The 29th Summer Olympic Games commences this week in Tokyo, Japan with the always spectacular Opening Ceremony. As Team USA prepares to bring home the gold in fierce competition, we're running down the top 10 Olympic movies to get you in the mood for this year's games!
Miracle On Ice
Do you believe in miracles? It's been more than 40 years since a group of unknown college hockey players toppled the Soviet Union powerhouse in one of the greatest upsets in sports history. Disney'sMiracle chronicles how coach Herb Brooks(Kurt Russell) brings a uniquely brash style to the ice and transforms a team of immature hotheads into national heroes during the 1980 Olympic Games at Lake Placid. The film reminds everyone that the name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the name on the back!
I, Tonya
I, Tonya
Who thought that the Olympic games could be so sinister? Starring Margot Robbie and Sebastian Stan, I, Tonya details one of the biggest scandals in American sports history when Tonya Harding, the first American woman to complete a triple axel during a competition, conspires in a plot with her boyfriend to injure fellow Olympic hopeful Nancy Kerrigan. The incident and injury forced Kerrigan to withdraw from the national championship, tarnishing Harding's life and legacy ever since. But of course, there are two sides to every story.
Eddie The Eagle
Eddie The Eagle
In a true underdog tale, Eddie The Eagle follows the Olympic journey of Michael "Eddie" Edwards after he gets cut from the British Olympic ski team. Fate leads him to former ski jumper and current snowplow driver Bronson Peary(Hugh Jackman) who agrees to train the young underdog. Eddie's never-give-up attitude leads him all the way to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta.
Richard Jewell
Richard Jewell Film
Richard Jewell was a security guard at the 1996 Olympic Games when he discovered a suspicious bag at Centennial Park in Atlanta, Georgia. In a hurried effort, Jewell evacuated the area when the bag then exploded. Initially hailed as a hero, Jewell's fame and popularity quickly turned to infamy when the FBI named him a prime suspect of the bombing. Actress Kathy Bates, who plays Jewell's mother in the film, brought home a best-supporting actress Oscar for her role in the movie as she fights Jewell's false accusation.
Unbroken
Dating all the way back to World War II, Unbroken explores the painful reality many athletes faced during the 1936 Berlin/Nazi Olympics. Hitler used the event as an opportunity to promote his government, military strength, and ideals of racial supremacy and antisemitism within the games, even banning Jews from participating. However, Unbroken tells the story of one American, Louis "Louie" Zamperini who participated in the games as a runner. Three years later when World War II broke out, Zamperini serves in the war when his plane crashes in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. After surviving for 48 days at sea, Louis is captured by the Japanese Navy who imprison and enslave the former American Olympic athlete.
Cool Runnings
Would you believe it if I told you that Jamaica has a bobsled team? Disney's Cool Runnings tells the story of four Jamaicans who dream of competing in the Winter Olympics despite never having seen snow. Yet, they're able to pull it off in a true and historic story.
Blades of Glory
In a classic Will Ferrell comedy, Blades of Glory reveals the jealousy two skaters feel when they have to share a gold medal. The glory does not last long, as the two are stripped of their titles and publicly shamed after fighting during the medal ceremony. The two can get back on the ice and regain their former glory, only if they do it together.
Foxcatcher
Foxcatcher
Starring Steve Carell and Channing Tatum, U.S. Olympic wrestling champions and brothers Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz join "Team Foxcatcher", led by millionaire John du Pont, as they train for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. However, John's self-destructive behavior threatens to consume them all.
Race
Race
Dating once again back to the 1936 Berlin Olympics, young Jesse Owens of Ohio State sets out on a mission to overcome racism at home and abroad, showing the Nazis that a black man is the fastest person alive! The film chronicles everything from Owen's hardships to his record-breaking performances.
Free Solo
Professional rock climber Alex Honnold attempts to conquer the first free solo climb of El Capitan's 900-metre vertical rock face at Yosemite National Park. Now that rock climbing is an Olympic sport, this documentary will reveal the true danger and intensity of the activity.
The Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony will take place on Friday, July 23.
The Opening Ceremony will be broadcast live on NBC beginning at 6:55 a.m. ET, and it will be the network's first-ever live morning broadcast of an Opening Ceremony.
- Everything We Know So Far About Harry Styles in The Upcoming ... ›
- All 8 Harry Potter Films Are Coming to NBC Peacock - Advocate Channel ›
- Netflix Releases Summer Movies Preview - Advocate Channel ›
