YOU READ IT HERE FIRST
Curtis J. Phillips
1: HOOSIERS Hoosiers (1986): Hoosiers is more than just a sports movie with basketball as a focal point. It is about redemption and the challenges of life. David versus Goliath. Based on the true story of Coach Marvin Wood who guided the 1954 Milan High School to miracle victory for the Indiana state title. Gene Hackman lands the role of the head coach and plays it to the hilt. In Hoosiers he is given the name Coach Norman Dale. From music to cinematography to script, this is the true champion of basketball movies. A gorilla slam dunk to Dennis Hooper for his role of Shooter, the town drunk who is also an ex hardwood star and basketball junkie. Hooper earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. Thanks go to former Indiana and NBA star Tom Abernathy for providing points on the basketball technical skills. A movie that will leave you feeling good even if you are not a basketball fan. Flick was also nominated for Best Music Original Score.
2: HOOP DREAMS Hoop Dreams (1994): Perhaps the best sports documentary of all time. Maybe that’s reaching. So let’s say the best basketball documentary of all time. We head to the Windy City of Chicago to follow the exploits of high school players William Gates and Arthur Agee. Their dreams are to land athletic scholarships and then play in the NBA. We get an inside look into the reality of high school hoops USA style and the pressures of life both on and off the court. Nominated for Best Film editing.
3: HE GOT GAME (1998). When Spike Lee was not riding Reggie Miller he was directing He Got Game. Lee landed a big time actor, Denzel Washington, for a big time role as Jake Shuttlesworth, a former hoopster prisoner for killing his wife. Ray Allen, yes of the same Seattle Supersonics, actually comes off as a quality actor in the role of Denzel’s son Jesus a big time high school prospect. Storyline is Denzel trying to recruit his son to play at the governor’s alma mater so that his own jail time may be reduced. Exceptional hoops and a deserving flick.
4: THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON (1982): You won’t find any basketball scenes in this 1982 flick which deals with the reunion of a coach (Robert Mitchum) and four of his players from a championship high school basketball team…the 1957 Scranton. Instead, you will find brilliant drama examining the collapse of the American dream. Excellent cast with Bruce Dern, Paul Sorvino and Stacey Keach
5: INSIDE MOVES 1980) Without a doubt the best sound track – maybe aside from The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh – of any hoops flick. Great cast with John Savage, David Morse and Amy Wright. Not a lot of hoops but solid storyline of a man who is crippled physically and emotionally with basketball as a goal and dream. Diane Scarwid nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
7: WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP 1992) Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson go one-on-one, white on black and then team up to hustle the courts in this, sometimes over the top, basketball flick. Director Ron Shelton has something for sports flicks with Bull Durham, Blue Chips, Cobb and Tin Cup to name a few. Rosie Perez, as Woody’s girlfriend, adds a bit of variety to the story. Notable soundtrack
8: ONE ON ONE 1977): It’s hard to believe that this flick was made nearly 30 years ago. This is the Rocky of basketball movies with Robby Benson in the lead role of Henry Steele. Small town hero tries to make it in big time hoops. Some great basketball scenes and great acting. Maybe should be in the Top 5?
1996) Another good cast assemble with Don Cheadle, James Earl Jones, Michael Beach, Clarence Williams III and Forest Whitaker. The true story of the legendary Earl, The Goat" Manigault. The Harlem playground star that lost his chance at NBA stardom because of drugs.
10: LOVE AND BASKETBALL (2000) Lifelong friends Monica Wright (played by Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy McCall (Omar Epps) struggle with life, love and pursuit of a college and professional career on the hardwood. Ends up an OK romantic/drama with some hoops tossed in.
13: LIKE MIKE (2002) An orphan named Calvin (Lil’ Bow Wow) finds some old sneakers, with the initials "M.J." on them, hanging from a powerline. When he tries to retrieve them one rainy night, he and the shoes are struck by lightning. Presto. He now has super skills. Skills good enough to get a 14 year old into the NBA. Comedy prevails
14: FORGET PARIS (1995) Billy Crystal and Debra Winger carry this flick about an NBA referee (Crystal) who must choose between the love of the game and the love of his wife. Lot’s of NBA player cameos.
17: O (2001) Modern day version of Shakespeare’s Othello but with a background featuring Mekhi Phifer, Josh Hartnett and Julia Stiles. As the tagline suggests "Trust. Seduction. Betryal" with basketball at centre court.
19: ABOVE THE RIM (1994) Great cast with Duane Martin, Leon, Tupac Shakur and Marlon Wayans. Based in New York City, this drama follows a high school star Kyle Watson trying to escape inner city crime to realize his dream to play for Georgetown. The on court scenes are way over the top as the rims appear to be eight feet high with every shot a dunk.
20: THE FISH THAT SAVED PITTSBURGH (1979) A bad but good basketball movie at the same time. Lot’s of music…disco era. Lot’s of hoops. Lot’s of bad one liners. Lot’s of comedy. Julius "Dr. J." Erving heads the list so you know the acting won’t be great. At times a bit of Harlem Globetrotters. The Pittsburgh Pisces are the main attraction. Lot’s of Afros on the set too
25: THE AIR UP THERE 1994) A movie for the entire family. Kevin Bacon plays an assistant college coach Jimmy Dolan who travels to the outposts of primitive Africa to recruit players from the Winabi tribe. Good hoops action and storyline. Bacon a solid lead.
26: BLUE CHIPS (1994) Follow Nick Nolte in the role of Coach Pete Bell – a knock off of Bobby Knight - in his attempt to build a championship college team by hook or by crook. An all star NBA cast headed by Shaquille O’Neal in the role of Neon was nominated for a Razzie as Worst New Star. Lot’s of cameos of former hoop legends including one by Larry Bird. Great hoop scenes on the court although some of the players look like they are in their 30s’
28: THE BASKETBALL DIARIES (1994) Some young guns in this flick with Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg. Dark movie though as Leonardo finds drugs and crime more appealing then high school or a basketball career.
31: SPACE JAM (1996) Bet ya Michael Jordan never dreamed of hitting the silver screen with Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Weak cast Weak movie at times. Jordan is sucked – through a golf hole – into Loony Tunes world where his team of cartoon characters must defeat the alien Monstars. Great soundtrack and won tons of awards for R Kelly’s "I Believe I Can Fly."
37: HEAVEN IS A PLAYGROUND (1991) Based on the 1974 Rick Telander book of the same name. OK movie, which follows more inner city hoops, and the problems that come with lifestyle in the inner city. Best title ever for a hoops movie
*** Along with his passion for hoops Curtis J. Phillips was an award winning movie critic in both print and television mediums and the host of "C.J. in the Flicks."