The Olympics are the grandest stage of them all for many athletes around the world, and it is only natural that there would be some movie adaptations of the games.
As for the Winter Olympics, there are a slew of big budget Hollywood pictures, smaller independent flicks and documentaries about the games.
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So if you’re sitting at home and want to spice up your viewing schedule between figure skating and curling bouts, there are plenty of options.
Scroll through to see nine of the best movies inspired by the Winter Olympics.
‘Cool Runnings’
Cool Runnings is one of the first films that comes to mind when you think of movies based on the Winter Olympics.
This Disney classic was a staple of the ’90s and tells the story of the Jamaican national bobsleigh team’s first ever Olympic competition.
The true story is twisted a bit to fit into this family-friendly romp, but it’s worth watching if only to see John Candy in one of his final film roles.
‘Miracle’
Disney’s other beloved Winter Olympics film is Miracle, the story of the United States men’s hockey team that defeated Russia to win the gold in 1980.
Kurt Russell leads the film as coach Herb Brooks, with Patricia Clarkson by his side as Herb’s wife Patti. The cast of players is also stacked with talented actors including Noah Emmerich, Sean McCann and Kenneth Welsh.
Even though it is watered down to fit in with Disney’s catalog of live action films, this retelling of the “Miracle on Ice” goes down as one of the best sports films of all time.
‘Eddie the Eagle’
This under-the-radar 2016 gem sports a starring duo that just can’t be beat.
Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton headline this skiing flick, which is all about British skier Eddie Edwards. In 1988, Edwards was the first British skier to compete in the Olympic high-jump since 1929.
At its core, Eddie the Eagle is all about perseverance despite failure, and its stars pair message with some laughs along the way.
‘The Cutting Edge’
Unlike the previous flicks, The Cutting Edge is a fictional Olympic tale, but it is still worth the while.
This guilty pleasure watch is about high-class figure skater Kate Moseley (Moira Kelly) who is forced into competing in the Olympics with hockey player Doug Dorsey (D. B. Sweeney).
It is a classically cheesy romantic comedy, which is why it could be the perfect film to break up the seriousness usually surrounding the Olympics.
‘Blades of Glory’
While Blades of Glory is not technically an Olympics movie, it might as well be.
Will Ferrell and Jon Heder’s buddy comedy about an unlikely ice-skating duo is filled with awkward and lewd comedy, but it is done in a goofy enough way that it is not too grating.
Plus, those two leads performances are accompanied by a stacked supporting cast that includes Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Craig T. Nelson, Jenna Fischer and Nick Swardson.
Plus, there are tons of professional skaters in cameos, so that is a little extra touch that fans of the skewered sport will enjoy.
‘I, Tonya’
I, Tonya covers way more than just the Olympics, as it tells the real life story of Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) and the infamous attack on Nancy Kerrigan (Caitlin Carver).
However, the acclaimed 2017 flick, which is still in theaters, features solid figure skating scenes paired with a killer soundtrack and Robbie’s anchoring performance.
The mockumentary shows a slew of events in Robbie’s life through her own words, the words of her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan) and her abusive mother LaVona Fay Golden (Allison Janney). It is an Oscar contender for a reason, and it well worth a trip to the cinema before the 2018 Winter Games are done.
‘Downhill Racer’
Our last non-documentary on this list is also the oldest here.
Downhill Racer is an oft-forgotten Robert Redford and Gene Hackman flick about a competitive skier (Redford) on a mission to Olympic gold while butting heads with his coach (Hackman) and meeting up with a love interest (Camilla Sparv).
The film is more about the competitions leading up the Olympics than the event itself, but the Winter finally come into play during the grand finale.
‘The Crash Reel’
If fictional tales are working, documentaries about the Winter Games are the next best move.
This 2013 documentary follows snowboarder Kevin Pearce and he competes against Shaun White and other athletes ahead of the 2010 Olympics.
The Crash Reel takes a wild twist when Pearce is badly injured, and forced to retire from competitive snowboarding. The documentary then follows his struggle to rehabilitate from the devastating injury.
‘To Russia With Love’
This under-the-radar documentary is all about where athletics and politics clashed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
The Russian government’s condemnation of LGBT citizens was a troubling fact to face for many athletes heading to the games. Figure skater Johnny Weir interviews numerous athletes going ot the games about their fears and the messages they want to send by competing at the event.
