5 Best Football Movies

[Hostile]

1. "The Longest Yard" the original. A classic. They never should have messed with it or copied it. It is gritty, irreverent, and hard nosed. I can almost imagine how badly the prisoners wanted to hit the guards.

2. "Brian's Song." The story of Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers. A classic. Not for the tender hearted because it's a true story and it is sad.

3. "Rudy." Even if it is Notre Dame (not a fan) this is a great movie about determination. I'll never tire of this movie.

4. "Remember the Titans." The scene where Gary in the hospital calls Julius his brother, and then Julius says they're going to grow old and fat together is what team is all about, no walls.

5. "North Dallas Forty." Pete Gent meant it as a slap, and in a lot of ways it is, but it's just a darn good football movie.


Honorable mention..."School Ties." Very under rated movie about a prep high school QB and the bigotry he has to face.


You don't have to agree with my list. Share yours.

 

[ghst187]

How can we not list Keanu's brilliant performance in "the Replacements"
or Elizabeth Berkerly's stunning work in "Any Given Sunday"
or Rob Schnieder's awe-imspiring commentary in "Necessary Roughness"
or the teacher strip scene at the bar in "Varsity Blues"
or Goldie Hawn in "Wildcats"
or "Show me the Money" and "you had me at hello" in "Jerry MacGuire" (tom cruise jerkstore)

But seriously though...
"Friday Night Lights" has to be in the top 3 for me
and "Rudy"
Maybe not top 5 but I also liked....
"The Best of Times"
and "The Program"

 

[DallasEast]

More honorable mentionables: The Program, Necessary Roughness, Jerry Maguire, Friday Night Lights and Varsity Blues.

 

[DallasEast]

Goldie Hawn in "Wildcats"

It's sexist to say, but I think it's kinda pathetic that Goldie won that bet by outdistancing those boys. In the rain, no less.

 

[austintodallas]

Friday Night Lights is one of my favorite movies. It really hits home.

 

[CowboyMike]

Alright, so while ya'll are joking at some of these, this is my top 5. No laughing.

Friday Night Lights - The only movie I ever cried in, and the whole team went to go see it together. Because it hits home to high school players. We've been there. Especially in Texas.

Remember the Titans - For the same reason as Hos.

The Replacements - The great underdog story. I love it. And you know Gene Hackman modeled his character after Tom Landry.

Any Given Sunday - Al Pacino is great. The "Inches" Speech. And while there are some questionable themes, the heart of the game and what's important is cared for. "On any given Sunday you're gonna win or you're gonna lose. The point is - can you win or lose like a man?"

Jerry Maguire - This movie made me want to be a sports agent. And I'm on my way...

 

[the kid 05]

there is what seems to be a good movie called "Grid iron gang" its about kids who go to a correctional facility of sorts and dont respond to violence then they start up a football team and slowly bond together...looks good

 

[SA_Gunslinger]

for my money, it's 'remember the titans'.

and even though i don't like notre dame, i love 'rudy'.


and even though i HATE HATE HATE the ea-girls, there is a movie coming out this fall called "invincible" about a guy in the late 70's who was a walk on for the ea-girls. i have several friends who were extras for the film! i'm looking forward to seeing it. it's got a pretty good buzz about it. they even filmed in texas stadium.

 

[Seven]

Along the lines of Brian Piccolo there's "Something for Joey". Based on a true story (I think). One of my all time favorites....."All the right moves".
"Semi-Tough" with Burt and Kristofferson was kinda funny.
"Fighting Back" the Rocky Bleier story. Good movie.
"Best of Times" was kinda cheesy but I liked Robin Williams in the flick.
"Radio" was pretty good being based on a true story.

 

[CowboyMike]

"Radio" was pretty good being based on a true story.

I don't really count Radio as a football movie. But that's just me.

 

[Natedawg44]

I don't want your life

 

[Kevinicus]

Radio sucked anyway IMO.

Rudy, Wildcats, and Remember the Titans are givens.
As is neccesary roughness.
Never really watched Brian's Song or North Dallas 40 all the way through, but what I did watch just never got me that interested.
Any Given Sunday was a mess.
Friday Night Lights was ok, but nothing spectacular really.
The Replacements, while mildly humorous, is just an average movie.
The Program is pretty cheesy.
Longest Yard (either) is so-so.
Waterboy is one of Sandler's worst.
Varsity Blues I guess is decent, mostly in the football aspect than as a good movie.

I kinda like The Best of Times with Robin Williams and Kurt Russell.

For the most part really I find football movies to be pretty disappointing.

 

[Natedawg44]

I loved the football game in the movie M*A*S*H*

 

[bbgun]

That Kurt Russell, Robin Williams movie where they replay the HS game. The scene where they try to secretly watch MNF while dining with their wives is priceless.

 

[JackMagist]

I might shake up the order of some of the movies listed and put "Friday Night Lights" in over "Rudy" (that one just didn't do much for me...but better than "Radio"). However, I will definitely go along with the original "Longest Yard" being the best ever. That was Burt Reynolds best movie ever IMO.

My honorable mentions...I really liked "Semi Tough" even though it was a comedy and not a seroius football movie. And to go really Old School I liked the movie with Ronald Reagan as the Gipper but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it (shameful I know).

 

[Scotman]

I haven't seen remember the Titans yet. But the principal who was head of the school at that time is the professor of one of my doctoral classes at A&M. I guess I need to watch the show for extra credit.

He did make some comments about how the movie embellished some major details, but that overall, it wasn't too far off.

 

[thor_01]

I might shake up the order of some of the movies listed and put "Friday Night Lights" in over "Rudy" (that one just didn't do much for me...but better than "Radio"). However, I will definitely go along with the original "Longest Yard" being the best ever. That was Burt Reynolds best movie ever IMO.

My honorable mentions...I really liked "Semi Tough" even though it was a comedy and not a seroius football movie. And to go really Old School I liked the movie with Ronald Reagan as the Gipper but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it (shameful I know).

the name of that movie "The Knute Rockney Story" starring Pat O'brien as Knute Rockney..............

 

[Hostile]

Along the lines of Brian Piccolo there's "Something for Joey". Based on a true story (I think). One of my all time favorites....."All the right moves".
"Semi-Tough" with Burt and Kristofferson was kinda funny.
"Fighting Back" the Rocky Bleier story. Good movie.
"Best of Times" was kinda cheesy but I liked Robin Williams in the flick.
"Radio" was pretty good being based on a true story.

Thank you. I couldn't remember the name of his movie and I didn't look it up because I wasn't going to mention it.

 

[Hostile]

Regarding "Friday Night Lights." I enjoyed the movie, but didn't include it on my list and it is kind of a strange prejudice as to why. I played against Odessa Permian when I lived in Ft. Stockton, TX for a year. They were already legendary way back then.

Now my prejudice isn't because they were a rival HS. I just think the movie missed a chance to show something about the tradition there that made an imapct on me, and for the life of me I can't figure out why it wasn't in the movie.

They pack that stadium and before kickoff those fans start stomping their feet and chanting "mojo, mojo, mojo" together. If you're a HS kid it is a psychological edge for them as a home team. I mean you've probably never played against any other team with that many fans and then to have them all chanting. It chills the blood. As an opponent that scares you every bit as much as the team does. You understand hostile territory in living color.

I told so many people about that before the movie came out. Then it wasn't in the movie and I was seriously disappointed.

Love the "inches" speech in "Any Given Sunday," but the rest of the movie doesn't do much for me.

"Semi Tough" was fun, especially the reporter asking about gay players.

I liked "Necessary Roughness." It made me laugh. So did "The Replacements."

Wasn't crazy about "The Program" or "Varsity Blues" beyond the whipped cream bikini.

 

[big dog cowboy]

"Lucas" with Charlie Sheen and Cory Haim just to mention another kinda funny movie.