I’m sorry, but The Trophy Thief did not steal my heart. Instead, I feel manipulated, as if the creators are simply playing to sympathies by casting a short-statured soccer player as Ben, the boy who steals an unjustly-awarded MVP trophy. Continue reading “Review: The Trophy Thief (2015)”
Review: I Play Soccer (2011)
I Play Soccer is a 6-minute short film about the Sierra Leone football academy run by the Craig Bellamy Foundation. By Stefan Lovgren, the film is more advertising than documentary. Continue reading “Review: I Play Soccer (2011)”
Review: Sassy Player (2009)
You can look at Sassy Player in two ways: either it’s a screwball comedy, or it’s an LGBT coming of age in Thailand soccer movie. Director Poj Arnon’s film แต วเตะตีนระเบิด is a weird combination of the two genres. The 16 new boys in a formerly all-girls high school are forced to form a school soccer team, even though 6-7 of them would rather be cheerleaders.
Review: Walter’s War (2008)
While the facts of Walter Tull’s life are exemplary, the fictional film Walter’s War leaves too much unsaid. Tull’s unique achievements, as one of the first Black British footballers, and then as the first Black British officer in Europe’s trenches, are now heralded. Continue reading “Review: Walter’s War (2008)”
Review: The Final Goal (1995)
Is this worth watching? When Erik Estrada has top billing, you know it’s cheesy time. The best line in The Final Goal is when Estrada’s henchman tells him, “You should have been an actor.”
Review: On Angel’s Wings (2014)
On Angel’s Wings is a faith-based family film meant to provide positive African-American role models on the UPTV network. Unfortunately, Writer-Director Aaron Williams stitches together so many model caricatures, he omits telling a story that makes sense. Continue reading “Review: On Angel’s Wings (2014)”
Review: Life of Ryan (2014)
It’s hard to believe that Life of Ryan: Caretaker Manager is from Fulwell 73, the same company that produced Class of ’92 and other good football films.
American Pharaoh (2014)
American Pharaoh is Hossam Aboul-Magd’s first shot at directing and is a 60 minute documentary for PBS. Hossam is a one-man film crew, following Bradley and his wife Lindsay during their 2 year residency in Cairo. He became their friend, and perhaps that is why the film is so weak. Continue reading “American Pharaoh (2014)”
Review: The Referee (Rättskiparen) (2010)
Rättskiparen is a short Swedish documentary about Martin Hansson, a former firefighter, divorced with 2 sons, who puts football before everything else in hopes of refereeing at WC 2010.
Continue reading “Review: The Referee (Rättskiparen) (2010)”Coach (2010)
Coach is a straight-to-DVD film by first-time-feature Writer-Director Will Frears. Hugh Dancy is a slacker and soccer bum in New York City. He doesn’t need to work, but he finds romance and purpose when he takes a job coaching middle school kids to the league championship. Continue reading “Coach (2010)”