Seve
You really can't beat a sport documentary, and Seve is set to light up the big screen this week.
This part drama part documentary explores the live and career of Severiano Ballesteros: who went on to become one of the most successful and loved golfers of all time.
To celebrate the release of the film, we take a look at some of the best sports documentaries that have graced the big screen over the last decade.
- Murderball (2005)
In 2015, it will be ten years since we were introduced to the documentary Murderball, and it remains one of the best of the last ten years.
Directed by Henry-Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro, the movie follows a group of Quadriplegics, who play full-contact rugby in wheelchairs, overcome unimaginable obstacles to compete in the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Murderball is such a well-crafted documentary that mixes the fast and furious nature of the sport with some terrific character insight.
This is film is funny, exciting, as well as being touching and incredibly poignant. Murderball really does show these men as the ultimate in the human spirit and human fight.
- Riding Giants (2004)
Directed by Stacy Peralta, Riding Giants is a documentary that delves into the origins and culture of the world of surfing.
Riding Giants is a movie that really does plunge you into this exciting and fascinating world. Almost every scene is an adrenaline rush, as this film drops you in the middle of the ocean and takes you on a hell of a ride.
This is film that is an entertaining, as it is educational: the history of surfing really is a truly fascinating side of this film.
On top of all that, Riding Giants is a truly beautiful looking film: some of the surfing scenes are really spectacular.
Stacy Peralta has delivered an interesting, entertaining, and passionate movie that is not to be missed by lovers of this terrific sport.
- Senna (2011)
Senna was not only one of the best documentaries to grace the big screen in 2011, but it was one of the best movies. Seriously, if you have not seen this film yet you really should check it out.
Asif Kapadia was in the director's chair for the film that followed the career of F1 races Ayrton Senna: from his rise to World Champion to his untimely death.
The movie takes you into the world of Formula 1 in the eighties and the challenges and dangers that the racers faced week in week out. It's exhilarating from start to finish as we get an in depth look at one of the greatest drivers to ever grace this sport.
However, it is the emotion behind the film that makes is so powerful - it is something that you don't necessarily expect from a sports film.
This is one of the greatest sporting movies that I have ever had the pleasure of watching that shows Senna not only as a racing driver but also as a man.
- TT3D: Closer to the Edge (2011)
We move from cars to bikes with this next film, as - TT3D: Closer to the Edge hit the big screen in 2011.
Directed by Richard De Aragues, Closer To The Edge takes us into the world of the Isle of Man TT and the riders who risk their lives for the ultimate thrill.
Of course, this is a film that delivers on the thrills and spills of the Isle of Man race, but this is also a very human drama. We are taken into the work of some of the riders - Guy Martin being the characters that really stand out.
Not only is this a thrilling look into the sport, but it also looks into the psyches of those who participate.
The racing on the Isle of Man is really the film's highlight, as the speed in which these riders tackle the narrow roads and sharp corners will really take your breath away.
- Class of '92 (2013)
Once of the best documentaries of 2013 came in the form of The Class of '92, which follows Manchester United from 1992-1999 and the players that really helped drive the success during that period: David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary Nevill, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes were the heart of that success,
However, The Class of '92 is as much a film about friendship as it is about rising through the ranks of the most famous football club in the world - and that is what makes this documentary so fantastic.
The film mixes one on one interviews and group interviews with footage from their youth as well as the biggest games of their careers.
The Class of '92 is a fantastic look back at a historic time for Manchester United, and the movie is pushed forward by these six young boys that wanted nothing more than to play for this club. This film is an absolute must for any sports fan.
- The Battle of the Sexes (2013)
James Erskine and Zara Hayes teamed up last year for The Battle of the Sexes, a movie that looked at one of tennis' most infamous matches: Billie Jean King vs Bobby Riggs in 1973.
This is not just a simple story about men vs women on the tennis court but it captures the social unrest that there was at the time.
The early seventies was a time where women were fighting for equality - both in everyday life as well as in the world of tennis. Billie Jean King was a driving force behind equal pay for men and women in the game, as well as the birth of the WTA.
The film climaxes with the match between King and Riggs; the women's world number one against fifty five year old former Wimbledon champion Riggs
This battle is the perfect way to end the film, and the archive footage really is terrific.
- The Crash Reel (2013)
Of all of the documentaries that I watched last year, The Crash Reel was the one that stayed with me the most.
Directed by Lucy Walker, the movie follows the story of half pipe star Kevin Pearce: who was set to be a major contender for the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
But his life was turned upside down when he crashes. Only just surviving his injuries, the film follows him as he rebuilds his life.
The Crash Reel is so much more than a sports movie, as it is an engaging, inspiring documentary that takes us into the very dangerous world of extreme sports.
Walker really shows the fighting spirit of Pearce, who was determined to get back onto the slopes. But we also follow him on a very personal and moving journey as he learns to accept that things will never be the same.
The Crash Reel is a movie that is much a character study about strength and the ability to fight and battle back as it is about sport. It is a film that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.
Other great sporting documentaries of the last ten years include Undefeated, Next Goal Wins, More Than A Game, and Hoop Dreams.
Seve is released 27th June