With in-person sporting events missing from many of our lives right now, we can turn to sports movies to fill our desire for competition, rivalry and teamsmanship. Whether it’s lighthearted and comedic, or heartfelt and serious, they are some of the most satisfying films to watch. Here are three sports movies that will keep you on the edge of your seat cheering for the characters. 

Happy Gilmore:

Happy Gilmore is a lighthearted tale of a failed hockey player who finds an unexpected calling to golf. When his grandmother’s house is in danger of being taken away, Happy Gilmore, played by Adam Sandler, is desperate to help her find a way to save it. When he discovers he has a hidden talent for golf, he enters a tournament with the encouragement of Chubbs Peterson, played by Carl Weather, in order to win money for his grandma. However, being a short-tempered and rowdy hockey player, Gilmore has an awkward time adjusting into the golf culture, making for some hysterical and memorable moments. Gilmore quickly makes rivals on the course, but luckily, makes friends just as fast. This happy-go-lucky film contains lots of lighthearted childish humor and goofy characters.

Remember the Titans: 

One of the most heartfelt and unforgettable sports movies is Remember the Titans. The film takes place in the early 1970s when a school in Virginia decides to interracially mix for the first time. The football team is the first to experience the change during summer training, and nobody’s happy about it. The team segregates itself immediately. However, their new black coach, Herman Boone, played by Denzel Washington is determined to bring the boys together as a team and help them see past the racial barrier. While up  a training camp, the team finally seems to be able to bond, however, as soon as they come home, they find that once again they have to face segregation and inequality. The boys, who have just learned to accept each other as teammates and friends, must now battle against the outside world that wants to tear them apart. This team struggles through many obstacles to achieve equality, camaraderie and first place.

A League of Their Own: 

A League of Their Own is a heartwarming film with lots of comedic moments. During WW1 men went off to war, so there was no one left to play baseball. The league wanted a way to keep baseball going so they came up with the idea of an all women’s baseball team. The league was not well accepted. The players weren’t taken seriously and very few people came to watch their games. In order to be successful in the league the women had to play into their stereotypical societal roles. They took etiquette and charm classes and their uniforms were not made for the practicality of the game but rather to draw attention to their feminine physiques. The only people who took the league seriously were the players. The story follows two sisters, Kit and Dottie, played by Geena Davis and Lori Petty who are selected to play for the Peaches, one of four all-female teams in the All American Girls Baseball League. Throughout the film the team bands together to face inequality as they are degraded as players for being women.  Not only does the team face oppression from the outside, but rivalry and conflict take place within the team as well. This movie captures your attention and keeps you rooting for the characters as they battle against opposing teams, a suppressing society and internal strife.

Sports movies are some of the most engaging and entertaining movies to watch. Whether  it be comedic or emotional, the aspect of the game can’t help but make you love them. While these three movies are very different, they all give you that same thrill of competition and feel of camaraderie that only sports can give.