If you’re looking for something to do as a family these school holidays, how about a movie night?
Grab the popcorn and check out these feature titles which cover a variety of sports including surfing, karate, soccer, boxing and jump rope.
Soul Surfer
Bethany, a young surf champion, loses an arm after getting attached by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing. Despite the trauma of the incident, Hamilton was determined to return to surfing. With support from family and friends and her faith in God, she returns to her board one month after the attack and within two years wins a national surfing title.
The movie is based on Bethany Hamilton, an American professional surfer, who began surfing at the age of 8 and gained her first sponsorship by age 9. In 2004, she received the Courage Teen Choice Award and is still an active surf competitor to this day.
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1h 46m
Release Date: Apr 8, 2011
Where to Watch: Netflix, YouTube Movies, Amazon Prime, Google Play Movies.
The Karate Kid
When 12-year-old Dre moves from Michigan to Beijing, China with his mother, he’s bullied by Cheng, a rebellious kung fu prodigy at his school. However, things begin to change after he befriends maintenance man, Mr Han, who happens to be a kung fu master and teaches Dre the secrets of self-defense. Mr Han conveys that serenity and maturity, not punches and power, are the true keys to mastering the martial art. Dre is signed up to fight in a kung fu tournament where he is slow to beat his opponents but goes on to win the tournament.
The Karate Kid won the 2011 Kid’s Choice Awards for Favourite Movie and was nominated for Favourite Family Movie in the People’s Choice Award 2011.
Rating: PG
Runtime: 2h 13m
Release Date: Jun 11, 2010
Where to Watch: Netflix, YouTube Movies, Google Play Movies, Amazon Prime.
Bend It Like Beckham
Jess’ dream is to play soccer professionally like her hero David Beckham. She bends the rules to reach her goal in professional soccer, joining a local women’s team which makes its way to the top of the league. Instead, her parents refuse to acknowledge her success and want her to hang up her football boots because she is a girl. Jess is then forced to make a choice between her Indian traditions and her beloved sport while her parents eventually reveal that their reservations have more to do with protecting her than holding her back.
Bend It Like Beckham was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture in Musical Or Comedy in 2003 while also winning the 2003 ESPY awards for the Best Sports Movie and the 2002 British Comedy Awards for Best Comedy Film.
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1h 52m
Release Date: Mar 12, 2003
Where to Watch: Foxtel, YouTube Movies, Google Play Movies.
Jump In!
Izzy Daniels is training to become a boxing champ but falls in love with rope jumping after he participates in a double dutch tournament to help his classmate and neighbour Mary when she needs a fourth member on her jump rope team. He decides to pursue jump rope and agrees to join the team permanently, helping his new team change their name from Joy Jumpers to Hot Chili Steppers. Izzy admits that he no longer likes boxing and only does it for his father because it’s his dream. After Mary kicks Izzy off the team, the Hot Chili Steppers make it to the city finals with an abysmal replacement, until Izzy shows up.
This was produced as a Disney Channel Original Movie with an accompanying soundtrack featuring songs from the movie, the soundtrack debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 in January 2007 and rose to #3 the next week.
Rating: G
Runtime: 1h 26m
Release Date: Jan 12, 2007
Where to Watch: Disney Plus, YouTube Movies, Google Play Movies, Amazon Prime Video.