Top 5 – Boxing Movies

Who doesn’t love a good boxing movie?  It feels like we get a new one every year and, for the most part, they are usually really, really good movies.  In honor of Creed II, the second in the Creed franchise and the eighth in the Rocky franchise, coming out this weekend, let’s take a look at the best boxing movies of all-time.

5 – MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004, Clint Eastwood)

Clint Eastwood’s Oscar winner is one of tragedy and triumph.  Clint Eastwood plays grizzled, old boxing trainer Frankie Dunn who reluctantly decides to train a tough, yet inexperienced Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank).  Their growth in the ring and personally is crushed in the blink of an eye, which then leads to some of the saddest cinema I have ever seen.  Eastwood doesn’t sugarcoat the bumps and bruises Maggie endures, while fighting and in her personal life.  He shows us the brutality of boxing in a number of scenes, including one where Maggie breaks her nose and Frankie breaks it back.  He also shows the greedy and cold attitude of Maggie’s family.  Eastwood, Swank and Morgan Freeman all give some of the best performances of their careers.  This is a raw, brutal, brilliant film and one of Eastwood’s best.

4 – THE FIGHTER (David O. Russell, 2010)

The Fighter marked the return of David O. Russell.  After hitting it big with Three Kings (1999), he hit a bit of a wall after making the extremely bizarre I Heart Huckabees (2004) and word that he has a bit of a temper on set.  The Fighter is more than a boxing movie, it is a movie about family and doing what is best for yourself, regardless of what people say.  Following true story of ‘Irish’ Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg), this is a great underdog story about a Boston grinder who works his way to the top of the boxing charts.  The great ensemble, featuring Wahlberg, Amy Adams, and Oscar winners Christian Bale and Melissa Leo is one of the best of the decade.  The fight scenes are rousing, the family drama is captivating, The Fighter is great cinema.

3 – CREED (Ryan Coogler, 2015)

Creed came out of nowhere.  I was more excited than most when I heard this movie was happening because of the idea of Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan teaming up again after their 2013 masterpiece, Fruitvale Station.  The idea that we were getting another Rocky movie had me skeptical, though, since it was a tired franchise that ended in style with Rocky Balboa (2006).  But what Creed ended up being is something I never expected.  This is more than just another entry in the Rocky franchise, it is a film that starts its own franchise.  Coogler’s direction is astounding for someone so young, and Michael B. Jordan has never been better.  And let’s not forget about Rocky himself, Sylvester Stallone, who gives a career-best performance and is the most emotional and dramatic I’ve ever seen the iconic action star.  I could make a legit case for Creed being number one on this list.  But for now, the best movie of 2015 will stay at the three spot and let its legacy grow for years to come.

2 – ROCKY (John G. Alvidsen, 1976)

Rocky is classic cinema at it’s best.  It features a classic underdog story, a classic character, and classic fighting.  This movie is the definition of the American dream.  This is a character study about a down on his luck Philadelphia hood who is randomly selected to go toe-to-toe with the reigning champion while also trying to get with the girl who is from the other side of the tracks.  Sylvester Stallone became a star because of this movie, as he wrote, produced, and starred as the titular character.  With legendary shots, redefining the montage, and straying away from cliche,  Rocky is a truly iconic film.

1 – RAGING BULL (Martin Scorsese, 1980)

Robert De Niro gives the greatest performance in cinematic history in this Martin Scorsese classic.  Telling the story of Jake La Motta and his rise and fall in and out of the ring.  He was a man who was so good in the ring, yet hampered by his insecurities and issues outside the ring that it ultimately led to the end of his career.  De Niro defines what method acting is, fluctuating his weight and mentally becoming the tortured boxer.  The film is a visual stunner, being shot in stark black and white with some great editing and sound design.  This is one of Scorsese’s very best films, giving some of the bloodiest and best shot boxing scenes ever.  Most people will have Rocky at the top of their list, but for me, it’s Scorsese’s visceral, brutal masterpiece.

What are your guys’ favorite boxing movies?  Comment below or hit me up on Twitter and Instagram, @kevflix, or on Facebook and YouTube by searching Kevflix.