Throw a bunch of movie buffs together in a room and ask them to arrive at a consensus regarding the top 20 list for any genre, and voices will be raised before too long. In the end, if these people are grown-ups, they will find common ground on widely beloved classics and maybe throw a bone or two to an offbeat favorite. Throw a bunch of movie buffs who also happen to be passionate sports fans together and ask them to name the 20 greatest sports films of all time, and punches might just get thrown.

For most people, sports movies are supposed to be inspirational, stand-up-and-cheer entertainments. They're rigidly formulaic underdog stories in which lovable losers pull together to win the big game against seemingly unbeatable juggernauts. As a cinephile who lives and dies with my favorite sports teams, I fall for this formula all the time -- especially when the...