The fierce competition of the Beijing Winter Olympics is drawing to a close, and this weekend will usher in a successful conclusion. The glorious moments again and again have also brought more people into the world of ice and snow, igniting attention to ice and snow sports.
In addition to the fierce competition, a series of film and television works linked to the Winter Olympics also presented an audio-visual feast of ice and snow to the public, providing the audience with a window to learn more about ice and snow sports.
The supply of new ice and snow films is relatively small. You may wish to review the previous old works to see those good ice and snow sports films from different countries, different projects and different styles.
This article selects 12 ice and snow movies from around the world, most of which are based on the real deeds of athletes or coaches.
They revolve around figure skating, short track speed skating, ice hockey, skiing and other projects. These films are either inspirational and passionate, or absurd and funny, or violent confrontation, or youthful love, showing us the fascinating power and beauty, speed and passion on the ice and snow arena. , hard work and moving.
Figure Skating
“Ice” (2018)
Director: Oleg Trofim
Starring: Aglaya Tarasova, Alexander Petrov, Milos Bikovic
Synopsis: The film revolves around a young girl named Nadya, who has loved figure skating since childhood, but was determined by her coach to be unable to succeed without talent.
Under the encouragement of her mother, Nadya finally became the partner of figure skating star Leonov through hard training, and the two fell in love immediately.
However, an accident brought her to the end of her career, and Leonov also drifted away.
Disappointed, hockey player Sasha appears, and Nadya’s confidence is restored by his warm companionship. When she returned to the game, the old injury recurred, and life faced a choice again…
What to watch: The film is adapted from the real experience of the former Russian figure skating champion and directed by the famous Russian director Oleg Trofim. It is an inspirational love film with “surprise surprise”.
The film was released in Russia on February 14, 2018 and became a hit at the time. In 2020, the film will launch a sequel.
Since it is the same theme of figure skating, some netizens have linked it with the hit movie “I, Tonya” of the 2018 Oscars season, thinking that the two movies complement each other interestingly.
“If ‘I, Tonya’ is a black comedy, then ‘Ice’ is a flaming youth war song”.
“I, Tonya” (2017)
Director: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, Caitlin Carver, Mckenna Grace
Synopsis: Teenage girl Tonya Harding escapes the clutches of her sadistic mother and a life of poverty to become one of the top figure skaters in the world.
In 1994, Tonya Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, injured Harding’s rival Nancy Kerrigan’s knee before the Lillehammer Winter Olympics trials.
The ex-husband later claimed that Tonya Harding instructed him to do so, but she denied this, and finally Tonya Harding, only 23 years old, was sentenced to a lifetime ban from participating in any figure skating-related activities.
What to watch: This film is adapted from a famous scandal in the American sports world, which is different from most sports inspirational films in the past.
The film tells the absurd life experience of figure skater Tonya Harding through absurd techniques, comedy and anti-routine narration, like a bowl of rich spicy chicken soup.
Harleen Quinzel, Margot Robbie, and Winter Soldier, Sebastian Stan, are super-powerful mashups, playing a couple who love and kill each other in the film.
With this film, Margot Robbie’s strength has been transformed, and through 5 months of hard training and wonderful acting behind the scenes, she has interpreted a controversial “Queen of Flowers” Tonya Harding.
At the 90th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for 3 Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Editing, and finally won the Best Supporting Actress Award.
“Blades of Glory” (2007)
Directors: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
Starring: Will Ferrell, Jon Heder, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Jenna Fischer
Synopsis: At a world championship, figure skaters Chazz Michael and Jimmy MacElroy fought each other over a feud, and both were stripped of their gold medals and banned from single skating for life.
Three-and-a-half years later, they found that the rules of the ice skating competition had a loophole, and as long as they put aside their differences and worked together as a duo, they could return to the game.
As a result, these two former grievances abandoned their previous grudges and formed the only male-male group in the world of figure skating, which reappeared brilliantly on the ice rink.
What to watch: Two men staged a pair skating combining “power and beauty” on the ice rink!
This absurd sports-themed comedy presents the most unattractive and most “laughty” pair skating performance in history. It perfectly combines elegant figure skating with exaggerated spoofs, and jokes are frequent.
The famous Hollywood comedian Will Ferrell and the comedy-talented Jon Heder play a pair of living treasures. The two wear colorful tights and dance on the ice, sparkling, and the subversive contrast spoof exudes a strong “broken back”. “temperament.
“Ice Princess” (2005)
Director: Tim Fywell
Starring: Michelle Trachtenberg, Joan Cusack, Hayden Panettiere, Kim Cattrall, Trevor Blumas
Synopsis: Casey Carlyle is a bright girl who is sent to Harvard University, but she must complete a physics experiment on her own before enrolling.
She has always had an inexplicable love for figure skating and chose this sport as an experimental theme.
With each attempt, Casey’s extraordinary figure skating talent was slowly revealed. Do you want to be a high school girl, or go to a professional sports career?
The mother wanted her daughter to choose the former, but the free spin and jump on the ice and the accidental love really made it difficult for her to give up.
What to watch: Young girls bravely pursue their dreams. This film belongs to the traditional sports inspirational theme. It is a relatively relaxed popcorn family fun movie.
In addition to the young and beautiful heroine Michelle Trachtenberg, the film also stars two world-class figure skaters.
One is Brian Boitano, a gold medalist in men’s figure skating at the 1988 Winter Olympics; the other is Michelle Kwan, a Chinese-American skating queen who has won multiple world figure skating championships and is super-loved by Americans, who plays the commentator of the competition in the film.
“The Cutting Edge” (1992)
Director: Paul Michael Glaser
Starring: D.B. Sweeney, Moira Kelly, Terry O’Quinn
Synopsis: In the 1988 Calgary Olympic figure skating competition in Canada, talented female skater Kate Moseley lost her medal because of her teammate’s miss.
Then the girl, who was originally a strong personality, became more grumpy and difficult to cooperate.
And Doug Dorsey, the captain of the US ice hockey team, happened to hurt his eye in the same Winter Olympics and could not continue to play. He was introduced by the ice dance coach and became Kate’s partner.
What to watch: Two young people from different sports formed a team by chance to challenge various difficult ice skills in figure skating.
The two who refused to give in and refused to admit defeat, although the disputes continued, the pair of happy enemies finally completed an impeccable ice ballet performance, and sparked a spark of love in the little things they got along with.
Skiing + Luge
“Eddie the Eagle” (2016)
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Christopher Walken, Mark Benton, Keith Allen
Synopsis: British athlete Eddie Edwards switched from competitive alpine skiing to ski jumping and went to Germany to train in order to realize his Olympic dream.
He overcame various difficulties and finally qualified for the 1988 Winter Olympics. This athlete with high myopia, although he has no impressive record and has never won a medal, is still an indelible stroke in the history of the Winter Olympics.
What to watch: This film is based on the true story of British ski jumper Michael Edwards, known as “Eddie the Eagle”, who participated in the Olympic Games.
Taron Egerton (“Kingsman”) and Hugh Jackman play a pair of mentors and apprentices. In the film, one is responsible for being cute and funny, and the other is responsible for handsome and cool, and together they interpret a “British version of Forrest Gump” story.
This film is not strictly a personal biopic (Eddie said that 90% of the content of the film is fictional), and the fictional plot and characters add a lot of viewing and entertainment to the film.
“Chalet Girl” (2011)
Director: Phil Traill
Starring: Felicity Jones, Ed Westwick, Bill Nighy, Brooke Shields, Tamsin Egerton
Synopsis: Kim, a 19-year-old girl with a tomboy-like personality, once hoped to become a skateboarder, but gave up her ideals for her family.
Kim came to do odd jobs at a resort at the foot of the Alps, out of tune with the skiing, champagne-drinking people around him.
However, Kim soon discovered her talent for skiing, and in front of her was the chance to claim a season-end grand prix prize money.
And facing her obsessed boss who already has a girlfriend, can Kim be as brave as she is on a skateboard?
What to watch: This snow-capped version of Cinderella’s movie has beautiful ice and snow scenery, wonderful skiing performances, and paired with eye-catching male and female protagonists.
In addition, Bill Nighy, Brooke Shields, Tamsin Egerton and Bill Bailey’s funny performances in the film are also one of the highlights.
British actor Ed Westwick, who is popular with the American drama “Gossip Girl”, plays a rich and handsome boy in the film, and Felicity Jones’ King staged a tangled romantic love story.
“Take-Off” (2009)
Director: Yong-hwa Kim
Starring: Jung-woo Ha, Dong-wook Kim, Ji-seok Kim, Eun-seong Lee, Jae-eung Lee
Synopsis: In 1996, in order to host the Winter Olympics, Fuzhou, North Jeolla Province, South Korea was making intensive preparations.
However, the International Olympic Committee sent a notice that since Fuzhou has never participated in the ski jumping event, if no team participates in the skiing competition, it will be disqualified.
The organizing committee was in chaos for a while, and they decided to immediately form a national ski jumping team. In a panic, they summoned five “national representatives” who knew nothing about ski jumping.
Under the leadership of an unqualified former children’s ski instructor, five teenagers with very different personalities began a hard training.
What to watch: This film is a film to cheer for Pyeongchang, South Korea’s bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. The stories of five skiers fighting and inspirational in the film are adapted from real prototypes.
The film incorporates a romantic comedy style, while at the same time has a thrilling ski jumping scene similar to the Hollywood blockbuster.
“Cool Runnings” (1993)
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Starring: John Candy, Raymond J. Barry, Leon Robinson, Malik Yoba, Doug E. Doug
Synopsis: Several young Jamaicans, originally good sprinters, wanted to compete in the Olympics, but unfortunately they stumbled and fell in the trials and were not selected for the national team.
They had a whim, why not form the first bobsled team in Jamaica history to participate in the ice event.
They persuaded former Olympic champions to coach them, and they practiced on grass slopes instead of slides, and locked themselves in a freezer to experience the ice and snow.
When they finally got to the game, people took them as a joke, and some thought they were just kidding.
However, the four young people with vigor and vitality wanted to fight for this tone, and finally won respect and applause with their strength and the best sportsmanship.
What to watch: Jamaicans who have never seen snow participate in the Winter Olympics snowmobile competition. During training, athletes get into the freezer to experience the feeling of ice and snow.
The film is based on real events. At the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1988, Jamaica, a tropical sports powerhouse, sent a delegation to the Winter Olympics for the first time. Sam Clayton Jr., who was good at running, teamed up with three of his teammates.
From a tropical home to a place of -25°C, the huge environmental gap adds a lot of drama to the film.
The film presents a moving and inspirational comedy in a lighthearted and funny style.
Ice Hockey
“Legend No. 17” (2013)
Director: Nikolay Lebedev
Starring: Danila Kozlovsky, Darya Ekamasova, Oleg Menshikov
Synopsis: The film tells the legendary life of former Soviet hockey star and No. 17 player Valeri Kharlamov in the 1970s, revealing the layers of the “Iron Curtain” that shrouded the then powerful national sports circle.
In the climax part, the director showed the ultimate battle of glory and faith between two teams in Canada and the former Soviet Union in 1972.
In this battle, Kharlamov conquered the Canadian audience with his ghostly quick moves, superb pole skills and precise shooting, creating an ice legend that will be remembered in history.
What to watch: A good film with the main theme of Russia. The film shows the domestic and international situation of the Soviet Union at that time through the sport of ice hockey, and it is related to the political background.
What to watch: A good film with the main theme of Russia. The film shows the domestic and international situation of the Soviet Union through the sport of ice hockey, and links it with the political background, highlighting the “shady scene” of the entire Soviet sports world.
Even if the audience does not understand ice hockey, they will be infected by the fierce competition scenes and character performances in the film.
“Goon” (2011)
Director: Michael Dowse
Starring: Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Marc-André Grondin, Kim Coates, Alison Pill
Synopsis: Doug Glatt, a bar security guard with a strong physique and a slightly dull behavior, beats the players who are dissatisfied with the boos of the audience during a hockey game.
His feat attracted public attention after being filmed and announced by his friends. By accident, he joined a local ice hockey team to learn from scratch and played the role of a thug in the team.
A bloody battle won Doug Glatt’s popularity, and under the request and introduction of the coach, he entered the assassin team of the professional minor league.
The Assassins have a former ace player Xavier who has been psychologically affected by injuries, and Doug Glatt’s task is to ensure the safety of Xavier and other teammates on the court.
What to watch: How hard are ice hockey players fighting?
In ice hockey games, fights are not allowed in the regulations, but in order to increase the confrontation and enjoyment of the game, some physical confrontations may not be completely stopped.
For commercial purposes, the team also has a special place for fights called “executors”. The protagonist of this film is a player in this position.
From ice thugs to ice hockey players, Doug Glatt has become a hero in the hearts of fans with his fists.
The film highlights the bloodthirsty and violent aesthetics of ice hockey and has been called the “most brutal, gross, and foul-mouthed” ice hockey movie ever.
“Miracle” (2004)
Director: Gavin O’Connor
Starring: Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, Noah Emmerich, Sean McCann, Kenneth Welsh
Synopsis: In 1979, University of Minnesota ice hockey coach Herb Brooks was tasked with forming and training the new U.S. hockey team.
At that time, the Soviet hockey team dominated the world, and Herb Brooks took the Soviet Union as the final opponent from the very beginning.
He summoned outstanding ice hockey players from various universities to form a 26-person primary team. Three days before the opening of the Winter Olympics, the American and Soviet ice hockey teams played a warm-up match, and the American team lost.
But Herb Brooks and his team knew the real battle was in the Olympics…
What to watch: “Do you believe in miracles? Yes, you should!” the commentator said during the 1980 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics host U.S. team’s semifinal match against the former Soviet Union.
In this game, the young U.S. team played at an extraordinary level and brought the former Soviet team that dominated for many years to the altar, creating an ice hockey “miracle” and showing the charm of ice hockey.
The game was also named the best sports moment of the 20th century by the American “Sports Illustrated”.
In the film, Kurt Russell, the Hollywood “tough guy on the screen”, turned into ice hockey coach Herb Brooks, led a group of rookies to win the championship, and staged a scene of ice myth that is still talked about by Americans.
