Sacrificing subtlety and innovation for big emotions and larger-than-life moral conflicts, uplifting sports movies strike at our most fundamental pressure points; hokey, sure, but also undeniably moving (unless, of course, you’re just a diehard cynic). The Express doesn’t quite reach the heights of this most populist of genres, partially because it’s hamstrung by both underdeveloped plot strands and overdeveloped visual style, but it still works in its own way, using the real-life story of Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis to plow through potential criticisms much like its titular gridiron hero plowed through tacklers. (Hippodrome, Waco, TX)