Surviving Traumatic Brain Injury

Brain Injury Resources: . . . Movies & Documentaries About Sports and Brain Injury

Brain Injury Resources: Movies & Documentaries

About Sports and Brain Injury

presented

by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

The following are in alphabetical order.

Concussion

“Concussion” This drama is based on the discovery of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in the brains of deceased former NFL (National Football League) players by forensic neuropathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu. CTE is a serious disease of the brain, found mostly in football players. It is caused by concussions and repeated sub-concussive hits. CTE has been found to cause several neurological problems, including early memory loss, impulsive behavior, and dementia. The movie details Dr. Omalu’s life, especially after his discovery, and the walls that he had to tear down to make this discovery known.

The movie, currently in theaters, stars Will Smith as Dr. Bennet Omalu.

Movie details and trailer are at http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/concussion/.

Gridiron Gladiators

“Gridiron Gladiators” This movie documents the history of football since the late 1800s. It depicts how football has evolved through the years and shows the extreme violence of the game. This documentary shows that, though football is one of America’s favorite sports, it is in dire need of reformation to reduce greatly or cease the possibility of getting a brain injury.

A stream of this documentary can be rented for $7 at http://gridirongladiatorsmovie.com/. Click “Stream Movie” to see the trailer.

Head Games

“Head Games” This documentary is not just about American football, but about any sport that can readily cause brain injury, including soccer and hockey. George Visger, a former NFL (National Football League) player for the San Francisco 49ers, states in the documentary, “It’s been known for a long time that banging your head over and over and over again can be a bad thing.” This documentary also addresses the risks of children playing sports that can cause brain injury.

See it free online at http://www.hulu.com/watch/446640.

League of Denial

“League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis” This Frontline documentary shows the role of the NFL (National Football League) in the serious problem of getting concussions on the playing field. It unveils the stories of several NFL players who were diagnosed posthumously with CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a disease of the brain discovered by forensic neuropathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu. The story of Dr. Omalu and his discovery of CTE in American football players is the basis for the movie “Concussion.”

See it free online at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/league-of-denial/.

Read about it on my blog at

https://survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com/2016/01/06/so-whaddya-think-football-puts-childrens-brains-at-risk/.

The Crash Reel

“The Crash Reel” This documentary is a gripping 4+ star movie about Kevin Pearce, a champion snowboarder who was expected to win a gold medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics. While training on the half-pipe, Kevin missed his mark and severely slammed his head. His dream of an Olympic gold medal disappeared as he was faced with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). You will see breathtaking footage of Kevin snowboarding before his TBI.

See it free online at https://vid.me/x2HU/the-crash-reel. See the trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KkFZ-QC53Q.

The United States of Football

“The United States of Football” This documentary is yet another look at the dangers of concussions in American football. It features 40-year-old Kyle Turley, former player for the New Orleans Saints, the St. Louis Rams, and the Kansas City Chiefs, as he talks about his fears and concerns about his own possible impending memory loss and dementia. It features other former NFL (National Football League) players who are in the throes of brain damage and shows how their lives have collapsed after repeated concussions. It delves into the harm that football can cause youngsters, whose brains are still developing.

A stream of this documentary can be rented for $3.99 at http://theusof.com/store.

The trailer can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8JMSMvWsBE.

Read about it on my blog at https://survivingtraumaticbraininjury.com/2015/10/19/4643/.

As I say after each post:

Feel free to leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment” below this post.

Please follow my blog. Click on “Follow Me Via eMail” on the right sidebar of your screen.

If you like my blog, click the “Like” button under this post.

If you REALLY like my blog, share it intact with your friends. It’s easy! Click the “Share” buttons below.

If you don’t like my blog, “Share” it intact with your enemies. That works for me too!

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)