I still have Rocky fever and decided to take a look at my five favorite boxing films of the last 30 years. To be fair and make it more interesting, I’m going to group all the Rocky films into one (while chewing up and spitting out the fifth movie). If you haven’t checked out any of these movies, I invite you to join the rest of us on planet Earth and pick up these DVDs immediately. Without further ado, here’s what they look like:

Raging Bull

This boxing epic about the great Jake LaMotta is a highlight in the careers of Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty, Robert DeNiro, Paul Schrader and Martin Scorsese. It’s not only one of the great character pieces, it’s also the most beautifully shot boxing film of all time.

Rocky

Sing it with me!

It’s the eye of the tiger it’s the thrill of the fight

Rising up to the challenge of our rival

And the last known survivor stalks in the night

And he’s watching us all with the eye of the tiger

Million Dollar Baby

I remember seeing this movie in the theatre, and halfway through leaning over to a friend and asking, “Is it me or is this one of the best boxing movies you’ve ever seen?” This was, of course, before the hammer drops and you watch the film transcend the boxing genre. The boxing scenes are very good, and Hilary Swank was very believable as an up-and-coming champ, proving it isn’t merely a man’s sport. Let’s be honest, there are some ladies I would not want to enter the ring with, and I have no problem admitting Lucia Rijker is one of them.

Cinderella Man

I’m not going to whine and moan about how this movie was unjustly ignored by both audiences (solid box office, but should have been a lot more) and the Academy last year. I’m just going to say, forget boxing, this is one of the best sports films I’ve ever seen. Russell Crowe is fantastic, and the final bout between Braddock and Baer is one of the greatest, most exciting matches ever performed on film. I was sitting in my seat throwing bombs in the air like a little kid.

Ali

Director Michael Mann’s overlooked, undervalued boxing epic is a meditation on one of our most controversial and interesting public figures who doesn’t completely realize his importance until that legendary Rumble in The Jungle. Yeah, Mann’s film pays a little too much attention to Ali’s relationships at times, but Will Smith and a terrific supporting cast led by Jon Voight make this film soar. The last forty or so minutes contain some of both Mann’s and Smith’s best work to date. The boxing scenes are realistic and uniquely shot. I love this flick.

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Dre writes five times a week for Film.com, covering Movies and DVD with his Floridian flare. E-mail him!