Coincidentally decent, a look at the credits for last night’s premiere of “Life on Mars” revealed it was directed by Gary Fleder, who additionally directed that week’s “The Express,” the inspiration for that list. I haven’t bothered to tune in for any cop shows in the last 10 years or so except for “The Wire,” but I think that one just might be a winner, based on both the rather remarkable cast (Harvey Keitel, Gretchen Mol and Michael Imperioli, among others) and fairly innovative story about a cop who does the duration warp back to 1973.

And I’m fairly convinced I’ve done a list of at least my favorite baseball movies before, which could certainly plus go to more than 10. For that list encompassing all sports (and two flicks that arguably aren’t about sports at all), I found I had to leave off a full four boxing movies that just missed the cut (”Requiem for a Heavyweight”, “Someone Up There Likes Me” [in honor of Paul Newman], “The Hurricane” and “Raging Bull.”) Given that caveat, here are my 10 favorite sports movies, and as always, please feel free to add any of your favorites among the many, many flicks I have snubbed.

“The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg”
Even more than boxing movies, I just love flicks about baseball, and that doco was directed with clear love for a great man by Aviva Kempner. Without taking away AT ALL from what Jackie Robinson accomplished, it will really open your eyes when you see what hammerin’ Hank had to go through as the first great Jewish player to slug for the Detroit Tigers.

“Hoop Dreams”
I can still remember watching Roger Ebert just go gaga for that flick when it first came out, and it’s nearly as good as his orgasmic review made it sound. Spike Lee’s fictionalized version “He Got Game” is pretty good too, but it just can’t pack as much punch as that true story of two Chicago kids who dream of playing in the NBA.

“Bend it Like Beckham”
Silly? certain, but plus just a heck of a lot of fun. I had to check the IMDB to see what in the world ever happened to director Gurinder Chadha after she made that flick about two girls (Keira Knightley back when she used to eat and Parminder Nagra of “ER” fame) who just want to play soccer and the extremely fun “Bride and Prejudice.” It turns out she did indeed manage to direct a feature film in 2008, called “Angus, Thongs and Snogging,” which will be added to my Netflix queue at the first opportunity.

“Vision Quest”
Like Matthew Modine, I had visions of becoming a wrestler in high school, but I never took it nearly as serious as he did or got to have Linda Fiorentino hanging around to inspire me. certain, that one might be an adolescent fantasy, but it’s additionally just a very entertaining flick.

“Eight Men Out”
Granted, “Field of Dreams” (which was on that list before I cut it back to 10 titles) is a much sweeter take on the story of Joe Jackson, but the real

story is plus very compelling as told by director Jon Sayles with help from John Cusack, John Mahoney, Charlie Sheen, DB Sweeney (as shoeless Joe himself, David Strathairn and even Michael Rooker and Gordon Clapp of “NYPD Blue” (the only cop show I regularly tuned in for within “Homicide” and “The Wire.”)

“The Bingo distant Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings”
Ben “Cooter” Jones (yes, that Cooter) stopped by our office about two weeks ago to promote his new book about his day on Capitol Hill as a Democratic representative from the great state of Georgia. When he got to me and someone told him I write about movies, he very proudly said he had a small part in that odd little flick about a colorful crew of ballplayers including Richard Pryor and Billy Dee Williams who barnstorm across the Midwest (even though most of the flick was filmed right here in Macon.) I love that one nearly as much as Cooter does.

“Breaking Away”
Having sat beside Renee Martinez, who is both a serious cyclist and rather fanatical fan of the Tour de France, at work for the past five years or so means I’ve been exposed to more cycling than any nonfan should ever have to sit through. Even though I still protest otherwise, I have come to both respect and enjoy the sport of cycling, but not as much as I do that foolish little movie about an Indiana “cutter” who just wants to ride with the Italians.

“When We Were Kings”
This is the only boxing movie that made the final cut considering it’s about a whole lot more than boxing. that Leon Gast doco about the 1974 heavyweight “Rumble in the Jungle” amidst Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire is plus about the crazy concert featuring James Brown, B.B. King and others that Mobutu Sese Suko put on to go with it. Add it all up and you’ve got a whale of a tale well told.

“Searching for Bobby Fischer”
OK, these last two aren’t about real “sports” per se, but I defy you to find a better movie about the nature of raw competition than that 1993 flick about a young boy thrust into in the world of competitive chess. Interestingly, that one is one of three flicks directed by Steven Zaillian (”A Civil Action” and “All the King’s Men” are the others), who would go on to pen “American Gangster” and soon “I Heard You Paint Houses” for Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro.

“Bring It On”
If you can actually look me in the eye and claim you don’t enjoy that one as at least a guilty satisfaction, I have to say you, sir or madam, are a liar. Kirsten Dunst, Gabrielle Union and Eliza Dushku as high school cheerleaders? I’m there, and I usually am for at least a few minutes every day that inevitably shows up on TBS’ afternoon movie slate.

So, there you have it. Like I said, please feel free to add any of your favorite sports flicks, and have a perfectly pleasant weekend.

Original post by Reel Fanatic