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TORONTO - With the Winter Olympics just days away, put yourself in the mood with a few movies documenting the thrill of the medal chase. Here's a look at cinema's take on the biggest event in sports:
"Blades of Glory": Slapstick comedy meets pairs skating in this ludicrous 2007 farce from Will Ferrell and Jon Heder about rival skaters who team up to compete in the "World Winter Sport Games." Ferrell plays the cocky Chazz Michael Michaels, while Heder is his one-time adversary Jimmy MacElroy. When their on-ice animosity goes too far they are banned from singles competition and take desperate measures to reclaim skating glory. Cameos include former Olympians Sasha Cohen, Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano, Dorothy Hamill and Nancy Kerrigan.
"Chariots of Fire": Perhaps the most critically acclaimed of all Olympics-themed films, this 1981 tale about two runners prepping for the 1924 Games was nominated for seven Academy Awards, nabbing the prize for best picture. It's impossible to hear the famous theme song by Vangelis without catching the Olympic spirit.
"Cool Runnings": A perfect prelude to the Vancouver Games, this 1993 comedic gem looks at the plucky Jamaican bobsled team that charmed fans during the Calgary Olympics in 1988. Includes a standout performance by the late John Candy as Irv Blitzer, the down-on-his-luck bookie who agrees to coach the team.
"Cutting Edge": Another story that echoes the '88 Games, "Cutting Edge" opens with American hockey player Doug Dorsey (D.B. Sweeney) taking a brutal hit during a game against West Germany. Long before "Battle of the Blades" made it cool for hockey players to figure skate, Dorsey reinvents himself as one-half of a figure-skating pair with the imperious Kate Moseley (Moira Kelly). Although there was also a "Cutting Edge" 2 and 3, it's hard to beat the charm of the 1992 original, which features the Black Box hit "Ride on Time."
"Ice Castles": There are two versions of this figure-skating tear-jerker to choose from - the 1978 original, featuring Lynn-Holly Johnson and Robby Benson, and the straight-to-DVD update starring real-life figure skater Taylor Firth and actor Rob Mayes. Both follow the same routine, with promising skater Alexis Winston leaving her small town with Olympic dreams to train under a renowned coach and become a champion ice skater. When a freak accident leaves her blind, the teen must dig deeper than ever to find the strength to dream big. The original features the Oscar-nominated song "Through the Eyes of Love," while the 2010 update includes Toronto's Henry Czerny as Alexis's dad and a cameo by former Olympian Michelle Kwan.
"International Velvet": In this 1978 sequel to the 1944 Elizabeth Taylor classic "National Velvet," Velvet Brown has grown up and is guardian to her orphaned niece, Sarah Brown. Hostile and immature, the teen, played by a 14-year-old Tatum O'Neal, finds solace in her love of horses. With the help of a dedicated equestrian trainer played by Anthony Hopkins and the support of her aunt and uncle (Christopher Plummer), Sarah trains for the Olympics and becomes a champion horse racer.
"Miracle": This flag-waving 2004 crowd-pleaser traces the unlikely triumph of a ramshackle U.S. hockey team over the intimidating Soviet squad at the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. Kurt Russell earned critics' praise for his portrayal of no-nonsense coach Herb Brooks, while the young athletes who portray the team hit the rink with an authenticity rarely seen on the big screen.
"Personal Best": Running and romance mingle in this 1982 drama, better known for its risque lesbian storyline than its account of female athletics despite strong critical praise at the time. Mariel Hemingway and real-life track star Patrice Donnelly star as two highly competitive athletes training for the 1976 Montreal Games. The pair begin a romantic relationship but, with each angling for a spot on the Olympic team, it's not long before their trust is tested. Scott Glenn plays their manipulative coach.
"Prefontaine": The tragic struggle of middle-distance runner Steve Prefontaine is laid bare in this 1997 retelling, which stars Jared Leto of "My So-Called Life." The record-setting athlete makes it to the 1972 Munich Olympics, but a terrorist attack kills several athletes and leaves him shaken. He returns to the United States without a medal and becomes an outspoken advocate for amateur athletes. While training for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, he dies in a car accident at the age of 24.
"Running Brave": This against-all-odds tale from 1983 focuses on long-distance runner Billy Mills, who pulled off a massive upset at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics when he claimed the gold medal for the United States. Robby Benson plays the Sioux athlete, whose rise to legendary status came despite virulent racism in the '60s and the dominance of established champions from Australia, New Zealand and the Soviet Union.
