Sports movies are some of the most inspiring films around and to me, many of said films are about football. And while there have been some very uplifting football movies over the years – including such classics as Brian's Song and Rudy), some of the best ones were released during the 2000′s. Even though I know that some of my choices will cause much debate, I have compiled my list of the five greatest football movies of the 2000′s.
Greatest Football Movies of the 2000′s #5: The Longest Yard (2005)
Following the success of the original version starring Burt Reynolds, which was released in 1974, director Peter Segal tries his hand at recreating the magic, something that most people who have seen the first one would say he fails to do. Although it has some major names (Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, and even Burt Reynolds) to go along with a number of famous professional wrestlers (Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bill Goldberg, Kevin Nash, etc.) and other mainstream names (Nelly is the main one that comes to mind) and is probably one of Adam Sandler's best movies in the past decade or so, many feel that it is still missing something. Even still, I enjoy it and I know plenty of people who agree with me.
Greatest Football Movies of the 2000′s #4: The Replacements (2000)
I'm just going to go ahead and say it now: this is the first of the final four movies on this list that is based on real-life events. While this one is more loosely based on the truth than the rest, it was obviously inspired by the pro football strike of 1987. In my opinion, this is one of the funniest sports films ever made and even though it is headlined by the often-flat Keanu Reeves, he does well in his role as the team's starting quarterback. Gene Hackman, who is obviously known for playing some great roles, specifically in sports
movies, plays the head coach.
Greatest Football Movies of the 2000′s #3: We Are Marshall (2006)
The two leading Matthews (Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox) do an incredible job of playing the head coach and the assistant coach, respectively, as the November 1970 plane crash that took the lives of almost the entire Marshall University football team and its coaches, forcing them to rebuild the team from the ground up, is relived. What results is a heart-warming story that sees an underdog team overcome the odds to do what many never expected them to do: win a game.
Greatest Football Movies of the 2000′s #2: The Blind Side (2009)
The most recent movie on this list, John Lee Hancock's film adaptation of Michael Lewis's incredible book retells Michael Oher's phenomenal journey from homelessness to college to the NFL, all because of the Tuohy family, who took him in, provided him with a home, and taught him all about life. Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw play Leigh Ann Tuohy and Sean Tuohy and Quinton Aaron makes his debut in a lead role as Michael. Kathy Bates is also noteworthy, as she plays the lovable and charming Miss Sue, Michael's tutor.
Greatest Football Movies of the 2000′s #1: Remember the Titans (2000)
As head coach Herman Boone, played by Denzel Washington, would say, if you don't like this choice, "I'll break my foot off in your John Brown hind parts." Based on actual events from 1971 in racially-charged Virginia, Boone takes over as T.C. Williams High School's first African-American coach. Along the way, he encounters constant racism and other related difficulties, but he continues to lead the team and ultimately brings it together while at the same time creating unity among the entire community.
Source: IMDB.com
Other articles by Josh McKinney:
Word Association Chain: From the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees Fact or Fiction: MLB May 15, 2012
Five Greatest ESPN Shows Article source: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/five-greatest-football-movies-2000-204500946--spt.html
