Worst2First: My Top Ten Favorite Basketball Films

-
Worst2First: 
My Top Ten Favorite Basketball Films

With the NBA Finals starting to get underway, I figured I would post my list of favorite basketball films, mostly because I don't actually follow the real sport at all. 

Here are my personal top ten favorite basketball films, Worst2First.

**There will be no spoilers.**

#10
Above the Rim

Kyle Watson (Duane Martin) is a basketball phenom with hopes of attending Georgetown University after graduation.  He plays in a tournament and is torn between playing for bad boy Birdie (Tupac Shakur), but eventually plays for his older brother Shep (Leon), to the anger of Birdie.  Not just a normal basketball movie, this also features some heavy dramatic moments from the late Shakur as the neighborhood drug pusher, as well as showcasing the evolution of Kyle Watson from cocky know-it-all to a humbled man.  It also boasts a strong supporting cast including Marlon Wayans, Wood Harris and Bernie Mac.




#9
More Than a Game

This documentary centers on five young basketball players from Ohio - Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis, Sian Cotton, Willie McGee, and Lebron James - as it focuses from their childhood to high school years, and centering on the global rise of James as one of NBA's most popular and talented players.  Raw and powerful, it also boasts a tremendous soundtrack as well.




#8
Glory Road

This true-life tale centers around the Texas Western College team under the tutelage of  coach Don Haskins (Josh Lucas).  What's special about this team is that it was the first all African American starting lineup in NCAA history.  Much like "Remember the Titans," "Glory Road" focuses on the issues of racism and segregation as well as team unity, with some fantastic basketball performances and solid acting by Lucas, Derek Luke, Austin Nicols and Jon Voight.  A true celebration of trailblazers who helped shape what the sport is today.




#7
Coach Carter

"Coach Carter" features Samuel L. Jackson as Ken Carter, the real-life basketball coach known for being tough-as-nails, even benching his entire team because of their poor academic studies.  Something that's rarely heard of, Ken Carter wasn't afraid to buck the system and show that academics is just as important as athletics.  The film also features a great supporting cast including Rob Brown, Channing Tatum, Debbi Morgan and Ashanti.




#6
Finding Forrester

Although not necessarily a full-on basketball film, "Finding Forrester" does feature Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown), a youth who excels at basketball and is also being scouted to attend a prestigious private school.  He befriends a reclusive author, William Forrester (Sean Connery), who helps Jamal with his writing.  As they grow closer, the unlikely friends bond and Forrester opens up about his eccentric lifestyle and why he pushed his family away.  The two learn specific things about themselves they never would've known if they had never met - Forrester gains a newfound will to live, and Jamal learns that he's more than just a fantastic basketball player.  Though not a true story, Connery has stated that he crafted his character after the real-life reclusive author J.D. Salinger.  A moving dramatic piece that also features Anna Paquin, F. Murray Abraham, Busta Rhymes an Matt Damon.




#5
White Men Can't Jump

The quintessential early 90s basketball movie features the terrific pairing of Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson as two streetball hustlers working the pick-up basketball games to score money to live.  Snipes has the ego, while Harrelson delivers the laughs in this classic comedy that's mentioned even today on most basketball courts.  Even though it doesn't feature big NBA-style games, these small street games are still thrilling and exciting, and the film also delivers supporting cast members Rosie Perez and Marques Johnson, and there's even an Atari game based off the movie.




#4
The Basketball Diaries

This powerful film features Leonardo DiCaprio as Jim Carroll, a man who was a basketball phenom who got involved in cocaine and heroin, throwing his career away for the search for that next high, resulting in some drastic and terrible life choices that threatened to destroy him, until his old friend Reggie (Ernie Hudson) helps him out from the depths of depravity.  Based off Jim Carroll's memoirs, "The Basketball Diaries" has more to do with Carroll's struggles than actual basketball, but it's still a moving piece of cinema featuring Lorraine Bracco, Mark Wahlberg and Juliette Lewis.




#3
Space Jam

This classic was way before its time, blending live-action with animation and boasts the best basketball players in history - Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Shawn Bradley, Patrick Ewing, Larry Johnson and Muggsy Bogus - and the lovable Looney Tunes under the leadership of Bugs Bunny as they play an intergalactic game of basketball against Monstars for the Tunes' freedom.  A nonstop thrill ride filled with humor and heart, "Space Jam" remains to this day one of the most famous basketball movies of all time, mostly due to Jordan's natural charisma, the blending of live-action and animation, and an overall enjoyable atmosphere you can't help but smile about.




#2
He Got Game

The third collaboration between Denzel Washington and director Spike Lee, "He Got Game" focuses on Washington's character Jake, who was sent to prison for killing his wife.  When his son Jesus (NBA star Ray Allen), the number one high school prospect, is being scouted by the Alma Mater of the state's governor, he allows Jake to be paroled for a week to train Jesus and have him play for his old school.  Boasting a terrific performance by Washington, "He Got Game" focuses not just on the game itself, but also tackles other issues including a strained parent-child relationship, the crookedness of society, and how America worships the sport - or at least the income it brings in.




#1
Hoosiers

For any basketball loving person (especially those from Indiana), "Hoosiers" is the Holy Grail of basketball films, and it made a lasting impact in the world of cinema.  It earned several Oscar nominations including Original Score and Best Supporting Actor for Dennis Hopper.  The accolades continue: it's one of the few films to be selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being culturally, historically or aesthetically significant, and also ranked as #13 by the American Film Institute for its 100 Years...100 Cheers list of most inspirational films.  Featuring a timeless performance by Gene Hackman, "Hoosiers" focuses on a small Indiana town and how their small high school basketball team had a strong desire and drive to win the state title against insurmountable odds.  The underdog story of basketball films, it's also one of the best sports movies of all time.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Major Theatrical Releases May 2019

-
Image
Major Theatrical Releases May 2019 After the hype that is "Avengers: Endgame," May offers a massive collection of differing types of movies, enough to entertain everyone. Here are the major theatrical releases for May 2019. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** **DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**  The Intruder May 3 Dennis Quaid goes from starring the family-friendly "A Dog's Journey" to playing a total psycho in "The Intruder."  When a young couple purchases a home from Quaid's character Charlie, they didn't realize it came with an addition - Charlie himself, who can't seem to let his old home go.  I don't expect any twists or turns in this tale, and this looks like a film better fit for Lifetime than the big screen.  Long Shot May 3 Charlize Theron stars as Charlotte Field, the current Secretary of State and who's running for President.  Seth Rogen stars as Fred Flarsky, a
Read more

Witch

-
Image
Witch Starring Russell Shaw, Ryan Spong, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Fabrizio Santino Directed by Craig Hinde & Marc Zammit Movies about witches are about a dime a dozen, and follow the same formula: typically set in a time period long ago (since now, fortunately, the stigma of witches has been lessened and the religious fervor has diminished), in a small Puritanical town, a girl is accused of witchcraft which spirals the town into a frenzy filled with suspicion, doubt, and murder until the witch is put to religious justice. While that's not necessarily a bad formula (Robert Eggers' "The VVitch" and Mario Bava's "Black Sunday" immediately come to mind), most films fall by the wayside. "Witch" is a small film that, at first glance, seems to follow the mold before completely shattering it in a second act twist that's daring, provocative, and works in a lot of levels, but could've been more pronounced if given a bigger budget. In the small
Read more

Special Review: "Midwest Sessions"

-
Image
Special Review: "Midwest Sessions" Directed by Mario Ricciardi Independent filmmaking is a fascinating concept, wherein the director and everyone involved sets out to make something unique, different, and go against the traditional status quo of what's defined as a "blockbuster." These films aren't usually seen by the masses and won't be included in the top ten highest grossing movies of all time, but they offer something those films don't: a heart and commitment by the people involved to craft something wholly distinctive that tell a story in their own way. Such is "Midwest Sessions," a local film directed by Mario Ricciardi that centers on the city of Youngstown, Ohio, and the captivating people who live there. Told in different vignettes that seem distinct and different from one another but coming together as a whole in the end, it's an engrossing film that utilizes its shoestring budget and gives great performances, decent effects a
Read more