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Alan Smithee’s best football movies ever
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Watching “We Are Marshall,” I find it hard to believe this film about a West Virginia football team and tragedy was shot mostly in metro Atlanta. But it was. And props to director McG for pulling it off.
“We Are Marshall,” with Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox and the great David Strathairn, is finally being released on DVD today and the timing is just right. The weather has turned cooler and pro, college and high school football have kicked off.
I love college football, even though UGA stumbled against (I hate even typing this) S-o-u-t-h C-a-r-o-l-i-n-a. So maybe it’s best just to think of my favorite football movies.
1. “Rudy” — Notre Dame isn’t any good this year, but this film always plays like a champion. It’s the best sports movie of all time (and I say that knowing how much I love “Field of Dreams”; “Hoosiers” is in there, too).
2. “Friday Night Lights” — Billy Bob Thornton is great even though this real-life story isn’t exactly the way it happened in real life.
3. “Brian’s Song” — Makes anybody weep.
4. “Horse Feathers” — The Marx Brothers and a pigskin? Yes.
5. “Remember the Titans” — Another made-in-Georgia movie, this time with an on-fire Denzel Washington as inspirational and demanding coach.
I also like “Waterboy,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Invincible,” “The Longest Yard,” “North Dallas Forty” and “Any Given Sunday.”
What’s your favorite football movie?
Permalink | Comments (23) | Categories: Alan Smithee
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By Buck from Tucker
September 18, 2007 8:10 AM | Link to this
Lucas - Nothing evokes more pigskin passion than images of Kerri Green and Winona Ryder, while giving the ladies a little hunky Corey Haim and Charlie Sheen action.
By dixie
September 18, 2007 8:23 AM | Link to this
Defitely Rudy and Titans, but also Radio with Cuba Gooding Jr….I love that movie!
By raven
September 18, 2007 8:24 AM | Link to this
I thought The Replacements was fun. “Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory lasts forever.”
And, give ND another one, Knute Rockne: All American. With future President Ronald Reagan as “the Gipper”.
By Chuck
September 18, 2007 8:48 AM | Link to this
We Are Marshall was not a huge box office success, but will become a classic football movie. Unlike most Hollywood schlock, it is a true story about triumph over tragedy by individuals and a community. Warner Brothers and the film director did a terrific job in creating a film of remembrance and honor for those who died in the plane crash. We Are … MARSHALL !!
By Becky
September 18, 2007 8:55 AM | Link to this
Brian’s Song & Radio..
By Jeff
September 18, 2007 8:59 AM | Link to this
Facing the Giants “Never Give Up. Never back down. Never lose faith” The “death crawl” scene is one of the most inspirational I’ve ever seen in ANY movie. Plus, CMR makes a cameo. All Dawgs should own it for that reason alone!
Varsity Blues: “Kilmer said we’ve got the next 488 minutes for the next 48 years of our lives. Well F#ck that. Let’s go play the next 24 minutes for the next 24 minutes. Leave it all out on the field. If we go out and half-ass it ‘cause we’re scared, then we’ll always wonder if we were really good enough. But if we go out there and give it all we’ve got… that’s heroic. You guys wanna be heroes?”
Remember the Titans “You make sure they remember, FOREVER, the night they played the Titans!”, “With all due respect, uh, you demanded more of us. You demanded perfection. Now, I ain’t saying that I’m perfect, ‘cause I’m not. And I ain’t gonna never be. None of us are. But we have won every single game we have played till now. So this team is perfect. We stepped out on that field that way tonight. And, uh, if it’s all the same to you, Coach Boone, that’s how we want to leave it.”
The Replacements “All right, Sentinels. Listen up. There are some who will say that your accomplishments today will soon be forgotten, that you’re not real players, that this isn’t a real team. And I say that’s b******. Because as of today, you’re all professional football players. You’re being paid to play, and I want to you to remember that, because the men whose places you’ve taken forgot that a long time ago. Let’s bring it in. Let’s play some football.” (In addition to the tag already mentioned)
Radio, The New Guy (to a lesser extent, the story wasn’t truly about football - neither was Radio - but it did use football as a catalyst)
By sportsmommy
September 18, 2007 9:07 AM | Link to this
In this order: Jerry Maguire, Remember the Titans, Friday Night Lights and Radio
By Katie
September 18, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this
My favorite football movie would have to be Gridiron Gang.
By itsmorenamorena
September 18, 2007 9:42 AM | Link to this
I really used to like watching Playmakers when it was on. Wasn’t a movie, rather a series on ESPN, was it? Only lasted one season but it seemed pretty realistic to me!
By MC
September 18, 2007 9:56 AM | Link to this
Varsity Blues and Any Given Sunday
By Tray
September 18, 2007 10:01 AM | Link to this
Rememebr the Titans has to be #1 in my book. Rudy was good, but i like the fact that in Titans, the whole team had struggles to face, not just Rudy.
Favorite footbal comedy-The Replacements! C’mon, where else can you find a sumo wrestler center, a soccer player kicker, and a cop and convict on the same team with a preacher! That movie was awesome!
By sharon
September 18, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this
Remeber the Titans, Any Given Sunday, Friday Night Lights and the Longest Yard remake with Chris Rock.
By David
September 18, 2007 10:23 AM | Link to this
What about the original North Dallas Forty? Or are we just talking happy, uplifting, joy, joy flicks?
By Football Mom
September 18, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
Gridiron Gang
By TCBinATL
September 18, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this
I almost didn’t look at this, just knowing that “Rudy” would be on your list. So disappointing. I realize I’m in the minority, but I just thought it was a weak movie, poorly acted, and awash with heavy-handed sentimentality. A co-worker and I used to joke that it was the story of a guy too stupid to know when nobody wanted him around.
For my money, I’d go with “Brian’s Song,” “North Dallas Forty,” “Remember the Titans,” and the original “Longest Yard.” Didn’t see “Friday Night Lights,” but heard great things.
By Big John
September 18, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this
Junction Boys, if you want to see how real men became football players before they were treated like sissies the way they are now.
By Will
September 18, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this
Hey, what about the movie “Gridiron Gang”? It was truly an inspirational movie about one man’s determination and the ability of people who have made wrong choices in their lives to find varying degrees of rehabilitation through the sport of football. It is based on a true story (actual footage of the real ‘Gridiron Gang’ was played as the ending credits were rolling) and the movie had The Rock as its star. It doesn’t get much better than that!
By jeed
September 18, 2007 11:31 AM | Link to this
Radio. Remember the Titans was very good too.
By DLA
September 18, 2007 11:39 AM | Link to this
The Longest Yard, the old one, not the new one with all the pretty people… “I think I broke his Fin neck…” “You did, you did break his Fin neck…” CLASSIC
By RM
September 18, 2007 11:54 AM | Link to this
We are MARSHALL - because it is a true story. I like the other football movies but this one really highlights the ups and downs and how we as a team, people can overcome a lot.
By TR
September 18, 2007 12:00 PM | Link to this
Remember the Titans is one of my all time favorite movies. It was just a great story about a great group of young me.
However, I do have one other corny football favorite: Wildcats. Woody Harilson was the QB. Wesley Snipes was in it, also. I loved that movie!
“It’s the sport of kings/ better than diamond rings/ football!”
By East Carolina Dad
September 18, 2007 12:21 PM | Link to this
I can’t believe no one’s giving “THE PROGRAM” a Nod…I mean c’mon, James Caan as the Head Coach, very believable character who did the right thing. And the BIG GUY w/the steriod problem…he was a bad dude but what a mess he was. And Halle Berry, as the hot tutor…what a babe! Good story and some nice ‘smacks’ or ‘hits’ going on in the movie too It also dealt w/some not unusual problems college athletes sometimes have to deal with but, all in all, it is a pretty decent movie.
By Jared Lathem
September 18, 2007 5:33 PM | Link to this
The Waterboy?!?!? C’mon. Really?