Ali

Viewed in
2013

Formats
HDTV

Premise
Will Smith stars Muhammad Ali in this biography, directed by Michael Mann.

Loved
Jon Voight.

Liked
Exciting boxing scenes.

Disliked
Subpar story-telling, playing it safe.

Thoughts
It's got its moments.

The movie rides or dies with Smith's performance. Unfortunately, it was uneven. At times he was brilliant, grabbing the screen by sheer personality, like his rant after being sentenced for draft-dodging. But other times just felt like Smith doing an impression of Ali. This might've been the case where a lesser known actor would've been better served.

Flanking Smith was a deep cast with solid performances, like Mario Van Peebles, Jamie Foxx, Giancarlo Esposito, and Jada Pinkett Smith. But the scene-stealer was Voight as Howard Cosell. His best supporting nod was well-deserved with his phenomenal performance, full of bite and charm.

The boxing scenes were incredible. Energetic choreography, underrated sound, well-planned cinematography and crisp editing showed clearly how each fight was won/lost. I'm not a boxing fan, but it gave me an appreciation for the sport from that era.

However, I was frustrated by the long, unfocused narrative. While I never knew that Ali interacted with Malcolm X, the fascinating subplot sadly didn't contribute to the film, nor say anything interesting about Ali as a whole. Meanwhile, Ali waited seven years to get his shot at redemption, but as a movie experience I never felt that gauntlet of time. This caused the "Thrilla in Manilla" to pop up suddenly, without buildup, without feeling like a climax, when it was the film maker's intentions.

It was up to Mann to decide on how much hero-worship to do in a biography, but it usually leads to uninteresting subjects. There were some potential themes, such as how well-paid athletes easily go broke, or how Ali's changed tactic to attrition led to the dicey subject of head trauma. But the story never went deep enough to express anything substantial. Pretty much the only weakness they gave him was womanizing, a very stock vice.

As much as I enjoyed Voight's performance and the immersive boxing fights, Ali came off as wandering biography. Reenacting some of Ali's biggest moments (and trying to get Will Smith an Oscar), but ultimately had nothing to say.

The Announcement

Viewed in
2012

Formats
HDTV w/ commercials

Premise
A documentary about Magic Johnson's experience before, during, and after being diagnosed with HIV in 1991.

Loved
Story-telling, compelling topics, emotional moments.

Liked
Wealth of interviews.

Thoughts
As a big Lakers fan, this was really emotional for me.  But I have a feeling I would've been impacted no matter if I was a sports fan or not.

I was really young back then, and rumors and misinformation were spread pre-internet.  Thanks to the honest interviews from teammates, coaches, family, I have been better educated about Magic's past.  Even though I lived in the epicenter, there was still much that I learned, such as Len Rosen the friend (instead of just an agent), Karl Malone's truthfulness about his then-thought process, and Cookie's admirable resolve.

While such an era now feels as archaic as Salem Witch Trials, the film makers did a great job of illustrating how ignorant our society was about HIV, AIDS, and gays.  Magic's decision to make his battle public was truly a game-changer.

While homosexuality was not a direct theme in Magic's saga, it was still a factor in the HIV world, and I agreed with Bill Simmons in pointing out that the documentary glossed over how even Magic succumbed to the unintentional gay-bashing back then.  Specifically, the moment when Arsenio Hall asked him if he was gay, he replied no, and the audience applauded as if he was disease-free.

The Announcement was an incredible journey, emotionally, personally, and historically.

Any Given Sunday

Viewed in
2005

Premise
Chronicles the highs and lows of a fictional pro American football team.

Who should watch
Oliver Stone fans. Al Pacino fans.

Thoughts
In this movie, Oliver Stone proved he can make an MTV-style movie, but then he went overboard with it for the action scenes. Each game felt like a flashy sports music video interrupting the story.

Other than that, I liked everything else: the awesome cast, sports legend cameos, eclectic music, and ample screentime to give all the characters room to breath.

For football fans, I recommend checking out the short-lived 'Playmakers' series for a deeper and coherent portrayal of the sport and business.

What I would change
Less of the MTV editing.

Bad News Bears

Viewed in
2008

Premise
A disgruntled drunk manages a rag-tag team of misfit youngsters in a little league.

Who should watch
Walter Matthau fans. Those who want a sports comedy full of mean spunk.

Thoughts
Overall, this was a ton of fun.

The late great Walter Matthau was perfectly cast as the bitter, failed-professional coach. Everything from his body language to his drunken rants were hilarious.

What was surprising to me was that the kids were equally strong as Matthau on screen, especially Tatum O'Neal. Instead of lazy caricatures, they were full of spunk and nastiness. When the coach cussed them out, they would cuss right back. They behaved like kids! I laughed out loud numerous times between the tug-of-war between the coach and his kids.

While this movie formula has been used countless times, this was the best of its kind that I had ever seen. I was caught off guard on how mean and spirited this film was. And that was a good thing.

What I would change
Toned down the serious nastiness in the final game. I know there is always psychological and ethical ugliness when overly competitive adults manage little league teams, but this aspect was never present in the first two acts. I hate it when films enter a different genre abruptly.

Random
I understand it was before days of PG-13 ratings and political correctness, but I have trouble calling a film containing derogatory words for blacks, Hispanics, and gays a family film. While it was realistic that kids would use these words without awareness, but that understanding only works with adult audiences. If I were a parent, how would I handle this?

Band That Wouldn't Die, The

Viewed in
2009

Premise
Part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series, Barry Levinson explores Baltimore from 'The Move' to the Ravens, through the eyes of the Baltimore Colts Marching Band.

Who should watch
Anyone with a heart.

Thoughts
This was an excellent, emotional film.

First off, this was an amazing story, and Levinson was able to show all aspects of it. I laughed at the funny anecdotes of how the band uniforms were saved before the move and smoldered at Robert Irsay's abuses. The irony of Art Modell being sympathetic to the band, then later ripping the hearts out of Cleveland was astounding.

I liked all off the interviews, especially Jim Irsay's honesty. He did not apologize nor rationalize his father's follies in the whole saga.

The film did an excellent job of portraying the love the city had for the team and the band. A great story about determination and heart.

What I would change
I know it's an ESPN co-production, but do you really have to use the technicolor-ed footage of The Greatest Game Ever Played? The vintage black-and-white would have added to the legendary aura of the Baltimore Colts.

Bend it Like Beckham

Viewed in
2003

Premise
A British Indian girl wants to play futbol, to her conservative parents' dismay.

Who should watch
Those who want something positive for young girls.

Thoughts
I found it enjoyable. There was some good young girl empowerment, as well as some tackling of sexism, racism and generation gaps. The themes were universal. Keira Knightley was cute.

What I would change
Nothing.

Best That Never Was, The

Viewed in
2010

Formats
HD TV

Premise
Part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series, a documentary about highly recruited college football player Marcus Dupree.

Loved
The footage, the wealth of interviews.

Thoughts
What was so fascinating to me was all the themes his journey encapsulated. It was like watching Ricky Williams's eccentricity, LeBron James's high school fame, Josh Luchs damning portrayal of collegiate sports, and sports media frenzy, all rolled into one. If that was not interesting enough, director Jonathan Hock fit in the racial tensions/history/connections of Dupree's home town as nice bookends to the story.

To help tell this compelling story, Hock got tons of amazing footage of Dupree's high school and college days, detailed interviews from friends and family, and of course, direct conversations with the subject himself. Dupree came off as a fascinating kid, now a wise man who was open and at peace with all the positive/negative events that transpired earlier in life. Personally, I found his love for his brother to be the most touching part.

I also enjoyed the interviews with his "adversaries", coach Barry Switzer and agent Ken Fairley. It was good to hear their sides of the story. Their conversations added depth and complexity in Dupree's journey.

Lastly, I wanted to touch on the vintage footage. Watching him obliterate opponents All-Madden style truly justified the hyperbole that was given to his skills and talents. Equally fascinating (in a sad way) was watching his abilities diminish as his lack of conditioning and injuries took a toll.

As someone completely unaware of Marcus Dupree, this was a complete package that told an interesting story about an interesting athlete, while sadly reminding us that sometimes sports and life are not independent of each other.

What I would change
Nothing.

Beyond the Mat

Viewed in
2001

Premise
A documentary about the life of pro wrestlers when they are not in the ring.

Who should watch
Fans of professional wrestling.

Thoughts
There was some good stuff about the business. It did not glamorize nor berate the business. Like any other show business, there were plenty of hard-working dream-chasers climbing an incredibly competitive mountain just for their moment of glory. I enjoyed the rare footage from the lesser known and international wrestling arenas.

What was disappointing was the lack of WWE content. Understandably, WWE probably wanted to keep their footage for themselves. However, it was like watching a documentary about American Football without using NFL clips.

What I would change
It needed more WWE footage.

Big Fan

Viewed in
2010

Formats
HD TV

Premise
Patten Oswalt stars as a rabid fan of the New York Giants football team, who gets into a violent encounter with his favorite player.

Loved
That it took risks.

Liked
The cast, the interesting take on sports fans.

Disliked
The last act.

Thoughts
I was fairly impressed, even with the hype.

The best part was the acting, especially Marcia Jean Kurtz and Oswalt as mother and son. Oswalt carried the film, with a great portrayal of the type of sports fan that makes you feel sorry for, or fear. I enjoyed the creative twists on the fan/athlete dynamics, and it took me to some interesting, somewhat-dark places into the psyche of an obsessive fan.

Another aspect I never thought about was the self-gratification from sports talk radio. Similar to a blogger, these people create identities, try to stand out in a pack of voices, and puff out their chests when their "clever" rants are "noticed". Guilty as charged.

Despite all these interesting things, I did not get a memorable payoff at the end. Even when I felt sorry for Oswalt's character, I never loved him enough through the story. The third act was far from typical, which I appreciated, but it led to minimal character development.

Bottom line, I recommend this little film for risk-taking in acting, story, and themes, even if it led to an unsatisfactory ending.

What I would change
Got rid of the dream sequences. They brought nothing to the table.

Birth of Big Air

Viewed in
2010

Formats
HD TV

Premise
Part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series, a documentary about extreme sports star Mat Hoffman's Big Air ramp.

Loved
Brutal honesty of the injuries, vintage footage.

Thoughts
As a casual X Games viewer, this film was very engrossing.

First off, this was a great historic piece for me. The information was in depth and well-explained thanks to testimonies from Hoffman, his family and friends and peers. In addition, there was tons of cool video of Hoffman on his bicycle doing tricks and attempting giant ramps. I got to learn about the evolution of this sport.

The other great thing was that this was not a simple puff piece. There were countless shots of Hoffman getting seriously injured. Some were a bit queasy. He, his family, and his doctors pulled no punches on how dangerously close he was to death and the uncertainty of his future health. Things climax as his injuries clash against his desire to conquer the 20 foot ramp.

Thanks to the honesty and wealth of info, this was very educational and entertaining. It made me really appreciate the origins one of my favorite X Games events.

What I would change
Nothing.

Black Magic

Viewed in
2008

Premise
A documentary about the impact of black colleges, their coaches and players on basketball.

Who should watch
Anyone who cares about the history of basketball.

Thoughts
An incredibly in-depth documentary.

The best part of the film was all the amazing, untold stories. I was enlightened by the prolific coaching tree and pioneering influence of the late great John McLendon. Turns out fans of 'Seven Seconds or Less' was derived from his basketball philosophy.

I learned about McLendon (including a weird chapter with George Steinbrenner), Ben Jobe, 'Big House' Gaines, Bob Love and Pee Wee Kirkland. I got to know better Jon Chaney and Earl 'The Pearl' Monroe. Lastly, I was saddened by the lost career of Cleo Hill.

Another great reason to watch this was the vintage footage from the 1940's to present day. My favorite was Monroe being a god among men on the court. Based on I would argue that he is the most underrated great player.

My recommendation is to watch this in two or three sittings. Not only was it nearly four hours long, but the documentary was told in that fashion. So there were some repeating clips and narration.

Anyone who claims to love basketball need to do two things. Read Terry Pluto's 'Loose Balls' and this film.

What I would change
Reduced the time spent on well-known stories, such as the Willis Reed game, since most basketball fans are aware of those. This made the documentary a little meandering.

Blind Side, The

Viewed in
2009, 2010

Premise
Based on the Michael Lewis book, Sandra Bullock plays a rich Tennessee mother who takes in a disadvantaged kid named Michael Oher and help him become a good student and athlete.

Who should watch
Those who want to feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Thoughts
The game plan was above average, but its execution was nearly flawless, making this an easy touchdown. Okay, I'm done with NFL analogies.

The strength of the film was the charming performances by all the actors. Sandra Bullock did a good job in an un-Sandra Bullock-like role, but I would not say it made me say 'wow' (other than realizing she can still look sexy in her mid 40's). Jae Head was an scene-stealer as the adorable little brother. Granted I do not watch CMT, but I did not recognize Tim McGraw as the supportive husband, and I thought he did just fine.

That was pretty cool of reach college coaches to play themselves in the film. Though the unintentional comedy is that the majority of them were no longer with the teams they represented in the film only a few years later.

Not sure how close it was to the book, but the story was genuinely uplifting. I could tell the story cared for these characters, who were flawed, real humans, but pretty much were all good people who wanted to do the right things in life.

I would say the only flaw was that things were a little too nice and tidy. Obviously, this was to keep the main story going, keep the audience entertained, and maintain the overall sappy (in a good way) atmosphere throughout the story. Nevertheless, there were times that it crossed the line of plausibility occasionally, which was not helped by the fact that we know the original source was not fiction.

I highly recommend this film, thanks to the actors and the uplifting story. It might not be Christmas themed, but it sure felt like a nice holiday movie for the family.

What I would change
Nothing... well, I might have toned down Lily Collins' (Bullock's daughter) hotness. I understand that a hot mama would produce a hot daughter, but holy cow, she was distractingly attractive for a minor character.

Personal
For hardcore NFL fans, you know about the infamous Theisman injury footage. They show it in the very first scene. I do not know if they showed the actual, gruesome leg break because I closed my eyes when it was supposed to happen. Considering I did not hear the audience gasp in horror, I assume they did not show the break, or it was not as bad as I imagine.

Blue Chips

Viewed in
2011

Formats
HDTV

Premise
Nick Nolte stars as a college basketball coach tempted by shady recruiting methods to return to hoops glory.

Liked
Extremely recognizable cast.

Disliked
Lack of interesting story.

Thoughts
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.

I was surprised by how many recognizable faces were in this cast, such as Mary McDonnell, Ed O'Neill, Robert Wuhl, and Alfre Woodard.  Nolte carried the movie well as a cross between Bobby Knight and Bill Parcells.  Scene-stealer award went to J.T. Walsh, delicious in all his sleazy goodness.

Basketball fans should recognize a ton of people, not just Shaq and Penny Hardaway.  There were numerous famous coaches, media, and players from Dick Vitale to Bobby Hurley to Calbert Cheaney to immortals Larry Bird and Bob Cousy.  Shaq was actually quite charming here; I could see why he attempted to have an acting career.

Another surprising aspect was that the shady recruiting angle did not feel dated at all.  It's probably not a good sign for college sports' integrity that these rule-breaking's have not changed all these decades.

What made this mediocre was the writing.  It brought nothing new to the table regarding intercollegiate recruiting, and it just ended up being a series of boorish tantrums by Nolte, pontificating about integrity and playing by the rules.  Spliced between these lectures were nonsensical basketball sequences.  For some dumb reason, all these famous ballers played themselves, but on fictional teams.  So Tar Heel George Lynch played for "Texas Western" coached by Rick Pitino, and Blue Devil Hurley was teammates with Cheaney.  Huh?

Even more silly was the cheesy device of epiloguing what happened to everyone in the aftermath "Player X played for Team Y".  These characters were fictional, yet the movie strived for a realistic look into the sport, using real athletes and coaches.  The nonsense was hilariously bad.

Anyway, Blue Chips was mostly entertaining because of the cast.  But logic, creativity and intelligence was much to be desired.

What I would change
No idea.

Brewster's Millions

Viewed in
2010

Formats
HD TV

Premise
Richard Pryor plays a minor league pitcher, who is given the chance to win $300 million dollars, if he can spend $30 million in a month.

Liked
Pryor's performance, interesting premise.

Thoughts
A funny, charming film.

Without the late great Pryor, this film would be preposterous. His naturally lovable presence made it easy to root for as his character jumped through all sorts of hurdles. John Candy also put in some funny work as the wise-cracking sidekick, without being a wise-ass.

As silly as the premise is, it was unique, and definitely sparked a lengthy argument at work about what one would do if put in the same situation. How he accomplished his spending was quite ingenious at times and hilarious. Also, I liked the subplot of him trying to reach the pros.

The weaknesses in the film, aside from the barely plausible premise, were the predictable subplots, and wooden performances by the others. While I sometimes got confused by the rules of the game or simply the numbers, I could still tell basically what was happening.

Thanks to Pryor's performance, I had a fun time with this interesting (though hard to believe) concept of a film. I wonder if this kind of film could be remade, because the economics of such a premise would be very different in today's digital world. Would still need a charismatic lead though.

What I would change
Nothing.

Bring it on

Viewed in
2001

Premise
A cheerleader must redeem her team after discovering their best routine was not theirs.

Who should watch
Kirsten Dunst fans.

Thoughts
An average, forgettable movie. Naturally, the girls looked hot in cheerleader outfits in a PG-13 flick. But after a while, I just got bored.

The best part was when the little brother came out of nowhere and farted in Kirsten Dunst's general direction.

What I would change
Nothing.

Bull Durham

Viewed in
2013

Formats
HDTV

Premise
Susan Sarandon stars as a minor league baseball groupie who has to choose between grumpy veteran (Kevin Costner) or arrogant stud (Tim Robbins).

Liked
Charming cast.

Disliked
Predictable writing, lack of character obstacles.

Thoughts
Bill Simmons often described this movie as a romantic comedy disguised as a baseball movie. For the most part, I have to agree.

Probably the best part was the likable cast and their vibrant chemistry. Sarandon was convincing as a sexy muse with a quirk for poetry, Costner was charming as the sage yet grouchy old man in the club, Robbins was hilarious as the dumb young jock, and Robert Wuhl brought a smile/smirk to my face as the wisecracking assistant coach.

Every interaction between these characters crackled with energy. Even though I knew that Costner's going to school Robbins and I knew who Sarandon would end up with at the end, I wanted to see them happen. The baseball scenes were entertaining, not only was the mentor-pupil dynamic funny, but got some comedic mileage out of clubhouse shenanigans, player rituals, and inner thoughts of athletes at bat. I also liked the bittersweet truths about the precariousness of a minor league career.

Despite some attention to detail, the baseball still felt like sloppy window dressing to the rom-com arc. The movie never explained that Costner was a switch hitter, or was flat out inconsistent. The portrayal of Jose the player was a bit racially insensitive with the voodoo and chicken-sacrificing gags. And Sarandon's monologs about the romance of baseball was broad. But maybe that's just outdated given how cynical pro sports has become sense this film released.

Meanwhile, the love story also suffered from some unevenness. It was implausible that the only females were intelligent about baseball, but at the same time just wanted to bang the players. Despite trying to play up the love triangle, I found minimal resistance for Costner and Sarandon's relationship. This led to a low-energy climax (not an innuendo) and false endings that kept going (ditto).

Bull Durham was entertaining thanks to fun performances and chemistry, but in its attempt to be a romance and baseball movie, it kind of became neither. Lastly, hearing Edith Piaf's "La Vie En Rose" was amusing given its use in Inception.

Catching Hell

Viewed in
2011

Formats
HDTV (w/ commercials)

Premise
A documentary about sports scapegoats, focusing on Steve Bartman and Bill Buckner.

Loved
The attention to detail of the foul ball and the aftermath in those seats.

Liked
Use of Buckner as a contrast.

Thoughts
Quite a riveting doc.

The breakdown of when Bartman touched the ball and the immediate aftermath was exhaustive and compelling.  Director Alex Gibney explored numerous aspects of how such a typical event became a perfect storm of irrational and embarrassing tide of sports fandom.  I really liked all the angles that I never thought about, from the seven-second delay in Bartman's headset, to Moises Alou's immediate reaction, to the really interesting way how animosity originated from the crowd outside of the stadium, then seeped into the stadium.

All of this fascinating phenomenon would not have been captured had it not been for all the interviews with everyone around Bartman, including a pub owner who probably would've been the scapegoat had it not been for the wind.  More importantly was the really good fan footage from people in that section.  It was haunting to see these never-before-seen angles.  Gibney used these to show how different things felt in the bleachers, and how the vitriol actually took time to develop.

Not surprisingly, Bartman refused to interview.  But actually, this seemed to make the film better.  Here was this poor fan caught in the storm, mysterious and aloof.  As the subject of the documentary, his absence was just as mysterious, aloof and compelling.  I loved the testimony of a writer who was assigned to hunt down Bartman for an interview.

Gibney wanted to explore the theme of scapegoats in sports.  While it made sense to use Bartman and Bill Buckner as main subjects, I was disappointed that he did not take a wider look at it, with other incidents or sports.  I don't think he was intentionally exploiting those two, but he could've done a more comprehensive job on that topic.  I learned a lot of details, but I didn't learn anything about sports scapegoats.

Having said that, the Buckner stuff was equally intriguing.  It was a great contrast and comparison to Bartman.  It definitely put things in context with his experience and the Red Sox pre-2004 and post-2007.  I was never a big baseball person, but the footage of his return to Fenway in 2008 was quite emotional and awesome.

I think even casual sports fans will find Catching Hell film enlightening and engaging, thanks to the Zapruder-like analysis of the foul ball and very thorough examinations of what Bartman and Buckner experienced.

What I would change
Nothing.

Chariots of Fire

Viewed in
2011

Formats
HDTV

Premise
A movie about the 1924 Olympic runners for Great Britain.

Liked
Epic slow-motion shots.

Disliked
Music choice, slow pace.

Thoughts
Visually and character-wise, this was very strong.  I really enjoyed the poetic, epic, and glamourous slow-motion shots.  They're really well-done and probably would look gorgeous on the big screen.  I also really liked the two lead characters, and was very much invested into how race and religion really drove these people.

The cast overall was very strong and all put in good performances.  It included a young Ian Holm, Richard Griffiths, the late, great John Gielgud, along with Star Trek films alums Alice Krige and Ben Cross.

Meanwhile, I'm torn about Vangelis' famed score.  It was well-done and remarkably memorable, but was it truly appropriate to have 1980's synthesizer music to help tell a story that takes place in 1920's posh Europe.

Not surprisingly, the pace was rather slow at times.  While I liked the main characters, I had trouble telling the rest of their friends apart, and the self-important, grandiose dialog made it hard for me to really pull for these privileged characters during their triumphs and falls.

Chariots of Fire held up pretty well after three decades thanks to elegant visuals, strong characters, and a wonderful (though arguably inappropriate) score.

Charismatic

Viewed in
2011

Formats
HDTV w/ commercials

Premise
A documentary about the race horse Charismatic and his troubled jockey, Chris Antley.

Thoughts
Meh.  I thought it was a pretty standard sports doc.

The movie did its homework on the Charismatic and Chris Antley's background, as well as play-by-play of their bid for the Triple Crown.  My favorite part was the nerve-wracking twist at the end.

Having said that, I didn't find it all that interesting or significant.  Granted I'm not a horse-racing fan.  However, neither the characters nor the subject was compelling enough to seem to justify a documentary.

What I would change
No idea.

A Day at the Races

Viewed in
1995

Formats
VHS

Premise
The Marx Brothers and horse racing.

Thoughts
It's been a while, but most of these Marx brothers movies are more of the same. Having said that, they were consistently funny.

What I would change
Nothing.