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Sports films have their own unique charm, but those centered on the Olympics and Olympians stand apart, depicting unparalleled tales of grit, guts, gumption, and glory.
As the 2024 Paris Games commence, Norma Astrid Godinho presents a curated list of movies that will complement your Olympic viewing experience.
Chariots Of Fire
Chariots Of Fire revolves around two British athletes competing in the 1924 Olympics and their purpose of participation.
Scottish Christian Eric Liddell runs so he can feel the glory of God, while English Harold Abrahams runs to overcome the prejudice he faces as a Jewish man at Cambrige.
The film is a sombre story and the race scenes with Vangelis' theme tune helped the film bag Best Picture and Best Original Score at the Oscars.
Streaming on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video (On Rent)
Munich
This Steven Spielberg action thriller is based on George Jonas's book Vengeance.
The movie revolves around the Israeli government's retaliation against Palestinian terrorists after the tragedy at the 1972 Olympics.
During the Munich Olympics, eleven Israeli athletes and coaches were taken hostage and murdered by the Palestinian terrorist group Black September. In retaliation, Mossad agents execute those responsible for the attack.
The film starring Eric Bana and Daniel Craig among others is a treat.
Streaming on Netflix
Miracle
This film is about the US men's ice hockey team beating the Soviet Union, winning gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics against the backdrop of the Cold War.
Kurt Russell plays temperamental coach Herb Brooks, who leads a team of college boys to believe in themselves. The movie includes commentary from the original matches, leaving you at the edge of your seat despite the film's apparent outcome.
Streaming on: Apple TV+ (On Rent)
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Starring Farhan Akhtar, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag traces the journey of the Indian athletics legend.
Milkha Singh's fourth-placed finish in the 400m at the Rome 1960 Olympics broke the national record.
The movie is based on Milkha Singh's autobiography, The Race of my Life.
Streaming on: Apple TV
Gold: The Dream That United Our Nation
Directed by Reema Kagti, the film is about Tapan Das, the team manager who works to assemble the country's first all-Indian hockey team for the 1948 Olympics.
Das played a pivotal role in helping the Indian hockey team win a gold medal in London, the first Games post Independence.
The film recreates an episode in Indian sport that is not often spoken about -- how a hockey team was formed against the backdrop of Partition and went on to make history.
Performances by the ensemble cast were spot on, especially Akshay Kumar, who potrayed a drunk to the T.
Streaming on: Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play Movies (On Rent)
The Boys In The Boat
Directed by George Clooney, The Boys In The Boat is about the American men's rowing team formed for the 1936 Berlin Olympics during the Great American Depression.
Streaming on: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video (On Rent)
Without Limits
Without Limits is about record breaking long distance runner Steve Prefontaine whose stunning performances lit up the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Directed by Robert Towne, the film stars Billy Crudup as Prefontaine, the legendary Donald Sutherland as his coach Bill Bowerman and Monica Potter as Prefontaine's love Mary Marckx.
Streaming on: Apple TV+ (On Rent)
Race
One of the greatest stories in Olympic history is Jesse Owens' track-and-field victory at the 1936 Berlin Games and Stephen Hopkins turned this incredible story into the superb biopic Race.
At a time when Adolf Hitler was spreading hate, a black athlete came to his country and out ran the world's best white athletes to win four gold medals.
Race explores Owens' difficult journey -- from discrimination from his fellow athletes and making the tough decision to go to the land of the Nazis -- before becoming America's greatest runner of his time.
Stephan James gives a spectacular performance as Owens.
Streaming on: Apple TV+
I, Tonya
Margot Robbie portrays figure skater Tonya Harding during the infamous 1994 attack on her rival Nancy Kerrigan, leading up to the US figure skating championships and the Winter Olympics that year.
The movie traces the journey of Harding, who, age 4, is forced into ice skating by her abusive mother. She becomes a talented skater and her career as a professional figure skater takes off, but she is not emotionally stable, flittering from one relationship to another.
The film primarily ocuses on her role in the 1994 assault on her closest rival Nancy Kerrigan. One day after practicing on an ice skating rink, Kerrigan is attacked by an assailant hired by Harding's ex-husband Jeff Gillooly.
I, Tonya is shot in mockumentary style as Margot Robbie gives one of her finest performances as Harding.
Streaming on: Apple TV+
Maidaan
Unknown to many, football was India's biggest passions back in the day and the country was also called 'Brazil of Asia'.
Maidaan chronicles India's golden era of football with Ajay Devgn essaying the role of legendary coach Syed Abdul Rahim under whom India featured in the 1956 Olympics and then won gold at the 1962 Asian Games.
Under Rahim, India reached the Olympic semi-finals becoming the first Asian team to do so in Olympic history.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
Foxcatcher
In a dark drama, Steve Carell plays multimillionaire and wrestling fan John du Pont.
In 1986, wrestling fan Johndu Pont hired two 1984 US Olympic gold medalist wrestlers -- Mark Schultz, played by Channing Tatum, and his older brother David Schultz, played by Mark Ruffalo -- to help train American wrestlers for the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Foxcatcher is an intriguing blend of wrestling drama and crime thriller.
Streaming on: Apple TV+
Unbroken
Based on Laura Hillenbrand's enthralling book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption, the movie chronicles US track record holder Louis Zamperini's life from his early years as a troublemaking youth to his athletic triumphs, his survival at sea, and his harrowing experiences as a prisoner of war. The film emphasises themes of perseverance, the power of the human spirit, and the capacity for forgiveness.
One of the most striking aspects of the film is its portrayal of Zamperini's time adrift in the Pacific and his subsequent torture in Japanese PoW camps. These scenes are depicted with unflinching realism, highlighting the extreme physical and mental challenges he faced.
Despite the brutality, the film also shows moments of humanity and hope, reflecting Zamperini's resilience and unwavering determination to survive.
Directed by Angelina Jolie, the movie received three Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.
Streaming on: Apple TV+ and Jio Cinema, Amazon Prime Video and Hungama TV (On Rent)