For episode 5 we each ranked our five favorite sports films, no peeking at each other's lists first. See both full countdowns on the complete list.
The repeat offender
Moneyball landed at number four for both of us, which is starting to feel like a pattern: Far and Away did the exact same thing on our Tom Cruise list a few episodes back. Matt loves Brad Pitt's Billy Beane, an aging manager trying to redeem a career that stalled out as a player, and calls Aaron Sorkin's script spectacular from end to end. Jeff agrees almost line for line, and pointed out that Michael Lewis, who wrote the book, was "on a tear" around the same time with The Big Short.
One film, two very different spots
Rudy made both our lists, but nowhere close to the same place. It's Matt's number one, mostly for Jerry Goldsmith's score, which he says he's listened to more than almost any other movie soundtrack, and for how much credit he thinks Sean Astin doesn't get as an actor. For Jeff it landed at number five, tied to something he's been chewing on in his own life: how much you can actually control. Rudy, he admits, half-convinced him that enough hard work gets you anywhere, even though the character only ever gets in for a play or two.
Rocky shows up twice too, just as different films. Jeff went with the original at number three, for the simple idea that you have to take your shot when it comes, even if you can't control how it turns out. Matt's pick was Rocky IV at number five, America versus the Soviet Union, which he rewatched again this past year and loves for what it's meant to him personally, even while admitting the original is the better film.
The rest of the lists
Matt filled out his list with two boxing-and-fighting dramas: Warrior at number three, Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton as estranged brothers both fighting their way into the same MMA tournament, which he'll admit is a little contrived but still raw in the emotions; and Cinderella Man at number two, Russell Crowe's Depression-era boxer clawing his way back to the heavyweight title, which Matt says gets him more emotional than any other sports film on his list.
Jeff rounded his list out with two true stories from completely different arenas: Free Solo at number two, Alex Honnold's ropeless climb, which had Jeff's heart rate up just watching from the couch, and his number one, The Sandlot, the purest nostalgia pick on either list, for a summer that's all friendship and ridiculous schemes to get the ball back over the fence.
Hear the whole conversation, plus our reviews of Lawrence of Arabia and The Last First: Winter K2, on episode 5.