Best Movies to Watch Before the 2026 Winter Olympics [2025]

The 2026 Winter Olympics are coming to Milan-Cortina, and if you're anything like me, you're already thinking about which events to watch, which athletes to root for, and honestly, how to prepare mentally for two weeks of intense winter sports action. But here's the thing: the best way to get genuinely pumped about the Olympics isn't just to read about upcoming athletes or check the schedule. It's to watch great movies about the Games themselves.

There's something special about Olympic cinema. These films capture the raw human drama that makes the Games so compelling in the first place. They tell stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, about perseverance against impossible odds, about national pride and personal redemption. They make you care deeply about sports you might not normally watch. And they give you context and emotional investment that transform watching the actual Olympics from passive entertainment into something genuinely thrilling.

The Winter Olympics have been happening for over a century now. The first Winter Games were held in Chamonix, France in 1924, just three years before the invention of the talking picture. In the hundred years since then, the Olympics have provided filmmakers with an almost endless supply of incredible stories. Some are about triumph against all odds. Some are about friendship and teamwork. Some are scandalous or heartbreaking or darkly funny. Some are based on true stories that are so wild you wouldn't believe them if they weren't documented. Others are pure fiction that capture the spirit of Olympic competition better than any documentary could.

In this guide, I'm breaking down five essential Olympic films that you absolutely should watch before the 2026 Winter Games begin. These aren't just entertaining movies, though they definitely are. They're the kind of films that will fundamentally change how you experience the actual Olympics. You'll watch the ski jumpers and think of Eddie Edwards. You'll see the ice hockey and remember the Miracle on Ice. You'll understand the psychological stakes and personal sacrifices that go into Olympic competition. These films will give you stories to root for, narratives to follow, and a deeper appreciation for what these athletes are actually attempting to do.

Whether you're a die-hard Olympics fan or someone who only tunes in every four years, these movies deserve your attention. They represent the full spectrum of Olympic storytelling: the political, the personal, the inspirational, the tragic, and the absurdly entertaining. By the time you finish watching them, you won't just be ready for the 2026 Winter Olympics. You'll be genuinely excited.

TL; DR

• "Miracle" (2004) captures the legendary 1980 Ice Hockey upset when the American team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union in one of sports' greatest moments
• "I, Tonya" (2017) tells the controversial true story of figure skater Tonya Harding with shocking scandal and complex character work
• "Eddie the Eagle" (2015) celebrates British ski jumper Michael Edwards' underdog journey to the 1988 Calgary Olympics
• "Cool Runnings" (1993) is a comedic gem about the Jamaican bobsled team's unlikely path to competing in the Winter Games
• "Downhill Racer" (1969) pioneered Olympic skiing cinema and remains a classic study of ambition and teamwork in alpine racing
• Watch these before 2026 to understand the human drama, national pride, and personal sacrifice that define Olympic competition

Eddie Edwards finished last in both events at the 1988 Winter Olympics, with jumps significantly shorter than the average competitor. Estimated data highlights his underdog status.

Miracle: The 1980 Ice Hockey Upset That Changed History

The Cold War Backdrop

To understand why "Miracle" matters so much, you need to understand the context surrounding the 1980 Winter Olympics. The Cold War wasn't just a geopolitical rivalry. It had seeped into every aspect of life, including sports. The Soviet Union had dominated international ice hockey throughout the 1970s, winning gold medals at four consecutive Olympics and treating the sport like a matter of national security. For the United States, which hadn't won gold in ice hockey since 1960, the sport had become almost synonymous with American decline in the Cold War.

When the 1980 Olympics were held in Lake Placid, New York, the American ice hockey team wasn't expected to be competitive. They were a collection of college kids and minor league players facing the Soviet Union's army of veteran professionals. The Las Vegas odds reflected this reality. But what happened on February 22, 1980, during the final match between the United States and the Soviet Union, became one of the most improbable moments in sports history.

The Soviets were the heavily favored team. They'd won the gold medal at the last two Winter Olympics. They'd beaten the American team 10-3 just before the Games in an exhibition match. Essentially every expert expected a Soviet victory. But the American team, under coach Herb Brooks, had been practicing a different style of hockey, emphasizing speed and teamwork rather than individual skill. And against all odds, they won 4-3.

The Film and Its Storytelling Power

When director Gavin O'Connor made "Miracle" in 2004, he faced an interesting challenge. Everyone already knew how the game ended. The outcome wasn't a surprise. So instead of treating the film as a sports thriller with an unknown ending, O'Connor made it about the journey, the transformation, and the almost impossible task of uniting a group of guys who had to learn to trust each other.

Kurt Russell plays Herb Brooks with a specific kind of intensity. He's not a cheerleader or a motivational speaker. He's a coach who understands that to beat the Soviets, his team needs to become something more than the sum of individual talents. There are scenes where he cuts players from the roster based not on skill alone but on whether they can fit into his vision. There are moments of genuine harshness and coldness. And there's the famous scene where he makes his players skate line after line, asking them to tell him their names, because he doesn't think they're committed enough.

What makes the film work is that it's not actually about hockey. It's about transformation, psychology, and the power of collective belief. The filmmaking is direct and unadorned. O'Connor doesn't waste time with unnecessary subplots or romanticized training montages. He's interested in the human element of how you take underdogs and turn them into something capable of beating the best team in the world.

Historical Accuracy and Creative Choices

The film takes some liberties with the actual events. The Soviet coach's character and some of the political context are simplified or altered for narrative purposes. Some of the personal backstories are modified or invented. But the core of the story is absolutely true: the American team was given almost no chance, they trained differently than expected, and they beat a team that was considered unbeatable.

What's particularly interesting about the film is how it handles the broader Cold War context without making it preachy. The Soviet team is portrayed as formidable and professional, not as villains. The American players aren't portrayed as patriots defending the nation. They're portrayed as guys who have the opportunity to do something extraordinary, and they're smart enough to seize it. This moral nuance is part of what makes the film endure more than 20 years after its release.

The film ends with the gold medal game celebration, but historically there was a final match against Finland that the Americans also won. O'Connor chooses to end with the Soviet victory because that's the story that matters. That's the upset. That's the transformation that the entire film has been building toward.

The film 'Downhill Racer' emphasizes realism in sports and individual ambition, showcasing the inherent drama of alpine skiing. Estimated data based on thematic analysis.

I, Tonya: The Scandal That Redefined Figure Skating

Breaking Down the Harding Narrative

"I, Tonya" is fundamentally different from the other films on this list. It's not an inspirational underdog story in the traditional sense. It's a complex, dark comedy-drama about one of the most controversial moments in Olympic history: the 1994 attack on figure skater Nancy Kerrigan and the surrounding scandal involving her rival Tonya Harding.

Margot Robbie plays Tonya Harding, and the film presents her as a contradiction. She's talented, possibly more talented than her rival. She's also crude, desperate, bitter, and almost relentlessly self-destructive. Her mother, played with brutal aggression by Allison Janney, is emotionally abusive and physically abusive. Her husband, played by Sebastian Stan, is controlling and manipulative. And through a series of circumstances that range from clearly her fault to arguably not her fault at all, she becomes involved in a scheme to attack her competitor.

What makes the film work, and what makes it essential viewing before the Olympics, is that it challenges the way we think about Olympic athletes and competition. We tend to think of the Olympics as pure, as about the best athletes in the world competing on an even playing field. But "I, Tonya" shows the messy human reality beneath that mythology. The class dynamics (Harding was working class, Kerrigan was from an upper-middle-class background). The perfectionism and psychological toll. The way the media and public seize on simple narratives when the reality is far more complicated.

The Technical Brilliance of the Film

Director Craig Gillespie employs some genuinely innovative techniques. The film breaks the fourth wall, with Tonya directly addressing the camera and contradicting other characters' versions of events. There are animated segments. The actual 1994 film footage is incorporated. The film constantly reminds you that this is a story being told, and different people are telling different versions of the same story.

The skating sequences themselves are extraordinary. They use a combination of actual competition footage, Robbie's body double, and careful cinematography to capture both the technical difficulty and the artistry of figure skating. These aren't just background elements. The skating is the narrative. What Tonya could do on ice is in direct contrast to who she was off ice.

Janney's performance as Tonya's mother is particularly brutal. She's not a cartoon villain. She's a complicated woman who survived difficult circumstances and inflicted those difficulties onto her daughter. The famous scene where she hits Tonya with a baton is shocking, but the film treats it not as a moment of melodrama but as a fact of Tonya's life that everyone in the rink knew about.

The Enduring Questions the Film Raises

One of the most interesting things about "I, Tonya" is that it refuses to provide easy moral conclusions. By the end of the film, you still don't know exactly what happened. You don't know definitively whether Tonya ordered the attack or was manipulated into it or was completely innocent. The film presents evidence for different interpretations, and you have to decide what you believe.

This is genuinely important context for watching figure skating at the Olympics. The sport has its own internal politics, its own class structures, its own ways of determining winners. It's not a purely objective competition like, say, a 100-meter dash. There's a judging component. There are traditions. And beneath the elegance and artistry, there's the kind of human struggle that "I, Tonya" documents.

The film also grapples with questions of redemption and second chances. Tonya did eventually return to skating after the scandal. She did attempt comebacks. She's tried to rebuild her life. The film asks whether that kind of redemption is even possible, and whether the public is capable of allowing someone to move past a defining scandal.

Eddie the Eagle: The Unlikely Heroism of Trying

The True Story Behind the Film

Eddie Edwards is one of the most beloved figures in Olympic history, and he achieved this status by being singularly untalented at ski jumping. That sentence sounds like a contradiction, but it's the core of what makes Eddie Edwards special and what makes "Eddie the Eagle" such a vital film.

In 1988, Edwards showed up at the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada as the sole British ski jumper. Great Britain had never had an Olympic ski jumper before. Edwards had taken up the sport only a few years earlier. He had chronic asthma. He was shorter and stockier than typical ski jumpers. He had thick glasses that he could barely see out of during competition. By every objective measure, he had no chance of being competitive.

But he jumped anyway. And in doing so, he became the unlikely hero of the 1988 Winter Olympics. He finished last in both the normal hill and large hill competitions. But somehow, through no particular triumph of athletic ability, he captured the imagination of the world. He became known as Eddie the Eagle, and people who had no interest in ski jumping found themselves rooting for him.

The film, directed by Dexter Fletcher and released in 2015, takes the basic framework of Edwards' story and adds a fictional coach character (played by Hugh Jackman) and amplifies the underdog narrative. In doing so, it tells a story that's not just about Edwards but about what it means to be an underdog, to try even when the odds are completely stacked against you, and to find honor in the attempt itself.

The Philosophy of the Underdog

What sets "Eddie the Eagle" apart from other underdog sports films is its fundamental philosophy about what makes an athlete interesting. Most sports films are about people who have exceptional talent. Even the underdog films are usually about talented people who weren't given chances because of circumstance or prejudice. Eddie Edwards wasn't held back by circumstance. He was genuinely, objectively not very good.

So the film has to argue that there's something valuable in trying anyway. That there's honor in showing up and doing your best even when you know you're going to lose. That competition isn't just about winning. It's about testing yourself against a standard and seeing who you can become in the attempt.

Hugh Jackman's coach character embodies this philosophy. He tells Eddie that he'll never beat the other ski jumpers. But he can beat his own limitations. He can push further than he thought possible. He can jump farther than he's ever jumped before. This isn't about medal contention. It's about personal growth and self-discovery.

The film works because it takes this philosophy seriously. It's not mocking Edwards. It's genuinely celebrating him. And by celebrating him, it challenges the audience's assumptions about what athletic achievement means.

The Film's Emotional Core

Beyond the underdog narrative, "Eddie the Eagle" works because it's genuinely funny and emotionally engaging. The humor doesn't come from mocking Edwards. It comes from the genuine absurdity of the situation. Here's a guy with no business being at the Olympics, and he's there anyway. Here are ski jumpers trying to practice while Edwards attempts to use the same training facilities. Here's a world that's designed for people like Edwards to fail, and he's failing in creative and unexpected ways.

The relationship between Eddie and his coach is the heart of the film. It's not quite a father-son dynamic, but it's close. The coach believes in Eddie in a way that nobody else does, including sometimes Eddie himself. And Eddie's journey is as much about learning to believe in himself as it is about improving his actual ski jumping ability.

The film suggests that the real victory for Eddie isn't a medal or a podium finish. It's the moment he realizes that he belongs at the Olympics, that he's an Olympian, that he's participated in something historic and important. The fact that he's terrible at it becomes almost irrelevant. What matters is that he tried, that he persisted, and that he found a way to be part of something greater than himself.

Estimated data shows that public perception of the 1994 scandal is divided, with significant focus on Harding's responsibility and media influence.

I, Tonya: The Scandal That Redefined Figure Skating (Extended Deep Dive)

The Class Dynamics at Play

One of the most underrated aspects of "I, Tonya" is how thoroughly it examines class in Olympic sport. Figure skating was traditionally an upper-middle-class sport. Lessons were expensive. Rink time was expensive. Travel to competitions was expensive. Nancy Kerrigan came from a family with resources. They could support her skating career in ways that most families couldn't.

Tonya Harding's family was working class. Her mother was a former athlete who pushed Tonya relentlessly. They didn't have money for the fanciest coaches or rinks. Tonya had to work harder in some ways and had fewer advantages in other ways. The film suggests that class prejudice played a role in how Tonya was treated compared to other skaters. She was seen as crude, as less refined, as somehow not fitting the image of what a figure skater should be.

This context makes the scandal that much more complicated. It's not just about athletic rivalry. It's about class tension in American sports. It's about a working-class athlete trying to compete at the highest levels of a sport that traditionally excluded people like her.

The Media Narrative vs. Reality

One of the film's most important contributions is how it examines the role of media and public narrative in shaping Olympic stories. The attack on Nancy Kerrigan happened. That's documented fact. But exactly who knew what, who ordered what, and what Tonya's level of involvement was are questions that remain contested decades later.

The film presents multiple versions of events, literally having characters contradict each other. And it suggests that the truth might be less important than the narrative that sticks. The public decided that Tonya was the villain. The media reinforced that narrative. And once that narrative was established, it became difficult to challenge, regardless of what actually happened.

This is important context for watching the Olympics. We tend to think of Olympics as objective competitions where the best athlete wins. But there's a narrative component to every Olympic story. The media chooses which athletes to focus on, which stories to tell, which conflicts to highlight. And those narratives shape how we understand what we're watching.

Cool Runnings: The Absurd Heroism of Not Belonging

The Historical Foundation

"Cool Runnings" is the lightest film on this list, but don't mistake lightness for lack of substance. The film is based on the true story of the Jamaican bobsled team that competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Jamaica is a Caribbean nation. It has never hosted an event colder than the normal warmth of the island. Bobsled is not a sport that anyone in Jamaica was growing up thinking they might play. So how did Jamaica field a bobsled team at the Winter Olympics?

The answer involves a combination of ambition, improvisation, creativity, and a fundamental misunderstanding of how the sport works. The film simplifies and fictionalizes the actual story, but the core is real: Jamaican athletes, including some who were track and field athletes, decided to form a bobsled team and compete at the Olympics.

Director Jon Turteltaub leans into the absurdity of the premise. The film is genuinely funny, with jokes about the weather, the culture clash between Jamaica and Canada, the fact that Jamaicans have no experience with snow or ice, and the fundamental improbability of what this team is attempting.

Beyond the Comedy

But here's what makes "Cool Runnings" more than just a comedy: it finds genuine heart in the ridiculousness. These guys believe they can do this. They're willing to be mocked, to fail publicly, to attempt something that everyone tells them is impossible. And by the end of the film, you're invested in their success, not because winning a medal seems likely, but because of their commitment to trying.

The film's most famous scene involves the team pushing their bobsled across the finish line after it breaks. It's a moment of pure absurdity, but it's also a moment of complete determination. They don't have the best equipment. They don't have the best training. They don't have the advantage of coming from a bobsled tradition. But they have the willingness to show up and do their best anyway.

There's also a serious subplot about addiction and recovery. One of the team members is struggling with substance abuse, and the film doesn't shy away from that. It treats it seriously while still maintaining the overall comedic tone. This adds a layer of depth to what could have been a simple comedy.

Cultural Clash as Theme

What makes the film particularly interesting as Olympic cinema is how it uses cultural clash as a central theme. The Jamaican team arrives in Canada with no understanding of winter sports culture. They don't know how to dress for the cold. They don't understand the seriousness and tradition of bobsled. They approach the sport with Jamaican attitudes and values, which are often at odds with how it's done in the traditional bobsled nations.

But rather than suggesting that they need to abandon their culture to succeed, the film suggests that their different approach might actually be valuable. They bring energy and enthusiasm to a sport that has become somewhat rigid and traditional. They approach failure and success differently. They find joy in competition rather than just obsessing over medals.

Estimated emotional engagement levels increase progressively with each film, peaking with 'I, Tonya' due to its complex narrative. Estimated data.

Downhill Racer: The Original Alpine Skiing Epic

The Pioneering Achievement

"Downhill Racer," released in 1969, holds an important place in Olympic cinema history. It's not the first Olympic film, but it was one of the first major Hollywood films devoted entirely to a winter sport. The film is based on a novel by Oakley Hall, and it stars Robert Redford as David Chappellet, an American ski racer trying to become the world champion.

The film was directed by Michael Ritchie, and it's shot with a documentary-like realism that sets it apart from typical sports films. Rather than relying on stirring orchestral scores and melodramatic moments, Ritchie lets the ski racing itself be the spectacle. The cinematography captures the sheer speed and danger of alpine skiing in ways that are genuinely impressive even by modern standards.

What makes "Downhill Racer" particularly important is that it established a certain template for Olympic sports cinema. It suggests that the sport itself, when filmed properly, can be compelling without needing excessive narrative embellishment. The drama doesn't need to be manufactured. It comes from the inherent stakes of what these athletes are attempting.

David Chappellet's Ambition and Its Cost

Redford plays David Chappellet as a talented but frustrated ski racer. He's been on the American team, but he's been in the shadow of other skiers. He's ambitious, sometimes to the point of being arrogant. He believes he's the best skier on the team, and he resents being held back. When his coach tells him that he needs to work as a team player and support the designated team leader, David rebels.

This creates the core tension of the film. David wants individual glory. He wants to be known as the best. His coach, played by Gene Hackman, is trying to manage a team, and he sees David as a talented but potentially destructive force. The conflict between individual ambition and team success is what drives the narrative.

What's interesting is that the film doesn't fully resolve this conflict. David is talented enough to eventually get his moment to shine, but he has to learn to balance his ambition with some degree of team consciousness. The film suggests that true excellence requires both individual talent and the ability to function within a larger structure.

The Realism of Athletic Life

One reason "Downhill Racer" holds up so well is that it treats skiing as a real sport practiced by real people, not as a vehicle for narrative melodrama. There are scenes of skiers getting ready in the morning, attending team meetings, making decisions about technique. There are moments of frustration and disappointment. The film captures the mundane reality of athletic competition alongside the moments of spectacle.

The romance subplot with a journalist is handled realistically too. It's not a distraction from the central narrative. It's part of David's life, with all the complications that entails. The film suggests that being an Olympic athlete is a complete life, not just a competition.

The ski racing sequences themselves are filmed with remarkable skill. Rather than using excessive slow motion or artistic angles, Ritchie tends to film from perspectives that approximate what a real spectator might see. The speed is impressive precisely because it looks real and dangerous. Modern ski racing cinematography owes a debt to this film.

The Broader Pattern: What Olympic Films Tell Us About Competition

The Consistency of Themes

When you watch these five films back-to-back, you start to notice some consistent themes that appear across different sports, different eras, and different levels of athletic achievement. There's the theme of transcending limitations. Eddie Edwards transcends his physical limitations. Tonya Harding transcends her class limitations (and also gets destroyed by them). The Jamaican bobsled team transcends their geographic and cultural limitations. The Soviet team limitations become the fundamental narrative of "Miracle."

There's also the theme of transformation through adversity. The American ice hockey team transforms into something capable of competing with the best in the world. Eddie Edwards transforms his understanding of what achievement means. The Jamaican team transforms how people think about winter sports. These aren't just stories about physical skill. They're stories about psychological change and growth.

Another consistent theme is the relationship between individual and collective. "Miracle" is fundamentally about a coach learning to think as a team rather than as individuals. David Chappellet in "Downhill Racer" has to learn to balance individual achievement with team needs. The Jamaican bobsled team's strength comes from their collective commitment to something absurd. Even in "I, Tonya," which is a deeply individual story, Tonya is shaped by her relationships and her community.

What Makes Olympic Stories Compelling

Olympic stories are compelling because the stakes are genuinely high. These athletes have spent years preparing for a specific moment. They've sacrificed enormous amounts of time and money and physical and psychological well-being. And they're competing against the very best in the world. There's no hiding. There's no "we'll get them next time." The Olympics happen every four years, and for many athletes, if they don't succeed, they won't get another chance.

This creates a natural narrative tension that doesn't need to be manufactured. The film just needs to be honest about what's at stake and let the audience understand the reality of what the athlete is attempting.

But Olympic stories are also compelling because they're about something beyond mere athletic competition. They're about national pride. They're about overcoming adversity. They're about discovering what you're capable of. They're about the relationship between hard work and luck, between individual talent and collective effort, between preparation and the moment when preparation meets competition.

While all films take creative liberties, 'Miracle' is noted for its high historical accuracy, closely following the events of the 1980 ice hockey competition. 'Cool Runnings' and 'Downhill Racer' are more fictionalized.

How to Prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics with Cinema

A Viewing Schedule

If you want to maximize the impact of these films before the 2026 Winter Olympics, I'd recommend a specific viewing order. Start with "Downhill Racer." It's the oldest film and it establishes the vocabulary of Olympic cinema. It shows you how to watch skiing. It introduces the concept of individual versus team tension in sports.

Then watch "Cool Runnings." It's fun, it's refreshing, and it introduces the theme of the underdog and the importance of attempting something even when you're not expected to win.

Follow that with "Eddie the Eagle," which deepens that underdog theme but applies it to a different sport and a different context. By the time you finish "Eddie the Eagle," you should be genuinely emotionally invested in Olympic stories.

Then watch "Miracle." It's the most dramatic and intense of the films, and it works best when you've already been primed by the other films to care deeply about Olympic competition. By this point, you should be ready for the full emotional weight of that film.

Finally, watch "I, Tonya." It's the most complex and challenging of the films, and it works best when you've already experienced Olympic cinema and understand what the Olympics mean. "I, Tonya" asks you to question narratives and assumptions, and you're in a better position to do that after you've been through the other films.

What to Watch For in the Actual Olympics

After you've watched these films, when you watch the actual 2026 Winter Olympics, you'll notice yourself thinking about different things. You'll notice the narratives the broadcasters are constructing around athletes. You'll think about the class dynamics and cultural backgrounds of different competitors. You'll wonder about the psychological aspects of competition at the highest levels. You'll appreciate not just the athletic achievement but the human journey that got each athlete to that moment.

You'll also find yourself rooting for underdogs, celebrating attempts even when they don't result in medals, and understanding the profound sacrifice that goes into Olympic competition. You'll appreciate the moments of individual brilliance and the moments when teams come together and accomplish something unexpected.

Most importantly, you'll understand that the Olympics are fundamentally about human stories. The sports are the vehicle, but the story is about what people are willing to attempt, what they're willing to endure, and what they're capable of when they're tested at the highest possible level.

The Evolution of Olympic Cinema

From Documentary to Drama

The first Olympic films were documentaries. "Olympic" (1938) by Leni Riefenstahl is the most famous, but there were many others. These early films treated the Olympics as spectacle and achievement, and they used cinema's technical capabilities to enhance the audience's experience of athletic competition.

Over time, filmmakers realized that the narrative power of Olympic stories could support full dramatic films. "Downhill Racer" was one of the first to make that transition successfully. It showed that you could make a fictional dramatic film set during Olympic competition, and the emotional impact could rival or exceed the impact of documentary.

Once that door was opened, Olympic cinema exploded in creativity. You got comedies like "Cool Runnings." You got political thrillers like "Miracle." You got character studies like "I, Tonya." You got inspirational films like "Eddie the Eagle." Each one approaches the material differently, and each one finds different aspects of Olympic competition to explore.

What These Films Reveal About Us

The films we make about the Olympics tell us a lot about what we value as a society. The fact that we've made films about underdogs suggests that we value perseverance and the attempt to overcome adversity. The fact that we've made political films like "Miracle" suggests that we understand sports as connected to larger national and global tensions. The fact that we've made character studies like "I, Tonya" suggests that we're increasingly interested in the complexity of human motivation and the limitations of simple narratives.

These films also reveal what aspects of Olympic competition fascinate us most. We're drawn to personal stories more than we're drawn to pure athletic achievement. We care about underdogs. We care about athletes overcoming limitations. We care about the psychological and emotional aspects of competition. We care about how sports intersect with class, gender, nationality, and identity.

The USA team achieved a historic victory against the favored Soviet Union with a 4-3 win, marking a significant moment in sports history during the Cold War.

Building a Broader Olympic Film Library

Beyond the Big Five

If you find yourself hungry for more Olympic cinema after watching these five films, there are plenty of others worth exploring. "Rocky IV" (1985) is fundamentally about the Cold War boxing competition between an American and a Soviet boxer, and while it's not specifically about the Olympics, it shares DNA with "Miracle." "The Cutting Edge" (1992) is about figure skaters, and while it's more romance-focused than "I, Tonya," it's a fun exploration of that sport.

"Ice Princess" (2005) is a Disney film about a girl who becomes a figure skater, and while it's a lighter film, it explores themes of pressure and parental expectation that are central to Olympic competition. "Ice Princess" examines how top-level athletic competition affects family dynamics and personal identity in ways that might feel familiar if you've watched "I, Tonya."

There are also documentaries worth watching. "The Two Escobars" is about a different sport, but it explores how national pride and athletic achievement intersect. Documentary films about Olympic athletes like Nadia Comaneci or Katarina Witt provide different perspectives than dramatic films.

Thematic Exploration

If you want to deepen your understanding of particular themes, you can organize your viewing around those themes. If you want to explore the theme of political competition, "Miracle" is essential, but you could also watch "Rocky IV" for a different take on Cold War sports competition. If you want to explore the theme of femininity and sports, "I, Tonya" is central, but you could also watch "The Cutting Edge" or "Ice Princess" to see different perspectives on female athletes.

If you want to explore the theme of underdogs and attempting the impossible, you've got "Eddie the Eagle" and "Cool Runnings," but you could also look for other underdog sports films and see how the themes play out across different contexts.

Technical Aspects: How Olympic Films Capture Sports

Cinematography and the Experience of Winter Sports

One thing that becomes clear when you watch these films is that the cinematography choices dramatically affect how you experience winter sports. "Downhill Racer" uses relatively restrained camera work to emphasize the raw speed and danger of skiing. The camera often sits at fixed points, letting the skier come down the hill at genuine speed, which creates a visceral sense of how fast these athletes are actually moving.

In contrast, modern Olympic coverage often uses multiple angles, slow motion, drone footage, and dynamic camera movements to create variety and spectacle. Both approaches work, but they emphasize different aspects of the sport. The fixed camera approach makes you aware of speed and danger. The dynamic approach makes you aware of beauty and athleticism.

When you watch the actual 2026 Olympics, you'll be more aware of these cinematographic choices because you've seen different approaches in the films. You'll notice how the broadcasters are guiding your attention and shaping your emotional response through camera placement and editing decisions.

Sound and Music in Olympic Cinema

Sound is another crucial element. "Downhill Racer" uses minimal music and lets the sound of skis on snow and the roar of the crowd be the soundtrack. "Miracle" uses a more traditional sports film approach with a driving orchestral score that emphasizes the drama and stakes. "I, Tonya" uses music for psychological effect, to create mood and enhance character development.

These different approaches affect how you experience the same sport. Music can make something feel more dramatic. The absence of music can make something feel more real. The choices filmmakers make about sound design are as important as the visual choices.

Why These Films Matter Before 2026

Building Emotional Investment

The fundamental reason to watch these films before the 2026 Winter Olympics is to build emotional investment in Olympic competition itself. If you watch the Olympics without this context, you're watching strangers compete in sports you don't fully understand. With this context, you're watching athletes pursuing dreams that you understand emotionally because you've seen similar dreams explored in these films.

You understand the sacrifice. You understand the stakes. You understand that these athletes are willing to endure extreme cold, extreme pressure, potential failure, and personal sacrifice for the opportunity to compete at the highest level. That understanding comes from watching films that explore these themes in depth.

Understanding the Human Dimension

Sports broadcasting tends to focus on the competition itself. Who wins? Who loses? What were the scores? But films allow you to explore the human dimension of competition. Why does this athlete care so much? What are they willing to endure? What does this achievement mean to them? What are the family dynamics and personal circumstances that shaped their path?

When you watch the actual Olympics after watching these films, you'll be asking these questions. You'll be thinking about the personal stories behind each athlete. You'll be more curious about their backgrounds and their motivations. You'll be watching competition as human drama, not just as athletic spectacle.

Creating Community Around the Games

Watching these films also creates an opportunity to engage with others about the Olympics. You can watch them with friends or family and discuss the themes and stories. You can compare your own reactions to the characters' journeys. You can debate whether you agreed with narrative choices or character portrayals. This kind of engagement creates deeper connection to the actual Olympic events when they happen.

When you're watching the 2026 Winter Olympics, you'll have shared reference points with other people who also watched these films. You'll be able to reference "the Eddie the Eagle moment" or "the Miracle on Ice" to describe specific types of Olympic achievement or attempts. These films create a shared cultural vocabulary around Olympic competition.

Practical Viewing Tips

Where to Find These Films

"Miracle" is available on Disney+ since Disney owns the film. "Eddie the Eagle" is available on multiple streaming platforms including Apple TV and can be rented or purchased. "Cool Runnings" is available on multiple platforms and is frequently on cable. "I, Tonya" is available on most major streaming platforms. "Downhill Racer" can be more challenging to find, but it's available on some classic film streaming services and can be rented or purchased.

Before 2026, it's worth checking where each film is available. Streaming rights change, and some films move between platforms. But all five of these films are widely available, and none of them should be difficult to access.

Optimal Viewing Environment

These are films best watched with your full attention. They're not background entertainment. Put your phone away. Find a good sound system if possible, especially for "Downhill Racer" where the sound design is crucial. Watch them on a screen big enough that you can appreciate the cinematography.

If you're watching with others, plan time for discussion afterward. These films raise questions and issues worth talking about. If you're watching alone, maybe plan time for reflection. What resonated with you? What did you learn about Olympic competition? How do you think this will change how you watch the actual Olympics?

FAQ

What should I watch first if I only have time for one film?

If you only have time for one film before the 2026 Olympics, watch "Miracle." It's the most quintessentially Olympic film on this list. It captures the drama, the political dimension, the underdog narrative, and the human dimensions of Olympic competition. It's also widely available and substantial enough to give you real context for the actual Games. After watching "Miracle," you'll understand what makes Olympic competition compelling, and you'll be primed to engage deeply with the actual 2026 Winter Olympics.

Are these films historically accurate?

All five films take some creative liberties with actual events, but they all have strong grounding in historical reality. "Miracle" is very faithful to the basic events of the 1980 ice hockey competition, though some character details and scenes are invented or altered. "I, Tonya" is faithful to the basic facts of the scandal, though it takes narrative liberties with how events are presented. "Eddie the Eagle" adds a fictional coach character but is faithful to the basic facts of Edwards' Olympic participation. "Cool Runnings" simplifies and fictionalize the actual story of the Jamaican bobsled team, but the core is real. "Downhill Racer" is a fictional story set in a real sport.

The point isn't to watch these as documentaries but to engage with them as interpretations of Olympic competition. They're true in their spirit even when they're not accurate in every detail.

Will watching these films spoil my enjoyment of the actual Olympics?

No. In fact, they should enhance your enjoyment. Knowing how a famous Olympic moment played out doesn't diminish the experience of understanding the context and human drama around it. If anything, understanding the history of Olympic competition will make you more engaged with the current Olympics, not less. You'll appreciate modern athletes more when you understand what came before them.

Are there Olympic films for other seasons besides winter?

Yes. There are excellent films about summer Olympic athletes. "Apollo 13" isn't about the Olympics, but films like "Prefontaine" about distance runner Steve Prefontaine, "The Dawn Wall" about mountaineering, and various documentaries explore summer Olympic sports. However, if you're specifically preparing for the Winter Olympics, these five films are the most directly relevant.

How long will it take to watch all five films?

"Miracle" is 135 minutes. "I, Tonya" is 119 minutes. "Eddie the Eagle" is 106 minutes. "Cool Runnings" is 98 minutes. "Downhill Racer" is 101 minutes. In total, you're looking at about 9 hours of film. If you watch one per week starting in late 2025, you'll be finished well before the 2026 Olympics begin. If you want to condense it, you could watch one every few days and finish in about two weeks.

Do I need to watch these in a specific order?

No, you can watch them in any order. However, I recommend starting with "Downhill Racer" and ending with "I, Tonya" for the reasons I outlined earlier. Starting with the oldest film helps establish the vocabulary of Olympic cinema, and ending with the most complex film means you're finishing on a challenging and thought-provoking note. But if you want to watch them in a different order, that's absolutely fine.

What if I've already seen some of these films?

If you've already watched some of these films, consider rewatching them in the context of preparing for the 2026 Olympics. You might notice different things. You might appreciate different aspects. And rewatching in sequence creates a different experience than watching them independently.

Conclusion: Using Cinema to Understand the Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics will be spectacular. Athletes will accomplish extraordinary things. Records will be broken. Unexpected victories will happen. But your experience of those events will be profoundly shaped by how much you understand about Olympic competition before the Games begin.

These five films offer that understanding. They show you what's at stake. They introduce you to the kinds of narratives that emerge in Olympic competition. They help you understand the psychological, physical, and emotional dimensions of competing at the highest level. They show you different versions of what Olympic achievement means. They celebrate not just winning but attempting, persevering, and discovering what you're capable of.

Watching "Miracle" will change how you watch ice hockey at the Olympics. The sport will feel more dramatic because you'll understand the stakes and the history. Watching "I, Tonya" will change how you watch figure skating. You'll understand the complexities and politics of the sport. Watching "Eddie the Eagle" will change how you view athletes who don't win medals. You'll appreciate their participation and their courage. Watching "Cool Runnings" will remind you to celebrate the joy of competition alongside the pursuit of medals. And watching "Downhill Racer" will teach you to appreciate the pure athleticism and technique of skiing.

Together, these films create a foundation for understanding the 2026 Winter Olympics in a deeper, richer way. They transform the Games from passive entertainment into something more meaningful. They help you see the athletes not just as competitors but as people with dreams and struggles and complex motivations. They make the Olympics matter.

So before the 2026 Winter Olympics begin in Milan-Cortina, set aside the time to watch these films. Put together a viewing schedule. Invite friends or family to watch with you. Discuss the themes and stories. Let these films prepare you emotionally and intellectually for the Games. By the time February 2026 arrives, you won't just be ready to watch the Olympics. You'll be genuinely excited to see how the athletes you've learned about through cinema perform against the very best in the world.

The Olympics have been providing stories for over a century. These five films capture some of the greatest of those stories. They're waiting for you. And they're ready to transform how you experience the 2026 Winter Games.

Key Takeaways

• "Miracle" (2004) captures the legendary 1980 ice hockey upset when the American team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union, one of sports' greatest underdog moments
• "I, Tonya" (2017) provides complex examination of figure skater Tonya Harding's scandal, exploring class dynamics and media narratives in Olympic sports
• "Eddie the Eagle" (2015) celebrates British ski jumper Michael Edwards' unlikely participation in the 1988 Calgary Olympics despite having no chance to win
• "Cool Runnings" (1993) tells the entertaining true story of the Jamaican bobsled team, highlighting the joy of competition beyond medal contention
• "Downhill Racer" (1969) pioneered Olympic skiing cinema with documentary-style realism, establishing visual vocabulary for winter sports filmmaking
• Watching these films before 2026 builds emotional investment in Olympic competition and helps you understand the human drama behind athletic achievement

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