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10 Hottest and beautiful Women in Action Sports

Women Sports

Women Sports

Warm Up for Basbeall Season by Watching a Movie (Baseball-Themed, Of Course)

You could spend weeks wading through the many really bad baseball themed films that have been made over the past 100 years. You would see a lot of weak comedies, cliched story lines and ridiculous action scenes supposedly depicting baseball. But a much better idea would be to spend a few days taking in those rare baseball films that are actually enjoyable. Always trying to help my fellow film lovers, I offer now my nine favorite baseball films (one for each inning). Enjoy!

Bull Durham (1988) or the Church of Baseball. While this is a film that non baseball fans can enjoy, it is the definitive baseball lovers movie. Like all the movies on this list it is about much more than baseball. And like a lot of great films (which is what this is) it is really about relationships. It is also really funny. Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon star. The latter is the ultimate baseball lover and the other two are minor leaguers whose careers are heading in opposite directions. If you love baseball, see Bull Durham. If you hate baseball, see it anyway. Thank me later.

Eight Men Out (1988) or Baseball as Social Commentary. From director John Sayles, this is an excellent telling of the notorious Black Sox Scandal of 1919 when eight Chicago White Sox conspired to throw the World Series. It's about gamblers, crooks, heroes and the price of corporate greed to our national pastime. John Cusak plays third baseman Buck Weaver in a memorable performance.

Bang the Drum Slowly (1973) or The Death of a Fictional Baseball Player. Worth watching just to see a young Robert DeNiro as the fatally ill catcher Bruce Pearson. Based on the wonderful novel of the same name by Mark Harris, it's guaranteed to tug -- nay, yank -- at your heart strings. Happily it does so without schmaltz. Not typical of films of the 1970's yet reflective of the time period.

Sugar (2009) or Baseball Isn't Everything. This movie is criminally underrated likely because it was independently made and lacking a wide release. It tells the story of a young Dominican baseball star who's signed to a big league contract. Before he can play in the bigs, of course, he's assigned to the minors, in Iowa of all places. There's plenty of baseball here and it's superbly done, but the story soon goes in a surprising direction and becomes about something else. I wrote about Sugar at greater length last Spring.

A League of Their Own (1992) or There's No Crying in Baseball. Yes it's overly sentimental and you have to put up with Rosie O'Donnell, but its a fun story. Geena Davis is believable as a World War II era baseball player. Tom Hanks as a manager of this all-girl's team (based on a true story) is a scene stealer, particularly with his "there's no crying in baseball" speech. Madonna also features.

Alibi Ike (1935) or Playing Baseball for Laughs. The short story by Ring Lardner upon which this film is based is one of the few pieces of writing that literally makes me laugh out loud and slap the knees. Sadly, the film is not nearly so funny.  Happily its funny enough. Joe E. Brown is in the title role. Casting a comic in the lead was a mistake but the supporting cast almost makes up for this error. The sumptuous Olivia de Havilland is the love interest. You also get Roscoe Karns and William Frawley.

The Natural (1984) or Baseball as Arthurian Legend. Another baseball lover's delight, it has spawned dozens of unworthy imitations. I'd seen it so often that I finally stopped getting dewy-eyed at the ending. After staying away from it for awhile I'm ready for another plunge. You should take one too. Barry Levinson directed and deserves top marks. While Glenn Close's nice little role as been overrated, Robert Redford is perfect as Roy Hobbs.

The Bad News Bears (1976) or Baseball for Brats. Another film that has spawned weak imitations. A rag tag bunch of little leaguers led by Coach Walter Matthau finds life lessons, victories and fun doing it their way. Sounds corny now but it was an original then and with a strong cast Led by Matthau and Tatum O'Neal is, you should excuse the expression, a big hit.

Pride of the Yankees (1942) or the Death of a Real Life Baseball Player. The best of the baseball bio pics, Gary Cooper was born to play Lou Gehrig the great baseball star who had a disease named for him. Babe Ruth appears as Babe Ruth. Talk about typecasting! Other Yankees appear as themselves too adding to the film's excellent baseball scenes.

These are Real Knockouts! My Favorite Boxing Films

"In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade

And he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down or cut him

til he cried out in his anger and his shame

I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains."

- From "The Boxer" by Simon & Garfunkel

As both a film and sports enthusiast I flatter myself that I'm in a pretty fair position to judge the quality of sports related film. That being the case I render the following succinct verdict: most sports movies suck. Not particularly articulate but it gets my point across. Most sports movies of recent years are formulaic, to wit, a scrappy group of underdogs overcome all odds and wins the big game against their heavily favored and hated rivals. The motley crew breaks into a joyous celebration joined by friends and loved ones, blah, blah, blah.

These films are predictable, unimaginative and overly sentimental.

There are a few exceptions such as the best of the many baseball films, Bull Durham (1988), Eight Men Out (1988) and Bang the Drum Slowly (1973). All three are highly recommended and I just might have to write a separate post about them some other time.

One sport that has been done justice in films is boxing. The brutal mano a mano nature of the sweet science does not lend itself to saccharine schmaltz (despite the best efforts of Sylvester Stallone). Boxing is an individual effort and thus provides a vehicle for character study. Many of the better boxing flicks have very little action inside the ring. They often explore issues of integrity, courage and loyalty. A lot of boxing stories feature the underworld which, of course adds another dramatic element. Women are a signficant presence in virtually all boxing films, albeit usually as conflicted lovers of the central boxing figure. The brutality of the sport means that issues of health, safety and even life and death can further add to the drama.

While many sports films suffer from looking totally unrealistic in depicting action scenes, boxing is relatively easier to re-create, largely because only two athletes are involved and in confined area at that.

Many of the films below are not exactly light hearted romps through a field of posies. There are no boxing musicals that I know of. Some are downright depressing but still elevating in their examination of humans in extraordinary circumstances. So here are my 11 favorite boxing films. Other than the placement of the first, they are in no particular order.

Raging Bull (1980). I know, I know, calling Raging Bull a boxing film is like saying that Cabaret is just a musical. But the story is about Jake LaMotta a famous middleweight boxer of yesteryear. The scenes within the square circle are not only among the most incredible boxing sequences after filmed, but among the best scenes of any sort you'll ever see. Raging Bull proves that you don't need to care a whit about the sport to enjoy a boxing film. After all, director Martin Scorsese not only wasn't a fight fan but knew little about the sport. In some respects it is the quintessential boxing film for its juxtaposition of the story of a man and his boxing alter ego.

The Set Up (1949). From director Robert Wise starring Robert Ryan. One of the most underrated films of all time. A stylized noir told in real time. The Set Up is the story of a washed up boxer who's not told he's supposed to take a fall until well into the fight. Looking for one last crack at the title, he has other ideas. The story is splendidly told and combines great scenes in the ring, locker room and arena as well as the streets just outside. This is not just a look at the seamy side of boxing it appears. The Set Up is much more than that which makes it in keeping with the best of the genre.

Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962). Talk about dark! But talk about good too. This is a film that explores the toll that pugilism takes on a human body. More than that it explores the horrible price of exploiting a human's body for few bucks. Anthony Quinn is terrific as Louis "Mountain" Rivera, who after 111 bouts has to subject his body to the freak show that is professional wrestling. Jackie Gleason, Mickey Rooney and Julie Harris are part of the stellar cast. From a teleplay by Rod Serling.

City for Conquest (1940). One of several boxing films that James Cagney made. In this film he takes to the ring to a support a brother who wants to be a concert pianist and conductor. The fight game takes a toll on his body too but his gorgeous girlfriend played by Ann Sheridan stays by his side. A touching story directed by Anatole Litvak. The pugnacious but nimble footed Cagney made for a terrific film boxer.

Ali (2001). Michael Mann's biopic of Muhammad Ali covering the years 1963-1974 stars Will Smith in the title role with a splendid supporting cast. For huge Ali fans such as yours truly there was great fear that Mann and Smith would not do our hero's story justice. But Smith was uncanny and Mann captured both the boxing and political drama. In retrospect it seems impossible that so current a story could possibly be a great film, but it was good enough.

Rocky (1976). Back before Rockys II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XXXX etc. et al there was this the original Rocky and it was good. Certainly not worthy of its Best Picture Oscar but a fine film nonetheless. Sadly Stallone did not know how to leave well enough alone and went to make innumerable remakes each worse than the preceding one. But the genuine article was a powerful character study and unique concept at the time that's been run into the ground since. Rocky is a down and out fighter who's given a shot at the title and decides to, as the kids say, go for it. Some of the boxing scenes are a bit unrealistic but the overall effect adds to a fine story.

The Harder They Fall (1956). Probably most remembered as Humphrey Bogart's last film. The story is based on a real life Argentine boxer Primo Carnera who got to the top of heavyweight division through smoke and mirrors and oh by the way a little corruption. Bogie is the reporter who has to decide whether he should set the glass jawed fighter straight before he get his block knocked off. Rod Steiger is a revelation as the crooked fight promoter. The fight scenes are brutal and so is the storyline.

Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956). Another film from Robert Wise, this one a bio pic of boxer Rocky Graziano as portrayed by Paul Newman. Most directors would have turned the story of a criminal who manages to navigate the straight and narrow through boxing into pure corn pone mush. Not wise. Pun intended, Wise pulled no punches and does not sentimentalize his subject matter. It's the film that established Newman as a star.

City Lights (1931). Why the heck is this Charlie Chaplin silent here? I'll tell you why, it has the funniest boxing scene of all time. Indeed its some of the funniest stuff you'll ever see on screen. Chaplin's genius is on full display in the amazing choreography of the boxing sequences. Funny stuff in the pre and post fight locker room as well.

Gentleman Jim (1942). This is one of those films I like way more than I should. That said it has a lot going for it. Raoul Walsh directed and Errol Flynn star with his constant sidekick, Alan Hale on board as his dad. Flynn plays Jim Corbett a late 19th century boxer from San Fransisco who takes advantage of the new rules modernizing boxing to win the heavyweight title. He must conquer long time champ John L. Sullivan who is played by Ward Bond in a magnificent performance. A fun film that, especially with Flynn in the lead, is like a swashbuckling version of the boxing film.

Fat City (1972). John Huston directed and Stacy Keach stars in one of my candidates for the "Hall of Fame of Underrated Films". Keach plays Tully, a boxer on the downside of a so-so boxing career. He is juxtaposed with Ernie ( an impossibly young Jeff Bridges) a young fighter on the rise. Fat city is a raw film not saw much in its depiction of boxing but of the lower middle class life. There are no gussied up characters with remarkable wit and charm. They are very real people doing the best they can. Boxing can be seen as a metaphor here. If you've not seen Fat City, do yourself a favor and check it out. Thank me later.

Also see: The Champ (1931), They Made Me a Criminal (1939), Cinderella Man (2005), Body and Soul (1947), and Champion (1949).

Take Me Out to the Movies....

You needn't believe in the tee shirt that says, "Baseball is Life", to see that, Sugar, the new film from Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, is not just about an aspiring ballplayer.

Indeed I'd go so far to say that calling Sugar a baseball movie is to trivialize it in the extreme.

Yes, there's a lot of baseball in the story of Miguel "Sugar" Santos a 20 year old Dominican pitching prospect playing for a Class A team in Iowa. But while the story begins and ends with action on the diamond, there's a lot more to it in between.

I'm guessing there will be a lot of people showing up at movie theaters looking for a Cinderella story with Santos winning the 7th game of the World Series in dramatic fashion. Sorry folks this film may not be for you.

And my goodness haven't we had enough sports movies with the same story arcs already? The improbable rise and thrilling ultimate victory of a rag tag team or individual underdog? It even crept into a movie about debating, last years, how-many-cliches-can-we-cram-into-one-movie, The Great Debaters.

And that's the wonderful thing about Sugar, there's not a single predictable moment in the film. All the more reason to know as few plot points as possible as you sit down to watch it.

Sugar is about lots of things before its about baseball. It's about the immigrant experience for one and the vagaries of learning a new language. It's about good simple, Christian folk in the corn belt and their conflicted granddaughter -- played by Ellary Porterfield, and this young actress is a revelation, I've read she's off to college now but I hope we see more of her talents on the big screen -- who wants to witness her religion but feels the yearnings of womanhood. It's about relationships among young men and you'll enjoy the scene where a group of young Dominican ballplayers out partying sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in broken, drunken English. So its about camaraderie. Its about choices. Those of us who've spent a few decades on the planet can attest to the fact that the decisions we make as young adults and even before impact the rest of our days -- be careful, kids. It's about dreams and how those dreams can change in the blink of an eye both because of external and internal factors.

Algenis Perez Soto in the title role delivers a wonderful performance, remarkable for its subtlety. Yes Santos loses control a few times, but only a few. This is a very self contained character and to reveal so much of him takes some powerful good acting. The rest of the cast is good too and they can thank a screenplay that does not have them play cardboard cutouts but real people. The elderly Iowa farmers who take Sugar in, his baseball manager and a Puerto Rican carpenter who befriends him are all fully drawn characters. How many actors and stories are bogged down by totally predictable characters? It's a rhetorical question but I'll answer it anyway: way too many.

Sugar reminds me of last year's excellent Thomas McCarthy film, The Visitor in that it has the courage to be different. Fleck and Boden most recently made Half Nelson a movie very dear to my heart as it explored both teaching and drug addiction, two things I know a little bit about. With independent filmmakers like Fleck and McCarthy around, audiences will continue to have alternatives to Fast Furious Spiderman Mutant Chronicles 3.

Thank God.

Jake and Jabez, Two Stories of Tortured Souls

So yesterday I watched Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull (1980) in the afternoon and then took in William Dieterle's The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) in the evening. Couldn't have selected two movies that were any more different, could I?

You'd think....

By the middle of The Devil & Daniel I was beginning to notice some strong similarities, notwithstanding the brilliance of both films.

In one we have Robert DeNiro as Jake LaMotta, a gifted boxer of the 1940's and 50's. He had fame, riches, a devoted brother, a loving wife and children. But it all vanished. Jake was his own worst enemy. An uncontrollable temper and a tendency to a jealousy as prodigious as his pugilistic talent, were flames burning at his soul as if straight from hell.

Straight to hell, that's where Jabez Stone was headed after a literal bargain with the devil, in this case assuming the name of Scratch. His own farm, good friends a loving wife and children were not enough for Jabez. The hard work too often ended in frustration and debtors bayed at his door. The seven years of riches promised by Scratch were too good to pass up, never mind the eternal cost down the road.

The money proved an evil master and the kindly and generous Jabez soon became consumed by pernicious greed turning old friends into hardened enemies.

LaMotta ended up very much alone. The glory was a memory. The wife and children gone. The brother alienated. He was clearly a victim of his own internal demons.

Stone's wife remained loyal but his friends were now enemies and all his wealth could not bring true happiness.

Similarities with the two films do not end there. They are both utterly gorgeous. Raging Bull, with all its violence, is one of the most visually stunning movies ever made. Actually if you don't already know that I suggest you stop reading this blog right now and go rent yourself a copy. You'll be treating yourself to one of the most critically acclaimed films ever. Go on, I'm not kidding....So those of you who are left doubtless have seen Raging Bull and know what I'm talking about. But there's probably many, many more of you who have never seen The Devil and Daniel.

Folks, they had special effects 60 plus years ago. And for the most part it came in the form of masterful camera work and an occasional slight of hand. CGI? Not necessary. Especially when you've got the luster of black and white.

A few years ago the good people at Criterion dusted off the original print of the movie and worked their magic to restore it to its original form. Shading and lighting are everything (anyone who would consider colorizing this movie should be beaten with a rusty rake). Now if you're among the many who've not seen this film recently, go out and rent it. Pronto. You'll marvel at this vastly underrated film, its wonderful cast, timeless story and breathtaking cinema photography. See for yourself. Anyone left here?

Yes, I got off on a tangent. But as you can see it wasn't so much of a stretch to compare these two seemingly very different films. Both concern an eternal theme that movies can illuminate so well -- the most important war a person can fight, the one within the soul. Jake raged against his opponents and those around him, but let the better angels of his nature get pummelled by inner demons. He did not die in prison or prematurely (the real life LaMotta yet lives) and figuratively fought on. Jabez sold out, as so many have before and since. He was lucky to have the eloquent and devoted orator and statesmen, Daniel Webster represent him "in court" and in victory learned the error of his ways. The ongoing struggles to cleanse or save our souls effect not just ourselves but those around us. It is struggle fought and won or lost in many ways. These two films illuminate that fact.

And by way of a lengthy P.S., don't miss some great supporting performances in these two films. Joe Pesci as Jake's brother in Raging Bull and Walter Huston as Scratch. The Devil and Daniel is also an interesting attack on Republican style greed and individualism and a ringing endorsement of socialist style share the burden, share the wealth. Farmers form a Grange to help support one another. When Stone finds wealth he spurns the Grange and exploits its members with what is essentially predatory lending. In his redemption he sees the errors of having been so greedy.

Hey! I just noticed something else! The central character in both films have a first name that begins with a J! How bout that?

Jumping Anaconda! The Perfect Cinematic Warmup for your Super Bowl

Yes, perhaps Cardinals versus Steeler will be interesting but it can't compare with the storied Huxley-Darwin contest of 1932. That great college match up was brilliantly retold in the wonderful film, Horesefeathers (1932). The film's stars included four siblings, Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo Marx.

Has there ever been a more dramatic football sequence than at the climax of this movie? Perhaps. But there's never been a funnier one. Horsefeathers is one of the Marx Brothers funniest films. Second only to Duck Soup (1933) in this writer's most humble opinion.

Groucho is Professor Quincy Adams Wagstaff who we meet at the outset of the film as he is being introduced as Huxley's new president. Zeppo is a long-time Huxley student and Wagstaff's son. (Such a loving relationship. "I married your mother because I wanted children. Imagine my disappointment when you arrived," father tells son.) Chico is an ice man employed at a speakeasy and Harpo the local dog catcher.

So you have the Marx Brothers running amok in a university, a speakeasy and a football game. Can't go wrong.

Thelma Todd as the "college widow" is the love interest. Thelma was a real dish who led a life worthy of a bio pic. Before making it big in pictures she was a beauty queen and a school teacher. Later she became a successful entrepreneur. Thelma resisted when the mob tried muscling in on her restaurant business. Thus her death at age 30 to carbon monoxide poisoning, ruled a suicide, was highly suspicious.

There is a brief appearance in Horsefeathers by the lovely and too little known Theresa Harris as a maid. Lovers of films from Hollywood's Golden Age will instantly recognize Ms. Harris who appeared in dozens of films in the 30's and 40's, usually as a maid. You can see her in such celebrated films as Morocco (1930), Arrowsmith (1931), Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933), Baby Face (1933), Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Jezebel (1938), The Big Clock (1948) and Mary Stevens M.D (1933). She was a good actress, with excellent comic timing and a fine signing voice. Why the short shrift? She was an African American. One is tempted to say that she was born in the wrong era. But it wasn't her birth date that was too early, it was integration in Hollywood that was too late.

So Todd and Harris are nice bonuses to this laugh riot. From Wagstaff's introductory remarks to faculty and students in the form of a song: "I don't know what they have to say / It makes no difference anyway / Whatever it is, I'm against it. / No matter what it is or who commenced it, I'm against it! / Your proposition may be good / But let's have one thing understood: / Whatever it is, I'm against it. / And even when you've changed it or condensed it, I'm against it!"

Through Wagstaff's taking over a science class and, with the aid of his real life bros, introducing true anarchy.

To pitching woo with Ms. Todd (and see if you can figure out the deal is with the umbrella).

To the climactic football game ("Is there a doctor in the house? "I'm a doctor." Hi ya, doc!") Horsefeathers packs more laughs into a 68 minute running time than most current sit coms manage in a whole season.

And I'd be remiss if I failed to mention the film's lasting impact on my own football viewing. Whenever I want my team to run the ball I recall Chico's own signal calling at the line of scrimmage: "Hi Diddle diddle the cat and the fiddle, this time I think we go up the middle."

Classic comedy.

In the Corner Stands a Boxer

"I'm no gentleman."

"That's all right, I'm no lady."

The lines are spoken by Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith toward the end of Gentleman Jim, a totally and completely and unabashed fun film from smack in the middle of Hollywood's "Golden Age" and made by its best studio and by one if its best directors. And by God I mean it. It's rich full film making.

The film boasts a rich supporting cast featuring Alan Hale, Jack Carson, William Frawley, Arthur Shields and most notably Ward Bond. Bond's performance here is one of his best. As the bigger-than-life John L. Sullivan, he steals every scene he's in, particularly as the heart-broken but dignified loser. Shields plays a man of the cloth as he did on at least thirteen other occasions and is in Quiet Man he's a reverand who follows the sweet science. Talk about being typecast....

Also in the supporting cast is the ubiquitous Pat Flaherty.  Who? If you've seen more than a handful of films made between 1934 and 1955 you've come across Flaherty, who appeared on the big screen 198 times. You may forget his name but you'll recognize that square-jawed mug and deep voice.

Gentleman Jim, released in 1942, bears the Warners Brothers stamp. This was in the midst of a 25 year period in which the Brothers were outshining all other studios. And they weren't putting out technicolor musicals or cast of thousands epics. Warner was the studio of the Cagney gangster film, the Flynn swashbuckler, various Bogart incarnations, gritty dramas and movies like Gentleman Jim –  well-made fun.

Flynn plays the title character, Jim Corbett, a San Francisco lad who rose to be the heavyweight championship of the world in 1892. The movie traces his raise from bank teller, to club fighter to top of the boxing world. It's set against the backdrop of the Barbary Coast, the age of the Robber Baron and Corbett's own brawling, boozing Irish-American family.

There are a great many liberties taken with the real story of Corbett, but the movie's strength (in addition to entertainment value) is how it evokes the San Francisco of that bygone era where class distinctions were quite real and the town itself was wet and wild. The lovely Alexis Smith is the obligatory love interest. True, her acting range is limited but she's not exactly being asked to play Camille. Sassy and beautiful do nicely here.
At an hour and three quarters, this is a tad long for a Warners Brothers film but it never lags, flying from opening scene to closing with laughs, action and romance all the way. Moreover, the boxing scenes are among the better ones in cinema. There have been some right stinkers on screen (see Rocky) and some right beauties (see Raging Bull). These are good.

Flynn was perfect for the role as it so resembled some of the pirates he played in swashbucklers. He's athletic, charming and total wide eyed sincerity.

Gentleman Jim was directed by Raoul Walsh. There is a similarity between Gentleman Jim and a great film by Walsh from a few years before, Roaring Twenties. Both are centered on a big star surrounded by a whirlwind of characters with fast-moving events in a historical context keeping the production speeding towards an inevitable conclusion.

Gentleman Jim neither aspired to nor reached greatness but is a great example of all that was right about so many movies of its time -- it was a helluva lot of fun.