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Post by ZapRowsdower on Aug 4, 2008 16:36:11 GMT -5
Well, I thought after reading this... NEW RULE 2. As long as a sport is featured, the genre can be of any type including sci-fi, drama, comedy, horror, animation, etc. NEW RULE 3. We should see the actual sport played at least once during the course of the film. Training or practice scenes are good too. If a character only talks about his glory days when he played baseball or whatever, then I'm not going to count it as a real sports movie. Basketball is featured quite a bit in this film. While the documentary as a whole is more about High School than anything else, but one of the students that Burstein followed is a sports story through and through. A kid who is relying on a basketball scholarship in order to get into college. His story is about how he's the "hero" of his team, but when college recruiters show up to his games, he goes about trying to impress them and that hurts both his team and his cause. There are several basketball games in the film, and there is sort of a character arc that builds within these games. This is, however, just one of the lives that are followed and the rest have very little, if anything, to do with sports. I admit that. Not sure if you wanted to count this or not, but I figured... what could it hurt? I have some less questionable films queued up on Netflix anyway, but it seemed to satisfy the rules. I don't know of many Horror/Sci-Fi sports movies out there.  |
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Post by Pulpmariachi on Aug 4, 2008 16:57:55 GMT -5
We really just like trying to poke holes in your rules, Heiney.
Okay okay okay, I have one: Drumline.
See, I consider marching band and drum corps a sport (practice, competition, scholarships, physical endurance) but a lot of people don't (you have to have some talent that's not totally rooted in muscle structure). So?
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Post by ZapRowsdower on Aug 4, 2008 17:28:18 GMT -5
I think it's funny how many of us have different definitions for sports... This is probably the least clear genre there is. When I think Sports Movies, I think Rocky, Rudy, Remember the Titans, Field of Dreams, etc. But then I read Rule #2, and maybe it's the wording, but it really seems to open up films outside of the genre. For instance, I wouldn't consider American Teen to be a sports movie at all, but High School Basketball is prominently featured. In fact, it seems to be as important to the town in which they live as Football is to the people in Friday Night Lights and Varsity Blues. So I figured... there's probably enough "sport" in this movie for it to count. They don't merely talk about it... there are sections of the movie devoted to the game. In Grease, the sport isn't so much "featured". It's a montage sequence used for comedic purposes. ...or we could use some clarification, maybe?  |
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Aug 5, 2008 12:04:02 GMT -5
We really just like trying to poke holes in your rules, Heiney. Okay okay okay, I have one: Drumline. Puh-lease. I didn't allow cheerleading, I'm definitely not going to allow marching band as a sport. And since you're taking the time to bust my balls, how about actually watching some movies and participating? I noticed you did the same thing last month. Asked a question early on and then never actually watched any movies for the genre. Zap, sorry, but I'm not allowing AMERICAN TEEN. The movie is not soley about that kid and about basketball. He's a character among several and he plays basketball. We could just as easily say the movie's about car mechanics if that happened to be something one of the other characters is into, or chess club, if that happened to be an interest of yet another character. Even though they show actual basketball games it's not a true sports movie because the entire movie isn't about him and the game. I really can't make it any clearer than that. Like I mentioned before, HOOP DREAMS is a documentary about a pair of high school kids and it completely revolves around them and basketball. I think it's funny how many of us have different definitions for sports... This is probably the least clear genre there is. When I think Sports Movies, I think Rocky, Rudy, Remember the Titans, Field of Dreams, etc. I disagree, I thought it would be one of the clearest genres yet. The movies you listed are exactly the kinds of movies I had in mind and I thought it was pretty clear in the rules, so I don't see why it's seems so vague to you guys. DRUMLINE? KILL BILL? Documentaries about high school students where one of them plays basketball? Are you guys shitting me? You guys ever heard of RAGING BULL? Or SLAPSHOT? Or BULL DURHAM? or ANY GIVEN SUNDAY? Those are sports movies. But then I read Rule #2, and maybe it's the wording, but it really seems to open up films outside of the genre. For instance, I wouldn't consider American Teen to be a sports movie at all, but High School Basketball is prominently featured. Rule #2 says "As long as a sport is featured, the genre can be of any type including sci-fi, drama, comedy, horror, animation, etc. "Featured" meaning that it's the main thing in the movie, ie: the movie is about an athlete, team, coach, etc., and the sport they play is prominantly featured throughout the course of the film and is the main drive of the character(s). As for the "including sci-fi, drama, comedy, horror, animation, etc." part of it, that's just cut and pasted from every month's rules. I would figure the bulk of this months films are going to be Dramas and Comedies, but I didn't want to disqualify stuff from other genres if someone were to watch a sports movie that had a horror angle to it for instance. I don't know of any, but you never know. I already watched a sci-fi one, ROLLERBALL, and I know of at least one other off the top of my head. I'm also going to change this rule: NEW RULE 3. We should see the actual sport played at least once during the course of the film. Training or practice scenes are good too. If a character only talks about his glory days when he played baseball or whatever, then I'm not going to count it as a real sports movie. to read this: NEW RULE 3. We should see the actual sport played at least a couple of times... Which is what it really should say. Any real sports film should feature it's sport at least two or three times. |
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Post by ZapRowsdower on Aug 5, 2008 12:10:06 GMT -5
Those of us who were in Marching Band would surely disagree with you, Heineken. In my high school, if we took Marching Band we didn't have to take Gym. It is a very tiring, physical process that involves discipline, concentration and coordination. I remember some of us asking what the Football team was doing on the Band field... ...alright, I'm done. |
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Aug 5, 2008 12:15:57 GMT -5
Hey, I watched an actual Sports movie!
THE BAD NEWS BEARS (1976)
Walter Matthau plays Morris Buttermaker, an alcoholic ex-minor leaguer who is hired to coach The Bears, the worse team in little league baseball.
Ah, the days before political correctness. The kids curse like pint-sized sailors, mix martinis for their coach, get into fights and drink beer.
Seems crass on the outside, but the film still manages to teach lessons about believing in yourself and teamwork. But most importantly, it's pretty funny.
Good work from Matthau and all the kid actors.
7.5/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Aug 5, 2008 12:18:23 GMT -5
Those of us who were in Marching Band would surely disagree with you, Heineken. In my high school, if we took Marching Band we didn't have to take Gym. It is a very tiring, physical process that involves discipline, concentration and coordination. I remember some of us asking what the Football team was doing on the Band field... ...alright, I'm done. In my high school, the marching band were musicians and football players were athletes. I'm done too. |
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Post by Pulpmariachi on Aug 5, 2008 19:20:16 GMT -5
I'm with Zap. Marching band is a sport. And they tend to train harder than any traditional athelte too. Not saying that Drumline is a good movie or anything, but it was the first example of marching band I could think of.
And I would give it to cheerleading, too.
But it's your thing so whatever.
And, for your information, I watched like a bunch half-Tv-adaptations, but I just couldn't finish them. Dunno why. And I asked the other question because I was preparing to watch some miniseries after the books I read, so I just wanted to clarify. Wasn't trying to give you a hard time there.
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Aug 6, 2008 8:27:03 GMT -5
Moving on...
BLADES OF GLORY (2007)
Will Ferrell and Jon Heder star as rival ice skaters who, after being banned from singles competition, decide to team up as the first two-man doubles team.
Both actors are pretty funny in this, though Ferrell is basically playing a character, the dopey man-child, that he's played before (TALLADEGA NIGHTS, ANCHORMAN) and continues to play (SEMI-PRO, STEP BROTHERS).
The outfits and hairdos are hilarious, the ice skating sequences are well done and also pretty funny, both actors learned how to skate for the film, and some of the stuff off the ice is pretty funny too. Especially when Ferrell has to take a job in a childrens ice show.
7.5/10
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Post by slayrrr666 on Aug 6, 2008 10:15:26 GMT -5
Personally, I'm with Heiney-strenuous activity does not a sport make.
Besides, I'm pretty much clear on what's required for this month anyway. I only had a few questionable ones that I posted earlier since they didn't seem to be ones that were cut-and-dried like most which were still carried on many different sports channels I have, hence why I asked about them. For me, I'm 100% clear on what's required, so no qualms from me.
Bend it Like Beckham-2002
I'm not one that understands the soccer appeal, so the phrase was always a confusing one for me, hence why I decided to catch this. Finally understanding it, I also failed to understand why this is considered a comedy. It certainly wasn't serious or anything, but I still didn't really laugh at anything, more so than a smart-ass in several dramas I've seen over the years. Must've been cultural differences, which is perhaps the best thing I can say to understand it: the cultural differences, which are played up as much as the soccer-playing, tend to dominate a little too much for me, but once it got onto the soccer-field and away from the other issues I found a little more enjoyment, but I still don't understand it's appeal at all.
5/10
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Post by LivingDeadGirl on Aug 6, 2008 15:55:32 GMT -5
I was in band for most of my school years and I really wouldn't consider it a sport, in our school it was thrown in with the Music & Arts section. That's just my two cents though...
The Karate Kid 3/4- One of my favorites...
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Aug 7, 2008 7:42:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the support guys. I knew I couldn't be the only one who felt that way. WE ARE MARSHALL (2006) After a devastating plane crash in 1970 kills 75, including most of West Virginia's Marshall University football team, members of the coaching staff, boosters and flight crew, the town is faced with trying to rebuild the football program as well as their lives. Matthew McConaughey plays Jack Lengyel, the new coach that was hired because he was the only one willing to accept the job, and Matthew Fox (tv's LOST) is Red Dawson, the new assistant coach, who survived the crash because luckily he wasn't on the plane. Both do really good work, but I was especially impressed by McConaughey, who lately it seems is happy to churn out crappy romantic comedies and cash a check, but here he actually plays a well-rounded character and gives a good performance. And kudos to him for being able to keep his shirt on for an entire movie. Better than I thought it would be. 8/10 |
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Post by slayrrr666 on Aug 7, 2008 10:18:18 GMT -5
Any Given Sunday-1999
Decent enough drama about a losing football team bringing in a brash manager to get the team back on track, and the harsh antics used playing havoc with the team but bringing in the fans. Those are fun, mainly because it's something to do other than having everyone yell at each other, which is the majority of the time away from the football field. Not exactly anything that's entertaining, and the home-looks afforded aren't much better either. Personally, though, why couldn't that LL Cool J/Jaime Foxx brawl have lasted longer, I really wanted to see both of them get their ass whipped, but that's just a personal note. Not anything I want to see again, as now I don't have to.
5/10
Major Leaue II-1994
Much more my style, as not only is it a sport I actually like and can follow but the comedy aspects allow me a little easier time getting into it. Still, not all that completely unforgiven due to the rather innate style that plagues the games played, which are done in montage rather than played out for a couple innings like the first one, which is what made it so fun. There's not enough kookiness off the field as the other one, so some of the segments dealing with the personal life are a little dull, but it's still really fun when the game is played, which seems to be a recurring pattern with what I've seen so far.
7.5/10
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Post by Heineken Skywalker on Aug 8, 2008 14:23:44 GMT -5
WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP (1992)
Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson play a couple of basketball hustlers who, despite their many differences, team up to play neighborhood games for fast cash, leading up to a major tournament for $5,000.00.
Great chemistry between the two leads, some good basketball action, both actors are actually impressive players, and some funny trash talk on the courts.
Rosie Perez plays Harrelson's girlfriend, whose biggest dream is to get on the gameshow, "Jeopardy".
7.5/10
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Post by ZapRowsdower on Aug 9, 2008 18:24:59 GMT -5
The Hurricane (1999, Norman Jewison)
Controversy surrounding the "facts" aside, this film was carried by a powerhouse performance by Denzel Washington. Of course Hollywood's gonna fudge some of the facts, but for dramatic effect, it was necessary. Can't say for sure whether or not he committed these crimes, but this film makes me want to believe he didn't. And that says something. 9/10
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NEW RULE 2. As long as a sport is featured, the genre can be of any type including sci-fi, drama, comedy, horror, animation, etc. 
