Icarus (2017)

Though I don't have any interest whatsoever in Olympic sports (I'm happy if the country I "root" for wins gold medals but it's not like I'm watching or anything. I'm a football/soccer kind of person), I checked out Netflix's Icarus anyway because of the Oscar nomination (I watched this a few days before the Oscars. This one's the winner). 

In a few words, this documentary, co-written and directed by Bryan Fogel, follows Fogel himself as he tries to discover the truth about doping in sports. Fogel's first intention is to explore the option of doping to win an amateur cycling race and see how these drugs affect his performance, but eventually, he finds himself caught up in something much bigger than he had anticipated, the scandal that uncovered Russia's state-sponsored Olympic doping program.

Rudy (1993)

Genre

Biography | Drama | Sport

Director

David Anspaugh

Country

USA

Cast

Sean Astin, Jon Favreau, Ned Beatty, Charles S. Dutton, Robert Prosky, Jason Miller, Lili Taylor, Mitch Rouse, Chelcie Ross, Ron Dean, John Beasley, Vince Vaughn, Rudy Ruettiger

Storyline

Rudy (Sean Astin) has always been told that he was too small to play college football. But he is determined to overcome the odds and fulfill his dream of playing for Notre Dame.

Opinion

Here I am reviewing another inspirational, motivational, feel-good sport film. And here I am saying basically the same things over and over again. Like that "Rudy" is a highly clichéd and predictable underdog tale that is slightly uplifting. But it's also boring. 

This is your typical underdog defeating the world kind of story but there really isn't anything else going on other than that. It's all about Rudy, a guy who just wants to play college football, and it's another true story. And like I said before is tremendously predictable. But that's the same with most of the films of this genre.

Something unusual this film does is putting the sport aside. The film indeed focuses on all the things the title character has to do to fulfill his dream and the actual football and playing football takes a back seat. This is a good thing because sport scenes always look fake in movies, but if you want to see a film about football you may want to avoid it.

The film's biggest flaw is the character. While Rudy is a guy one is supposed to like and relate to - which is basically what always happens in these films -, to my surprise the film didn't give me enough to care about the character. And eventually the film didn't really have an emotional impact on me.

The acting isn't very inspired either. While Sean Astin does a fairly good job as the leading character, the supporting cast delivers shallow, flat performances. 

Pelé: Birth of a Legend (2016)

Genre

Biography | Drama | Sport

Directors

Jeff Zimbalist | Michael Zimbalist

Country

USA

Cast

Kevin de Paula, Leonardo Lima Carvalho, Vincent D'Onofrio, Rodrigo Santoro, Diego Boneta, Colm Meaney, Vivi Devereaux

Storyline

The chronicle of Pele's (Kevin de Paula, Leonardo Lima Carvalho) meteoric rise from the slums of Sao Paulo to leading Brazil to its first World Cup victory at the age of 17.

Opinion

Pelé is a football legend, I am a huge football fan so I could not miss this film. For sure reason I wasn't sure what to expect from it, yet it managed to leave me feeling tremendously disappointed by it.

Even though Pelé is the executive producer of it, "Pelé: Birth of a Legend" isn't the tribute such a legend deserves.

Sure the intentions of the Zimbalist brothers are quite noble, I mean, bringing to the big screen a coming-of-age story about Pelé. But the task was quite hard because of the subject and they didn't handled it properly.

The story is what it is, but the film brings it to the screen with no personality whatsoever, and completely forgets that it isn't just a victory for a man, but for all the Brazilian people as well. The film drowns in bland and predictable dialogue - and it did really bother me the fact that the film was in English. I would have prefered it to be in Portuguese with subtitles.

The cinematography is quite beautiful, but there are some scenes - like the young Pelé using fruits to play football because he couldn't afford a ball - looks more like an advertising campaign than sequences from a movie.

Noteworthy is the insistence of the filmmakers on some values such as tenacity in pursuing goals and never giving up, and staying true of oneself and to one's traditions.

In spite of all of its flaws, "Pelé: Birth of a Legend" still manages to be watchable. 

Eddie the Eagle (2016)

Genre

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Sport

Director

Dexter Fletcher

Country

UK | USA | Germany

Cast

Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Christopher Walken, Iris Berben, Mark Benton, Keith Allen, Jo Hartley, Tim McInnerny, Edvin Endre, Marc Benjamin, Jim Broadbent, Daniel Ings, Rune Temte, Tom Costello, Jack Costello

Storyline

The story of Eddie Edwards (Taron Egerton), the notoriously tenacious British underdog ski jumper who charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Opinion

Underdog stories are definitely a must in feel-good and motivational sport films, and their execution can either make a film good or bad. If the film is a biopic people are also expecting it to be as close to the source material as possible. Other than that, what I expect is an experience. Whether it's laughing or crying, I want to bond with the character, and that's exactly what I got with "Eddie the Eagle".

While the plot basically drowns in the coach/protégé clichée and the film's structure isn't any different from that of any other film of its genre, and despite the fact that the film emphasizes a lot on the struggles of the protagonist, the film still manages to be very enjoyable, and funny.

Like every single sport film I've seen, "Eddie the Eagle" also has an inspirational message. Unlike most of the time though, it takes a step further, and instead of just stating that no matter the odds, if you really want something, you can achieve it with some hard working - and sometimes luck -, it shows that winning isn't everything. Just like another ski jumper tells Eddie later in the film, it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, what's important is that you give your best, and that you're proud of what you have done despite the competitive outcome.

The key to this film is the main character, Eddie Edwards, also known as Eddie the Eagle. Maybe it's because he is just a normal guy with a dream, but he is incredibly likable, and to see him working up to the challenge, and overcoming this almost impossible challenge with such strength of will and the help of his coach is uplifting.

Then there is Taron Egerton. He doesn't just portray a sympathetic character, he transforms into Eddie the Eagle. That's what an actor is supposed to do. Hugh Jackman also gives a good performance as the coach and manages not to overshadow Egerton's performance - probably because the latter's is a very good one.

Concussion (2015)

Genre

Biography | Drama

Director

Peter Landesman

Country

USA

Cast

Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Morse, Arliss Howard, Mike O'Malley, Eddie Marsan, Hill Harper, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Stephen Moyer, Richard T. Jones, Paul Reiser, Luke Wilson, Sara Lindsay, Matthew Willig, Bitsie Tulloch, Eme Ikwuakor

Storyline

In Pittsburgh, accomplished pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) uncovers the truth about brain damage in football players who suffer repeated concussions in the course of normal play.

Opinion

Last night I finally watched the film with a lot of interest because of its sensitive subject and because of Will Smith's performance that according to everybody was Oscar worthy. I was disappointed.

"Concussion" would have been a compelling drama, and an excellent biopic if it wasn't so long and so unfocused.

So the film tells the story of Nigerian pathologist Bennet Omalu who discovered that football players, just like boxers, can suffer from CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), and the NFL knowing it and did not say anything about it, more or less accurately. The problem is the way it tells it, so awful it made the film barely watchable.

It is a sport related story, but the film doesn't really establish a relation between the doctor and the sport. American football gets mentioned only to attract fans of the sport, it doesn't really have another purpose. 

Then the filmmakers thrown in a romantic sub-plot in order to give Smith something to do other than cut brains of dead footballers. A romance that is pointless, flat and whose only purpose is to lengthen the film. 

It also seems like the filmmakers tried very hard to make a mess out of the film. In addition to a non-linear narration that doesn't make any sense, and an awful editing, the focus shifts from the legal battle to the inner struggle of Bennet Omalu to be considered a doctor in America.

At least Will Smith's performances is excellent. I actually was afraid that his attempt on Nigerian accent would have made him into a caricature, but thank god that didn't happen. Instead, he brings a lot of intensity in each line spoken, and his portrayal of the character is amazing. The supporting cast is average, nobody really stands out. 

What can I say? Maybe it just needed to be a documentary.

Mention-Worthy Quotes

Bennet Omalu: Need is not weak. Need is need... You have to be the best version of yourself. If you don't know what that is you pick something and fake it

We Are Marshall (2006)

Genre

Drama | Sport

Director

McG

Country

USA

Cast

Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, Anthony Mackie, Arlen Escarpeta, David Strathairn, Ian McShane, Kate Mara, January Jones, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Brian Geraghty, Tommy Cresswell, Christian Kanupke, Nina Jones, Mike Pniewski, Robert Patrick

Storyline

When the most of the football team and coaches of Marshall University die in a plane crash, the team's new coach (Matthew McConaughey) and his surviving players try to keep the football program alive.

Opinion

I'm back with another McConaughey movie, that also features Matthew Fox, the other Matthew I can't stand. Luckily, the sacrifice was quite worthy.

Run to the end zone by McConaughey, We Are Marshall is tedious, but rises from the ashes thank to the message it delivers.

My expectations for this film were kind of low. Even though I knew it is based on a true story, I was expecting the typical stereotyped feel good sport film. I was wrong. 

The plot isn't much different from any other sport films out there, and so would seem to be the outcome. The football does play an important role in the story, but, as I mentioned before, there's a message delivered, and it redeems the film from the sport genre. The whole point of the film is dealing with loss, and getting back to the daily business of life, and it uses football to deliver a message of hope, showing how winning just one game provided enough hope to set an entire town on the path of recovery. 

Some people have been complaining about the ending, saying that it killed the climax. So, should have the film ended after winning the game against Xavier? No way, unless you don't want just another sport film.

Having said that, the big fail is McG's direction. He doesn't manage to fully capture the emotions in Huntington at that time, and the result is a sad film with no real feeling. 

Matthew McConaughey really did a wonderful job portraying coach Jack Lengyel, and basically carried the whole film. Looking lost and in pain, Matthew Fox also did a good job as the assistant coach. Anthony Mackie wonderfully portrayed Nate and caught his spirit of leadership.

McFarland, USA (2015)

Genre

Drama | Sport

Director

Niki Caro

Country

USA

Cast

Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Morgan Saylor, Carlos Pratts, Elsie Fisher, Johnny Ortiz, Hector Duran, Sergio Avelar, Michael Aguero, Rafael Martinez, Diana-Maria Riva, Vanessa Martínez, Martha Higareda, Valente Rodriguez, Chris Ellis, Eloy Casados

Storyline

Struggling coach and teacher Jim White (Kevin Costner) who has been had to move around for different incidents in his career finally comes to one of the poorest cities in America: McFarland, California. There he discovers buried potential among several high school boys and slowly turns them into championship runners and brings them closer than even he could ever imagine.

Opinion

When it comes to Disney and sport films, you already know it's going to be the traditional underdog movie - just think about Remember the Titans. Somehow, this film goes a bit deeper than usual.

Still clichéd, McFarland, USA is a truly good, inspirational and sometimes moving sport drama, whose supporting cast outshines a great Kevin Costner.

As usually happens in these Disney films, there is the underdog team/athlete that has to overcome in a sport and in their lives. And of course, the underdogs always win. As you can tell, it's the same story over and over again. However, the great script and director Niki Caro have executed the story so well that everything seems fresh, and it's involving from start to finish. You won't even be bothered by the clichés because they are well done.

The characters are all quite deep and I liked seeing them - mostly the Mexicans - dealing with different aspects in their lives, like working in a field to support their family, still pushing as hard as they can on track, and the heart they put in what they do, because they know what it means to be considered lesser just because of where you come from.

What I liked about this film is the similarity with Gran Torino. Both movies, even if completely different, are about a pretty much racist white man who explores a different culture and learns to appreciate it.

The acting is great. Kevin Costner gives a strong performance as Jim White, and nails another starring role as the same character he has been playing recently. Maria Bello gives a nice performance as White's wife. However, as I mentioned before, the supporting cast, in particular the seven guys in the cross country team, are the standouts. They all give great performance and they are a solid group.

Quotes

Jose Cardenas: We fly like blackbirds through the orange groves, floating on a warm wind. When we run, we own the earth. The land is ours. We speak the birds' language. Not immigrant no more. No stupid Mexicans. When we run, our spirits fly. We speak to the gods. When we run, we are the gods.

Jim White: I've seen you out in the fields. You're an ox. So when you're in pain out there on this mountain, I want you to remember, so is the guy next to you, and the guy in front of you. This is gonna come down to which runners can handle the pain. So I want you to look at them, and I want you to look at each other and ask yourself, "Who's tougher?" 

Lords of Dogtown (2005)

Genre

Biography | Drama | Sport

Director

Catherine Hardwicke

Country

USA

Cast

Heath Ledger, Emile Hirsch, John Robinson, Victor Rasuk, Michael Angarano, Nikki Reed, Rebecca De Mornay, William Mapother, Vincent Laresca, Elden Henson, Mitch Hedberg, Stephanie Limb, Mike Ogas, Don Nguyen, Melonie Diaz, Eddie Cahill, Laura Ramsey, Steve Badillo, Pablo Schreiber, America Ferrera, Sofia Vergara, Johnny Knoxville, Jay Adams, Ned Bellamy, Tony Alva, Charles Napier, Skip Engblom, Stacy Peralta, Tony Hawk, Joel McHale, Bai Ling, Shea Whigham, Alexis Arquette, Jeremy Renner, Lance Mountain

Storyline

The Z-Boys, as they come to be known, perfect their craft in the empty swimming pools of unsuspecting suburban homeowners, pioneering a thrilling new sport and eventually moving into legend.

Opinion

I had good expectation about this film, but as soon as I saw Catherine Hardwicke's name appear in the opening credits, my expectations dropped down like a bomb, because it's common knowledge Hardwicke is the female Michael Bay, aka she can't do her job.

I am not really into skateboarding, but I was interested in seeing how it developed, and I really wanted to like it. Unfortunately, Lords of Dogtown tries to be deep, sad and entertaining, but at the end it's just boring.

The story was a great idea for a film, but the storytelling is not compelling, the events happen without much of an explanation or background, and there is lack of dialogue.

The "documentary-style" is really annoying. First, Stacey Peralta, one of the skaters, has already made a documentary about his/the story named "Dogtown and Z-Boys", so there was no point in making a film about the same story, and giving it the documentary look. Second, documentary filmmakers don't go around shaking the camera at things like they have Parkinson's disease. And Catherine Hardwicke should stop calling it a style, because it's not.

However, the great soundtrack really adds a lot to the film. And I must compliment Hardwicke for choosing Heath Ledger as Skip. He did a wonderful job, but unfortunately he didn't have a lot of screen time.

Quotes

Skip: You gotta approach every day as if it's your last!

Green Street (2005)

Genre

Crime | Drama | Sport

Director

Lexi Alexander

Country

USA| UK

Cast

Elijah Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Leo Gregory, Claire Forlani, Marc Warren, Ross McCall, Rafe Spall, Kieran Bew, Geoff Bell, James Allison, Terence Jay, Joel Beckett, Francis Pope, Christopher Hehir, David Alexander

Plot

Unjustly expelled from Harvard, Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood) moves to London to live with his sister (Claire Forlani) and her husband Steve (Marc Warren). As he meet Pete (Charlie Hunnam), Steve's cocky brother, he is introduced to the violent underworld of football hooliganism.

Opinion

Critics have said everything bad they could possibly say about this film, from Elijah Wood being not credible as the tough guy to Charlie Hunnam's awful cockney accent. Good thing is I'm not a critic.

Green Street is a very emotional drama that deals with many themes: loyalty, honor, revenge, importance of family - The Major's decision to leave the GSE for the sake of his family -, and power economically strong people have - Matt being kicked out of Harvard.

The film does not glorify hooligans, it portrays them honestly. The violence is believable, realistic, and frightening. The direction and cinematography are flawless. The story manages to engage the audience immediately. The sad and mesmerizing final fight perfectly goes along with Terence Jay's song "One Blood".

The acting is spot-on. Elijah Wood is amazing, and maybe he wasn't the best choice to play a tough guy, but who cares? After all, his character wasn't that tough at the beginning. Charlie Hunnam gives a great performance.

Now, the film is violent, but there is much more than that, so if you didn't get it, I really suggest you to watch it again.

Quotes

Matt Buckner: You know the best part? It isn't knowing that your friends have your back. It's knowing that you have your friends' back.

Pete Dunham: You don't run, not when you're with us... You stand your ground and fight!

Matt Buckner: I've never lived closer to danger, but I've never felt safer. I've never felt more confident, and people could spot it from a mile away. And as for this, the violence? I gotta be honest - it grew on me. Once you've taken a few punches and realize you're not made of glass, you don't feel alive unless you're pushing yourself as far as you can go.

Foxcatcher (2014)

Genre

Biography | Drama | Sport

Director

Bennett Miller

Country

United States

Cast

Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller, Anthony Michael Hall, Guy Boyd, Brett Rice, Samara Lee, Jackson Frazer, Jane Mowder, Daniel Hilt, Lee Perkins, David Bennett

Plot

The film tells the dark and fascinating story of the unlikely and ultimately tragic relationship between an eccentric multi-millionaire and two champion wrestlers.

Opinion

Finally released in Italy last Thursday, I went to see it last night. I don't like wrestling and I wasn't expecting much from this film, but it disappointed me in a good way. Foxcatcher is a story about defeat, that goes beyond the sport, and delves into the complexities of the protagonists' psychologies.

The acting is excellent. Channing Tatum proves that he is not just a pretty face, but he act and he is quite good. The way his character punished himself reminded me of "Of Mice and Men"'s Lennie. Forget about the sex comedies guy, because this Steve Carell is different and unrecognizable - great job on the make up - and he delivers an excellent performance, definitely his best so far. Mark Ruffalo gives a superb performance.

Quotes

John du Pont: You're going to do great things, Mark.

Mark Schultz: I'm gonna give you everything I have.

Rating

8.5/10