As Hollywood continues to scrape the bottom of the barrel for ideas, good sports movies remain uncommon. Here are a few that may have never achieved mainstream popularity, but still deliver the inspiring stories, captivating drama and unrelenting comedy that audiences crave from sports movies. 

“Trouble with the Curve” (2012)

Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake lead in a heartwarming story about an aging MLB scout (Eastwood) and his daughter (Adams) who journey to find the next big star somewhere in the midst of college baseball. The film tells an engaging and cohesive tale about the process of rebuilding familial bonds as well as the woes of arrogance and cockiness in the world of sports. “Trouble with the Curve” is available for streaming on Hulu. 

“Benchwarmers” (2006)

The placement of Benchwarmers on this list may be largely due to nostalgia, but this movie holds up as a classic sports film. Comedic legends  of the early 2000’s David Spade, Jon Heder and Rob Schneider lead this comedy about three unlikely nobodies who band together to prove their bullies wrong about the importance of having fun over winning. Of course, the film’s hilarity and message renders this movie a classic. “Benchwarmers” is available for streaming on Hulu.  

“Invincible” (2006)

Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? This film tells the true tale of Vince Papale, played by Mark Wahlberg, a 30-year-old bartender in Philadelphia that finds his life turned upside down after he lands a spot on the Philadelphia Eagles NFL roster. “Invincible” tells a captivating story of how quickly someone’s life could change, but it is also a well-made film in general with impressive production, cinematography and acting. “Invincible” is available for streaming on Disney+.

“The Game Plan” (2007)

Although I didn’t intend on this list leaning in the PG direction, this movie offers a wholesome message and stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the quarterback of a fictional NFL team. In the movie, a young girl, played by Madison Pettis, shows up to his penthouse door, claiming to be his long lost daughter. Suddenly, the quarterback finds himself having to balance fatherhood and the face of his franchise. “The Game Plan” is available for streaming on Disney+.

“Kicking and Screaming” (2005)

As a chaotic comedy, this movie is a shining example of how hilarious sports films can be. Comedy legend Will Ferrell starts in this film as the coach for his son’s soccer team as the means of obtaining bragging rights over his own arrogant father. However, he soon discovers that he may be more similar to his father than he thought. “Kicking and Screaming” is available for streaming on Hulu.

When discussing movies that channel an array of emotions, you find yourself with a few select genres. Add in an underdog, and you have yourself only one genre: sports. There are many different sports movies and approaches that directors and producers take to them, but some are just better than others. I asked for your opinions, and this is my un-definitive list of the top 5 sports movies of all time 

1) “Remember the Titans” (2000) 

“Remember the Titans” has to be one of the most inspirational movies ever, especially when you talk about sports movies. “Remember the Titans” is about a football team at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va., in 1971. Within the team are racial disparities that have to be overcome in order for the team to succeed. Coach Boone (Denzel Washington) takes his new team to a camp at Gettysburg College. The team comes together and overcomes their differences to eventually win the state championship. What makes this movie number one is that it is based on a true story, which makes it even more special. Definitely worth a watch. 

2) “Rocky” (1976-2018) 

I could not decide whether to put “Rocky” or “Creed,” but then I realized that without a “Rocky,” there’s no “Creed.” The “Rocky” series is regarded as having some of the most influential boxing movies ever. The series focuses on the up-and-coming career of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). Rocky was always the underdog – fighting opponents like Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) and the Russian Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren). The series shows that you need a lot of hard work, dedication and grit to be the best of the best. You could also throw “Creed” into the series as spin-offs, which adds more success to the already great series.

3) “He Got Game” (1998) 

“He Got Game” has to be the best basketball movie ever made. This movie tells a story of Jesus Shuttleworth (Ray Allen), who is the No. 1 high school prospect in the country, and his strict father Jake (Denzel Washington). Jesus has to decide where to play college ball without any proper guidance. “He Got Game” also looks at the gray areas of recruiting and the tense relationship between a black father and his son. Jesus is also trying to make a decision without being swayed one way or another. This movie gives a look into the pressure of a top recruit in high school sports. 

4) “42” (2013) 

Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) is signed by Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) and the Dodgers in 1946. Robinson and Coach Rickey catch hell for the signing, due to the well-known color barrier at the time in the MLB. They both receive hate and threats from everyone, including teammates and the press. Robinson, with the help of Coach Rickey, remains composed and lets his game and talent do the talking. Jackie Robinson’s number, 42, was retired across the entire MLB in 1997. This movie shows the struggle Robinson had to overcome to be in Major League Baseball. The true definition of an underdog is when you’re the only one of your kind. 

5) “Blind Side” (2009) 

Michael (Quinton Aaron) grows up with a drug addict mother and gets taken away from her at the age of seven. Michael remains in the system and always runs away to his father’s friend’s house. A father’s friend uses his connections to get Michael into Wingate Christian School, where he eventually meets his new family, the Tuohys. With the help of the Tuohys, Michael gets better academically and learns of his natural talent. Michael goes on to Ole Miss, and from there goes on to be drafted by the Ravens in the first round. This movie tells a story beyond the sport, just like “He Got Game,” but more raw. This movie shows the reality of a lot of people from the hood: talented, but without the right connections, they go nowhere but into a broken system. 

When selecting sports movies it’s hard to narrow it down to five. It would still be challenging to narrow it down to ten. But each of these stories inspire people that are not as fortunate as others and helps them realize that there’s a chance to succeed as a team or an individual athlete even if the odds are against you. Sometimes being the underdog is the biggest motivator for greatness.

I love the movie “Moneyball” so much that I get chills whenever I think about it. Quarantine has given me the opportunity to indulge in the wonderful world of sports movies. After a couple of weeks now of rediscovering this wonderful world, I’ve confirmed the notion that there are very, very few bad sports movies.

 Before breaking down why this is true, I think it’s important to note what the world has become. For the first time since World War II, we won’t even have an Olympics to watch. Without sports, no one got to witness someone sinking a buzzer beater to win the March Madness NCAA tournament, no one got to see the opening day of America’s pastime, and no one got to witness what would’ve been the greatest NBA playoffs of all time. 

The coronavirus has taken away moments that unite us. That same binding force is what inspires all the kids who dream of going pro, the same that allows a stressed out parent needing something to unwind and forget about all the pains of the day, that same force drives decade-long fans of teams to follow them through the postseason blindly rooting for them despite the fact that they know the team won’t make it far. 

Sure, you can try to recapture these moments by re-airing old games, but it’s not the same. But if there’s one place where that magic doesn’t go away, it’s sports movies. If sports are already so captivating to Americans, adding some fancy editing, decent characterization, and an engaging narrative, it’s hard to lose. Think “The Game Plan” on Disney+ starring none other than The Rock. It is a movie I saw before my age was in the double digits and still provides the same wonderful overwhelming sense of optimism the same way it did when I saw it for the first time. Maybe it’s not entirely realistic that a star NFL quarterback would abandon his daughter at a celebrity party, but the beauty of sports movies always prevails in the end, always with a feel-good, high-tension victory against the odds. 

Think about “Field of Dreams,” “Bull Durham” or “For the Love of the Game.” Kevin Costner and baseball movies scream feel-good, as they’re some of the most wholesome movies you’ll ever see. Hockey deserves love too, as “Miracle” is an American classic that’s bound to give chills every time you watch it, even if you already know how it ends. 

Even the direct-to-TV B sports movies are good, as “Goon” is a sleeper hit that blends a feel-good romance with the high octane entertainment derived from hockey. “The Way Back” just recently released straight to digital due to the coronavirus. It is a deeply moving story of a man who uses a high school basketball coaching gig to guide him through his recovery. 

Sports movies are important now more than ever. If you ever get bored during the quarantine, which you will, find a good sports movie to watch, and try not to smile by the time the credits roll. We’re missing out on a lot of moments, but we can still unlock the child in us who sees the world with a blinded sense of optimism using the magic of sports movies.