Miracle (2004)

Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, Eddie Cahill, Noah Emmerich

This is my favorite sports movie of all time because I think it was the greatest sports moment of all time.

1980 was the height of the Cold War between the US and the USSR. The US had just boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics, refusing to compete with Communists (the Russians would boycott the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles). Soviet hockey was a force to be reckoned with; they had been at the top of their sport for twenty years at this point.

Herb Brooks, hockey coach at the University of Minnesota, landed the job of a lifetime coaching a team of amateur players to contend with the Soviet super-powered hockey team at the Lake Placid Olympics.

And the Miracle on Ice is history.

But what a great story of teamwork and camaraderie and grit and determination!! There were several times when I couldn't help but to applaud. I told my friend that if I'd been watching at home by myself, I'd be jumping up and down and doing silent fist pumps (can't cheer; wouldn't want to wake my sister).

And the sports choreography is nothing short of PHENOMENAL. I can't believe some of the shots they got. And they got Al Michaels, who called the real thing, to "call the game" for the movie, too. Good stuff!!

In short: WATCH THIS MOVIE!!