Top 100 Films #92 Remember The Titans (2000)

The Disney sports movie that tackles civil rights issues in the early 1970’s. How can a football team solve their socially ingrained racial views aside to compete in the football championships.

Now I’m going to be very controversial here and just say I am not the biggest fan of Disney animation. I can respect the amount of detail and work that go into those films but where I do like Disney is the live action films they made. This will become more apparent as I do more of this list. I just find more of a relevancy towards films like Remember The Titans. No I wasn’t living in 1970’s America, far from it but there are moments in this film that really tug at the heartstrings.

This film tackles issues of race in 1970’s America but through the vehicle of a sports movie. A sports movie that has Denzel Washington as the lead. Washington playing the tough but inspirational coach of the football team. After the high school was desegregated the football team had to be too. There was a lot of friction between the white and black players. This film tells the story of how the team overcome previous racial hatred to become one of the top football teams in the college championship.

The defining performance is always Denzel Washington. His speech at Gettysburg is one of those cinematic moments that immediately make you feel inspired and emotional. The chemistry between the whole team seems genuine and when the Titans are playing, you begin you really root for them. The trials and tribulations that this team face only see the end result more rewarding. I won’t spoil the ending but this is one of the darker and most grown up Disney films to be made. It tackles issues that are miles away from glass slippers and talking puppets.

Remember the Titans is a childhood film that I will never stop enjoying. It is a quintessential sports film that is enhanced by Disney and Denzel Washington, also an early Ryan Gosling. It is funny, it is sad and tackles real systemic issues within America. This is a film that will never make the greatest 100 films list but damn this is one amazing film that never fails to make me smile. You can watch this with the family, you can watch it alone on a Sunday morning. I will definitely not judge you.