Rocky runs up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Scores of Vangelis lean on the two sprinters who persevere against all odds A father and son playing catch in a haunted Iowa cornfield Sports films have a certain charm that gets inside our hearts and minds

Sports competitions abound with underdog stories featuring dozens of scrappy up-and-comers that no one thought could win, but audiences can't help but fall in love with Some are based on true stories, some are born from the imagination of the writers, but all of them you can't help but root for, and here are seven inspiring sports films to watch before the 2024 Summer Olympics

The underdog story in sports has never been as underdog as the Jamaican team that qualified for the Olympics in bobsledding: Yes, there is nothing more underdog-like Despite being from a tropical country and made up of people who have never seen snow, the intrepid sportsmen in “Cool Runnings” make up for their lack of experience with spirit

When short-distance athlete Derris Bannock (Leon) fails to qualify for the Jamaican national team, he hatches a wild plan to start a bobsled team so he can compete in the Olympics in freezing Calgary instead of sunny Seoul He recruits Irv Blitzer (John Candy) to lead the unconventional endeavor, and the rest is history Directed with a light touch by John Turtletaub, “Cool Runnings” is an engaging alternative to heavy sports drama that never gets too serious

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At this point, “The Karate Kid” has gone through three full-length films, two spin-offs, and a sequel series (“Cobra Chi”) that has generated more profits than anyone could have imagined Netflix could generate, making it more than just a film but an institution has become In the original film, Ralph Macchio played Daniel LaRusso He is a transfer student from New Jersey who is bullied by Johnny (William Zabka) and other Proud Boy-style members of the nearby Cobra Kai karate dojo Daniel decides to fight back and begins training with his mysterious Japanese neighbor, Mr Miyagi (Pat Morita)

The rest is history If you don't like the iconic training sequence in which Miyagi builds Daniel's muscles through yard work and housework, the final karate tournament sequence in which Daniel uses his now legendary (if impractical) crane kick will seal the deal

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Women breaking into the often male-dominated soccer world, immigrant children struggling to reconcile two cultures - “In Love with Beckham” has it all Parminder Nagra plays Jess, a soccer-obsessed Indian girl of considerable talent Her parents, however, do not think soccer is an appropriate hobby for a girl and believe she should concentrate on her schoolwork and traditional family activities [But Jess rebels, joins the girls' team behind her parents' backs, makes a new best friend (Jules, who is a rising star in Keira Knightley's career), and wins the heart of her Irish coach (Jonathan Rhys-Myers) Director Grinder Chadha does more than simply celebrate women's soccer; he infuses the film with a palpable sense of joy and empowerment

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In the late 1970s, the Soviet Union was the dominant power in all sports related to ice and snow Tensions between the US and Soviet Union inevitably affected international sports, and the two superpowers became as competitive as two uncles playing touch football in the backyard on Thanksgiving Day when the 1980 Olympics came around, the Soviet Union's dominance when it came to men's ice hockey was It was clear that the Soviet Union had the upper hand when it came to men's ice hockey would be a daunting task for them

“Miracle” is the story of just that field hockey team, a Cinderella story of a ragtag group of underdogs going up against an elite Russian team that everyone in the world expected to win But miracles can happen In this dramatic field hockey film, the victorious US team finds out firsthand

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There's nothing Florence Pugh can't do in Fighting With My Family, in which she plays Saraya, the youngest child of a prodigious wrestling family She follows in the footsteps of her parents, who run an independent wrestling promotion in her hometown of Norwich, England, and her older brother Zack (Jack Lowden), who dreams of joining the big leagues [Seeking a new opportunity, Saraya and Zack audition to join the WWE, but Saraya is the only one who passes, and her path to actually becoming a professional wrestler is tougher than she imagined Florence Pugh shines in the lead role, reminding audiences that modern productions can be just as successful as period pieces, and she delivers a physically demanding performance worthy of the real-life Saraya

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“Free Solo” may not be the inspirational narrative fiction of many other sports films, but that does not make it a surprisingly dramatic, heart-pounding, even unsettling film This documentary by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin revolves around the exploits of Alex Honold, a rock climber with a special interest in what he calls “free solo” ascents This means that he climbs a mountainside alone, with no rope, no protective gear, and nothing to interrupt his fall if he makes one wrong move So to say that “free soloing” is an incredibly stressful experience for all involved is a bit of an understatement

But the fact that Honold is able to accomplish such a feat is also an awe-inspiring testament to the strength of the human body and spirit Even if questions are raised about Honold's willingness to put his friends and family through such an ordeal

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A wayward boy discovers a hidden love and aptitude for ballet while going against the traditional masculinity he has been raised with Billy Elliot is a crowd-pleaser from start to finish, largely due to Jamie Bell's performance [18] [19] The visual contrast between the rugged environment of the early 1980s mining town where Elliott lives and the undeniable brilliance of his dance scenes creates a wonderful energy Ballet may not be the most traditional subject matter for a sports film, but “Billy Elliot” is as much an underdog film as “Rocky” or “Rudy”

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