Forty years later, the mighty macs have gone hollywood. On the heels of attending the red carpet world premiere of the mighty macs last friday, we had the opportunity to interview several people associated with the movie. In the early 70s, cathy rush becomes the head basketball coach at a tiny, allgirls catholic college. In addition to her work in the mighty macs film, she also appeared in another film scheduled for release in 2011, scream 4. The movie has already won six film festival awards, including best picture from the prestigious international family film festival. Cathy is very excited to work with the girls and get the team ready for competition, but she finds that others arent as enthusiastic about the teams. Movies like the mighty macs if you like the mighty macs you are looking for uplifting, sincere and emotional movies about with sport, catholic school, mother superior, college, against the odds, human spirit and contests and competitions themes of drama and sport genre shot in usa. The immaculata basketball team was dubbed the mighty macs. The horse racing sequences are wellshot and gripping, even when secretariat loses. The characters are bland, one dimensional and shallow. Oct 24, 2011 the teams amazing journey from a makeshift gym to the national spotlight has been adapted for the big screen in the mighty macs, a plucky, inspiring but uneven film, written and directed by tim. Ellen burstyn from her job as a short order cook at a lunch counter to an oscaraward winning actor, ellen burstyns career took her from detroit. The mighty macs is based on the incredible true story of the 197172 immaculata college team that started in obscurity but became the original cinderella story in womens basketball. Cugino, who starred in the bigscreen movie night at the museum.
As a filmgoer, i was charmed by the grated gentleness and interest in providing young female audience members with a portrait of empowerment, free of heady sexual overtones. Though the movie doesnt excel in any one facet, it also doesnt fail, making for an enjoyable viewing, especially for those. As a film critic, im painfully aware that the mighty macs is one ridiculously cliched piece of work. The mighty macs movie premieres in philadelphia, opens. Right from the start, cathy faces an uphill battle at the tiny, allwomens school with little support from mother st. There is nothing to complain about except the film s deadening predictability and the bland, shallow characters.
The mighty macs tells the remarkable true story of cathy rush carla gugino who, as a woman in her early twenties and with no coaching experience, in 1972 became the head coach of immaculatas struggling womens basketball team, and never mind that she was the only one to have applied for the position. I hope and wish that, anyone feeling discouraged, they choose to watch this heartfelt movie and be empowered by it. Finally, executive producer vince curran came on stage to thank the crowd and introduce the film. It stars carla gugino in the lead role of cathy rush, a hall of fame womens basketball. The film focuses on their rise to prominence and their struggles as underdogs in womens basketball. The film is deadening predictable, thus expect to see all the timetested cliches. When was the last time you watched a g rated sports movie. Everything you need to know about the mighty macs movie 2011. Rent the mighty macs 2009 starring carla gugino and marley shelton on dvd and bluray. Ellen burstyn from her job as a short order cook at a lunch counter to an oscaraward winning actor, ellen burstyns career took her from detroit to broadway, then to tv and, of course, to hollywood.
Throughout our conversations, we heard fascinating stories of how this movie went from a tiny idea to now a fulllength feature film that opens in theaters across the country this f. Oct 17, 2011 on the heels of attending the red carpet world premiere of the mighty macs last friday, we had the opportunity to interview several people associated with the movie. Starring carla gugino, ellen burstyn, marley shelton, david boreanaz. Carla gugino, david boreanaz, marley shelton and ellen burstyn star in a feelgood story a team that came out of nowhere to win the first. But i am sure that this film will find its audience with the catholic. From the inspiring true story comes the tale of one woman who just wanted to make a difference and wound up making history. Theres no gymnasium on campus, no uniforms, and there might not even be enough players to field a team. The mighty macs is a sweet, innocuous family movie about a young feminist who defies her husband, becomes a basketball coach and leads the team of a nearly bankrupt catholic womens college to the sports first national championship.
The teams amazing journey from a makeshift gym to the national spotlight has been adapted for the big screen in the mighty macs, a plucky, inspiring but. This film has been shelved for a while since it was made in 2009 and i understand why. The mighty macs, based on the national championship run of the 1972 womens basketball team at immaculata college near philadelphia, is such a. Oct 19, 2011 the mighty macs is a sweet, innocuous family movie about a young feminist who defies her husband, becomes a basketball coach and leads the team of a nearly bankrupt catholic womens college to the sports first national championship. Set against the backdrop of the 1972 feminist movement, victory tells the true story of sassy newlywed cathy rush gugino, who. The mighty macs 2009 fullhd movie, the mighty macs 2009 fullhd movie, the mighty macs 2009 fullhd movie, the mighty macs 2009 fullhd movie dvd quality. The mighty macs on dvd february 21, 2012 starring carla gugino, david boreanaz, marley shelton, ellen burstyn. Immaculata universitys mighty macs, three time national ncaa womens basketball championship from 1972, 1973, and 1974. This movie is aspiring and unpredictable and i think it is a good feelgo.
July 9, 2012 by filmmusicreporter in film music albums tags. The mighty macs is a 2009 american film by director tim chambers. Watch interviews from various cast members about the mighty macs 1. The mighty macs is based on the true story of cathy rush, who in 1971 is hired as the womens basketball coach at immaculata college, a small allwomen catholic school in philadelphia. Though her team has no gym and no uniforms and the school itself is in danger of being sold coach rush looks to steer her girls to their first national championship. With carla gugino, marley shelton, ellen burstyn, david boreanaz. Throughout our conversations, we heard fascinating stories of how this movie went from a tiny idea to now a fulllength feature film that opens in theaters across the country this friday. Rent the mighty macs 2009 on dvd and bluray dvd netflix. There is nothing to complain about except the films deadening predictability and the bland, shallow characters. The movie is inspired by the true story of the coach, players, and sisters of immaculata college. The mighty macs is based on the true story of cathy rush. In 1971, immaculata college finds a new coach, cathy rush carla gugino, to head its womens basketball team.
In 1971, cathy is hired as the womens basketball coach at immaculata college, a small allwomen catholic school in philadelphia. It is the first film from director tim chambers and from quaker media, which chambers cofounded. Carla gugino, david boreanaz, marley shelton and ellen burstyn star in a feel good story a team that came out of nowhere to win the first. The film premiered in the 2009 heartland film festival and was released theatrically in the united states on october 21, 2011 through indie film label freestyle releasing. Everything you need to know about the mighty macs movie. When she applies for the job, cathy knows only three things about the school. It stars carla gugino in the lead role of cathy rush, a hall of fame womens basketball coach. Actors mighty macs the movie immaculata university. The mighty macs tells the remarkable true story of cathy rush carla gugino who, as a woman in her early twenties and with no coaching experience, in 1972 became the head coach of immaculatas struggling womens basketball team, and never mind that she was the only one to. The mighty macs is a sweet, innocuous family movie about a young feminist who defies her husband, becomes a basketball coach and leads. The mighty macs is a film from another planet, where stories are told, obliviously, in cryptic, nonsensical code, and people talk to each other in sugarplum proverbs no earthbound adult would ever inflict on another, not even on the set of a hallmark original movie. The mighty macs doesnt overhaul the inspirational true underdog sports drama, but it makes for a quality addition to the genre and exceeds expectations for such a lowbudget film from an inexperienced writerdirector. In one of those divinely inspired twists of fate, he saw her when he was tenyearsold. Tim chambers, the producer, writer, and director of the mighty macs, stated in the press kit for this film that the story is told from cathys point of view.
The mighty macs winning history has also reached the silver screen. Extraordinarily amateurish, it inadvertently shields you from fully grasping its narrative motivations, while simultaneously. I must report that viewers who like watching basketball may be disappointed, at least until the final act. Even when the macs begin winning sometime in the middle of the movie, game. This first feature film produced and distributed by quaker media took two years from its heartland film festival debut to receive general release. The mighty macs is based on the incredible true story of the 197172 immaculata college. Basketball coach cathy rush carla gugino arrived at tiny immaculata college in 1972, at just the right moment for her, for the team, and for the game.
There were 12 other movies released on the same date, including the three musketeers, paranormal activity 3 and johnny english reborn. The mighty macs, the film, directed by tim chambers and starring carla gugino, david boreanaz and ellen burstyn, is a familyfriendly film. An exhibition license is required to show affirm films movies at your church, ministry, school, business, local theater or other location or to any organization. This is what happens when netflix sends you the mighty macs instead of the micmacs my intended and original selection. A thousand words and the mighty macs soundtracks announced posted. The mighty macs digital hd files, bluray and dvds are only licensed for home or personal viewing. The mighty macs tim chambers describes creating the movie and little known facts. Watch the mighty macs online stream full movie directv. Boxscore boxscore for mens basketball vs marymount university on february 15, 2020 at 3. The mighty macs release date is 21102011 and the mighty macs running time is 99 min. The film was fast paced and inspiring but it felt out of balance in parts and offsides with its story. The featurelength mighty macs, directed by tim chambers, was initially shown at the heartland film festival in 2009 and officially released in 2011. Sometimes a film feels a bit too pat and yet is impossible to resist.
The mighty macs 2009 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The mighty macs transformed womens basketball in the united states, he said. Oct 17, 2011 the mighty macs transformed womens basketball in the united states, he said. Very much in that vein, but on a smaller budget than its inspirations, the mighty macs tells the story of how cathy rush first led the womens basketball team of pennsylvanias immaculata college now immaculata university to a national championship in 1971, even though, you guessed it, the odds were stacked against them. The mighty macs was released in 2011 on friday, october 21, 2011 in 975 theaters. Recap story recap for mens basketball vs marymount university on february 15, 2020 at 3.
The mighty macs, a film that tells the story of the immaculata college now university team that dominated the game from 197174, won the first three womens national championships and compiled. The mighty macs 2011 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. A feelgood sports film with its obligatory inspirational characters, smug adversaries, insurmountable obstacles and triumph against all odds. However, the films content and characters are much meatier than that. T he mighty macs is a film from another planet, where stories are told, obliviously, in cryptic, nonsensical code, and people talk to each other in sugarplum proverbs no earthbound adult would ever inflict on another, not even on the set of a hallmark original movie.
It is starting in difficult conditions but becomes the famous story for womens basketball. Tame girls basketball tale is sentimental but inspiring. The mighty macs movie based on the true and amazing story in immaculata college in the years 19711972. Extraordinarily amateurish, it inadvertently shields you from fully grasping. Oct 18, 2011 t he mighty macs is a film from another planet, where stories are told, obliviously, in cryptic, nonsensical code, and people talk to each other in sugarplum proverbs no earthbound adult would ever inflict on another, not even on the set of a hallmark original movie.
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