Top 10 Sports Movies!

When you’re looking for a fun and relaxing way to waste time, few activities compare to watching rental movies. But don’t waste time aimlessly wandering the aisles of Videos R Us. Before driving to your local video store, arm yourself with our list of the best sports-themed movies of all-time. Be aware, however, these flicks may motivate you to return the movies by foot or bike. All our picks are about or connected to athletics in some way (though the connection is pretty tenuous in certain movies). We like these pictures because they have plots that’ll keep you interested, if not riveted. Tell us your favorites. We’d love to waste a little more time.

Ten Fine Flicks
1.	Chariots of Fire (1981; rated PG; won Academy Award for best picture) Nicely done story of two British runners who compete in the 1924 Olympics. Great soundtrack and slow-motion running scenes.
2.	Breaking Away (1979; PG) Coming-of-age tale about four high school chums in Bloomington, Indiana, one of whom is a racing cyclist. Inspirational cycling scenes; rousing score; excellent acting. Fully inflated tires. Great movie.
3.	The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962; not rated) A boy sent to reform school discovers a talent for cross-country running and through his running finds himself. Stark sixties melodrama manages to capture the sole, if not the heel, of running.
4.	Without Limits (1998; PG-13) The story of running great Steve Prefontaine. Nice performances by Billy Crudup as Pre and Donald Sutherland as coach Bill Bowerman. Goose-bump-inducing running scenes.
5.	The Bicycle Thief (1948; not rated) In depression-era Italy, a man who will lose his job unless he has a bike for transportation, has his bicycle stolen. Beautiful cinematography and excellent acting with memorable cycling scenes.
6.	Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985; PG) Follow Pee-Wee (comedian Paul Reubens) in his surreal Technicolor world, crossing the country to track down his stolen decorated-over-the-top bike. Funny and engaging.
7.	The Graduate (1967; R) Dustin Hoffman plays Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate who has an affair with a neighbor who turns out to be his girlfriend’s mother. Listen closely or you’ll miss the running reference early in the film (Benjamin went to college on a cross-country scholarship). Later, his running prowess saves the day.
8.	Marathon Man (1976; R) This time Dustin Hoffman, a marathon runner, gets involved with the evil Nazi Dr. Szell (played by Laurence Olivier) who comes out of hiding to retrieve diamonds stolen during the war. Extremely violent thriller. Again, Hoffman’s prowess as a runner comes in handy. Makes you feel like drinking Gatorade.
9.	Jim Thorpe, All American (1951; not rated) Burt Lancaster as Jim Thorpe, a Native American who becomes recognized as one of the greatest athletes in the world through phenomenal performances in the Olympics. Dated, but engaging. Lancaster is excellent.
10.	The Swimmer (1968; not rated) Dealing with a mid-life crisis, Neddy Merrill (Burt Lancaster) swims through a bunch of backyard pools which lead to his house. Critics like this movie. You may find it a bit moody.