
All you want to watch this Christmas
IT'S beginnng to look a lot like Christmas.
And with only 21 days to go, the holiday rush is already here. Everywhere the Christmas spirit is around and everybody is now busy making a list of what to give this holiday season regardless whether you’re naughty or nice.
To some, Christmastime is also a day off.
And what a better way than spending it with the family at home and watching movies. In this case, a feel-good, sports-oriented movie.
We have a list of these movies now.
For Love of the Game -- A 1999 American drama sports film based on the novel of the same title by Michael Shaara and starring Kevin Costner and Kelly Preston, the movie follows the perfect game performance of Billy Chapel, an aging, 40-year-old Detroit Tigers pitcher as he reminisces about his career and his relationship with his on-and-off girlfriend, while pitching his final game. (1999, Directed by Sam Raimi).
Any Given Sunday -- A 1999 American drama film directed by Oliver Stone, the story revolves around the Miami Sharks, a once-great American football team, are now in turmoil and struggling to make the AFFA (Associated Football Franchises of America) playoffs. The team is coached by 30-year veteran Tony D’Amato (played by Al Pacino), who can’t agree with the new team owner (Cameron Diaz). The movie’s recurring theme is that “On any given Sunday, anything can happen.” (1999, Directed by Oliver Stone and Allan Graf)
Rocky -- A highly-popular boxing movie which stars Sylvester Stallone, the story tells the story of Rocky Balboa, a small-time boxer who gets an opportunity of a lifetime when world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers) chooses him at random as his opponent in an exhibition match. With girlfriend Adrian Pennino (Talia Shire) and trainer-manager Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith) on his side, Rocky fights for his self-respect. The 1976 movie won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. (1976, Directed by John Avildsen and Sylvester Stallone).
Field of Dreams -- Based on the novel “Shoeless Joe” by W.P. Kinsella, the 1989 masterpiece stars Kevin Costner, as an Iowa farmer who plows his crops to build a field for the ghosts of the disgraced Chicago “Black Sox” to play on, and Ray Liotta, as Shoeless Joe Jackson. A mysterious voice that whispers, “If you build it, he will come,” serves as the inspiration for a man to reconnect with his deceased father through baseball in a movie that is considered a classic of American film. (1989, Directed by Phil Alden Robinson)
Million Dollar Baby-- Directed by Clint Eastwood, the highly-acclaimed sports drama film earned Best Picture award for 2004 at the 77th Academy Awards. Eastwood was awarded Best Director and received a Best Actor nomination. Hilary Swank also received Best Actress award. The story revolves around an under-appreciated boxing trainer, his elusive past and his quest for atonement by helping an underdog amateur female boxer achieve her dream. (2004, Directed by Clint Eastwood)
A League of Their Own – Directed by Penny Marshall, the 1992 comedy-drama film is a fictionalized account of real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). Set during World War II, with major leaguers going off to fight, the movie shows women trying to just play ball at a time when females rarely get respect as athletes. The movie stars Tom Hanks, Gena Davis, Lori Petty, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell. One of the highlights of the film was Jimmy Dugan’s proclamation, “There's no crying in baseball”, which was later rated 54th on the American Film Institute’s list of greatest film quotes of all time. (1992, Directed by Penny Marshall).
Jerry Maguire -- A 1996 American romantic comedy-drama starring Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding and Renee Zellweger, the movie is about Jerry Maguire, a 35-year-old sports agent, and egotistical Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell (Gooding). Zellweger plays Cruise’s love interest. The movie spawns classic lines such as: “Show me the money!” and “You had me at hello.” (1997, Directed by Cameron Crowe).
Angels in the Outfield -- a 1994 remake of the 1951 movie with the same title, the film starred Danny Glover, Tony Danza and Christopher Lloyd, The movie focuses on Roger and his friend J.P., who are one of the biggest fans of the Los Angeles baseball team. He has got only two dreams: living together with a real family and let LA win the championship. Some angels show up in order to help him - but he is the only one to see them and believe in them. (1994, Directed by William Dear).
Searching for Bobby Fischer -- The 1993 film is based on the life of prodigy chess player Joshua Waitzkin. (played by Marc Pomeranc). In the story, Waitzkin's family discovers that he possesses a gift for chess and they seek to nurture it with the help of a strict instructor , Bruce Pandolfini (Ben Kingsley). The instructor aims to teach the boy to be as aggressive as Fischer, the mercurial American chess champion. (1993, Directed by Steven Zaillian).
Wimbledon -- A 2004 romantic comedy directed by Richard Locraine, the movie is a washed-up tennis pro named Peter Colt (played by Paul Bettany) whose world ranking slipped from 11th to 119th and an up-and-coming female tennis star named Lizzie Bradbury (played by Kirsten Dunst) during the Wimbledon tennis championships. Despite Lizzie’s over-protective father-manager, the two fell in love and Lizzie helps Peter recapture his focus for Wimbledon. (2004, Directed by Richard Locraine).
NOTES -- Belated happy 30th anniversary to my wife Liza last Dec. 3...
Happy birthday to Ayang Mallare of PTV 4, who celebrated last Dec.5.
For comments and suggestions, email to edandaya2003@yahoo.com