Today's Movie: Goon

2011's Goon was one of the films that just missed the cut on "My Favorite Sports Movies" list that I wrote a while back, and I seem to enjoy it more every time I watch it.

 The films stars Seann William Scott as a bouncer turned hockey enforcer named Doug Glatt. Doug is a polite, kind-hearted, and kind of dumb guy who is looking for his place in the world. Despite his very pleasant demeanor, Glatt happens to be really good at fighting and catches the attention of a minor-league hockey coach who promptly offers him a spot on the team. Even though he has no actually hockey skills to speak of and can barely skate at the start of the film, Glatt's determination and ability to knock-out virtually any opposing player quickly makes him a fan favorite. It isn't long before Glatt earns a call-up, to essentially be the on-ice bodyguard for a former high-end prospect who hasn't been same since being dealt a monstrous body-check by the goon of all goons Ross Rhea (played by Liev Schrieber).

While there isn't anything groundbreaking in this movie, it's just really well put together. At just over an hour and a half, the film movies along at a decent pace. I also think that, top to bottom, it was really well cast. If you're a fan of sports movies and haven't seen Goon, then I recommend checking it out.

4 out of 5.

My Favorite Sports Movies

In addition to my love of movies, I'm also a big sports fan. So, when the two forms of entertainment meet the result is some of my favorite films to watch time and time again. This isn't going to be a "Best Sports Films Ever" type of list. These are just some of my favorites. Now, this list was getting WAY too long so I pared it down to the fifteen films I've gone back to most frequently.

#15 The Longest Yard (1974)

This is one of Burt Reynolds' best known films and one that I can't help but watch every time it pops up on one of the movie channels. Unfortunately the 2004 remake with Adam Sandler wasn't nearly as good.

#14 Days of Thunder (1990)

I don't have much to say about this one... Sure, it's the worst critically received film on the list, but I still find it really entertaining. 

#13 Raging Bull (1980)

38 years later and this still holds up as one of Scorsese's best works and one of De Niro's best performances. A fair argument could be made that it's the best film on this list.

#12 The Stratton Story (1949)

This is the film on here that the least amount of people reading this have probably seen. It's based on the true story of Monty Stratton, a baseball pitcher who makes a comeback after having his leg amputated, and it is a fantastic movie. Check it out if you've never seen it. 

#11 Cinderella Man (2005)

This film about James J. Braddock, a boxer who is forced by injuries to retire and later defied the odds to become Heavyweight Champion of the World, is one of the better boxing movies out there in my opinion. 

#10 Jerry Maguire (1996)

"Show me the money!"

Yea, it's a movie about a sports agent, but it's a really good movie about a sports agent.

#9 Moneyball (2011) 

Who would've thought a movie about the analytics of baseball could be this entertaining. Moneyball is well written, well directed, and features what I think is Brad Pitt's best performance.

#8 The Hustler (1961)

Is Billiards a sport? Well, Google and ESPN at 2am say it is. Plus, The Hustler is a phenomenal film, so it makes the list. 

#7 Happy Gilmore (1996)

I've lost count how many times I've seen Happy Gilmore and I still get a bunch of laughs out of it every time. Sandler's schtick got old after a while, but in the mid-90's he was on top of his game and Happy Gilmore still holds up.

#6 The Wrestler (2008) 

This isn't one of those feel-good sports movies where the lovable underdog wins the big championship and everyone is happy in the end. But, if you want to see a great movie with a terrific performance by Mickey Rourke, then this is a must-see.

#5 Field of Dreams (1989)

It's become a tradition of mine to watch this one a few days before Opening Day each year. It's the most sentimental film on the list, but it doesn't take it too far.

#4 Caddyshack (1980)

This is one of those rare movies that when the final credits role, and the Blu-ray returns to the home menu, I can press play and watch it all over again. 

#3 Bull Durham (1988)

"Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring. Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls, it's more democratic" - 'Crash' Davis

I love this movie.

#2 Slap Shot (1977)

A few sports-comedies made the list, but this one is arguably my favorite of the bunch. Paul Newman is great in the film, and despite my love of the sport, it's the only hockey movie to make the list.

#1 Rocky (1976)

Since 1976 everyone who makes sports movie, is hoping that they are making the next Rocky. I wrote a whole blog entry on the Rocky film franchise a while back (you can check that out by clicking HERE) and the original Rocky film still stands out as not only my favorite film in that series, but as my all-time favorite sports movie.

Some movies that just missed the cut: Rocky IV (1985), Miracle (2004), Creed (2015), The Natural (1984), The Mighty Ducks (1992), Hoosiers (1986) A League of Their Own (1992), All the Right Moves (1983), The Sandlot (1993), Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story (2013)

What are some of your favorite sports films?

Leave a comment below.

Today's Movie: Slap Shot

This is a personal favorite of mine. I'm a huge hockey fan and the late Paul Newman is one of my all-time favorite actors but, in addition to that, this is also a really good movie full of memorable characters and quotable lines.

1977's Slap Shot centers around a minor league hockey team called the 'Charlestown Chiefs', and their player-coach Reggie Dunlop (played by Paul Newman). Charlestown is a factory town on the decline and the Chiefs aren't very good, so the team's manager does everything he can to cut costs while simultaneously having the players participate in sometimes embarrassing promotions just to keep the team afloat. During yet another losing season, the team picks up a trio of enthusiastic players known as the Hanson brothers who play a rough and tumble style of hockey and start fights. Dunlop is initially reluctant to play the three brothers until one night he gets word that the team is going to fold after this current season. Being a better con-man than a player or coach, Dunlop convinces the team to start playing dirty, and to get into more fights to draw interest, eventually he lets the Hanson's loose and they become a force to be reckoned with on the ice. This tactic begins work, the Chief actually start winning, and fans start showing up to the games to cheer them on. With interest in the team growing, Dunlop plants a false story with a local sports writer saying that a retirement community in Florida is interested in purchasing the team, with the hope that the story will add to the teams confidence and hopefully lead to an actual sale.

Well, after trying for quite a while Reggie gets a meeting with the team's owner but despite the teams recent success she still has every intention of folding the franchise for a tax write-off. Disheartened by this news, Dunlop comes clean to his players about the team folding and the story about moving to Florida being made up. In the end, the Chiefs make it to the championship game and, because one of the opposing players punches a ref, they actually win. It's the perfect dumb-luck victory for a team that only started winning after they threw clean play and good sportsmanship out the window. I love it.

Start to finish I always have a lot of laughs whenever I watch this one. In my opinion, it's one of Paul Newman's best performances (which is saying a lot), and one of the all-time best sports movies.
I highly recommend it.

I give this one a 4.5 out of 5.

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