Nostalgic Sports Movies From The ’90s Everyone Loved
Sports movies have been around since the dawn of film, but for many, the genre reached its peak in the 1990s. From family-friendly crowd-pleasers to period pieces to outlandish slapstick comedies, it seems like there was something for everyone when it came to sports movies in the ’90s.
While this list is by no means exhaustive, it’s bound to strike a chord for anyone who was growing up during this memorable era.
The Mighty Ducks (1992)
It’s hard to believe that The Mighty Ducks received lukewarm critical reviews, because the movie was an instant classic for ’90s kids, spawned a media franchise, and even lent its name to a pro hockey team.
The movie, which is surprisingly raw for kid-focused fare, stars Emilio Estevez as a troubled former hockey star who’s forced to coach a ragtag group of young hockey players. It’s a familiar setup, but the movie has a ton of heart.
Ladybugs (1992)
Rodney Dangerfield was a singular comedic force, in that he was always essentially playing some version of himself. Having Dangerfield play a foul-mouthed kids’ soccer coach doesn’t sound like it’ll work, but somehow, it does.
Like many movies on this list, Ladybugs was not warmly received by critics. That said, Dangerfield’s charming persona does a lot of heavy lifting and makes the movie worth watching.
A League of Their Own (1992)
Less of a kids’ movie than other films on this list, A League of Their Own is a film that stands on its own as a solid sports comedy-drama.
A period piece set in the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League of the 1940s, the film combines strong leads in Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, and Rosie O’Donnell. It places its central plot of sibling rivalry in the midst of this memorable, short-lived baseball league.
The Sandlot (1993)
The Sandlot is fondly remembered not just by ’90s kids, but also by those who came of age in the early ’60s, when the movie was set.
The movie tells the story of a young baseball fan who finds a group of friends to play ball with on the titular sandlot. The group establishes rivalries, seeks young love, and eventually has to confront the scariest thing in their lives: The mythical old man and his dog who live next door to the sandlot.
Rookie of the Year (1993)
It’s utterly implausible that a child could break their arm, only to have it heal in such a way that it makes them an ace baseball pitcher — but somehow, the plot works in 1993’s Rookie of the Year.
In the movie, young Henry Rowengartner rides the highs and lows of pro baseball success, all while bonding with a crotchety father figure (played by Gary Busey) and reconnecting with his mother.
Cool Runnings (1993)
A classic fish-out-of-water comedy, Cool Runnings tells the true story of the Jamaican national bobsleigh team that competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
The movie walks a fine line, as it maintains a comedic tone throughout while interspersing more dramatic, inspiring moments. John Candy is a standout in one of his final film roles, and the movie received positive reviews from critics.
Angels in the Outfield (1994)
A remake of the 1951 film of the same name, 1994’s Angels in the Outfield is fondly remembered today for its inspirational tale of faith and friendship.
If nothing else, it’s worth watching for its unusually star-studded cast, which includes Danny Glover, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tony Danza, Christopher Lloyd, Adrien Brody, Dermot Mulroney, and Matthew McConaughey.
D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994)
The Mighty Ducks was a smash hit and spawned two follow-ups in the ’90s: D2 and D3. While D3 was a bland ending to the trilogy, D2 represents the series at its zenith.
The movie carries the momentum of The Mighty Ducks, with Coach Bombay assigned to coach team USA at the junior Goodwill Games. Of course, much of the original cast returns, and new villains are established to challenge the Ducks.
Little Giants (1994)
Rick Moranis and Ed O’Neill square off as rival brothers who coach rival youth football teams in Little Giants. Naturally, Moranis plays the hapless coach of a team of clueless players, while O’Neill is the intimidating taskmaster who coaches a stronger team.
The movie features a suitably crowd-pleasing plot arc, and football fans will find a lot to like in the movie’s plethora of NFL star cameos.
Little Big League (1994)
Little Big League tells the implausible story of a 12-year-old who first inherits, and then manages, a Major League Baseball team.
Once this is established, however, the result is a deeply grounded baseball movie, with perhaps the most accurate and realistic on-field action seen in a kids’ sports movie. While it was a kid-focused movie, it received praise from Roger Ebert for not dumbing down its content.
3 Ninjas (1992)
A film about three brothers who are taught martial arts by their grandfather, 3 Ninjas is a fun romp for younger audiences even if it’s a very uneven film by most standards.
While the movie veers off in some unusual, unbelievable directions, it stays true to its core message that martial arts are not a form of aggression, but a form of self-defense and personal safety.
3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994)
The chronology of the 3 Ninjas franchise is confusing, as the third film in the trilogy was shot back-to-back with the first film, but the second film was actually released first.
3 Ninjas Kick Back is that second film, and features a largely new cast. The movie was uneven and was not particularly well-received by critics. Still, for those who loved the original, there’s plenty to like in the sequel.
The Big Green (1995)
It seems that Disney produced kids’ movies based around every big sport in the ’90s, and The Big Green was Disney’s swing at a soccer comedy.
This charming film stars Olivia d’Abo as a British teacher who finds herself teaching soccer to a group of small-town Texas kids. Most reviews compared it to Angels in the Outfield and The Mighty Ducks — strong praise indeed, considering the success of those movies.
Ed (1996)
Unsurprisingly, a baseball comedy starring Matt LeBlanc and a chimpanzee isn’t going to win any major awards, but this silly movie had enough antics to entertain plenty of ’90s kids.
The movie relied entirely on LeBlanc’s star power and the chimp’s antics, and as such it wasn’t well-received. Still, it’s the kind of movie that’s so bad that it’s almost good.
Space Jam (1996)
An absolute pop culture juggernaut, Space Jam told an alternative version of history: What if Michael Jordan, instead of trying to play baseball, teamed up with the Looney Tunes cast and Bill Murray to defeat a team of evil basketball-playing aliens?
It’s a ridiculous plot, but the film combined several hot properties in Michael Jordan and Looney Tunes, and impressive visual effects paired with a strong soundtrack to make this movie memorable for reasons unrelated to its plot.
