Films Watched in July 2016

A group of friends get stranded in a seemingly deserted small town and find themselves stalked by a violent gang of psychopaths dressed as clowns.

Chronicles three underprivileged students from inner-city Memphis and their volunteer coach who tries to help them beat the odds on and off the field.

A behind-the-scenes look at the Buffalo Bills' four trips to the Super Bowl during the early 1990's.

An estranged couple agree to meet for a hike. Derek arrives full of optimism and hope for the marriage. Brooke brings divorce papers for him to sign. A fight ensues just before the couple are eyed by a killer in hiding who terrorizes them, forcing them into a game of cat and mouse where Brooke and Derek will have to work together in order to survive.

A bachelor party becomes a savage fight for survival when the groomsmen unwittingly unleash a fabled predator upon the festivities.

One of the greatest football teams ever assembled, the 1985 Chicago Bears were a team of big talent, big egos, and big success. This documentary explores that success and the players behind it, as well as the questions surrounding the lack of a repeat performance.

An in-depth look at the relationship between Shaquille O'Neal and his basketball coach at LSU, Dale Brown.

From 1974-1976 the Philadelphia Flyers were known as the Broad Street Bullies. This movie takes a trip down memory lane going into detail of this unorthodox, but dominant team.

Lenny Cooke was the number-one ranked high school basketball player in America, but his inevitable fall from grace will forever be remembered.

[HBO] HD. A look at the UNLV men's basketball team and their controversial coach Jerry Tarkanian from 1973 to 1992.

The rise and fall of USC Trojans football during Pete Carroll's coaching tenure.

A documentary examination of the accusations of sexual misconduct against the Duke University lacrosse team that were ultimately found to be baseless

An exploration of the fierce rivalry between NBA superstars Larry Bird and Magic Johnson during their decade of dominance.

There's a special place on the southern shore of Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. Known as Cleveland, it is the site of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the home of the Indians, the Browns and the Cavaliers. But it's also the home of an agonizing losing streak. Of all American cities that have at least three major sports franchises, Cleveland is the only one that has failed to win a championship in the last half-century. Those sports teams, and the hearts they've broken over and over again, have inspired a different name for the city, and the title for this 30 for 30 film: Believeland. Directed by Ohio native Andy Billman, this evocative documentary will take you on a trip that goes back 50 years and captures the seminal ups and downs of the once-thriving metropolis - Superman, after all, was created there. Despite the economic and athletic misfortunes, and the T-shirt that reads "God Hates Cleveland," the people still believe and worship Jim Thome and Jim Brown and LeBron James. But they also can't forget Edgar Renteria and John Elway and Michael Jordan, the men who extinguished their dreams of a long-awaited championship. Painful as it is, Believeland is a celebration of faith, a testament to how much sports mean to Cleveland, and how much Cleveland means to sports.

In the mid-1990s, Orlando was the center of excitement in the NBA. The young franchise, led by mega-stars Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, beat the mighty Bulls en route to the 1995 NBA Finals. While it was clear Orlando was a dynasty in the making, the Magic's moment on top was never fully realized.

Produced in 2009 for the 30 for 30 series, "The U" took a look at all that was good and bad about the rise of the University of Miami's football program in the 1980s. But that wasn't the end of the story. "The U Part 2" picks up where the original film left off, with the program trying to recover from the devastation left by NCAA sanctions and scandals that had some calling for the school to drop football. The Hurricanes rose from those ashes to win another national championship, only to face a new controversy when a booster, who made his fortune through a Ponzi scheme, won favor with the program.

He made perhaps the most dramatic shot in the history of the NCAA basketball tournament. He's the only player to start in four consecutive Final Fours, and was instrumental in Duke winning two national championships. He had looks, smarts and game. So why has Christian Laettner been disliked so intensely by so many for so long? Maybe it was the time he stomped on the chest of a downed player, or the battles he had with his teammates, or a perceived sense of entitlement. But sometimes, perception isn't reality. "I Hate Christian Laettner" will go beyond the polarizing persona to reveal the complete story behind this lightning rod of college basketball. Featuring extensive access to Laettner, previously unseen footage and perspectives from all sides, this film will be a "gloves-off" examination of the man who has been seen by many as the "Blue Devil Himself."

Life story of NFL wide receiver Randy Moss who grew up in Rand, West Virginia. Made by filmmaker Marquis Daisy in a journey back to the small town where troubles with the law nearly derailed Moss's career before he landed at Marshall University and began making national headlines on the football field.

In the history of the Olympics, there's never been a controversy quite like what ensued over the 100 meter race at Seoul in 1988. The match brought together Carl Lewis (USA) and Ben Johnson (Canada) who had been fierce competitors. Lewis was known as a savvy careerist who became an American hero at the previous Los Angeles Olympics. Johnson was his chief rival, considered an underdog due to his recovery from a pulled hamstring. In less than 10 seconds, Johnson edged out in front of Lewis to win the Seoul race. But that wasn't the end. Three days later, in a reversal of fortune, the Olympic committee announced that Johnson had failed a drug test, losing his medal to Lewis in disgrace. A mystery still shrouds the race. Was Johnson exceptional in his drug usage or merely the fall guy for a widespread practice? Six of the eight finalists in the 1988 race have since been implicated for drugs -- although some still deny any wrongdoing. Filmmaker Daniel Gordon, digs into the controversy, conducting extensive interviews with Lewis and Johnson as well as their competitors, coaches and Olympic insiders. He uncovers layers of intrigue, deception and favoritism that change our perception of the way this story has previously been told. The Seoul race wound up being the world's wake-up call to drugs in sports. Now the problem runs rampant throughout professional and amateur athletics. As drug-testing gets more sophisticated, so do means of evading it. This powerful story forces us to question what we expect from our athletes as they pursue records in the name of national pride. This story from the past is vital to understanding the future of sports.

In the early 1970s, America was being torn apart by the war in Vietnam, racial unrest in the streets and distrust of the White House. But there was a happy place where men of different backgrounds showed people what could happen when you worked together: yes, Madison Square Garden. In "When the Garden Was Eden," director Michael Rapaport chronicles the glorious and glory years of the New York Knicks, when they made the NBA Finals in three out of four seasons, winning two titles. Stitched together by Red Holzman, the historically mediocre Knicks might have seemed an odd collection of characters: a forward from the rarefied air of Princeton (Bill Bradley), two players from the Jim Crow South (Willis Reed and Walt Frazier), a blue collar guy from Detroit (Dave DeBusschere), a pair of inner city guards (Earl Monroe, Dick Barnett), even a mountain man from Deer Lodge, Montana (Phil Jackson). But by embracing their differences and utilizing their strengths, they showed the NBA-and the world-what it was like to play as a team. That they did it on the stage that New York City provided made it all that much sweeter.

30 for 30 Present: Requiem For The Big East chronicles the meteoric ascension of the Big East conference, and how in less than a decade, it became the most successful college basketball league in America.

Youngstown Boys is a feature documentary exploring class and power dynamics in college sports through the parallel, interconnected journeys of Maurice Clarett and Jim Tressel. These two stars emerged from opposite sides of the tracks in Youngstown, Ohio. They joined together for a magic season at Ohio State University in 2002 and a national championship. Shortly thereafter, Clarett was banished from college football and began a downward spiral that ended with a prison term. Tressel continued at Ohio State for another eight years before his career there also ended in scandal. Now, both Youngstown Boys are attempting to reinvent themselves and resurrect their lives.

In 1984, Chicago was in the heady grip of a Black Renaissance. Harold Washington was mayor, Michael Jordan had just signed with the Bulls, Oprah Winfrey was hosting a local morning show, and on the South Side a young man named Ben Wilson was the most talked-about basketball prospect in a city that was known for its great hoops talent. Handsome, gentle and magnetic, Ben Wilson's magical ability on the court was matched by his popularity in his school and neighborhood. In his junior year, he led Simeon High School to its first state championship. And that summer, he was named America's number-one high school basketball player by the nation's leading talent scouts. Then, on the eve of his senior season, the career of this exceptional youngster was abruptly and tragically cut short. Ben's grim fate sent ripples of horror through the city and the country. BENJI tells the story of a legend who might've been.

Set in a pawnshop the documentary by award-winning filmmaker Rosie Dransfeld features the unlikely friendship between a cynic pawnbroker and a psychopath.

A squad of unsuspecting cops go through a trapdoor to Hell when they stumble upon a Black Mass in an abandoned building.