open tryout for the Eagles. That happened with the Philadelphia Bell of the World Football League. His play on special teams with the Bell earned him a private workout with Vermeil. 

I find myself forgiving the movie for that little change to the story. 

2. Radio – No movie has ever made me cry harder than this one.

I won’t spoil the movie for those who haven’t seen it, but the emotions Cuba Gooding Jr.’s portrayal of the title character goes through left me sobbing heavily in the movie theater – not just once, but twice.

The movie came out in 2003, and I went on two different first dates to see it in the theater. On the first date, I didn’t just weep a little. I was crying so hard that I was gasping for air.

So, when the second date wants to see the movie, I think, “I know what’s coming. It won’t hit me that hard again.”

Wrong. I was just as bad.

Both girls wanted a second date, though. So, it wasn’t such a bad first impression after all.

1. Rudy – OK. I dinged Friday Night Lights and The Blind Side for not being true to the original story. And I bash Remember the Titans for bad football action.

Rudy also breaks both of those rules. I mean, he’s clearly lined up offsides on the final football scene of the movie. And its not entirely accurate, but no movie based on a true story is 100 percent. 

But it doesn’t matter. I will weep (not to the extent of Radio) every time actor Sean Astin is hoisted onto the shoulders of his teammates and carried off the field.

I’m not a Notre Dame fan, but this is the ultimate underdog story centered around one of college football’s greatest programs.

The acting, directing, storytelling and music are all perfect. Rudy will forever top my list – flaws and all.

And that’s true love.

Jonathan Hull is a six-time Associated Press award-winning sports reporter, focusing primarily on WFISD football, high school basketball and the Dallas Cowboys. Follow him on Twitter: @Hull_TRN.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

[ad_2]