Little Big Men

Little Big Men is part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. This documentary focuses on the 1982 Little League baseball champions out of Kirkland, Washington, their amazing run to the championship, and the aftermath of their fame.

Release Year: 2010
Rating: NR (no bad language)
Length: 55m

For more information, view its page on ESPN Films: 30 for 30.

• Youth Sports: The focus of the movie is on the experience of the children who were a part of this team. Several youth sport issues come up throughout the movie, including practicing because they wanted to (not because they were forced to), developmental differences (Cody Webster could throw a 75mph fastball at age 12), burnout (baseball wasn't fun after the Little League World Series), and the amount of pressure placed on youth athletes following success (just because a kid is good at 12 does not mean that kid will be good at 18).
• Parents/Family: Parents played a small role throughout the movie. The kids' parents were supportive and encouraged their kids to play, but they never forced them to play against their will. Following their success, however, parents (of opposing teams) turned nasty, directing insults and slurs towards Cody Webster, which ultimately caused him to stop enjoying the game.
• Media: Because of the time period, this became a major news story across the country. Twelve-year-old kids were thrust into the national spotlight, and an inordinate amount of pressure and focus was placed on Cody Webster (he was dubbed "America's Youngest Folk Hero"). The now-adult players commented that the innocence of youth was stripped away by the superstar attention they received.
• Underdogs: Taiwan was a heavy favorite. They had won 9 of the previous 11 LLWS titles (and one of those years all foreign teams were banned). They were on a 31 game winning streak at the LLWS, while Kirkland was this small unknown town that came out of nowhere. Despite this, the players on Kirkland always believed they could win.

Miracle

Miracle is about a coach, Herb Brooks, who embarks on a mission to assemble the perfect hockey team to beat the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympic Winter Games.  The team goes through some initial growing pains, but soon comes together to attempt the seemingly impossible task of beating the best hockey team in the world.  Based on a true story.

Release Year: 2004
Rating: PG
Length: 135m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Commitment: Herb Brooks addresses the team right after the team has been chosen and says, “take a good look gentleman, because they [the ones who did not make the team] are the ones getting off easy.  The final roster will have 20 names on it so more of you are going home."  (15m)

Leadership: Mike Eruzione shows his leadership when he tells Herb Brooks that he plays for the USA after they had been made to skate after an exhibition game in Europe.  Herb Brooks had been asking this question throughout the movie and the players kept giving their college names instead of saying they played for the USA.  (45m)  

Motivation: Herb Brooks uses a variety of motivational tactics throughout the movie.  He tells goaltender Jim Craig that he is thinking of benching him after the exhibition loss to the Soviet Union. (1h 16m)  During an intermission, Herb uses a player's bruised leg  as a way to fire the team up when they are losing by calling him a quitter and to be a hockey player.  Herb knows this will fire the rest of the team up because of how close they are to one another. (1h, 24m)  And finally, he gives his famous speech, starting with, "Great moments...are born from great opportunity." (1h 37m)

Politics:  Opening scenes show the Cold War problems, inflation, and around the Christmas party scene Jimmy Carter gives his famous speech discussing how there was a “question of confidence in America.” (65m)  It shows where the country was at this time and how the hockey game versus the Soviet Union meant everything.

Teamwork: Mike Eruzione and a few other players talk to Herb about bringing in an all-star college player three months before the Olympic Games and tell him that they are a “family” so Herb should send the all-star home even though he is an incredible talent. (61m)

Underdogs: Team USA are the underdogs in the Olympics, but primarily when they face the Soviet Union in the semi-final game, where they beat them.

Wildcats

Wildcats is about a white middle-class woman who becomes the head coach of a black inner-city football team.

Release Year: 1986
Rating: R
Length: 106m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Vision Quest

Vision Quest is about a high school wrestler (Louden) who attempts to drop two weight classes to beat the state's number one wrestler (Shute).

Release Year: 1985
Rating: R
Length: 105m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

• Confidence: Louden's confidence grows throughout his quest to face Shute.
• Eating Disorders: Louden must cut weight to face Shute, so he eats sparingly and overtrains, causing nosebleeds.
• Focus: Louden focuses on Shute every day, even when Shute shows up at a match to get in his head.
• Imagery: He imagines the six minutes on the mat with Shute, but his friend tell him, "It's not the six minutes, its what happens in those six minutes that counts!"
• Underdogs: Louden is the underdog because no one has beaten Shute and he is a monster.

Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope

Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope follows the story of the last Jedi knight as he teams up with rebels to take down the evil galactic empire.

Release Year: 1977
Rating: PG
Length: 121m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Space Jam

Space Jam is about Michael Jordan and a team of Looney Tunes who must defeat aliens in a game of basketball.

Release Year: 1996
Rating: PG
Length: 88m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Rookie of the Year

Rookie of the Year is about a 12 year old boy who suffers an accident that leaves him able to pitch amazingly well.

Release Year: 1993
Rating: PG
Length: 103m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Rocky II

Rocky II continues the story of Rocky, where he receives another chance at the title.

Release Year: 1979
Rating: PG
Length: 119m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Rocky

Rocky is about an underdog boxer who receives a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champion.

Release Year: 1976
Rating: PG
Length: 119m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Mystery, Alaska

Mystery, Alaska is about a small town hockey team that is chosen to play an NHL team.

Release Year: 1999
Rating: R
Length: 119m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

The Mighty Ducks

The Mighty Ducks is about a lawyer who unwillingly coaches an inner city hockey team.

Release Year: 1992
Rating: PG
Length: 100m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

You may view the trailer here.

Major League

Major League is a goofy comedy about a team of misfits who turn around their fortunes.

Release Year: 1989
Rating: R
Length: 107m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

The Longest Yard

The Longest Yard is about former popular professional quarterback Paul Crewe who is sent to prison.  He decides to create a makeshift team of inmates to face off against a team of prison guards in a game of football.

Release Years: 1974, 2005

Rating: R (1974), PG-13 (2005)

Length: 121m (1974), 113m (2005)

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database (1974 and 2005) and Rotten Tomatoes (1974 and 2005) or purchase it from Amazon.

• Aggression: Both the inmate and guard teams are extremely aggressive towards each other when playing.
• Coaching: Paul (played by Adam Sandler) coaches the inmates despite many of them not knowing much about football.
• Motivation: Paul uses a variety of tactics to motivate his team, but none is more motivating then the mean prison warden.
• Substance Abuse: A major alcohol problem at the beginning of the movie was the reason the quarterback was imprisoned.
• Teamwork: The inmates helped each other in many ways to pull off the win against the prison guards.
• Underdogs: The inmates' football team is clearly the underdog in the movie; at first they don't even believe they have a chance at winning.

Little Giants

Little Giants is about a nerdy coach who assembles a football team to play the city champions.

Release Year: 1994
Rating: PG
Length: 107m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

A League of Their Own

A League of Their Own is the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from the 1940s.

Release Year: 1992
Rating: PG
Length: 128m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Hoosiers

Hoosiers is about a basketball coach in a small town in Indiana where basketball is top priority and where the community feels they are part of the coaching staff.

Release Year: 1986
Rating: PG
Length: 114m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

• Coaching: His style of coaching was evident in the first practice when he did not use a ball. And when the players kept bothering him about using a ball he did not give in and let them know that this is his team and how he coaches. Later in the movie he played a game with only four players to make his point.
• Fans: They tried to play a part in how he coached, what he should do, who he should play and even if he should be fired. They held a town meeting to try to fire him.
• Underdogs: They were always outnumbered, too short, not quick enough, and did not seem to have some of the facilities other teams they played had. But they did have heart and dedication.
• Teamwork: The coach frequently talked about what they could accomplish if they played together and believed in each other. This was evident in the last game in the movie where he measured the court and showed that it was the same size as their home court; the size of a court never changes and if they played together as a team, anything is possible.

Gladiator

Gladiator is about two teenagers who become friends in the world of underground boxing.

Release Year: 1992
Rating: R
Length: 101m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Braveheart

Braveheart is the story of William Wallace and Scotland's fight for freedom in the 13^th century.

Release Year: 1995
Rating: R
Length: 177m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

Cool Runnings

Cool Runnings is the uplifting story of the Jamaican bobsled team's trip to the 1988 Olympics.

Release Year: 1993
Rating: PG
Length: 98m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.