Movies about teams competing at "fictional" new activities
March 5, 2014 12:31 AM Subscribe
What movies feature teams competing at strange new group activities?
So now I'm watching PITCH PERFECT, about teams of competitive a-capella singers in college.
This makes me think of the STEP UP movies, where synchronized dancers would compete,
and of course the BRING IT ON movies with the cheerleading competitions.
Now I'm not saying that those competitions are actually fictional, but the popular movie format certainly does bring a heightened reality to such ideas.
Even DODGEBALL and BLADES OF GLORY qualify in this category... ....
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What other movies have groups/teams competing at strange cool new group activities?
Has there been a movie about computer programming competitions? or robot-building competitions like MIT's 6.270 ?
So now I'm watching PITCH PERFECT, about teams of competitive a-capella singers in college.
This makes me think of the STEP UP movies, where synchronized dancers would compete,
and of course the BRING IT ON movies with the cheerleading competitions.
Now I'm not saying that those competitions are actually fictional, but the popular movie format certainly does bring a heightened reality to such ideas.
Even DODGEBALL and BLADES OF GLORY qualify in this category... ....
=== === ===
What other movies have groups/teams competing at strange cool new group activities?
Has there been a movie about computer programming competitions? or robot-building competitions like MIT's 6.270 ?
Like quidditch in Harry Potter or competing to kill each other in the Hunger Games?
posted by Jubey at 1:14 AM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Jubey at 1:14 AM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
Cool Runnings, about the Jamaican national bobsled team's debut at the 1988 Winter Olympics?
posted by terretu at 3:07 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by terretu at 3:07 AM on March 5, 2014
Actually fictional: BASEketball, a combination of baseball and basketball.
You did not specify that the movie had to be good.
posted by pianissimo at 3:23 AM on March 5, 2014 [3 favorites]
You did not specify that the movie had to be good.
posted by pianissimo at 3:23 AM on March 5, 2014 [3 favorites]
Maybe... Duets? (Karaoke competition circuit)
Maybe... Best in Show? (Dog show competitions)
But definitely... you can't have a set with Pitch Perfect, Step Up, and Bring It On, and not include Stick It (2006)
posted by ceribus peribus at 3:53 AM on March 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Maybe... Best in Show? (Dog show competitions)
But definitely... you can't have a set with Pitch Perfect, Step Up, and Bring It On, and not include Stick It (2006)
posted by ceribus peribus at 3:53 AM on March 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Beerfest! Before I clicked through, I honestly thought the question was going to be inspired by this movie.
posted by Grither at 4:53 AM on March 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Grither at 4:53 AM on March 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
These are based off common themes in the movies you listed, rather than straight-out team competition films, but I think might fit the bill for what you're looking for:
It's not the whole focus of the movie, but the camp competition at the end of Meatballs does cram in a lot of what you're asking for and it's a pretty important part of the film. Plus, it's Meatballs.
I'd also suggest Camp (which is a comedy about a theater summer camp - not a competition). It has a lot of the elements of a competition film, but instead of teams it's the casts of the different plays trying to make it all come together.
posted by Mchelly at 4:53 AM on March 5, 2014
It's not the whole focus of the movie, but the camp competition at the end of Meatballs does cram in a lot of what you're asking for and it's a pretty important part of the film. Plus, it's Meatballs.
I'd also suggest Camp (which is a comedy about a theater summer camp - not a competition). It has a lot of the elements of a competition film, but instead of teams it's the casts of the different plays trying to make it all come together.
posted by Mchelly at 4:53 AM on March 5, 2014
You Got Served and Battle of the Year are both about breakdance crew competition.
Stomp the Yard is another step-dance competition movie similar to the Step Up series.
posted by drlith at 5:10 AM on March 5, 2014
Stomp the Yard is another step-dance competition movie similar to the Step Up series.
posted by drlith at 5:10 AM on March 5, 2014
Are you interested in documentaries? If so, Murderball. (There's practically a whole subgenre of documentaries about weird competitions, but most of the ones I've seen are individual rather than team events.)
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 5:24 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 5:24 AM on March 5, 2014
If Battlestar Galactica's TV movies qualify, then the sport of Triad, which is some sort of 2-on-2 semi-contact arena basketball (which requires bouncing the ball off the walls before scoring a "basket") qualifies. The game is called "Pyramid" in the new series, but that's due to someone's apparent boneheaded error of swapping the names of the series' ubiquitous gambling card game (with hexagonal playing cards) and the arena basketball game.
posted by Sunburnt at 5:43 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by Sunburnt at 5:43 AM on March 5, 2014
Tron and Tron Legacy have "team-deathmatch" lightcycle arena battles - Tron scene, Tron Legacy scene.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:58 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:58 AM on March 5, 2014
Brooklyn Castle is a documentary about school chess competitions. Wordplay is a documentary about crossword puzzle competitions. Not very "strange" activities, but it was certainly interesting to have a glimpse inside these worlds.
posted by mikepop at 6:45 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by mikepop at 6:45 AM on March 5, 2014
The Quidditch match scenes in Harry Potter
posted by rhythm and booze at 7:20 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by rhythm and booze at 7:20 AM on March 5, 2014
Best in Show -- about dog breeders.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:23 AM on March 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:23 AM on March 5, 2014 [2 favorites]
Brassed Off, a fictional film about brass band competitions. A real thing, but pretty obscure unless you are from that community.
posted by Jabberwocky at 7:37 AM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Jabberwocky at 7:37 AM on March 5, 2014 [1 favorite]
In Ender's Game, the cadets compete in a zero gravity game in which team members can freeze one another with stun guns. I think the game is a war simulation.
posted by flyingfork at 8:17 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by flyingfork at 8:17 AM on March 5, 2014
Balls of Fury - Christopher Walken and ping-pong. Oh yeah.
posted by bluejayway at 9:50 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by bluejayway at 9:50 AM on March 5, 2014
The 80s-tastic Midnight Madness, featuring the debut of a young Michael J. Fox.
posted by ToucanDoug at 11:10 AM on March 5, 2014
posted by ToucanDoug at 11:10 AM on March 5, 2014
The beer/tricycle race in Revenge of the Nerds is not too far off from Rice University's actual Beer Bike, although bikers and chuggers are not usually the same person anymore.
posted by MsMolly at 12:21 PM on March 6, 2014
posted by MsMolly at 12:21 PM on March 6, 2014
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posted by EndsOfInvention at 12:37 AM on March 5, 2014