Sports & Fitness Movies

Documentary filmmaker Lee Fulkerson explores the possibility that so-called "diseases of affluence," such as heart disease, can be reversed by simply adjusting our diets to include less processed and animal-based foods. Back in the 1960s, Cornell University nutritional scientist Dr. T. Colin Campbell was working to find a way to feed the citizens of impoverished Third World nations when a trip to the Philippines forever changed the way he thought about food consumption. There, he discovered that the rates of liver cancer among affluent children who subsisted on diets rich in animal-based foods were notably higher than in children consuming plant-based diets. Meanwhile, surgeon Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, head of the Breast Cancer Task Force at Cleveland Clinic, was also discovering that many of the diseases he was seeing in patients were practically nonexistent in areas of the world where people were primarily consuming plant foods. Several subsequent investigations by the researchers (who would not meet each other until the 1980s), including a groundbreaking study in China by Dr. Campbell, led them to the revelation that a whole-food, plant-based diet could prevent, and even reverse, such degenerative conditions as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. In this film, Fulkerson examines Dr. Campbell's and Dr. Esselstyn's theories by following the two doctors' individual, yet very similar, story arcs, from their farm-based upbringings to their astounding discoveries. The film also records the experiences of a group of patients suffering from chronic maladies as they participate in an experiment in which their diets are substantially altered and wholesome, plant-based food is, essentially, used as medicine. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Husband and wife fitness expert team Fred DeVito and Elisabeth Halfpapp lead this intense exercise program, combining strength training, cardio, and specially designed flexability movements, in order to obtain weight loss and body sculpting benefits with maximum efficiency. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi

Fitness expert Bob Harper leads this integrated workout designed to strengthen and sculpt muscles in the core midsection of the body, through a series of specially coordinated combos and techniques that promise to yield maximum results in a minimum amount of time. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi

The 2010-2011 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks bested the LaBron James led Miami Heat in six games to bring home the trophy, and this documentary contains highlights from not just that series but from throughout their season which featured major contributions from Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, and Shawn Marion. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Pay a visit to an Appalachian farm where skateboarding is the religion, and shepherd Brewce Martin leads an anarchic flock of adrenaline-addicted adolescents in their tireless quest for the ultimate rush. In Skatopia, the rules of society don't apply. Here, amidst a sprawling paradise of concrete and mountains, skateboard sessions stretch into the small hours of the morning, and insanity is the law of the land. "Dictator Brewce" stands proudly at the center of this wild circus, but when his backwoods utopia faces an uncertain future, he must call on his congregation to help keep the demented dream alive. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Long before television and video games gave New York City kids the option of disappearing into alternate worlds for hours on end, the best option for passing the time and burning off energy was to hit the street for a game of stickball. In this documentary, narrator Hector Elizondo takes viewers back to a time when the city streets echoed with the sounds of laughing children, and games like Punchball, Skully, and Jonny on a Pony helped instill youngsters and their parents with a very real sense of community. In addition to offering a nostalgic glimpse into a bygone era, New York Street Games also explores the potential reasons urban adolescents no longer partake in the simple joys of games like Stick Ball, as well as the potential effects that today's more introverted forms of entertainment may be having on both their behavior, and our shifting social structures. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

This documentary profiles a handful of great NBA players who grew up in New York City including Bob Cousy, Connie Hawkins, and Chris Mullin. By utilizing archival footage, the filmmakers celebrate both the game and the city. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Gary Oldman narrates this documentary detailing he incredible true story of the Italia '90 World Cup match, and the efforts by Sir Bobby Robson and his teammates to put the sport of football back on the map in England. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

This fitness release from champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi an celebrity trainer Erin O'Brien walks viewers through an integrated workout designed to offer strength training and cardio, presented in 10 minute intervals in order to maximize fat-burning efficiency. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi

Designed with teens in mind, this fitness program offers an easy-to-follow introduction to common kickboxing moves that encourage cardiovascular health, and help tone and strengthen the lower and upper body. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Designed as an aid for parents and educators, this fitness program offers a variety of kid-friendly drills and routines that help encourage cooperation and communication skills in addition to instilling an appreciation for exercise. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Designed with educators in mind, this fitness program offers a variety of games and drills that incorporate fitness toys such as parachutes and balls. Each game was developed to encourage cooperation and individual skill development. Also includes strategies for teachers. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi