Film festivals showcase some of the best independent filmmakers in the country, so if you’re in the area don’t miss this one. The newportFILM SPORTS film festival debuts on April 29 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.
There will be a variety of sports movies on boxing, horse racing and more. Winning looks inside the minds of five world-class athletes through interviews with Martina Navratilova, Jack Nicklaus (golf), Nadia Comaneci (gymnastics) and Edwin Moses (track and field).
Dark Horse chronicles the astonishing story of residents from a poor mining community in Wales who became successful thoroughbred breeders. Touch the Wall showcases the demanding path of Olympic swimmers Missy Franklin and Kara Lynne Joyce (Kara will be in attendance). T-Rex, which follows 17-year-old Claressa “T-Rex” Shields of Flint, Michigan, as she goes for gold in women’s boxing at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Sailing documentaries include The Weekend Sailor, a film that chronicles the exciting and unlikely story of the Mexican crew of Sayula II.
There will be a panel discussion with Olympians. Tickets for the films range from $8 – $15 with a number of free event offerings as well. Limited and All-Access weekend passes are available for $50 and $110. Advance registration is required for tennis, Olympian panel discussion, and yoga, with details for all events available on the website.
Kevin James to Star in ’44’
Speaking of movies, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Kevin James is suiting up to star in the inspirational football-themed drama 44 for Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros.
Okay I admit it, I absolutely loved ‘Here Comes the Boom’. James starred in the 2012 flick as a high school biology teacher who wanted to become a successful MMA fighter in an effort to raise money to prevent extra-curricular activities from being cancelled at his school.
It had some of James’ typical slapstick humor in it, but it definitely wasn’t Mall Cop 2. James showed he had some dramatic chops in him, but I don’t know if he has it in him to hold an entire dramatic movie. It will be interesting to see his portrayal of Joey Williams, a 44-year-old father of four from Tennessee who returned to college to complete his degree and fulfill a lifelong dream of playing collegiate football. In the process, he instead found himself competing alongside his college-aged son at the same university.
The script hasn’t even been written yet, so we have some time before this one comes out. I hope James really puts his chops into this one.
Pelé Hits Theaters
And, finally, for all you soccer fans, mark your calendars for May 6 when the movie Pelé debuts in theaters (on video on demand a week later). I’m not a soccer fan, to be honest, but I got excited about the movie knowing how much Ej the Rainmaker admires him from his days with the New York Cosmos.
If you don’t know who Pelé is you should know that he is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. Here are just some of his accolades: Pelé is the most successful league goal scorer in the world, with 541 league goals. In total Pelé scored 1281 goals in 1363 games, including unofficial friendlies and tour games, for which he was listed in the Guinness World Records for most career goals scored in football.
Honestly, the trailer looks really good. Take a peek:
It looks like a great feel-good sports movie.
And finally, a few days ago NFL Films announced the creation of a new series, All or Nothing, premiering exclusively on Amazon Video, a show that offers fans a “glimpse into the week-to-week drama that unfolds within the lives of players, coaches and owners of an NFL franchise during the course of the regular season.”
The season will start with the 2015 Arizona Cardinals. “We take tremendous pride in the dedicated and talented people that make up our organization and welcomed this opportunity to showcase them,” said Michael Bidwill, President, Arizona Cardinals in a release. “This unprecedented look into what it takes to compete in the National Football League is something that we think viewers will find fascinating. We all know the quality of work NFL Films does and are just as excited to work with Amazon to find such an innovative way to distribute this series.”
The season follow’s the 2015 NFL Draft and continues throughout the season. Along the way the series chronicles the on and off-field events in the lives of Arizona players, including Pro Bowlers Palmer, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, cornerback Patrick Peterson and safety Tyrann Mathieu.
