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No. 19: Eight Men Out (55 points)

Year released: 1988.

Cast: John Cusack, Charlie Sheen, D.B. Sweeney, John Mahoney, David Strathairn.

What we like: One of the great period-piece movies ... it brought 1919 alive; like most of John Sayles' movies, tremendous ensemble acting, especially by a pretty much unknown John Cusack; vicious evocation of the eroding effects of greed in sports (should be required viewing for today's owners and players).

What we're willing to overlook: Sayles' attempts to justify the behavior of the Black Sox on the grounds of Charlie Comiskey's cheapness ... a bit too left-wing.

Much more instructive than "Field of Dreams," but less sentimental. -- Page 2 columnist Ralph Wiley

I'm a sucker for the whole period-piece feel of it. And the Joe Jackson ending has just the right bittersweet taste to it. -- Page 2 columnist Eric Neel

The best pure sports "tragedy." -- Page 2 editor Jay Lovinger

An owner who doesn't care about the players, who ever heard of that! A brilliant exposé, and the baseball action is underrated. -- Page 2's Hollywood insider, Jeff Freedman

Click here to go on to our No. 18 sports movie of all-time