Top Soccer Movies

[yamo28]

Does anybody have any recommendations for movies featuring the beautiful game?

[Hannah Lee]

Victory, When Saturday Comes

[Fires Of Fulham]

Does anybody have any recommendations for movies featuring the beautiful game?

The original of "Fever Pitch," mostly because it focuses on the fans and not the players. It's a different take on the game.

[AndyMead]

The Cup.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0201840/

I would not recommend Shaolin Soccer - unless it's free. It's worth watching, just not paying for. :p
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286112/

Victory is also known as "Escape to Victory"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083284/

[gosya]

(1) A Shot At Glory - really awesome movie w/ genuine footage that seems generally realistic
(2) Mean Machine - a fantasy movie that's a knockoff of the longest yard, but w/ some good footage. also, the presence of Vinnie Jones (who's formerly a player w/ Wimbledon) makes it better
(3) Victory - you know the movie (even if you haven't seen it). some great actors and players in this one, and the soccer footage was probably groundbreaking for its time
(4) Fever Pitch - relatively boring. mostly focusing on the relationship. has some good monologues / speeches that make you appreciate sports). the scene of the final match (arsenal 2 - liverpool 0 in 1989) is really good. is made better by the fact that it's a true story.
(5) Shaolin / Kung-Fu Soccer - just a terrible-terrible movie
(6) The Cup - should be a very good documentary, but i've never seen it (about Tibet monks who try to watch world cup '98)

[Anteaters FC]

The Cup is not a documentary. Yes, it's based on a true story, but it's a story.

The original "The Game of Their Lives", about North Korea's team in the 1966 World Cup. Even better if you have an interest in current affairs, seeing how warmly North Korea was welcomed by England. The BBC crew were some of the first outsiders to receive permission to film inside North Korea.

[Bleacherbutt]

Bend it Like Beckham is the best in class. My second favorite is the Cup. Victory has it's moments, but there's kitsch element to it that I just can't get past entirely. BTW, Victory held the #1 spot from 1981 to 2000 in my book.

One sleeper I really enjoyed was Mad about Mambo. It features Kerri Russell (hottie) as a competitive ballroom dancer who ends up dancing with a Northern Irish football. It's heavier on the romance and lighter on the football.

[subbuteo]

Ladybugs
Kicking and Screaming
And that one with Air Bud










I keeeeed!

[clevelandstoker]

There has not been one truely great soccer film made. Plenty of decent ones, but academy award winning level? Hell no.

It's amazing that in more than 100 years of film history, no one has really done a solid job of capturing the world's most popular game.

Is it that hard?

[gosya]

What's even more amazing is that some of the best soccer movies and books have been made / written by Americans.

[Pauncho]

I think what we have identified here is the weakness of the non-American film industry.

[bobarino]

http://x6.putfile.com/videos/c9-16303132512.wmv

Not a movie, but still worth taking a look at....

[Longshoe]

Anybody remember a movie called "Sidekicks"? I know Pele was in it, but I can't remember anybody else from it. It came out in the mid-1980's, I remember it when I was a kid. Pele could've been wearing NY Cosmos stuff, I'm not sure.

[vancouversoccerman]

"A Shot at Glory" is one of my faves, even though it has quite a few cliches...but then again, how many sports movies don't? It's a good bit of fun to watch Robert Duvall play the manager of fictional Scottish 2nd Division side, while Michael Keaton plays its arrogant American owner. There's some good inside jokes with Ally McCoist playing a Paul Gacoigne-style striker who was formerly with Celtic (McCoist, of course, is former Rangers.)

Here's the IMDB link to it...they have the wrong poster image up for it ("The Cup")

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193854/

A few years ago, I saw a decent British comedy/drama at the Vancouver Film Festival called "Purely Belter". (WARNING! Slight spoiler below) It's about a couple of poor 14 year old Newcastle fans who worship the team yet have never been to a game. The film revolves around their less-than-legal antics to earn money for a season ticket, while swearing off booze, drugs, school and well-meaning family members. There's a particularly good scene where one of the boys is offered "football tickets" by a well-meaning aunt if he decides to return to school for 2 weeks. After he finishes 2 weeks of sheer torture from teachers and schoolmates, his aunts hands him tickets to a game in Sunderland (Newcastle's hated Geordie rivals). The boys sit in the home stand where the Mackems sing incredibly obscene songs denouncing Newcastle...even though they're playing Liverpool that day.

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a DVD for this one. But here's the IMDB link.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246875/

Cheers,
Bill

[Dan Loney]

Every movie with a soccer ball in it except for "My Big Fat Sikh Wedding," "Shaolin Soccer" and "Cats vs. Dogs" has been the plus grande royale monster chiller horror suck to the extreme.

"Cats vs. Dogs" isn't about soccer, it just has some loud-ass MLS product placement.

I call "Bend It Like Beckham" "My Big Fat Sikh Wedding," because I'm funny.

EDIT - haven't seen "Local Hero."

[Cantona]

Has no one over here seen the English hysterical comedy
Mike Bassett football manager????????????????????

easily the number one movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cantona-----

[chofre29]

The Other Final
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379419/
http://www.theotherfinal.com/

I know it sound a bit weird and you might be hessitant to watch it but it is a great documentary. If you are a soccer fan you will truly love this movie. Is it kind of hard to find but it is completely worth it.

[FARFAN 17]

The Big Green

nuff' said

[California Jack]

We're having my daughter's U6 team meeting next week. After a little playing and dinner, while the grown-ups are talking about who will be referee, who will be in charge of snacks, etc., the kids will have a movie night. Switching Goals with Mary-Kate and Ashley. Alexei Lalas cameos. What more could we ask for?

[Anteaters FC]

The Other Final
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379419/
http://www.theotherfinal.com/

I know it sound a bit weird and you might be hessitant to watch it but it is a great documentary. If you are a soccer fan you will truly love this movie. Is it kind of hard to find but it is completely worth it.

I was going to recommend this, glad I'm not the only one that likes it.

I saw it on the Sundance Channel, so keep your eyes peeled if you have that. They've also shown The Game of Their Lives (the earlier film with that title, the doc about the 1966 North Korean team). The Other Final is great if you don't mind something that isn't all soccer action--it's much more about the place of football and sport in society, and how it can touch anyone.