With Honor I Mention...

A few days back a great scene from The Station Agent flashed across my browser. Without hesitation, I boldly claimed it was "definitely one of my top 10 movies of all time".  Well damn, do I even know what my top ten movies of all time are? Lucky for me (and you) I ooze time to ponder such important topics.  One pen, one piece of paper and 29 movies later, I had my list.  Last time I checked, 29 doesn't equal a top ten.  I also discovered a top ten without the honorable mentions (11-15) is just not going to be OK.  In addition, I write a sports blog, not a movie blog.  Fuck it, it shall come together.  Besides, Jeffrey Lebowski bowls, and bowling is technically a sport.

Since this series could be a flaming pile of shit I'll try to get my legs under me with the honorable mentions.  I contend my favorite films have some great sports equivalents.  The equivalent could be an individual athlete or an iconic team. It is already obvious to me that I could ramble about these comparisons for days.

One important caveat before we get started.  I had to make a tough decision and leave out an entire self-created genre of great flicks.  A genre most of you are very familiar with; the "Horrible-Greats".  Nothing kicks, screams, and yells Horrible-Great like Cliffhanger or Road House.  My apologies to anyone anticipating these classics on the list.  We can both agree they are best saved for a special occasion and a special audience.

youtube is not going to be my friend on this project.  Copyright = Fecal Matter

Honorable Mention (15)
Little Miss Sunshine ---- 79' Pittsburgh Pirates

I give you a team and a film that prompt the same question.  When things get hard, and challenges arise, is there anything more important than family?  Family is a relative term, some people have family that are worth less than shit on a stick.  I am talking about the community you share your time with, the people you go to battle with,  real family.  Sometimes this family coincides with actual lineage and other times it couldn't be further away.

During their championship season the 79' Pirates were famously powered by the Sister Sledge anthem "We Are Family".  Facing a 3 games to 1 World Series deficit to the powerhouse Orioles would have been too much for most teams, but not a family like the Buccos.  Three subsequent games, and three victories for the family followed.  The family allowed two runs in the final three games to bring the steel city another championship.  If I could pick a city and decade to live in, I would have a hard time naming one better than  Pittsburgh in the 70's, a true city of champions.  

Familial adversity presents itself in a variety of ways.  Sometimes the issue at hand is very clear, sometimes it's fucked up and creepy.  Everybody has that creepy uncle, it's OK.  My mother still doesn't believe where my uncle put his thumb. Well, the Hoover's have their heroin addicted dead grandfather (in the back of their vw bus), their suicidal uncle, and a father with the worst/best intentions to cope with, all while trying to get their daughter through a demented contest she has no comprehension of.

The Buccos and the Hoover's deliver a performances worthy of some top notch bread puddin accompanied by a standing ovation.  Shit gets fucked up and they tackle it head on.  If you are unfamiliar with either of these great performances spend some time and get acquainted, you won't be disappointed.            

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