This content is a discussion and ranking of the best sports movies of the 21st century, featuring a debate between hosts about the merits of various films and performances, culminating in a top 21 list.
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All right, recording this on New Year's
Day. We just finished the first quarter
of the century. Sean Fantasy is here.
Pops on the rewatchables from time to
time. Pops on this podcast from time to
time. Host of Big Picture. Just did his
uh 25 best movies of the 21st
century. Always complicated with the
2000. 2000 doesn't count. It's not part
of the century. People get mad about
that, but it's just not the case. Well,
you know, we did a pod on the
rewatchables as well for your favorite
your most rewatchable movies of the
century and you you shared that rule,
but then you did pick proof of life
>> and I [ __ ] up. I thought it came out
in like 2003.
>> It was December of 2000, so it was right
at the cut off line.
>> No, I would have I would have bumped it.
Well, Zodiac can go right in that spot
because we forgot to put in Zodiac. So,
you had Social Network at number one,
which is what I was figuring because
we've talked about that movie
>> a lot over the years. Um, but you had,
if you had consulted me, which you
didn't, you did the one filmmaker
per one filmmaker movie for the list,
that's it. You couldn't get two. >> Mhm.
>> Mhm.
>> So, what was the big regret of did
anyone qualify for they should have had
two movies on the list if you were doing
it if you had a two movie rule? I think
part of the reason we did that was
because I was I personally would have
put like five PTA movies on there. And
if you if I was being honest about what
were my favorite movies, you know, PTA, Fincher,
Fincher, >> yeah,
>> yeah,
>> um Tarantino, you know, like Nolan, Wes
Anderson, there's like a handful of
people for Amanda, Sophia Cooba, who
like our favorite filmmakers comprise
like a lot of our favorite movies. So,
we did the one filmmaker thing, you
know, as with all Ringer projects. Uh,
universal polarizing. No, universal
acclaim. We we've been told we're the
greatest podcasters of all time. [laughter]
[laughter]
Everyone's really proud of our work.
And, um, yeah, we're being celebrated
today at the Rose Parade. We were on a
float. I don't know if you saw a 25 for
25 float and they were really cheering
us on. Like, big picture, big picture.
So, it was great.
>> Oh, congratulations. Yeah. Everybody
just really appreciates these lists and
they don't get mad at all.
>> They do. They do. People were really mad
at uh a couple things of my most re even
though I explained the premise over and
over again in the beginning and people
were still furious that uh movies like
just go with it and a lot like love were
on there. Limitless. Um I stand by it at
number 16 even though it drew orious
laughter from both you and Chris.
>> In the moment it was extremely funny
because you were naming you were naming
a lot of movies that we know you love
that are like sentimental favorites and
then you were also naming all-time
classics. you know, Dark Knight and
>> H. So, yeah, Limitless is in that weird
nether zone of just like, Bill, it's
3:30 on a Tuesday afternoon and he just
puts on TNT and Limitless is there and
it's like a warm bath for you. You know,
>> there it is. Yeah. He just started
taking the pills. I'm waiting for
basketball to come on. I'm ready to
roll. Uh, one thing I was thinking with
the with the uh with the Century from
like not a rewatchable standpoint, but
from a best movie standpoint,
I feel like five movies are kind kind of
anyone can have their own list. The one
that surprised me that wasn't on your
list was Brokeback
>> because I felt like the five movies from
the first quarter that I just feel like
would be on most people's lists our
Social Network, Dark Knight, There Will
Be Blood, No Country, and Brokeback
>> and then everyone else's list is
probably going to look different, but I
feel like most lists would have that.
Those were the five for me that I think
as I thought back and then you start
getting into like the spotlight, Zodiac,
OPR and then it becomes a little more
personal preference but then it really
social network, dark knight and there
will be blood are probably the three
>> because I think there will be broadhead
the as you talked about on the pod it
has the best performance of the 21st century
century
>> and then social network is kind of
culturally maybe the most significant
and then dark knight is the most
ambitious from IP. We we kind of blinked
at the last minute and flipped Dark
Knight for Oppenheimer because of the
one director rule, but I think they were
like neck andneck the whole time. Yeah.
Um we didn't do Brokeback. I I kind of
psyched myself out on that one because I
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is the
other Ang Lee movie and they're like
5050 to me. Like those are two really
big movies for me.
>> And you know, Amanda and I didn't really
get too deep into that conversation, but
um you know, like you guys just did
Brokeback on the Pod. That's just like a
a classic movie. It's just an amazing
film. So, I don't know. It's tough.
You're right that there's some films
that feel like totally canonical, but
also we're in our own bubbles, right?
Like we're in our own like to me, The
Social Network, The Age That I am, the
people who were involved in it, what it
meant to like what my career was going
to become are all feels so important.
Other people see that movie and they're
like, "This is like a biopic about a
[ __ ] It's not that important." [laughter]
[laughter]
>> You know, it is what it is.
>> No, that's the Steve Cohen story. Um,
>> hey, hey, hey, [laughter]
hey. We don't know that yet. We don't
know that yet.
>> We're not positive yet.
>> Let's see if Kyle Tucker or Cody
Bellinger come to New York. Then we can
say that.
>> I think one of the things when I think
of best movies, it's a combination of
was this a great movie, but also could
this reach a bunch of people? I think is
the sweet spot, which is why Social
Network was so interesting because it
was such an awesome movie, but it also
could appeal to almost everybody and was
also rewatchable. like it it checked
like every and it was well acted and it
was perfectly written and perfectly
executed and it just I mean it was one
of the first rewatchables we did. I
think we did that in the first year.
>> It was I think uh yeah it was a huge
hit. It made like $250 million and it
was at a time it's only 15 years ago but
that feels unusual for like a docky
drama to make that much money. And the
rewatchable thing, we felt that
immediately going back for this project
because the second I put it on, I was
locked in. Like just put my phone in the
other room. Oh yeah. Just totally
focused on it and engaged even though
I've seen it dozens of times. So, but
that's a hard needle to thread though.
Like this is a great and important film
that is also fun is really challenging.
>> Yeah, cuz I thought Phantom Thread was
great, but I don't think it has the same
legs because I don't think it was for
everybody. It's kind of a weird
rewatchable movie, but it's like just
impeccable. It's impeccably done. It's
It's perfectly acted. It's really unique
and original. There's no movie like it,
but it kind of got lost as the years passed.
passed.
>> But you think just go with it just like
inches above it, right? Just
>> movie, you know. Come on. You'll be
watching it with your kid. How old's
your kid now?
>> Almost five.
Age seven. Watch what happens.
>> Um and Daniel D. Lewis, actor of the
first part of first quarter of the century.
century.
>> I think so. Is he the number one? I
think he is. Right.
>> I think who do you think is the star of
the century? I guess the easy answer is
Leo, but we were we talked about that a
bit too. Like Denzel has a case. Cruz
has a case. You know, Damon, there's a
couple of people who had like incredible
25 years. >> Street,
>> Street,
>> I would say. Yes. Streep had you'd
probably have to break it down with
Oscar nominations, uh, box office.
Batting average, I think, would be big.
So, it's probably Leo from a batting
average standpoint. Yeah,
>> every single movie that he put out
either made money, had an audience, was
done well done with a good director that
he didn't have a lot of like those clunkers
clunkers
>> like that Jennifer Lawren, what was that
Jennifer Lawrence Darren or Navka movie? Mother
Mother
>> is that what it's called?
>> He doesn't have like a mother in the 25
years. It's just like all either bangers
or really interesting choices or like
Shudder Island. There's no there's no
like weirdo movie for him. Everything
had some purpose. They all made a lot of
money, too. I mean, even like
Revolutionary Roads probably the
smallest movie he made this century and
it's still I think it still made like
$80 million or something because it was
a reunion with Kate Winslet after
Titanic. So, yeah, I think he's probably
the biggest for the future. I mean,
>> Timmy's time, man. It's happening. It's happening.
happening.
>> It's happening. I mean, he's awesome in
that movie.
>> Yeah. And a hit.
>> You just covered
>> Movie's a hit. People People like great
performances. They do. I was thinking
for actress it's it's probably Stre and
Kate Winslet and Emma Stone are probably
the three that would be in the combo
from success box office number of good
projects they were in. But I but they
all kind of had different errors. It was
almost like basketball like whereas Leo
was like all the way through remained
about as relevant and never kind of lost it.
it.
>> Yeah. None of them none of those three
were like consistent box office killers.
Like we did a Kate Blanchett episode
>> at the I think earlier this year and
it's like she's made a ton of movies
most of which most people haven't seen.
>> Um but when she's good like when Tar
comes along right you're like well this
is clearly the best actor in the
universe when that movie happened. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> But she picks a lot of artistic projects
in smaller films. So it's a lot harder
to say on the actress side.
>> Well you're here to talk about sports
movies with me. I love sports movies. I
wrote about them a lot when I when my
fingers worked when I was at page two
and even at Grant Win. Um was what it
was part of my when I was trying to
figure out what my column would be for
page two in 2001 trying to figure out
how do I be a national columnist because
they were there was really like no
roadmap for it. And it was like well
I'll do do culture stuff. I'll do
Running Diaries. I'll do I'll talk about
fantasy football. I'll talk a lot about
pop culture but and then sports movies.
I'm going to treat I'm going to try to
be like Roger Ebert every time there's a
sports movie. I was I did reviews of
like Summer Catch, like terrible movies.
>> I remember, man. I was reading them. I
was reading them and I was like, "No one
else is writing about these movies
capsule reviews." >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> But then occasionally there was some
really good ones and obviously developed
a lot of opinions. It's something I care
about, something we cover a ton on the
rewatchables. We've now done all four
Rockies AMC Rocky Marathon on tomorrow,
by the way. Um,
>> so I asked you to come on. I sent you
the alphabetical version of my 21 best
moves of the 21st century, which goes
from 2001 to 2025.
Um, you do not know what the actual
order is, but I I wanted you to at least
be a little prepared. And some caveats
here. This is not like the rewatchables
list was like these are just the movies
I saw the most. I have no explanation
for it. Some of them have to do with my
family, my wife, um, just what was on
what is what are like comfort movies.
It's that's a different list. These are
just the best sports movies in my
opinion. So, ineligible all the 2000
movies which include Love and
Basketball, Remember the Titans, The
Replacements, Bring It On, and 61, which
is a really good, really good HBO movie
that I'm throwing in there. Uh, directed
by Billy Crystal. All right, honorable mention.
mention.
And you stop me if any of these were
like, whoa, he didn't put this on. What
the [ __ ]
Seab Biscuit,
Million-Dollar Baby.
>> Keep going.
>> I I kind of hate Million-Dollar Baby. I
know it did well in the Oscars, but I
just can't believe people weren't more
upset about the last 15 minutes. It's
just so dark and awful.
>> It is very well made, but it's it's
impossible to get away from that feeling
that you had when she just falls and
hits the ring chair and I breaks her
neck. You're just like, "What the [ __ ]
Clint? that she's in tubes for 10
minutes and then he suffocates her to
death. Spoiler alert, I don't care. Came
out 20 years ago. It's the most
depressing movie I think anyone's ever
made about sports.
>> It is a very weird movie and the fact it
was a very weird movie in the time. I
remember specifically because it came
out really late in the year and it
didn't play fall festivals or anything
and it came out around Christmas and it
was a big hit, right? It did really well
and it was like you got to see it, you
got to see it. And so it kind of like
came in really late in the Oscars door,
but now it's like it lives forever as
the best picture winner from that year.
And I think Clint won best director that
year, too.
>> It's, you know, it's it's like a fine
sports drama with a like a painful twist.
twist.
>> If we ever do fiveyear Oscars, that's
one of the first ones we have to redo.
We've always talked about five the
five-year rule for Oscars. That's one
where I just don't think that one wins
again. And there were other good ones
that year, right? The what did it when
04? It was the '05 ceremony for 04.
>> I think that's right. Right. Is it right
after Lord of the Rings? Yeah. So it's I
mean this is not the greatest year in
the world. It's the Aviator Finding
Neverland. Ray and Sideways were the
other nominees.
>> Oh, well now if you did that again,
Sideways win.
>> Sideways would win. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Okay. Keeping going here. Bend it
like Beckham, which I don't know if
you've reseen, and it's a it's a good
movie. It was It came in a time where
there weren't a lot of girls sports
movies. It's a movie I've watched with
my daughter. It's a soccer movie. Uh it
just has some major sports flaws. The
the lead of the movie, not Cara Nightly,
the other one, is just not good at
soccer. Pander, it just jumps out in
every scene and they have to do these
cuts and it's like almost like a when
they have like a Lifetime TV movie or
like a bad cable movie or something and
there's like a high school soccer scene
and it's like they have to like cut it
together because none of the actors I
just have never gotten over it and I
couldn't put it on the list. Goon is a
movie I liked but I've only seen once.
>> It has like has a huge fan base. They
made a sequel.
>> Um it's fine. I think it it outpunched
its cover, outkicked its coverage.
>> I think you underrated this one. I've
told you this before. I think this is
this is the one on your honorable
mentions that I'm like, this is the one
that I think is and I'm not even a
hockey guy, as you know, but I think
it's really funny and really like
involving. I think it's good.
>> I think you're right. I already have regrets.
regrets. >> Okay,
>> Okay,
>> Coach Carter, uh, a movie I've seen at
least five times. It's a half hour too
long. I really enjoy it, though. It's a
B high school basketball movie. Sam
Jackson if it's on it kind of gets
sucked in. Big fan is the one with
Patton Oswald as like a crazed was he
the Eagles fan.
>> No, Giants.
>> Giants fan who hated the Eagles.
>> I like that movie. It's dark.
>> Invincible with Mark Wahberg. Just
throwing it on because it's got a
bonkers Elizabeth Banks performance.
She's just lights out in that movie.
She's playing like a Philly blonde
bartender. It's a definitely a captain
on the Chris Ryan Throw Your Life Away Allstars.
Allstars. [laughter]
[laughter]
>> I don't think I've seen this movie. I
think I just saw Mark Wahlberg as a
Philadelphia Eagle and I was like I
would sooner drown myself. Like there's
no chance I'm watching this.
>> Well, [snorts] it's one of those based
on a true stories and it ends with him
blocking a punt and running in for a
touchdown which I'm positive didn't
happen. So yeah, it's [laughter] one of
those. Uh why don't I mention The Hammer
with Adam Corolla, my friend Hench. That
movie's good. Go check it out if it's
ever on cable. Corolla plays a boxer.
It's a very fun movie. It's a good one.
The Blind Side, which has a great Sandra
Bulock performance, is a ridiculous
movie and is now when we do on the
rewatchables dramas that have turned
into comedies month. I think the Blind
Side will be on it, but I've seen it
multiple times.
>> I seem to recall thinking it was pretty
funny the day it came out, but that's
just me.
>> Yeah. Win-win.
Paul Giamati.
>> Yeah. Quality wrestling.
>> High school wrestling movie. Yeah. Not
quite enough wrestling in it, but I like
this movie. Uh, The Fire Inside, which
was a recent boxing movie that we both liked.
liked.
>> A little underrated. I think it kind of
came and went around Christmas last
year, but if people haven't seen it,
it's a pretty good film.
>> Yeah, I think it's worth watching.
Finding Forester, I guess technically is
a basketball movie.
>> You're the man now, Bill.
>> Another drama that's now a comedy, but
is a surprisingly fun rewatch. And then
last one, Grid Iron Gang. Um, which, you
know, I wrote a column when it came out
about this is just what Hollywood's
giving us now and comparing Grid Iron
Gang and The Wire. Like Hollywood wants
to give us this. Meanwhile, over here is
The Wire. Please watch The Wire and not
this. But it's still a solid movie.
Anyway, Toughest Cuts F5. Ford vers
Ferrari. Where do we stand on this movie
now? It came out a few years ago.
>> It's elite and it's shocking that it's
not on your list.
>> I don't I haven't spent enough time with
it yet and it probably should be on the list.
list.
>> It's extremely good. Now, I know that
there are other racing movies that we
have to consider for your list. And it
would be weird to put like several
motorsports films on a list for
>> that was part of my thinking.
>> You're not a motorsports guy, right?
like it's obviously gotten a lot more
popular given the rise.
>> We talked about this in the F1
rewatchables. I'm not a F1 or
motorsports anything guy, but I love the
movies about those sports.
>> Always deliver. They I think they have
the highest batting average of any sport.
sport.
>> They and they they were also really like
an interesting portal for movies in the
60s and 70s too, right? Like there was
like Winning and Grand Prix and um Bobby
Deerfield. Like they were great there
were great star part movies. Um, for
Ford versus Ferrari is a double star
part. It's Bale and Damon both in like
the disguise is at the center of this
movie. I think it's really really good.
You should check it out again.
>> Yeah, I like I almost had it. I I kept
moving stuff around. If I did a top 25,
it would have been on there. Two for the
money probably wouldn't have made it
either way. But, uh, from a rewatchable
comedy gambling standpoint, we just did
it on rewatchables. It's hilarious. It's
the definition of a sports movie. It's
just turn your brain off and go for an
hour and a half. That's sometimes what
you want. So, next one. Borg vers McEnroe
McEnroe
>> with Shia Lebuff as as McEnroe. I don't
know if you've seen this one.
>> I have. I have.
>> It's kind of excellent. I don't know how
rewatchable it is cuz it's almost like
you'd wonder like with the documentary
of this it just have been better. But I
think it's really well done.
>> Oh, I know you have a really big
relationship to tennis from this time
too. So, I wonder if like the amount
that you know about the matches and
their rivalry and the the way that that
all played out. Who played Borg? Was it
a Swedish actor? >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. I remember seeing it and thinking
it was fine, but that's interesting that
you you had a hard time cutting that one.
one.
>> Hustle, Adam Sandler, the Sandman. Um,
>> quality good movie.
>> I just liked it. Anthony Edwards is great.
great. >> Yeah,
>> Yeah,
>> I haven't spent enough time with it.
There's a chance like five years from
now it might move into the top 21, but
for now it's on toughest cuts. And then
Blades of Glory was another one that I
think uh I have a couple other comedies
over it. I didn't want to have too many
comedies, but that was uh a tough one
for me. A movie you like. I think
>> I do. There's a trilogy of Will Ferrell
sports comedies from the two from the
21st century, and you got to kind of
Everybody has their favorites, but I
think there's one that is superior.
>> Yeah, I probably could have thrown
Semipro an honorable mention. And I'm
going to do that right now even though
we've already done that part of the podcast.
podcast.
>> I think it's the least of the three.
>> Yeah, it's still watchable though.
>> It's fun. Yeah.
>> But yeah, it's it it goes sideways a few
times. Uh I have some casting questions.
It's right in that how hard can we go
for the hard R era where it's kind of
like they might have been better off
just going PG-13. Frell's really funny
in it, but it felt like at that point he
was playing the same character in a lot
of different movies and it was it just I
don't know, maybe it's aged better for
some people. Okay,
>> we're going to take Go ahead.
>> Do Do you want me to share any other
that you left off or you want to wait
till we get to the end?
>> Oh, let's do that now cuz then that then
we can take a break. Let me let me give
you your fantasies left off list. Let's go.
go.
Now, I know you have some issues with it.
it. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> But I think if you pulled the the universe
universe >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> of recent sports movies,
>> that would be pretty high. Um, I was a
very big fan of it. I'm not, it's not
perfect, but I thought it was very effective.
effective.
>> So, I thought it was well done. I had
just huge issues with how they bent the facts.
facts.
>> I don't I thought they went leaned way
too hard and know this is a true story
and then just completely left [ __ ] out
to the point that I was enraged as
somebody who actually knew the story
that they were doing. And I could never
get over the guy from the Bear as Carrie
von Eric. thought that was one of the
craziest casting decisions of all time.
Honestly, it's just just bonkers. It's
like if we were doing the Victor Wimyama
story and we cast somebody who was like
5'11. It's like what are we doing? [laughter]
[laughter]
>> Carrie Ver's whole thing was he was this
larger than life kick-ass dude who could
go against Hogan and whoever
>> and they cast a guy from the Bears. It's
just unbelievable that they did that.
I'll never get over that.
>> Is like roughly 5'5. He is not a tall
man. He was too short to be Bruce
Springsteen, [laughter]
much less carry about Eric. Good actor.
But come on, what are we doing? [laughter]
[laughter]
>> I think if you remove, you know, your
your intellectual relationship to that
wrestling history, then the movie maybe
works better for you.
>> Didn't they merge together two deaths
into one death? There was another one.
There was an extra brother. They just
out. I mean, that's just how crazy that
story is, though, is that they just
completely left one brother, an entire
brother out of the movie who also died.
I don't know. I was like absolutely
honored by that.
>> That's where I was left off. All right,
keep going. >> Um,
>> Um,
>> there were there were two sport. Well,
okay. One, I know you hate this movie,
but I would a million% put Challengers
on. I think Challengers is great. I know
you and Wesley tore it apart. I never
thought you would put it on your list,
but for me, I think that's a really
great I thought that was like an
interesting modern take on a sports
movie. It was like this is we're moving
the ball forward, you know? It was like
broadcast news, but in tennis. That was
how I thought. thought the ending was
maybe the worst ending of any sports
movie I've ever seen. Also, I mean it to
be fair, a couple years later,
Challengers walked so Heated Rivalry
could run.
>> There's a lot going on there. There's
definitely some continuation in terms of
I haven't really gotten I only watched
the first episode of Heated Rivalry. I
got to keep going on that.
>> I've skipped it, but my wife, my
hungover uh New Year's Day wife is
currently ripping through it right now
and I I think is I don't know if she's
showered yet. Anyway, [laughter] keep going.
going.
>> Uh and then there's two from this year.
>> Okay. One, I don't know if you've seen
yet, is called Ephus, which is a movie
about like a a WCK League baseball team,
which is a really solid movie, an indie
film that came out directed by Carson
Lond, which I liked quite a bit, and
it's kind of making a lot of the
year-end list for the movie fans.
>> I I was okay with it. I I liked it. I
didn't love it. Maybe I wasn't in the
right mood for it, but uh
>> it's more of a hang. It's not like a
propulsive narrative movie. And then
>> Oh, [ __ ] You're right. I mean, is this
not the best sports movie
>> since like I you know, it's I know you
have another a few more recent films
that we we'll talk about.
>> You're right. Marty Supreme should be on here.
here.
>> Oh, you screwed me up. I I was going
through I had all these lists forever
and I forgot to add the one that came
out on December 25th. You're right. It
got it under the wire.
>> It's pretty good. I mean, I I think it's
a very effective sports movie, too,
because when when you're engaged in the
sports movie aspect of it, the ping pong
matches, that to me feels like watching
a Rocky when I was a kid.
>> All right. You know what? I'm going to
have I have some bad news for one of the
top 20.
>> You're going to cut one.
>> Yeah. I got to put Marty Supreme in.
It's such a good call. I I can't believe
I missed that. I'm glad we're doing this
in real time. Listen, we're not perfect.
>> Everyone Everyone makes mistakes.
>> No. Admitting your mistakes and moving
forward are some of the best things you
do. Marty Supreme came out on Christmas
Day 2025. It should be on the list.
>> This is why I'm here on the pod, just to
say this [ __ ]
>> Well, draft day. I'm sorry.
>> Oh, no.
>> Draft [laughter] day. It would have been
funnier to cut Miracle cuz it could have
been like the Ralph Cox thing. It's just
like, wait, I thought I was going to the
Olympics. [laughter] Uh, Draft Day sadly
is going to have to get cut. A movie
that probably shouldn't have been in the
top 21 to begin with, but is so
enjoyable. has Cern's last great sports movie.
movie.
>> Um, it's got Chad Mc Boseman playing out
playing what's he playing Alvin Mack? I
can't remember the name of the
linebacker from the program. Vonte
>> Mack. Yeah.
>> Uh, it's got Jennifer Garner
inexplicably as like a owner's daughter.
Love it. I can't even remember that. But
I I like that movie and I've watched it
a bunch of times. It's not good though
and I'm happy cutting it out.
>> I think it's absolutely terrible, but
it's kind of enjoyable to watch. Um,
late period Ivan Wrightman.
>> Well, now it's out. Okay, we're going to take
take
>> Wait a second. Hold on. I have to ask
you an important question before you go
to the break. Why 21 movies?
>> Um because
21st Century
>> 21 for 21. >> Okay.
>> Okay.
>> I [laughter] don't know.
>> So, one for each century or [snorts]
>> I can cut one more and just make it a
top 20. Want to do that?
>> No, you It's your list. I'm just I'm
just asking questions.
>> There was a reason why I did the 21
because I wanted to do a pyramid graphic
>> for my my sports movie pyramid.
>> There it is.
And it was one, two, three, four, five,
six, and it was 21 movies. I thought
that looked better.
>> It all makes sense now.
>> Okay, we'll take a break and do the top
21. All right, the top 21 with some
important help from Sean Fantasy, who
reminded me that Marty Supreme was
eligible. So, Draft Day sadly got
bounced, as did all the 2000's movies.
We just went through all the honorable
mention. Coming in at number 21, Dodgeball,
Dodgeball,
>> a movie we've done on the rewatchables.
Uh, I was not on the episode. We let the
Fantasy Boys handle that one. Uh, very
funny movie. I think culturally it's had
some it's it's had a nice tail. People
like the the Stiller piece in this and I
it's it just feels like it's lived on.
It's always on It's always on a
streaming service or on cable and uh has
just had a nice shelf life.
>> It's it's Bill Simmons history core as
well with the oo joke. You know, I feel
like it's, you know, connected to your
mythology. And, you know, for me, Peak
Baitman, you know, some people might say
Ozark, Arrested Development, Baitman is
elite in that movie.
>> I remember writing a calm about it. I
didn't like it as much the first time as
I did probably the fifth time, but I
remember writing a calm about it and I
saw it in Hollywood and it felt like
everybody was high. People were just
dying laughing. But, uh, as the years
have passed, I've kind of get it. All
right, so that's 21. Number 20 is The Fighter.
Fighter.
Um, came out in 2010.
It's a It was a boxing passion project
movie, which it seems like every male
actor has had except Leo and maybe one
other one the last 30 years.
>> The Rock had one this year.
>> Christian Bale, Mark Wahberg, Your Girl
Amy Adams.
>> She's fine in this movie.
>> She's great. I think this is probably
the my favorite Amy Adams movie. Um,
Deep Massachusetts. set in L. You know,
we have like the deep south. This is
like Massachusetts. L is like deep
Massachusetts. Like you're just
everyone's got an accent, >> right?
>> right?
>> Everyone has the you think you're better
than me look to them. And they do a
really good job of
>> just hitting Massachusetts in the right
way. This is the This is when it shifted
in the last 15 years of if you're going
to make a movie in Massachusetts, use
some locals. Make sure your actors
really know how to sound like they're
from Massachusetts and act like it. And
this is part of the Renaissance. Sean,
>> I have two questions about this movie
for you. One, do you think Bale passes
the Massachusetts test?
>> He's good. I mean, he lost What do you
This was another one where he lost a lot
of weight.
>> He did. He did
>> play a drug dude. The The big issue for
me with this movie, and I watched it in
the last year, is I They never really
messed with the Godi War trilogy in it,
which I never understood. Just felt like
the easiest IP. I remember seeing it for
the first time, being so confused that
they never dove in there. But it's this
a very well-acted, well done sports
movie. And probably this might be David
O. Russell's last good movie.
>> Uh, [sighs] yes.
yes.
>> It's possible. Been a [ __ ] drought
for him.
>> I'm way more down on this movie than you
are. This is like to me Well, let me ask
you this. If the movie was set in Boise,
Idaho instead of l Massachusetts, would
you like it?
>> So, it's a fair question. I think when
it came out, it was very wellreceived.
>> It was. It was Oscar nominations. It was
a hit.
>> I think the acting is so good. I don't
think you could have a list like this
and leave this movie out and
Million-Dollar Baby. I feel like I had
to have one. >> Okay.
>> Okay.
>> So, that's why I had a 20.
>> You've got other boxing movies on here
though that are better.
>> I know, but the this is like the
prestige sports movie. We got to feel
like I had to pay tribute. That's fair.
Uh, number 19, King Richard. This is a
weird one because I think this movie has
a completely different tale if the Will
Smith Oscars thing doesn't happen. This
was like his moment. Finally, it
happened for him. And I think if if he
doesn't slap Chris Rock, this movie is
just remembered differently. It's
probably on TV more.
>> Yeah, you're right. It's that there's
not a lot of legacy around the movie
itself. And there wasn't as much at the
time because it came out during COVID
and it was part of Project Popcorn and
went straight to streaming and all that.
I saw it at a film festival. I saw it at
Telluride and you know, it was like
rapturous. It was like this is Will
Smith's best performance. It's his time.
The daughters were great.
>> His wife's great. This movie's good.
>> Yeah, I knew Ellis Taylor's great in
this movie. Yeah. Yeah.
>> I came on the big picture and broke this
down with you. The early big picture
stages. I don't remember what was it 2020.
2020.
>> It was 20 or 21. I can't remember.
Somewhere in there.
>> But I But between the slap and and the
fact that it was like a streaming movie
ultimately is what it kind of what it
felt like. It it feels smaller, but it's
really really wellm made.
Number 18,
Tallaladega Nights, The Legend of Ricky Bobby.
Bobby.
Just a really good sports comedy that
>> little low for this.
>> Might be a little low except uh
I mean the stuff that's coming here. I I
don't know. This is hard. It's 21 years
of sports movies. Sasha Baron Cohen's
great in this movie. We haven't done it
yet on rewatchables, but I think he
would win the movie. [laughter]
>> I think you're right. Is he sponsored by Perier?
Perier?
>> I think he is. [laughter]
>> He's really good. This movie is really
fun and they did a nice job of actually
diving into NASCAR and, you know, get
using all the sponsors. NASCAR embraced
it very smartly and it caught Will Frell
and all these guys at the right time.
It's just really good.
>> How would you power rank Anchor Man,
step brothers, and this movie?
>> Exactly how you just said it.
>> Yeah. Okay. Me, too.
>> Uh, next one. The rookie.
A dis that's number 17. A movie that's
gotten a little lost in the shuffle. It
It was the stretch from maybe 97 to 2005
where we kind of had these adult Disney
sports movies
and you kind of always knew what you
were getting when you saw the poster and
what star they picked. Some of them were
good, some of them weren't as good. You
would have your Glory Road with Josh
Lucas which was not good. You would have
The Rookie with Dennis Quaid which was
excellent. Uh, I think this was other
than Miracle, probably the most
successfully executed after Remember the
Titans, which I think um crushed that
blueprint the best, [clears throat]
>> but not eligible for this list. But the
rookie, really good Dennis Quaid. He
cementss his legacy as sports movie hall
of famer, first ballot, which I think he
didn't even really need it, but he's
like, "Fuck it."
>> No, this is a really, really good
performance based on a true story.
>> Yeah. And to your point, it's not just
that this era of Disney original sports
movies is over. It's like Disney doesn't
even really make original movies
anymore. Like remember when they would
pretty consistently was this cons was
this released under Buen a Vista or
Touchstone? I can't remember what the
sub label was, but there was a time when
you would get five or six movies a year
like this from Disney. And now that's
that's also all straight to streaming.
>> Yeah, this was quite an era and they all
made money. That's why they kept going
and through Grid Iron Gang and
Invincible, they kept going for 10
years. They'd spend 15 on it. They'd
make 30, they'd make 40. Sometimes like
Blind Side would just crush. But you
just had to make sure you got your one
star. You had a good story and you go
through. I wrote a piece in ' 09 or 2000
maybe 2010 about because you could feel
sports movies starting to die and we
were moving to another era and I didn't
know what was coming. But I was I was
wondering if documentaries were ruining
sports movies in some ways that as
documentaries were getting better, was
that going to be bad for sports movies?
And I think the next 15 years kind of
proved that that that might have been
true. We also might have run out of
ideas is the other thing.
>> Well, sports documentaries are getting
shittier, so maybe we'll tip back to
sports movies.
>> That's that's what we're hoping. Yeah,
we've [laughter]
>> There's no question sports documents
have gotten way worse.
>> But continuing like our now decadesl
long conversation about movie stars,
this is something that like there's not
a lane for Glenn Powell or Austin Butler
to make movies like this. You know, like
Chad Boseman did get his sports movie.
Like a handful of these guys got their
sports movies, but once you remove this
from the menu for what you can do as a
young star, like you lose you lose
something pretty significant.
>> It's weird because they the blueprint
they were still trying even the 2000s.
Like Josh Lucas was like a lot of guys
now where it's like could he be a guy?
Maybe here's and then he wasn't.
>> No, [clears throat] he's a guy who is
the voice of car commercials during
football games, >> right?
>> right?
>> We have a lot of Josh Lucases now. seems
like he's been in some good stuff. Uh,
next one, number 16, Air,
uh, the the Michael Jordan shoe movie,
which he's not in, directed by Affleck.
It's a really, really good Matt Damon
performance. And my favorite part of
this movie is the Viola Davis
performance as Jordan's mom is just
great. And it's just this is this movie
is a really fun hang.
>> I You didn't like it as much as I did.
>> No, but I do like it. I don't think it's
a bad pick here at all. I think it's
really good. It is really more of a
movie about the world of marketing more
so than sports, like athletics. It
doesn't mean that it's not a sports
movie because it clearly is cuz you kind
of have to know what this Millu is to
get the movie and get all its nuances.
>> Um, it's just it's like it kind of can't
decide to me whether it wants to be
really funny or really serious. And like
Affleck's performance is hilarious as
Phil Knight. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> But it's kind of happening in a
different movie than the rest of the
movie where Matt Damon is giving this
really sincere performance and Violet
Dam is really sincere. But it it is a
fun watch.
>> They it they did a good job of capturing
the mid 80s even with the decorations in
the office. I remember just appreciating
stuff with that. You're right. Affleck
won the Jud Nelson New Jack City. You're
in a different movie [laughter] award.
Uh number 15, Hard Ball. a movie that uh
was hilarious in the theater for the all
the wrong reasons when I saw it I think
with Jacko right after 911
um was one of those where was like let's
go to the theater
>> it's one of the craziest things I've
ever heard Bill
>> yeah [laughter]
let's go to the theater we're both
bumped out um but uh but this movie has
aged perfectly and uh we already did a
rewatchable GB's death I think is maybe
the most iconic sports movie death of
any of these movies
>> and has led that. Yeah. And any sports
movie in this century.
>> Okay. Not like Apollo Creed. >> No.
>> No.
>> Okay. Okay.
>> No. Apollo dying.
>> Brian song. You know, there's a few
that, you know,
>> although Apollo's death did lead to the
end of the Cold War, so maybe he died.
GBaby died for nothing.
>> At least had something good come out of it.
it.
>> What's more tragic? Gaby's death or the
fall of the Berlin Wall, you know?
>> Yeah. I don't It's dead even. Um, this
movie is very enjoyable. I also love and
I've I've seen it a few times and my
kids like it that Diane Lane just being
in this movie is hilarious. She's just
she can't believe she's in the movie the
entire time. You have no idea why she's
attracted to Keanu. John Hawks is great
as like a scumbag. Anyway, this is a
good sports movie. Number 14, Ali. A
movie we have not done on the rewatchables.
rewatchables.
>> It's coming.
>> It's It's on the rewatchables 2026
level. It's weird. It's a movie that
could never decide what it was. Um, it
tries to basically
hit why Ali was so important, but then
it's compressing years together. It
spends a lot of time of him trying to
not being the champ and but then all of
a sudden we skip through fights, but you
know, you weren't a in two and a half
hours, you couldn't cover everything. I
think the first 10 minutes and the last
15 minutes of this movie are genuinely
great. I think there are several, you
know, chillinducing moments throughout
the movie and it is man trying to do
something a little different than what
he usually does, which I really
appreciate. I do I have thought in the
past that if man and Will Smith made a
pact to make a new 90minute Ali film
every four years, you might have a
boyhood thing.
>> Yeah. That you might have gotten like a
a slightly better version of this movie
because there are times when it seems
like Smith is too old. There are times
when it seems like he's too young. Like
he's in incredible shape in the film,
but he's also trying to capture somebody
who's uncapturable, right? It's just
like the Elvis movie where it's just
like you're not Elvis, man. Like it like
the icon of icon, that person who is so ineimitable,
ineimitable,
>> but Smith is good. You've now got two
Will Smith movies on your list, which is
quite fascinating.
>> You know, this came out in 2001. I was
writing for Page Two at the time um and
wrote a big review about it and it was
Ali was still so fresh. I mean, he had
been the 70s were only two and a half
decades earlier than that. So, it was
really tough for Will Smith to compete
with that, but he did feel like Ali in a
couple scenes. Like, he had that one
thing when he's yelling at the reporters
and he just kind of becomes Ali.
>> Um, I think as the years have passed and
we have less of a memory of Ali or at
least there's new generations that don't
really remember involved, that's
probably better for this movie. It's
really good and it's Michael Man and
that's why it'll be on the rewatchables
this year. Uh, number 13, Damned United.
Never seen it.
>> Yeah. Michael Sheen. Uh just an awesome
soccer movie. This would be my one if
like you listen to any thing on this
list that you hadn't heard of and you're
like, "What's that one? Let me mark that
down." This one's great. Uh it's like a
rags to riches uh English soccer movie.
A Chris Ryan favorite.
>> I know. Yeah. I know among the soccer
heads it's a it's a big movie. It's uh I
have a an allergy to the filmmaker Tom
Hooper who made uh The King Speech and
Lay Miz and Cats and this is this is one
of his movies.
>> It's a very well done movie. Number 12.
Everybody wants some. Your guy link later.
later.
>> Yeah. [ __ ]
>> not done this on rewatchables yet
either. Uh this is where we all bought
Glenn Powell stock.
We had it for basically when was this
2016. We had it from the beginning of
the ringer. We were like Glenn Powell
Circle him and he was at
>> 14. I think it was 14. I think it was
still in the Granland days.
>> Oh, one or the other. Um,
>> this movie is great. And and uh and it's
weird. It's weirdly not a Dazed and
Confused sequel, but kind of operates as
a Dazed and Confused sequel.
>> Yeah. Oh, no. You're right. It's 16.
It's March of 16 right before we launched.
launched.
>> High School to College. Days Confused
High School 1976. This is like around 79
to 80, I think. uh really well cast.
There's some really good uh people that
went on to do some good things,
including Zoe Deutsch and uh I forget
the lead guy, I don't think made it.
>> Yeah, Blake Jenner. He was involved in
some controversies.
>> Yeah, he uh this was the peak for him. Number
Number
>> Wyatt Russell in that movie. Wyatt
Russell is outstanding as the like
33-year-old guy trying to join the
baseball team. [laughter] My favorite
part of the movie.
>> This movie is great. Uh the wrestler
number 11. used to be number 10 until
Sean reminded me Marty Supreme was
eligible. Uh this was
Mickey Works big comeback movie.
Areronowski just killing it. It tapped
into if you liked wrestling at all. It
hit this theme that was really important
and uh and I think hit way close to home
for a lot of either dead dead wrestler
families or wrestlers that were still
alive or wrestlers that were in the
business that were kind of headed for
this. uh Rissa to is great in it, but
this is just an excellent sports movie.
>> I love this one, too. Part of the reason
I hold this movie against the fighter a
little bit where I felt like it was kind
of using a similar tone and approach
even though the stories are different.
It's kind of felt like he was
>> kind of glomming onto some of
Areronowski's style in this movie, but I
really like it and work is great. And
Ror, he never, you know, he worked again
a little bit more, but it wasn't the
massive comeback that we were promised.
You know, he didn't make like 10
award-winning films after this either.
And it's kind of a great document. And
also, you got to think about the shape
he got himself into for this movie at
the age he was is crazy.
>> The steroids, all that stuff. All right,
we're into the top 10. Number 10, Miracle.
Miracle.
We did this on the rewatchables as well.
Um, Great Kurt Russell. Great Kurt
Russell's speeches. This also made the
50 most rewatchables list.
I did not like the idea of them making
this movie because this was the most
important sports moment of my life, not Boston.
Boston.
But, uh, I thought it held up and it's a
it's a fun one to watch with the the
kids or people who don't know what the
story was. It just it's an eternal
movie. It'll it'll be on 50 years from now.
now.
>> I thought this would be in your top five.
five.
>> Yeah. It just had had some ones higher. >> Okay.
>> Okay.
>> Was it in your top five?
>> No, but it's up there. I mean, it is
like it's kind of the platonic ideal of
a movie that feels like it came out when
you were 11, even though it didn't. You
know what I mean? Like it just gives you
that that feeling of like sports
sentimentality, emotionality where it
kind of like just hits you when the
moments happen. Kurt Russell is
phenomenal in the movie, too. Yeah, I
like it a lot.
>> Sugar is my number nine.
>> This movie is just awesome. I'm not even
going to tell people about it. They
should just watch it.
>> Baseball movie. Baseball movie.
>> Yeah, it's a baseball movie and uh
there's never been a movie quite like
it. And it feels like a documentary, but
it's not. Um,
and it's
just it's just a really unusual movie.
It's really good. It's kind of I kind of
came and went. I don't even think it did
that well. It was a small indie. I think
it was a Sundance film. Um, and you
know, the same filmmakers who made Half
Nelson and Mississippi Grind, another
sports movie, they also made that movie,
too. Um, I think if you're a baseball
fan and you see that there's just, you
know, Latino players kind of dominate
the sport now and you don't necessarily
think about the roads that they have to
travel to get to Major League Baseball,
it's a really good insight into what
some of them have to experience.
>> Number eight, Marty Supreme. Oh, no,
that's number eight.
>> Number eight. Nice. It's a good spot.
Number eight, Marty Supreme.
>> Was draft day at number eight?
>> No. Okay. No, [laughter] I I bumped the
wrestler from the top 10 for this, >> right?
>> right?
>> We'll see if it gets higher. Haven't
spent enough time with it. I've only
seen it once. Um it has this shallow
performance that if you're looking at
all the sports movies of this list, has
to be in the running for best one. And
uh all the actors, all the the lead
actors are pretty good. I as I spend
more time with this movie, I'm going to
know whether the supporting stuff and
some of the some of the uh gimmicky
casting stuff. I'll wonder how I feel
about it 5 years from now.
>> It was fun the first time. Five years
from now, I'm going be like, h this
person in
>> I watched I've seen it twice. Um and it
all that stuff held up perfectly well to
me because I think it just makes the
movie feel a little bit more real. I
will say to your point about it being a
sports movie. So, I lean watched it the
other night and I was doing something
else, but I told her, "Call me in during
the two big ping pong matches cuz I want
to watch them again." And the last one
especially, I feel like is just a lot of
fun and really effective at this sort of
stuff that we're talking about.
>> Well, it's one of those sports movie
lessons in general
>> where if you're going to do it, you have
to almost be a psycho about the sports
scenes. And Safy, you talked about it
with him when you did the pot, like he's
just a psycho about ping pong, like
really cared, really wanted to get every
aspect of it right. And most of the
movies that uh end up lasting as sports
movies, they they go the extra mile.
>> They do.
>> Not throwing [ __ ] together. That's why
Bend It Like Beckham, which would have
been on here if they had gotten the
soccer stuff better, didn't make it.
>> Anyway, go see Marty Supreme. Really
good uh 2025
new IP Out of Nowhere movie. Do you
think that um with all this
consolidation in Hollywood, there will
be finally an opportunity for the sports
consultancy business that you've been
trying to develop over the years?
>> I've been waiting forever.
Waiting forever. They just nobody's come.
come.
>> Even this one, I was waiting to have
like a ping pong nitpick even though I
don't know anything about ping pong, but
I thought they handled everything really well.
well.
>> I I have no I don't know anything about
ping. There may be like several guys on
ping pong Reddit right now who are just
like Marty Supreme is [ __ ]
>> Nobody has that grip. [laughter]
Number seven, Warrior did this on the
rewatchables. Um, it's weird that there
haven't been more really great MMA
movies when we figure MMA is 30 years
old now at this point and we've had so
many boxing movies and we're still
coming out with boxing movies and
>> we're coming out with boxing movies with
Sydney Sweeney as a boxer and yet we've
had barely any MMA movies. Uh, we had
the Smashing Machine this year which uh
did not make this list and did not make
honorable mention either. [snorts]
What about Never Back Down? That did
that was that in contention?
>> Who's in that one?
>> Uh there have been like nine of them.
The original one. Who's in the first?
>> Never Back Down Sounds so familiar. >> Uh
>> Uh
>> is that the Century?
>> Is it Shawn Ferris? Is that the guys?
Yeah. Sean Gman Hans who's in it. Amber
Herd. Remember this 2008? There also
been like nine sequels.
>> You never seen these?
>> I probably saw it once, but it did not
did not in my prep did not make it.
They're kind of terrible, but they're
they're they're entertaining.
>> Warrior has Tom Hardy and Joel Edertton.
We covered this when we did the
rewatchables about it. And uh a really
crazy Nick Doly who's just a just an on
the alcoholic scale is like a 10 out of
10 even for him who's played alcoholics
in other movies. Edertton's really good.
And Edertton's had one of those. He's
like a like a Matthew Stafford type
career where it's like they just wish
he'd been on more 11 and five and 12 and
four teams and then he's in Train Dreams
who's [ __ ] incredible in that movie
and there's years where he might have
won the Oscar for that. It's not going
to be this year.
>> No competitive fantastic too. He picked
the wrong year to have that movie.
>> You know, he's a guy who I've always
kind of had a little bit of an like an
issue connecting to. Um, but I think in
this movie and in Train Dreams, he's
asked to do the same thing, which is
like really tacitern, quiet. He doesn't
have to give big emotional speeches. He
doesn't have a lot of dialogue. It's all
about his presence and him being like
emotionally open but not talking. Um,
this movie would be in my top three.
This is one of my favorites. Um, I think
it's amazing. I think Gavin Oconor is a
great director.
>> I had a lot of trouble with these last
seven in the order. Just this was really
like the cut off for me. Uh, number six,
Rush. I probably like this movie the most.
most.
>> You do?
>> Ron Howard. Um Chris Hemsworth. I think
this is the best he's ever been. Um
Daniel Brule still have his stock
>> somewhere. I think it's in my closet.
Always like that guy.
>> He's great. And Glory's Bastards. He's a
great actor.
>> I wrote a long I think this might have
been the last sports movie column I ever
wrote was uh for for Grant in end of
2014. And I wrote a long piece about
this movie because I loved it and I
really connected with it. But um it's an
F1 movie. It's a movie that I think has
because it's in the past. Some of these
movies are just like timeless. This
one's set in the 70s and it's just you
can just go and go forever. I love this
movie. I love this movie too. I know you
don't like it as much. The Way Back.
>> No, I I I like it. I'm on board with
this. Same director as Warrior. I would
prefer I prefer Warrior to The Way Back, but
but
>> it's really good. I know you love
Affleck's performance in it.
>> I love this movie. I love the choice
that they make. If you haven't seen it,
sorry I'm spoiling it. That that it
feels like the big game is the ending
and it's not. And it just goes [snorts]
uh which is just such a zag. Uh but it's
it's uh I think this is the best affllex
I' ever been in a movie. It's really
interesting because I feel like Would
you say that like uh addiction and
recovery movies are something that you
typically enjoy?
>> No, I don't feel like I hear you talk
about movies like that too often.
>> No, I there's something
I think part of the problem This is a
Gavin Oconor movie, by the way, and it
was written by Brad Englesby. It's a
pretty good combo.
>> Yeah, your boy
>> um came out right after CO started. was
supposed to come out in the movies I
think a month after COVID and then just
became one of the first VOD test case
when the infrastructure wasn't really
ready for it and it came and went a
little bit but I feel like it's having a
moment again. It's always on always on a
streamer. It's on cable. it's around.
And uh I think out of I think one of the
things I liked about this one was I
liked sometimes in movies when um the
real life bleeds over into the character
and I feel like Affleck had was having
so many issues in his own life that it
just feels like it just feels like there
was an overlap that made it an unusual
watch in a good way.
>> Yeah. And I love that feeling when you
feel like there's like some reflection
of the person's real life. That's like
that's a Marty Supreme thing, right?
Where it's like Shalom is trying to be
the best and you can feel that in the
movie. I Affleck's never been nominated
for an acting Oscar in his career. And
even this movie,
>> this one's outrageous. Yeah. I mean,
this is actually like
>> makes you wonder is there like some sort
of weird bias against certain actors and actresses?
actresses?
>> Well, even just dating they dated it for
March, you know, when it came out in the
same month as COVID and it it wasn't
taken seriously by the studio to make an
awards push for it. Like if it had come
out in October, maybe everybody might
have thought about it a little bit
differently, but yeah, it was it's
definitely overlooked.
>> Yes. The best.
This was
Anthony Hopkins as the father.
Rizamemed and sounded metal. Boseman
Gary Oldman and M your movie
>> and Steve Yun and Manari. Um
>> Affle could have snuck in there. I feel like
like
>> I I don't I I just don't understand that
Anthony Hopkins win. Just like you know
I think the father's so overrated. I've
said this a million times. I know you
liked it. I I didn't get it at all. I
only saw it once. I did like it. All
right. Mount Rushmore Final Four 21st
Century F1. Just did on the rewatchables.
rewatchables.
>> You loved this.
>> I loved it. I loved it. [laughter]
>> You liked it more the second time.
>> So, I talked to my dad. My stepmother
had to go uh to New York for a family
thing. He was by himself two days ago
and he's like, "I I need to rent a movie
tonight." And I was like, "You should
watch F1 again." He's like, "I never saw
F1." I was like I was like, "What? You
would love F1. How have you not seen
F1?" Oh my god, I was so mad. So he saw
it that night. We talked the next day
and he was like, "F1 was awesome." Like
he he he was like, "I thought you were
kidding. It's just, you know, it's it's
it could have been number three in my
list, but I I put it at four."
>> I'm I'm very pro. I liked it a lot. I
think it's a great popcorn movie. I I
always think Joe Kazinski is so creative
at how he captures um these worlds that
he goes into. I will say one of my
challenges with it I popped it in a
couple nights ago. The 4K 4K looks
[ __ ] incredible by the way. Um I
popped it in and the one of my
challenges with the movie is it never
really gets over the hump of the first
10 minutes for me when he's in the
NASCAR race and a whole lot of love is
playing and the fireworks go off. The
first time I saw it I was like, "Holy
[ __ ] this is going to be the best movie
of the year." Like this is this is
amazing what they're doing. And that and
that was just NASCAR. It wasn't even F1
racing. So, I never because I never
could get back up to my excitement
around that stuff and because I don't
really know anything about F1, like I
don't follow it at all. Yeah.
>> I found myself a little not disoriented
because they narrate through every race
like what's actually happening, but I
just didn't have as much connection to
it, but there's no doubt it's like
amazingly well made and you know, Pit
just really flexing the movie star
muscle in the movie.
>> Important Pit movie for the catalog,
which we we talked when we did the pot
about it. Kind of needed it. This is one
for the 60s. It was like his Tom Brady
Tampa Bay Super Bowl,
>> which I know meant a lot to you.
>> Uh, well, it it did because then I got
to say it wasn't Bellich, it was Brady.
You know, [laughter] then forever more I
got to know that it wasn't Bellich.
>> Yeah. All right, number three. Friday
Night Lights. Did this one on rew. We've
done all these on rewatchables. Friday
Night Lights number three. I we did it
last year and I just forgot how awesome
it was and also um how overshadowed it
became by the TV show and actually the
TV show never existed. This movie would
be talked about even uh even more
reverentially. It's the best high school
football movie I think ever. I don't
even know who it's competing. It's all
the right moves and stuff like that, but
it's it's it's the best. It's got one of
the two best locker room speeches ever.
It's Billy Bob in this movie and uh and
Pacino and Evie Given Sunday are in the
finals. Um it does a great zag at the
end where they lose, but that's what
happened in real life. And then the way
it was cut in 03
where these fast cuts and it was like a
little hard, but now it's like that just
fits into the way we watch everything
these days. So it actually feels a
little more current than it used to.
>> Great cast. the rare like porting over
Connie Britain from the movie to the TV show.
show.
>> Love to see that.
>> I was thinking to you as I was watching
the Family McMullen, which you ignored
my text about.
>> Oh, I was busy. Sorry, I haven't gotten
into it, but you know, I'm I have I'm
like the biggest number one brothers
McMullen guy.
>> Irish brothers who are like hate each
other but love each other. Yeah.
>> Surprisingly good movie. Couple people
didn't make the cut for the I mean John
Mahoney is dead but one of the other
brothers just isn't in it.
>> McGlo is there though.
>> Mlo but the the third brother's not in
it. They just kind of talk about him is
like he's not in the room.
>> Maybe I'll fire it up tonight. I don't
know. Haven't seen brother sober in like
40 years.
>> Conniey's Connie was available and ready
to come back. Great career for her. Uh
number two. So I thought that I had the
seven. I knew what they were
and I knew what the top four was, but
then the top two I kept switching back
and forth. Number two is Creed. It was
number one. It was number two. It was
number one. It was number two. I finally
put it at two because Moneyball is
number one. But I think these are the
two best sports movies of the quarter
century. I don't really think it's
arguable. Um, I'll accept other
arguments, but these are the two that
they if anyone's making a list and
they're not in your top 10, it's just
kind of an invalidated list. Um, they're
important for different reasons.
Creed had the degree difficulty of
Wait, you were doing this again?
What's going on?
Cougler, the Fruitville, that guy's
going to do he's going to direct.
Stallone's going to be in it.
what are we doing? And then it was the
[ __ ] best and I'm so glad it
happened. But just like the odds of it
were uh almost insurmountable.
And then Moneyball, very similar.
They're making a movie out of the
Moneyball book. How the [ __ ] are they
going to do that? And then then they had
40 scripts for it. Oh, wait. Oh, Brad
Pitt. Oh. Oh, I heard it's good. And
then it's like, whoa, that movie is
[ __ ] awesome. You told a story in the
when we did the 50 rewatchables about
how you did a big picture blind
screening and the music played up and
the crowd just started applauding. So
that Moneyball I think has resonated
um in its own way and so is Creed.
Creed's had two sequels,
but I think it's Moneyball one, Creed 2.
What do you think?
>> So such a such a tricky one because we
so we had Moneyball on our list and
that's a you know a real shared passion
for Amanda and I. She loves that movie
too. But when we rewatched Creed for the
live show, >> yeah,
>> yeah,
>> I did feel like, damn, this like
28-year-old kid made this movie. Like,
how old was Cougler when he made that
movie? Um, and he is just able to summon
that classical storytelling thing where
the way you get invested in those
characters that you otherwise just
should have no relationship to because
even though it's based in a world that
we already know, it's a whole new layout
for for Adonis.
And also the fight the fight scenes are
are legit interesting and new and feel
different, you know? Like that's a huge
um plus in in that film's c that film's
uh register cuz it just like there have
been so many boxing movies. You've got
boxing movies on this list. Very rare
that you see a boxing movie where you
feel like you're seeing it a little bit
differently and I feel like he pulls
that off there. Plus MBJ, you know, him
and MBJ just being Scorsese and Dairo
for us, I think is really exciting. The
idea of getting another 30 years of
these guys making movies together is
really cool. And you know, it's
obviously the second time that they
worked together, but it feels like them
syncing up in a way that was very kind
of mainstream that a lot of people got
excited about. So, it's legacy, I think,
is going to be real strong cuz
>> Sanders isn't going to be the last time
they work together. Like, he really sees
him as like his guy, like his avatar for
his storytelling. So, that that makes
the movie really really powerful.
Moneyball is cool. It's really fun. It's
really smart. It's really insightful.
It's bizarrely emotional considering the
subject matter, but I don't know. Just
talking about Creed makes me want to
watch Creed.
>> So, you go Creed won Moneyball, too.
>> It's a really hard one.
>> It's a tricky one. They're both great
for different reasons. You know,
Moneyball is not a movie about getting
over the hump and winning at all. It's a
different kind of film. It's like a more
about an exploration of process and how
sometimes you don't even if you have the
right answers, you don't you don't get
an A+ on the test, you know. So that's
why there are a couple reasons I like
them as the final two for this 25-y year
run because sports movies basically
start with with uh the longest yard in
74 even though they're making them for a
million years. It's the first modern
sports movie. It's like 26 years of
sports movies. And now you look at the
final two that are left. Creed's like a
typical sports movie sequel, but it's
not. It belongs to like this new era.
But Moneyball is about where sports went
in the 21st century, right? So, I was
thinking about that piece of it that
this is a movie that just couldn't have
wouldn't have existed. It's it's almost
like a jigsaw puzzle putting it together
movie combined with like capturing some
sort of movement that would go on to
transform how we watched followed and
you know how teams are put together
every single piece about sports and then
it's a really awesome movie and then and
it's accessible to people like my wife
who would normally not care about it. So
I feel like the the degree of difficulty
was probably a little bit higher, but I
still can't believe how high the degree
of difficulty for Creed was.
>> It's a good last two.
>> Moneyball is you're 100% right that it
is totally sees the future about how we
think about sports and how you know you
you're citing DVOA and you know expected
points per play on NFL pods now all
because of that Michael Lewis book and
and the way that the film kind of
elevated its status among kind of
mainstream non-h hardcore sports fans.
But there's also so many other things
that happen with Moneyball where it was
supposed to be Stephen Soderberg. They
were really close to production. It
didn't happen for whatever reason. It
goes to Bennett Miller. It becomes an
Aaron Sorcin script. It becomes a much
more kind of romantic and traditional
movie because of the Sorcin script. I
think it would have been a much more
experimental and like confrontational
almost documentary style. Like Sodberg
wanted to make it like Reds but for
baseball, you know, where he had the
real people in it and there was into
camera interviews.
>> It never would have been on this list if
he had done that.
>> No. unless he nailed it. Like unless he
made something we've never seen before
and it worked, but it just seemed like
it was a very high bar. Um they're both
great. I think they're both incredibly
worthy of number one. Well, that's the
other thing with this movie. It comes
out in 2011.
I was in, you know, I was peripherilally
involved with with that early wave of
the Sloan Conference, all that stuff
when people are trying to figure out how
to use these new wave stats. It wasn't
accessible at all. And as you just said,
the movie really
really made it accessible in a way that
it wasn't accessible before and it saw
the future of team building even though
it was about the 03A.
It lays down this blueprint that now seems really obvious when you watch in
seems really obvious when you watch in 2025 but was not obvious to normal
2025 but was not obvious to normal people I don't think in 2011. No, I mean
people I don't think in 2011. No, I mean >> then it became obvious
>> then it became obvious >> sports baseball sports casters who are
>> sports baseball sports casters who are the most crotchety old school figures in
the most crotchety old school figures in the world have to know what OPS plus is
the world have to know what OPS plus is now because of this movie you know like
now because of this movie you know like they have to use that data to
they have to use that data to communicate with their audience that
communicate with their audience that cares about the games.
cares about the games. >> That's pretty profound the way that it
>> That's pretty profound the way that it shifted. Obviously the Lewis book is the
shifted. Obviously the Lewis book is the big the most significant part of that
big the most significant part of that but without that book this you know this
but without that book this you know this movie doesn't go to doesn't become a
movie doesn't go to doesn't become a Brad Pitt level awareness thing.
Brad Pitt level awareness thing. >> Yeah. Creed though. Creed is just like a
>> Yeah. Creed though. Creed is just like a had the hang glider movie though where
had the hang glider movie though where like once it starts you're just like wow
like once it starts you're just like wow I'm just I'm I'm flying off the mountain
I'm just I'm I'm flying off the mountain for hours.
for hours. >> Yeah. And same thing where it has a
>> Yeah. And same thing where it has a couple like really really really
couple like really really really memorable scenes which is the last piece
memorable scenes which is the last piece of a sports movie. Am I getting chills?
of a sports movie. Am I getting chills? Do I have like a couple hook scenes that
Do I have like a couple hook scenes that I'm always going to remember? Is it
I'm always going to remember? Is it about something? You look at the last
about something? You look at the last four. Moneyball Creed Friday Night
four. Moneyball Creed Friday Night Lights F1 um all capture something that
Lights F1 um all capture something that belonged to these first 25 years too,
belonged to these first 25 years too, right? Friday Night Lights becomes a TV
right? Friday Night Lights becomes a TV show where IP now starts to become
show where IP now starts to become confusing with movies and TV and we
confusing with movies and TV and we don't know
don't know really what's a what's a documentary,
really what's a what's a documentary, what's a movie, what's a TV show. It's
what's a movie, what's a TV show. It's like almost like part of trying to
like almost like part of trying to figure out what IP is. F1 is the sport
figure out what IP is. F1 is the sport that took off this year other than MMA
that took off this year other than MMA which I think started but I mean it took
which I think started but I mean it took off this last 10 years in a way that no
off this last 10 years in a way that no other sport did. It became this
other sport did. It became this mainstream huge sport.
mainstream huge sport. >> Yeah. Creed, Boxing, all the traditional
>> Yeah. Creed, Boxing, all the traditional sports movie recipe, but tied to this
sports movie recipe, but tied to this different era and then Moneyball tied to
different era and then Moneyball tied to where sports are going. So, pretty
where sports are going. So, pretty interesting top four.
interesting top four. >> Wait till my um biopic of Jim Pickle,
>> Wait till my um biopic of Jim Pickle, the creator of pickle ball comes out.
the creator of pickle ball comes out. Then then you're [snorts] going to have
Then then you're [snorts] going to have to add it to your list.
to add it to your list. >> I just Sports Consulting agency does not
>> I just Sports Consulting agency does not want to work on that one. Pickle ball's
want to work on that one. Pickle ball's almost dead. It's like 90% gone. Yeah.
almost dead. It's like 90% gone. Yeah. >> What's your beef, man? Why is it
>> What's your beef, man? Why is it >> No, that's what people people That's
>> No, that's what people people That's what I'm hearing on the streets.
what I'm hearing on the streets. >> The the streets have told you. Well, you
>> The the streets have told you. Well, you do. So I guess you would probably
do. So I guess you would probably running into X pickle. The noise the
running into X pickle. The noise the noise the noise stuff is going to kill
noise the noise stuff is going to kill pickle ball.
pickle ball. >> Oh, how much noise is this really
>> Oh, how much noise is this really happening? Yeah,
happening? Yeah, >> the neighborhoods are starting to rebel
>> the neighborhoods are starting to rebel against pickle ball.
against pickle ball. >> What happened? Did you like did some guy
>> What happened? Did you like did some guy like pick a fight with you the first
like pick a fight with you the first time you ever played pickle ball? Like
time you ever played pickle ball? Like what happened?
what happened? >> I cannot like certain things.
>> I cannot like certain things. >> Well, I agree. But you have a you had a
>> Well, I agree. But you have a you had a you got to be in your bonnet on this.
you got to be in your bonnet on this. >> I just think people should play tennis.
>> I just think people should play tennis. >> Okay. All right.
>> Okay. All right. >> Just play tennis. Run around. Try to get
>> Just play tennis. Run around. Try to get break a sweat. Then don't play sports
break a sweat. Then don't play sports anymore. Just watch [laughter] TV.
anymore. Just watch [laughter] TV. >> Then just quietly die on the couch.
>> Then just quietly die on the couch. >> Sean Fantasy, what's your best
>> Sean Fantasy, what's your best prediction for this year?
prediction for this year? >> Pain. [laughter]
>> Pain. [laughter] >> All right. Good ending. Thanks, Sean.
>> All right. Good ending. Thanks, Sean. >> Thanks, Bill.
>> Thanks, Bill. >> Must be 21 plus and president select
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