NOGA at the movies
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Escape to Victory chosen by Ruairi McGuiness
"I t's a great movie because it is so totally over the top. It's all about a group of allied World War 2 prisoners of war who are 'invited' to take part in a 'friendly' game against the German national football team. Its stereotypes galore as Michael Caine leads the pack as the former England soccer captain who organizes and trains his fellow players (Pele included) to take on the Germans. Sylvester Stallone is also involved - as the teams goalkeeper - who has his own plans about using the team to escape. Very corny, but harmless and I always find myself watching it every time its on TV!!"
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Fever Pitch chosen by Neil Graham
"Most people  have probably seen the recent version of 'Fever Pitch' with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon, but this is the far better original. Based on Nick Hornsby's brilliant book of the same name its all about how soccer drives grown men to tears and grown women to distraction. As with our NOGA staff nothing else in life matters, everything that they do is designed to leave them time to coach, watch, play and argue about soccer. Paul (Colin Firth) is a perfect example of the species. He teaches English to unruly students but prefers to coach the school soccer team. If you liked About a Boy and High Fidelity and your a soccer fan you'll love this"
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Screaming and Kicking chosen by Tim Bradbury
"There is something about Will Ferre ll’s off-the-wall lunacy as a mild-mannered suburban dad - who's suddenly transformed into a caffeine-fueled soccer maniac when he becomes the coach of his son’s unruly soccer team that reminds me unfortunately of myself. When the championship pits his underdog team against the squad coached by his own domineering dad (Robert Duvall), it’s game on for the most uproarious mismatch of the season!"
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Bend It Like Beckham chosen by Dave Flower
"I have to ad mit to being a bit of a Bollywood fan all round. Have you seen "Bride and Prejudice?" But, my passion for this film is not so much about the soccer, although do you know that Tim Bradbury used to play for the same club in Hounslow, England where it was filmed? - Not for the girl's team though. No, my love for this movie really comes down to two words - Keira Knightly."
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Shaolin Soccer chosen by Ricky Clarke
"I love  Kung Fu and all martial arts movies and of course I love soccer. So, really the only thing that was missing when this came out was that it was not filmed at Chelsea. Two Fists Up!”
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Gregory's Girl chosen by Gary Book
"There is just something irresistible about  Gregory's Girl. It's set around the failings of a useless school soccer team. What plot there is concerns the attempts of gawky Gregory to earn the affection of the new star striker Dorothy - the only girl on the team. Its full of quotable gems and funnies, yet never sells short the truthfulness -- somewhat like Napolean Dynamite. It's full of the funny desperation and small-time pains of adolescence. The misguided soccer coach is a delight and Gregory turns in an Oscar level performance (if you ask me). The first time it was released in the USA they dubbed on softer Scottish accents but if you can get hold of the original on DVD it makes a great movie night for any soccer family with a sense of humor.
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