Get in the gold medal mindset with these Winter Olympics movies
To kickoff the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, The Daily Orange compiled must-watch films for this year's games. From "Blades of Glory" to "Cool Runnings," these films will gear you up for the games. Hannah Mesa | Illustration Editor
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The Olympic Games are arguably the supreme sporting event. When an athlete puts on their uniform, they’re not just representing themself or their team; they’re representing an entire nation.
Milano Cortina 2026, the 25th Olympic Winter Games, began on Friday. Hosted in Italy, around 2,900 athletes will compete in 116 events, with over 90 nations participating.
The Daily Orange compiled a list of Winter Olympics-themed films that will get you excited for the games, full of athletes’ grind and Olympic pride.
“Cool Runnings” (1993, dir. Jon Turteltaub)
Admittedly, I haven’t seen “Cool Runnings” in a while, but I remember it being a complete blast. Based on a true story, the plot is ludicrous and inspiring: It follows four Jamaicans, who’ve never seen snow, start Jamaica’s first-ever bobsled team and qualify for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Canada.
The team’s coach, Irving “Irv” Blitzer, is played by legendary comedian John Candy. Irv, a former two-time Olympic gold medalist, was stripped of his 1972 year medal for cheating but aims to get redemption by helping the Jamaicans. Although, the team’s real coach didn’t cheat.
Fueled by Candy’s comedic chops, “Cool Runnings” is a feel-good Olympics movie and a powerful reminder that you can succeed no matter what.
“Miracle” (2004, dir. Gavin O’Connor)
When somebody mentions the Olympics, my mind jumps to one thing: “Miracle.”
Touted as one of the greatest sports movies of all time, “Miracle” tells the improbable true story of the 1980 U.S. Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey Team, led by head coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell).
With Cold War tensions escalating, a United States team — composed of mostly college players — upset the Soviet Union in the first medal round; the Soviets had won gold at the last four Olympics. The U.S. went on to beat Finland for gold, but that game against the Soviets, known as the “Miracle on Ice,” remains the greatest upset in American sports history.
The highlight of the film is easily Russell. His intensity and determination are off the charts, and his pre-game speeches are so motivating that after “Miracle,” you’ll feel ready to bulldoze through a brick wall.
“Blades of Glory” (2007, dirs. Will Speck, Josh Gordon)
“Blades of Glory” is endlessly quotable, hysterically funny and — dare I say — contains Will Ferrell’s best role. The only film on this list that is not based on a true story, “Blades of Glory” follows rival Olympians Chazz Michael Michaels (Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder), who are both banned from men’s individual skating. Finding a loophole in their ban, Chazz and Jimmy reluctantly join forces to become the sport’s first male pairs team.
Fantastic chemistry between Ferrell and Heder, absurd comedy and an outstanding soundtrack — including “The Stroke” by Billy Squier and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith — keep me coming back to “Blades of Glory.”
Here’s a taste of the humor and arguably my favorite line (albeit a random one): “But I remember Boston, and that victory was as sweet as the cream pie for which the town was named,” Chazz tells Jimmy.
“Eddie the Eagle” (2015, dir. Dexter Fletcher)
“Eddie the Eagle” tells the true, against-all-odds story of English Olympic ski jumper Michael “Eddie” Edwards.
Played by Taron Egerton, Eddie dreamed of being an Olympian since he was a child but was cut from the British ski team. Unshaken from the rejection, Eddie strives to become a ski jumper — a Winter Olympics sport that Britain had never competed in. With limited exposure to ski jumping, Eddie travels to Germany to practice, where he meets his eventual coach, Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman). Peary, a former U.S. Olympic ski jumper, had a falling out with his own coach, so Eddie’s journey is also a redemptive one for him.
Even with doubts from his own country, Eddie qualifies for the Olympics. He may have finished last at the 1988 Olympics, but Eddie’s story of determination is a wholesome reminder that you can achieve your wildest dreams.
“I, Tonya” (2017, dir. Craig Gillespie)
“I, Tonya” is the only disheartening movie on this list. Instead of an epic triumph, it covers Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding’s real-life fall from grace.
Tonya (Margot Robbie) started skating at just 3 years old and became a phenom. At 21, she was the first American woman to complete a triple axel jump. Despite her success, Tonya faced outside stressors, like LaVona Golden, her cold-hearted mother, and Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan), Tonya’s abusive husband. In a ridiculous sequence of events, Jeff indirectly gets Tonya banned from figure skating.
Emulating a classic Martin Scorsese flick — freeze frames, incredible tension, fourth wall breaks and a supreme soundtrack — “I, Tonya” is a genius biographical piece.
The film doesn’t have a happy ending, but it’s a brutally honest depiction of the mental strain that world-class athletes experience and the difficulty they face trying to balance their individual lives.
Whether it’s a tragic biopic, a laugh-out-loud comedy or a motivating underdog story, each of these films get you in the Olympic-spirit.
