[OutsiderFan]

The Pride of the Yankees
Senna
Rush
Le Mans
Grand Prix
Caddyshack
Rocky
Hoop Dreams
A League of Their Own
Miracle

F1 fan, 82?  High quality list. Really liked the Senna doc. Obviously Lewis Hamilton is great, but Ayrton Senna was simply amazing. When he and Alain Prost were driving for McClaren, wow. Nothing like it in F1, before or since.

[OutsiderFan]

The Pride of the Yankees
Senna
Rush
Le Mans
Grand Prix
Caddyshack
Rocky
Hoop Dreams
A League of Their Own
Miracle

F1 fan, 82?  High quality list. Really liked the Senna doc. Obviously Lewis Hamilton is great, but Ayrton Senna was simply amazing. When he and Alain Prost were driving for McClaren, wow. Nothing like it in F1, before or since.

[Mick]

The scene where Giamatti has to retrieve the wallet is a classic. Sandra Oh going batshit with the motorcycle helmet almost as funny.

Agreed to both.  Also liked the scene where:
 - the look on Giamatti's face when Giamatti realizes that he spilled the beans about Church's forthcoming nuptials
 - "Did you drink and dial?"
 - Madsen finally leaves a message on Giamatti's phone
 - Golf course scene, aiming at the foursome in back who hit into them.  How many times have you wanted to do that, you golfers?
 - "And if they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot." 

Great movie.

[Mick]

The scene where Giamatti has to retrieve the wallet is a classic. Sandra Oh going batshit with the motorcycle helmet almost as funny.

Agreed to both.  Also liked the scene where:
 - the look on Giamatti's face when Giamatti realizes that he spilled the beans about Church's forthcoming nuptials
 - "Did you drink and dial?"
 - Madsen finally leaves a message on Giamatti's phone
 - Golf course scene, aiming at the foursome in back who hit into them.  How many times have you wanted to do that, you golfers?
 - "And if they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot." 

Great movie.

[Phogge]

Senna one of the great docs across all genres.

[Phogge]

Senna one of the great docs across all genres.

[lex24]

The scene where Giamatti has to retrieve the wallet is a classic. Sandra Oh going batshit with the motorcycle helmet almost as funny.

Agreed to both.  Also liked the scene where:
 - the look on Giamatti's face when Giamatti realizes that he spilled the beans about Church's forthcoming nuptials
 - "Did you drink and dial?"
 - Madsen finally leaves a message on Giamatti's phone
 - Golf course scene, aiming at the foursome in back who hit into them.  How many times have you wanted to do that, you golfers?
 - "And if they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot." 

Great movie.

Terrific movie.  Unless you had a bunch of vineyards growing merlot.....

[lex24]

The scene where Giamatti has to retrieve the wallet is a classic. Sandra Oh going batshit with the motorcycle helmet almost as funny.

Agreed to both.  Also liked the scene where:
 - the look on Giamatti's face when Giamatti realizes that he spilled the beans about Church's forthcoming nuptials
 - "Did you drink and dial?"
 - Madsen finally leaves a message on Giamatti's phone
 - Golf course scene, aiming at the foursome in back who hit into them.  How many times have you wanted to do that, you golfers?
 - "And if they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot." 

Great movie.

Terrific movie.  Unless you had a bunch of vineyards growing merlot.....

[Spiny_Norman]

The scene where Giamatti has to retrieve the wallet is a classic. Sandra Oh going batshit with the motorcycle helmet almost as funny.

Agreed to both.  Also liked the scene where:
 - the look on Giamatti's face when Giamatti realizes that he spilled the beans about Church's forthcoming nuptials
 - "Did you drink and dial?"
 - Madsen finally leaves a message on Giamatti's phone
 - Golf course scene, aiming at the foursome in back who hit into them.  How many times have you wanted to do that, you golfers?
 - "And if they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot." 

Great movie.

Made by a Stanford guy, my 83 classmate Alexander Payne.

[Spiny_Norman]

The scene where Giamatti has to retrieve the wallet is a classic. Sandra Oh going batshit with the motorcycle helmet almost as funny.

Agreed to both.  Also liked the scene where:
 - the look on Giamatti's face when Giamatti realizes that he spilled the beans about Church's forthcoming nuptials
 - "Did you drink and dial?"
 - Madsen finally leaves a message on Giamatti's phone
 - Golf course scene, aiming at the foursome in back who hit into them.  How many times have you wanted to do that, you golfers?
 - "And if they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot." 

Great movie.

Made by a Stanford guy, my 83 classmate Alexander Payne.

[Mick]

The scene where Giamatti has to retrieve the wallet is a classic. Sandra Oh going batshit with the motorcycle helmet almost as funny.

Agreed to both.  Also liked the scene where:
 - the look on Giamatti's face when Giamatti realizes that he spilled the beans about Church's forthcoming nuptials
 - "Did you drink and dial?"
 - Madsen finally leaves a message on Giamatti's phone
 - Golf course scene, aiming at the foursome in back who hit into them.  How many times have you wanted to do that, you golfers?
 - "And if they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot." 

Great movie.

Terrific movie.  Unless you had a bunch of vineyards growing merlot.....

The Sideways wikipedia page says that Merlot sales dipped 2% while Pinot Noir sales increased 16% after the movie came out. Apparently the main effect was to increase wine sales.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideways

97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, incidentally. And I really like Payne's work (Election, The Descendants). The author, Rex Pickett, has written two sequels, but Payne refuses to be involved and given that Fox owns the characters, a sequel is highly unlikely.

[Mick]

The scene where Giamatti has to retrieve the wallet is a classic. Sandra Oh going batshit with the motorcycle helmet almost as funny.

Agreed to both.  Also liked the scene where:
 - the look on Giamatti's face when Giamatti realizes that he spilled the beans about Church's forthcoming nuptials
 - "Did you drink and dial?"
 - Madsen finally leaves a message on Giamatti's phone
 - Golf course scene, aiming at the foursome in back who hit into them.  How many times have you wanted to do that, you golfers?
 - "And if they want to drink Merlot, we're drinking Merlot." 

Great movie.

Terrific movie.  Unless you had a bunch of vineyards growing merlot.....

The Sideways wikipedia page says that Merlot sales dipped 2% while Pinot Noir sales increased 16% after the movie came out. Apparently the main effect was to increase wine sales.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sideways

97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, incidentally. And I really like Payne's work (Election, The Descendants). The author, Rex Pickett, has written two sequels, but Payne refuses to be involved and given that Fox owns the characters, a sequel is highly unlikely.

[JJJ]

Just saw (again) the Japanese “reimagination” of Sideways (Saidoweizu). My high school alum (6yrs ahead) was the director. Don’t hate me for liking it better.

[JJJ]

Just saw (again) the Japanese “reimagination” of Sideways (Saidoweizu). My high school alum (6yrs ahead) was the director. Don’t hate me for liking it better.

[cctop]

Nice lists!  My 16-year-old loves sports movies, and we've been watching a lot of them during the shelter-in-place.  This thread gave me some good ideas.

You can tell the age of everyone on this board by the fact that "The Sandlot" isn't the first film on everyone's list.

I'm too old as well to have an emotional connection to "The Sandlot", but I read somewhere that it's the #1 pick of current MLB players.

Also I'm going to disagree with Mick about "McFarland USA".  I thought it was great in a Disney fashion. Looking over Mick's list, he's just not into the sappy stuff.

[cctop]

Nice lists!  My 16-year-old loves sports movies, and we've been watching a lot of them during the shelter-in-place.  This thread gave me some good ideas.

You can tell the age of everyone on this board by the fact that "The Sandlot" isn't the first film on everyone's list.

I'm too old as well to have an emotional connection to "The Sandlot", but I read somewhere that it's the #1 pick of current MLB players.

Also I'm going to disagree with Mick about "McFarland USA".  I thought it was great in a Disney fashion. Looking over Mick's list, he's just not into the sappy stuff.

[oldalum]

Also I'm going to disagree with Mick about "McFarland USA".  I thought it was great in a Disney fashion.  

My favorite thing about McFarland was its casting of Palo Alto High School as the bogeyman: a rich, elite, snobby athletic powerhouse.

[oldalum]

Also I'm going to disagree with Mick about "McFarland USA".  I thought it was great in a Disney fashion.  

My favorite thing about McFarland was its casting of Palo Alto High School as the bogeyman: a rich, elite, snobby athletic powerhouse.

[Mick]

Just saw (again) the Japanese “reimagination” of Sideways (Saidoweizu). My high school alum (6yrs ahead) was the director. Don’t hate me for liking it better.

Wouldn't haterade that movie.  I'll watch it myself.

---

Also I'm going to disagree with Mick about "McFarland USA".  I thought it was great in a Disney fashion.  

My favorite thing about McFarland was its casting of Palo Alto High School as the bogeyman: a rich, elite, snobby athletic powerhouse.

Yeah, that was a little weird.  Also weird was casting Los Gatos High School as a poor, downtrodden underdog in the Charlie Wedemeyer movie.  I can't think of a less likely underdog, nor less downtrodden, and it's at the opposite end of poor.  CCS football records still list Los Gatos as having the most consecutive football wins in the CCS with 38 from 2000 to 2002 (pre-CCS, Willow Glen had 43 in a row).  Los Gatos is 59-20-1 in the CCS playoffs since 1965, more than any CCS team except St. Francis.  I'd say more "powerhouse" than "underdog."

[Mick]

Just saw (again) the Japanese “reimagination” of Sideways (Saidoweizu). My high school alum (6yrs ahead) was the director. Don’t hate me for liking it better.

Wouldn't haterade that movie.  I'll watch it myself.

---

Also I'm going to disagree with Mick about "McFarland USA".  I thought it was great in a Disney fashion.  

My favorite thing about McFarland was its casting of Palo Alto High School as the bogeyman: a rich, elite, snobby athletic powerhouse.

Yeah, that was a little weird.  Also weird was casting Los Gatos High School as a poor, downtrodden underdog in the Charlie Wedemeyer movie.  I can't think of a less likely underdog, nor less downtrodden, and it's at the opposite end of poor.  CCS football records still list Los Gatos as having the most consecutive football wins in the CCS with 38 from 2000 to 2002 (pre-CCS, Willow Glen had 43 in a row).  Los Gatos is 59-20-1 in the CCS playoffs since 1965, more than any CCS team except St. Francis.  I'd say more "powerhouse" than "underdog."

[Phogge]

Mick, I shot a doc about Charlie over a seven year period. Only time in 51 years that I worked pro bono as a favor to friends. We started out at a spring practice when C could still walk. The project ends when he finally wins a CCS title on an improbable block of a FG by a kid who played at SJS later. The family's dedication to care for Charlie was one of the most magnificent stories that I've been involved with. There are a couple of villains too but we did not press the issue too far, it just wasn't one of those films.

The producers kept in contact with Lucy Wedemeyer until the end. We were even invited to dinner at their house years later as C wanted to "Cook Hawaiian." He laid out a menu orally (only his family could understand) and we spent some quality time. I got to speak with Lucy at Charlie's funeral, a beautiful affair at the SJ Shark's home.

Called "One More Season." It's the actual story of the Wedemeyers' life post diagnosis. I think it is a better way to tell the story than the TV movie with a miscast Charlie (Michael Nouri). I don't know if the piece is available online.

[Phogge]

Mick, I shot a doc about Charlie over a seven year period. Only time in 51 years that I worked pro bono as a favor to friends. We started out at a spring practice when C could still walk. The project ends when he finally wins a CCS title on an improbable block of a FG by a kid who played at SJS later. The family's dedication to care for Charlie was one of the most magnificent stories that I've been involved with. There are a couple of villains too but we did not press the issue too far, it just wasn't one of those films.

The producers kept in contact with Lucy Wedemeyer until the end. We were even invited to dinner at their house years later as C wanted to "Cook Hawaiian." He laid out a menu orally (only his family could understand) and we spent some quality time. I got to speak with Lucy at Charlie's funeral, a beautiful affair at the SJ Shark's home.

Called "One More Season." It's the actual story of the Wedemeyers' life post diagnosis. I think it is a better way to tell the story than the TV movie with a miscast Charlie (Michael Nouri). I don't know if the piece is available online.

[Embo]

I double checked.  No one has made a mention of "Happy Gilmore".   Okay, I know Adam Sandler has to be taken in small doses.  But the movie has Carl Weathers, who has given up shoulder pads and boxing gloves (both of which he had used admirably) for ... a cardigan sweater.
The iconic role?  Gotta be Shooter McGavin.  Chris McDonald created the most obnoxious golfer around (well, perhaps this side of Sergio Garcia).
That final hole where McGavin sinks a 32 foot putt and goes crazy?  McDonald said on an interview with Rich Eisen that it wasn't really a green (you can tell in the movie) and that the director gave him a limited number of takes to put it in the hole.  He said he saw the extras betting that he couldn't make it, so when it did go in, his "Choke on that, baby!" shout and jump were unscripted and was his honest reaction.

[Embo]

I double checked.  No one has made a mention of "Happy Gilmore".   Okay, I know Adam Sandler has to be taken in small doses.  But the movie has Carl Weathers, who has given up shoulder pads and boxing gloves (both of which he had used admirably) for ... a cardigan sweater.
The iconic role?  Gotta be Shooter McGavin.  Chris McDonald created the most obnoxious golfer around (well, perhaps this side of Sergio Garcia).
That final hole where McGavin sinks a 32 foot putt and goes crazy?  McDonald said on an interview with Rich Eisen that it wasn't really a green (you can tell in the movie) and that the director gave him a limited number of takes to put it in the hole.  He said he saw the extras betting that he couldn't make it, so when it did go in, his "Choke on that, baby!" shout and jump were unscripted and was his honest reaction.

[BostonCard]

Adam Sandler was phenomenal in Uncut Gems.  The irony is that it is his first(?) serious role.  Maybe the guy was miscast as a comedian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTfJp2Ts9X8


BC

[BostonCard]

Adam Sandler was phenomenal in Uncut Gems.  The irony is that it is his first(?) serious role.  Maybe the guy was miscast as a comedian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTfJp2Ts9X8


BC

[AlbanyCardinal]

I agree on Sandler in UNCUT GEMS. Tough film. As for Sandler in other non-comedic roles, check out PTA’s PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE. Interesting film. 

Adam Sandler was phenomenal in Uncut Gems.  The irony is that it is his first(?) serious role.  Maybe the guy was miscast as a comedian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTfJp2Ts9X8


BC

[AlbanyCardinal]

I agree on Sandler in UNCUT GEMS. Tough film. As for Sandler in other non-comedic roles, check out PTA’s PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE. Interesting film. 

Adam Sandler was phenomenal in Uncut Gems.  The irony is that it is his first(?) serious role.  Maybe the guy was miscast as a comedian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTfJp2Ts9X8


BC

[BobK]

How about the “Odd Couple”. Maz hits into a triple play

[BobK]

How about the “Odd Couple”. Maz hits into a triple play

[Embo]

How about the “Odd Couple”.  Maz hits into a triple play

Not sure if you ever heard the story.  It was supposed to be Roberto Clemente hitting into the TP. The scene was filmed prior to a real game. The history is cloudy - one story is that Clemente, irate that he would be paid just $100 to do something offensive to him (be so slow to first to even allow three outs), told the director where to put it.  The second story is that Clemente did indeed participate, but because he was running slower and slower to allow the throw to beat him, it looked ridiculous and the slower-footed Mazeroski took his place at the plate.

Story behind the Odd Couple triple play

[Embo]

How about the “Odd Couple”.  Maz hits into a triple play

Not sure if you ever heard the story.  It was supposed to be Roberto Clemente hitting into the TP. The scene was filmed prior to a real game. The history is cloudy - one story is that Clemente, irate that he would be paid just $100 to do something offensive to him (be so slow to first to even allow three outs), told the director where to put it.  The second story is that Clemente did indeed participate, but because he was running slower and slower to allow the throw to beat him, it looked ridiculous and the slower-footed Mazeroski took his place at the plate.

Story behind the Odd Couple triple play

[BobK]

Wow. Thank you. Didn’t know this

[BobK]

Wow. Thank you. Didn’t know this

[Mick]

I agree on Sandler in UNCUT GEMS. Tough film. As for Sandler in other non-comedic roles, check out PTA’s PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE. Interesting film. 

Adam Sandler was phenomenal in Uncut Gems.  The irony is that it is his first(?) serious role.  Maybe the guy was miscast as a comedian.
BC

I'm actually not a fan of either Drew Barrymore or Adam Sandler as a rule, but I really liked The Wedding Singer and Fifty First Dates.

[Mick]

I agree on Sandler in UNCUT GEMS. Tough film. As for Sandler in other non-comedic roles, check out PTA’s PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE. Interesting film. 

Adam Sandler was phenomenal in Uncut Gems.  The irony is that it is his first(?) serious role.  Maybe the guy was miscast as a comedian.
BC

I'm actually not a fan of either Drew Barrymore or Adam Sandler as a rule, but I really liked The Wedding Singer and Fifty First Dates.

[DC 86]

Mick, I shot a doc about Charlie over a seven year period. Only time in 51 years that I worked pro bono as a favor to friends. We started out at a spring practice when C could still walk. The project ends when he finally wins a CCS title on an improbable block of a FG by a kid who played at SJS later. The family's dedication to care for Charlie was one of the most magnificent stories that I've been involved with. There are a couple of villains too but we did not press the issue too far, it just wasn't one of those films.

The producers kept in contact with Lucy Wedemeyer until the end. We were even invited to dinner at their house years later as C wanted to "Cook Hawaiian." He laid out a menu orally (only his family could understand) and we spent some quality time. I got to speak with Lucy at Charlie's funeral, a beautiful affair at the SJ Shark's home.

Called "One More Season." It's the actual story of the Wedemeyers' life post diagnosis. I think it is a better way to tell the story than the TV movie with a miscast Charlie (Michael Nouri). I don't know if the piece is available online.

One More Season is a fantastic documentary - an extremely powerful and moving portrait of an amazing man and wife, with that dramatic finish in the CCS D-1 championship game to boot. I taped it back in the VHS days and watched it several times. It's available in its entirety on YouTube now, highly recommended.

His son Kale Wedemeyer appears in the film as a kid; he went on to play football at Cal and is now a clinical instructor in Anesthesiology at Stanford Medical School.

One of the stars on that Los Gatos team was Jeff Blaisdell, who played some WR and punted for Stanford in the late 1980s.

[DC 86]

Mick, I shot a doc about Charlie over a seven year period. Only time in 51 years that I worked pro bono as a favor to friends. We started out at a spring practice when C could still walk. The project ends when he finally wins a CCS title on an improbable block of a FG by a kid who played at SJS later. The family's dedication to care for Charlie was one of the most magnificent stories that I've been involved with. There are a couple of villains too but we did not press the issue too far, it just wasn't one of those films.

The producers kept in contact with Lucy Wedemeyer until the end. We were even invited to dinner at their house years later as C wanted to "Cook Hawaiian." He laid out a menu orally (only his family could understand) and we spent some quality time. I got to speak with Lucy at Charlie's funeral, a beautiful affair at the SJ Shark's home.

Called "One More Season." It's the actual story of the Wedemeyers' life post diagnosis. I think it is a better way to tell the story than the TV movie with a miscast Charlie (Michael Nouri). I don't know if the piece is available online.

One More Season is a fantastic documentary - an extremely powerful and moving portrait of an amazing man and wife, with that dramatic finish in the CCS D-1 championship game to boot. I taped it back in the VHS days and watched it several times. It's available in its entirety on YouTube now, highly recommended.

His son Kale Wedemeyer appears in the film as a kid; he went on to play football at Cal and is now a clinical instructor in Anesthesiology at Stanford Medical School.

One of the stars on that Los Gatos team was Jeff Blaisdell, who played some WR and punted for Stanford in the late 1980s.

[Phogge]

I shot every frame of that film. PM me if you want for the story of how we smuggled a camera into Charlie's room the night his doc thought he would die. Of course he lived for another 20 years.

[Phogge]

I shot every frame of that film. PM me if you want for the story of how we smuggled a camera into Charlie's room the night his doc thought he would die. Of course he lived for another 20 years.