by There are many movies about football, baseball, and basketball, but what about sports like surfing, roller derby, and mountain climbing? Although fewer films are made about these and other extreme sports, there are still some great flicks that fans shouldn’t miss. Here are the top five American movies about extreme sports.
5. Out Cold
A hilarious snowboarding comedy, “Out Cold” features Zack Galifianakis, Flex Alexander and Jason London as free-spirited Alaskan snowboarders who live in a small town named Bull Mountain. The fun loving group encounters trouble when their mountain is sold to a sleazy Colorado businessman. Realizing that their town will be destroyed by his plans, the group hatches a plot to sabotage the purchase. They enlist the businessman’s daughter Inga (Victoria Silvstedt) to help them. The characters of “Out Cold” have a deep love for snowboarding that shines throughout the film.
4. Blue Crush
Kate Bosworth portrays Anne Marie, a surfing enthusiast who enjoys riding the waves with her friends, played by Michelle Rodriguez and Sanoe Lake. Anne Marie must overcome emotional issues from being abandoned by her mother, as well as nearly drowning in a surfing accident. She also meets a football player and begins a torrid affair with him. Can Anne Marie overcome her emotional obstacles, in both surfing and in life? The cast of “Blue Crush” did all of their own surfing to make the film look and feel as authentic as possible. The film was very popular and was followed by a sequel.
3. Cliffhanger
Gabe (Sylvester Stallone) is rock climbing with a female friend when an accident causes her to fall to the ground and sustain fatal injuries. A year later, Gabe returns to the same area to assist a group of climbers who have apparently been stranded. Gage must face his past trauma as he realizes that the situation with the climbers is far more complicated than it first appears. “Cliffhanger” is one of Stallone’s best and most exciting films. It features dramatic high risk rock climbing action.
2. Whip It
Ellen Page stars as Bliss, a small town teenager who becomes involved in a roller derby team despite the objections of her parents. She enters the rough and tumble world of roller derby and learns to love it. Directed by Drew Barrymore, “Whip It” is filled with fast-paced, intense action. It also features a rocking soundtrack.
1. Man on Wire
“Man on Wire” is a documentary about the daring escapades of Phillipe Petit, who made a high wire, high risk journey between the World Trade Center towers in 1974. It is based on the book “To Reach the Clouds”. The documentary features footage of Petit getting ready for his wire walk. Petit was arrested and later released, becoming an iconic figure to extreme sports enthusiasts. The film is a thrilling look at Petit’s extremely dangerous but successful stunt. This brilliant documentary is the ultimate extreme sports film.
As this list proves, there are great extreme sports films that are sure to entertain and excite enthusiasts. There is usually at least one quality film devoted to any sport. Anyone who loves extreme sports owes it to themselves to check out these entertaining and high quality films.
