Genre: Biography|Drama|Sport

Running Time: 113 min

Directed By: Boaz Yakin

Written By:  Gregory Allen Howard

Cast: Denzel Washington, Will Patton and Wood Harris

Movie Release Date: 29 September, 2000

Review:

Remember the Titans is one of those feel good movies, which inspire, fill you with a lot of pride and spirit and cause that big lump to form in your throat – for all purposes an inspirational movie. Said to be based on true events, this story talks about how in the early 1970s when black and white colleges are merged and even as the town erupts in protests, the most affected is the college football team. How the team learns to bridge this racial divide and go on to win every game in the season forms the story.

Now, this movie cannot be given any marks for originality or top of the grade scripting, but the actors especially Denzel Washington (as Coach Boone) and Will Patton (as Bill Yoast) help the film shine. They deliver very convincing performances which would otherwise have been just a mediocre film with an average oft repeated script. Even the predictable nature of the script, still manages to keep the suspense intact to make for a good viewing experience.

If you are looking for a football movie, this might not be the one, but a feel good movie it definitely is. Maybe you won’t learn how to improve your grip or how to make the perfect touchdown, but you will certainly leave the cinema with a little happy song in your heart.

Genre: Biography|Drama|Sport

Running Time: 146 minutes   

Directed By: Norman Jewison

Written By: Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, Sam Chaiton

Cast: Denzel Washington, Vicellous Reon Shannon and Deborah Kara Unger

Movie Release Date: 13 October, 2000

Review:

A skillfully crafted, deeply moving film that showcases one of the best works of Denzel Washington since ‘Malcom X’ is one of the best description one can give this movie. With a lot of underlying messages including racism, civil rights, injustice and hatred towards the blacks, Washington manages to project it all effortlessly and convincingly proving his caliber without any doubt.

The film was based on true story of Robin “Hurricane” Carter, a top ranked middle weight boxer, who is falsely charged with a triple homicide. The story of a teenage girl who fights to give him justice also forms the crux of this film. The famous words of Carter-“Hate got me into this place and Love got me out”- upon his freedom sum up the character of the movie.

Although the film was mired in controversy upon release stating that the facts were all wrong or too fictionalized to bear resemblance to the actual events. It is also said that, these controversies are what prevented Washington from winning the Oscar for this film. Washington’s transformation in the movie from the fighter who took pleasure in crushing his opponents, to a man who found pleasure in his writing is truly noteworthy.

A moving film, we must give the director Norman Jewison for letting Washington take over the movie, but not run away with it.

Genre: Comedy|Sport

Running Time: 90 minutes

Directed By: Frank Coraci

Written By:  Tim Herlihy, Adam Sandler

Cast: Adam Sandler, Kathy Bates and Henry Winkler

Movie Release Date: 6 November, 1998

Review:

Watch this movie and Adam Sandler and his goofy grin and lisping voice and the sort of no-existent storyline might make you wonder what Sandler was thinking when he agreed to put money in for this…either he was too over confident in his abilities to carry off this fiasco of a movie or maybe he just wasn’t thinking at all. In part you might even find this comedy a tad bit offensive.

 Sandler is at his loony best and even though critics were bit harsh on him, one must remember that is your fault if you expect too much from him to begin with. Sandler plays a slightly slow on the uptake water boy, who is constantly picked on by his coach and team players (who also seem slightly dumb for spitting in their own water to spite the water boy). An over protective mother and a coach who suddenly discovers his amazing ability and makes him a star could well be a dumber version of Forrest Gump, although comparing Hanks to Sandler would be a heinous crime.

If you switch your brain off or just want to think about other things with some background noise, then this might be a good movie, because watching it could make you want to run like Sandler…right out of the theatre or home!!

Genre: Drama|Romance|Sport

Running Time: 120 min

Directed By: Victor Salva

Written By: Kevin Bernhardt (screenplay), Dan Millman

Cast: Scott Mechlowicz, Nick Nolte and Amy Smart

Movie Release Date: 13 april, 2007

Review:

Peaceful Warrior is an inspirational drama movie released in the year 2006. This movie is based on the real life story of Dan Millman, a famous gymnast. The movie starts when he was still an upcoming athlete. Millman is doing very well in his career and is working to take part in the Olympics. A well-known athlete, he enjoys the advantages this profession brings and enjoys life to its maximum. But, somewhere inside, he is depressed and worried about future. He then meets a man named, ‘Socrates’, who teaches him the philosophy of practically living the present. While learning to apply these philosophiesto life, he meets with an accident and breaks his femur bone. His coach thinks that Millmanis no longer capable of competing in the Olympics. But then Socrates and Joy (a young lady who follows Socrates’ philosophies) help him recover and get him ready to participate in the Olympics. He wins a gold medal and proves with the power of his spirit, a person can achieve anything he desires. It’s the inner spirit that fights peacefully. The story is very interesting but it can be difficult for all audiences to follow.

The movie won the Best Feature Award at the Maui Film Festival in 2006.

Storyline / Description:

The account of the general manager of Oakland A– Billy Beane. He had a successful effort to assemble a baseball club by employing computer-generated studies to get his players.

Synopsis:

Moneyball is a film for anyone who’s ever dreamed of tackling the system. Billy Beane is Oakland A’s general manager and the man who puts the team together. He has an epiphany: he thinks that everything about conventional wisdom is not right. Pushed to make his team a new creation on a nasty budget, Beane has to outwit the richer clubs.

Running Time: 113 minutes

Distributor: Sony Pictures

Directed By: Bennett Miller

Written By: Steven Zaillian (screenplay), Aaron Sorkin

Cast: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright and Jonah Hill

Movie Release Date: September 23, 2011

Review:

In contrary to most movies that are made these days that are all about boxing, we come across a film which theme is a major comeback to what was like Major League before. Moneyball, tells the story of a baseball team underdog that tries to make it to the big league. Its general manager Billy Beane is an insane guy who thinks that what is known to be the conventional system of baseball is wrong. Now his team, Oakland A has to rely on his new ideas, or else, they will all crumble down.

At first it seemed like as difficult as it could get, all movies start out like that, but then again, Billy meets an ivy-league graduate who helps him assemble a team of flawed baseball players– at least that’s what the other teams say of them. But when they get these players to their team, everyone seems to be surprised that they can score and run bases.

The director of the film is Bennett Miller, who is also responsible for the highly controversial true story of Capote. Moneyball is also an adapted story from Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, written by Michael Lewis. The movie went through a spectacular number of drafts and different versions, but one draft was written by Aaron Sorkin so that must be good.

This movie will be a hit in the U.S. since all the folks there like baseball. Internationally, we can also hope for a hit since Brad Pitt is the lead.

Director: John G. Avildsen
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young

Rocky is an American sports drama film that was released on December 3, 1976. Directed by John G Avildsen and written by Sylvester Stallone, this 120 minutes film received three Oscars and turned Stallone into a major star. Rocky was the highest grossing film in 1976 and led to the creation of the next five sequels. This sleeper hit has a star cast that includes Sylvester Stallone, Burgess Meredith, Talia Shire, Burt Young and Carl Weathers.
Rocky is a small time boxer and collector for Anthony Gazzo, a loan shark living in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. The world Heavyweights Championship bout is scheduled on the New Year’s Day of 1976. When the undefeated heavyweight champion Apollo Creed finds out that his opponent is injured, he chooses Rocky, an underdog. Rocky starts practice and during the training he starts dating Adrian. Rocky confides in her that he doesn’t expect to beat Creed and when the day of the match arrives, he unexpectedly beats Creed in the first round. The match turns intense and just before the end of it; Rocky professes his love to Adrian without caring about the result of the match.
With a budget of less than $1 million and shot completed in 28 days, Rocky became a great hit in the box office and won accolades for the story that kept the audience enthralled throughout.

Director: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young

Rocky II is the American film that was a sequel to the first part, Rocky that was released in 1976. This motion picture is the continuation of the boxer who fought the undefeated Heavyweights champion. Directed and written by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky II was released on June 15, 1979 in the United States. This award winning sequel starred Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith and Tony Burton.
Rocky II has its story continued from the first part where Rocky and Creed are injured due to the match and are in the hospital. Here, Apollo Creed challenges Rocky for a re-match but Rocky denies and declares his retirement. This decision is supported by his girlfriend, Adrian and his doctor. After Rocky is discharged from the hospital, he realizes how his life has changed due to the recent fame he received after the match. However, Rocky poor in handling his finance loses everything and agrees to do a re-match with Apollo to gain all that he lost. He begins his rigorous training despite the warning of the doctor and advice of Adrian. Creed with all his anger tries to prove that Rocky won the previous match by fluke; however this is also won by Rocky who gets back all the respect once again!

Director: Sylvester Stallone
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young

Rocky III is the third installment from the Rocky franchise. It is the sequel to the previous two films from the Rocky franchise. Written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky III is a 100 minutes film that was released on May 28, 1982 in the United States. The film has a star cast that includes Sylvester Stallone, Mr. T, Carl Weathers, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Burgess Meredith and Tony Burton.
The plot is centered on Rocky, the world’s heavyweight champion who is successfully winning title defenses from the past three years. As he is unveiling a statue of himself at the steps of Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rocky is publicly challenged by a young boxer named James Lang. after Lang insults Adrian, Rocky accepts his challenge. However, his training with Mickey was not taken seriously. Just before the match, Lang is shoved out by Mickey who suffers a heart attack. Distracted with this, Rocky loses the match with Lang. Later, Creed offers his help to Rocky and gets trained under him and gets back the strength an energy that he had lost due to Mickey’s death. There is a rematch now, and the new and agile Rocky shocks the audience with his knockouts and punches and won the heavy weights championship once again!