Wildcats (1986)

After the soul-crush that was "Vision Quest," I needed to find a film that could restore my faith in this genre that I love.

That film was Wildcats.

Damn, this movie is good.

Also, it gave us Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes in their film debuts. They later reunited for "White Men Can't Jump" which you KNOW I love.

All I have to say, is when Wesley gets done with jail or probation or whatever, he needs to give Woody a call because these two together are TOTALLY Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks circa "Sleepless in Seattle."

Coming Soon....Instead

Due to technical difficulties/laziness instead of Remember the Titans, the next movie will be....WILDCATS!

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I have not forgotten you/Coming Soon

So long, I've been gone, and I'm sorry for that.

It's just that the experience of watching "Vision Quest" was quite traumatic and I needed a break.

But have no fear, the Netflix has arrived!

Coming Soon:

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Vision Quest (1985)

You may be wondering what took me so long. I mean, I said this moving was coming soon and then hours, days, weeks later...nothing. And you may be thinking, "Wow, m.lady really dropped the ball," but I assure you, that's not what happened. What happened was Vision Quest, the most awful crap cinema experience of my life ever. Maybe even worse than Coach Carter. But not quite because Coach Carter is really the worst, but, wow, Vision Quest. It's like having an ear infection, diarrhea, stomach flu, and your period on the same day. Oh, and zombies are knocking down your door and your mom just told you that your dog died. 

Daphne Zuniga apologizes for being part of this and also for the overalls.

So, Vision Quest, what's up? What's your deal?

Other than being THE WORST EVER

Coming Soon

Thrashin' (1986)

In this totally tubular flick, Corey, a wicked skater, goes from having really porny conversations with this bird, Chrissy (who is a total Betty), to throwin' some truly sick moves on his board. Oh, and Chrissy's brother, Hook, is a major narbo with a rat tail. 

Suffice it to say (Suffice to say?), this movie is flash primo to the max.

Coming Soon

Chariots of Fire (1981)

Chariots of Fire is the story of two runners. One a devout Christian and the other a determined Jewish man. That's pretty much what the IMDB description is anyway.

Really, watching the movie is more like being really excited to open your birthday presents because one of the presents is HUGE and then opening the wrapping and no, it's not the American Girls Samantha doll. It is a sleeping bag.

Let's go camping!

Coming Soon

Radio (2003)

I cried twice while watching this movie. Once out of sentimentality and once because I was really questioning my life choices and how they led to the moment when I found myself voluntarily watching this movie rather than, you know, drinking champagne on a yacht in the south of France.

It's like the people who made this movie read this blog post and then built a time machine and zapped back to 2003 to make the movie longer and more awful just so I would experience the soul crushing time suck that is Radio.

Coming Soon

Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken (1991)

Things that can be broken: promises, wine glasses, bones, chairs, traffic laws.

Things that can't be broken: WILD HEARTS

SEE?!

Coming Soon

Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken

The Express: The Ernie Davis Story

If I was a football player, my nickname would probably be "floor mat" or "potato sack" or "pancake." But Ernie Davis was a naturally talented, insanely fast, quick-thinking, football superstar who inspired a whole lotta people, so he got the nickname:

Which is sooooo much better than "Tomato Face"

Sorry for the delay

I know.

It's been something like a year and three months since my last post promising a summary of "The Express: The Ernie Davis Story." I do apologize.

It's tough, you know, watching such an inspiring and heartbreaking movie. Saving the screen captures and then uploading them to a blogger page only to log back in to that blogger page the next day to see that the 34 images are gone and so, the uploading needs to start all over again.

That's my excuse.

That and I got into a elbows and fists fight in a fancy dress in Iowa City last weekend and I'm still recovering.

I will have an "Express" recap so, so help me G-O-D and also, a couple more movies to quickly follow so we can all catch this wonderful bus we call Inspiration before it drives away and leaves us confused and sweaty at the side of the road, choosing between a walk through construction or a walk under a busy highway where sometimes mysterious slimy stuff drips on pedestrians. PREACH.



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Coming Soon

White Men Can't Jump (1992)

Ah, but, you see, they can. They can jump.

This movie has a lot of Spandex in it.

Coming Soon

Running Brave (1983)

You know that scene in the Shawshank Redemption where Andy has to crawl through a 500 yards of shit to get to freedom?

This movie isn't quite that bad, but there is a lot of crap to deal with before arriving at one of the best (EVER) final races in any inspirational sports movie. Trust.

Coming Soon

Lucas (1986)

Lucas is a movie about an insect-obsessed kid who decides to go out for the football team. He gets to play, not because of his spirit or his talent, but because he is annoying and when he does get on that field, he totally fucks it up. So how in the world is this an Inspirational Sports Movie?

Because it has one of the greatest slow clap scenes..... ever.

Coming Soon

Bend it Like Beckham (2002)

This week it's all about crossing the pond and journeying into the strange strange world of futbol (soccer).

Bend it Like Beckham is about a girl who doesn't fit in:

 

And her friend who hasn't managed to control her face muscles just yet:

Coming Soon

Training Montage!

Whip It (2009)

You know what would be awesome? To be all, "I think I'll make a movie. For fun." And then do that. Like how I drink Sangria on my porch and do the crossword puzzle at 10am. For fun. Yes I said Sangria.

"Whip It" is Drew Barrymore's directorial debut. And you know what? It doesn't suck.

Coming Soon...

Ladybugs (1992)

To everyone who asked me to review Ladybugs for this blog: 

You stink.

Gracie (2007)

I chose this movie for three reasons: 1) It's the World Cup time of the decade and I'm feeling the soccer vibe. 2) I've already seen it and remembered being disappointed/hating it. 3) I'm sick and my brain could barely pay attention, hence choosing a movie I've seen before and didn't really like.

Ya ready?

Heeeeeeeeeere's Gracie!

Victory aka Escape to Victory (1981)

You know a movie ain't playing when the opening scene is a guy getting tangled in barbed wire and shot by Nazis as he attempts to escape from a prison camp.

  

Put on your big boy pants, it's time for....

Coming Soon....

The Mighty Ducks (1992)

I hate this movie.

This movie is like finding out that Pee-Wee's Playhouse was canceled because Pee-Wee was caught masturbating in a Porn theater and being young enough to be really bummed about it and old enough to understand what "masturbating" and "porn" mean.

Coming Soon

The Mighty Ducks!

I couldn't find the preview online (I know, what?!)

So you'll just have to settle for this picture of me (maybe) in the background of D2: The Mighty Ducks

Yup.


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Akeelah and the Bee (2006)

In honor of last Friday's Scripps Spelling Bee finals, I bring you:

This movie is so good.

Coming Soon

Oh Geez, I already started crying during this preview, we're in trouble:

Karate Kid (1984)

Oh my God, I am so excited, are you excited?

It's KARATE KID time!!!!!

Stick It (2006)

Part two of the weekend double header brings us another classic from 2006:

From the writers of Bring it On, Stick It tells the story of an elite gymnast who becomes a rebel and turns the world of competitive gymnastics on its head!

We Are Marshall (2006)

Apologies for taking so long to post this. I was out of town. My parents were in town. And then, every time I sat down to write this post, I started to cry because this week's movie is We Are Marshall and dammit if you don't cry in the first 20 minutes.

Coming Soon...

We are...Marshall!

Ice Castles (1978)

Ice Castles, the story of Lexi Winston: "a girl who refused forget she was once a champion."

Except that for a painful 30 minutes in the middle of the movie, she did forget that she was a champion. Once. She literally won once.

Coming Soon....

Ice Castles!




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Rudy (1993)

The first movie on the list. So chosen because it encapsulates several of the core values of Inspirational Sports Movies: based on a true story, underdog makes good, slow clap, death, montages.

Ladies and Gents, I present to you....RUDY