Tag: British

Producer Julian Cautherly and Director Victor Buhler began working on their Africa10 film project in advance of WC 2010. Their lofty goal was to show how a passion for soccer encourages development and change in Africa. But for those in poverty, soccer is more like a winning lottery ticket out of the country to a better…

‘Bend It Like Beckham’ (2002) tops soccer movie box office

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in Cultural, Romance

Bend It Like Beckham proves that when a story is close to the heart, it can make an outstanding soccer movie and family film. At $78M, BILB is probably the top-grossing soccer movie of all time (made for ~$7M).

‘Looking for Eric’ (2009) and finding a wise Cantona

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in Comedy, Drama

Don’t be put off by the opening scene of Looking for Eric, where Eric the postman tries to kill himself by driving on the wrong side of a roundabout. Stay for the ride, because this movie is a comedy-drama with an outrageous feel-good ending.

I liked ‘Green Street Hooligans’ (2005) even if Brits did not

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in Drama

After suffering the mindless violence of The Football Factory, I was reluctant to watch Green Street Hooligans. But what a surprise– Hooligans completely sucks you in.

The rise and fall of Brian Clough in ‘The Damned United’ (2009)

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in Drama

When watching The Damned United, besides Sheen’s performance, I wondered why is this soccer movie so good? Well, it turns out that this BBC film has quite a pedigree behind it: Director Peter Hooper made The King’s Speech. And screenwriter Peter Morgan wrote The Queen, The Last King of Scotland, and Frost/Nixon. Hooper, Morgan, and…

‘Goal! The Dream Begins’ (2005) soccer movie with a decent budget

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in Drama

First conceived in 2000, the trilogy Goal! was dropped and then restarted production after WC 2002. This first Goal movie was made by 3 Brits in Hollywood who love soccer, and therefore, they try to portray the game realistically and honestly.

Guy Oliver covers ‘History of Soccer’ (2001) up to the year 2000

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The History of Soccer is a terrific compilation of facts and videos. I originally got the first disk from Netflix, and then I found the whole 7-disk set at my library. I’ve often felt clueless when soccer commentator Christopher Sullivan rhapsodized about some historical player during a game, e.g. comparing someone to a Garrincha or a Di…

‘Mean Machine’ (2001) soccer’s version of ‘The Longest Yard’

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in Comedy

Burt Reynolds’ The Longest Yard is one of my favorite movies, and Mean Machine is almost as good. This British soccer version, starring former EPL player Vinnie Jones, stays pretty close to the original story.

‘United’ (2011) how ManU continued after Munich

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in Drama

United tells the story of the 1958 Munich air disaster involving ManU’s young team known as Busby’s Babes. Trying to take off in a snowstorm, the plane ran out of runway, hit a house, and was torn apart.

‘The Four Year Plan’ (2011) may make you hate QPR

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If you watched the end of the 2011-2012 EPL season, you saw the spoiler role QPR almost played in Manchester City’s league championship. And if that were all you knew about Queens Park Rangers, you would have assumed The Four Year Plan was some kind of feel-good Moneyball success story. It’s not.

‘One Night in Turin’ (2010) so vivid it makes people cry again

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I imagine One Night in Turin is very difficult to watch if you were an England fan during their semi-final shoot-out loss to West Germany in World Cup 1990. Writer-Director James Erskine captures the many emotions and struggles of the country, the coach, the team (including Paul Gascoigne), and its fans. Apparently for some, this…

[Review] Shaun the Sheep: Off the Baa! (2007)

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in Kids

Shaun the Sheep is a BBC kids TV series of claymation figures from the creators of Wallace and Grommit. A flock of sheep clandestinely conduct human-like activities behind the back of their farmer.

‘In the Hands of the Gods’ (2007) first docu from Fulwell 73

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In the Hands of the Gods follows five British freestylers over a 6-week odyssey as the young men work their way from London to Argentina to meet Diego Maradona. This documentary is very similar to the movie Pelada, but it has a lot more friction and conflict, because the five have set out on their…

Review: The Art of Soccer with John Cleese (2006)

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in Comedy, Documentary

Variously named as the The Art of Soccer with John Cleese or the Art of Football from A to Z, it appears this made for TV film was commissioned by Germany for World Cup 2006. John Cleese pontificates on 26 alphabetical aspects of the game.

‘Goal II: Living the Dream’ (2007) and continuing the franchise

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in Drama

Goal 2: Living the Dream continues the rags-to-riches fantasy of Santiago Munez, who migrates from the streets of Los Angeles to become a super-sub at Newcastle. In this sequel, Santi and his buddy Gavin end up at Real Madrid, with Santi on his way up and Gavin on his way down.

‘Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal’ (2007) British Hindu issues

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in Cultural, Drama

In Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal, a South Asian community in England has a struggling semi-pro football team. They need to win the league or the stadium will be sold for redevelopment. Sadly, their star is enticed to play for their better all-white rivals. But the star player encounters racism on his new team. He returns to his…

In ‘Fever Pitch’ (1997) long-suffering Arsenal fan enjoys 1989

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in Comedy

Funny how British soccer movies analyze the game’s joyless effect on its fans, in minute detail. I watched 3 of them in 2 days and realized that deep-down, the Brits hate soccer! Or at least, British screenwriters do.

‘Those Glory Glory Days’ (1983) Tottenham Spurs a first love

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in Comedy, Drama

A sports nut since childhood, Julie Welch was the first female soccer sports writer on Fleet Street. She was asked to write a screenplay for a British television series that would capture the passions of first love.

Stories collide in flamboyant ‘Kickoff’ (2010)

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