In the world of cinema, sports is a subject that allows filmmakers to tell stories of adversity, growth, teamwork, and why sports are fun. In the U.S., there are iconic sports movies in games such as baseball, football, basketball, and hockey whether it is professional sports, semi-professional, or little league sports. They have stories that are appealing to audiences because they are simple yet effective stories. There are so many films relating to baseball, football, basketball, and hockey that can be made into a list but there is one sport that does not get enough attention even though it is a much bigger sports around the world than in the U.S. Futbol or as you Americans call it, soccer. Futbol is a different as it a sport that says a lot about people, community, clubs, and what it means to win as well as what is means to be part of a team.
While there have been a lot of films about the beautiful game, this list will not include films I have not seen such as Tom Hooper’s The Damned United, Bill Forsyth’s Gregory’s Girl, and Stephen Chow’s Shaolin Soccer. I am making a list of 20 films in both fiction and documentary that I think represent the beautiful game at its absolute best. Even as it is not an easy list of films, considering that the beautiful game has not been well-represented through Hollywood though there are some gems in and out of Hollywood that has appeal to fans and non-fans of the beautiful game. Here is a list of 20 films that are worth watching about the beautiful game:
1. Escape to Victory
A remake of the 1961 Hungarian film Two Halves in Hell that is based on an infamous game between Nazi Germany and Soviet-Ukrainian POWS in 1942 known as the Death Match. John Huston’s 1981 film is a different animal as it is about a bunch of POWs from the Allies who have agreed to play an exhibition game against Nazi Germany as part of a propaganda stunt for the Nazis. Narratively, it is a basic story yet with a cast that includes Michael Caine as the team’s leader/manager, Sylvester Stallone as an American who serves as the goalie, and Max von Sydow as a Nazi leader. It seems like an appealing film for mainstream audiences, but what makes the film work are the supporting cast who get play POWs such as England’s Bobby Moore, Argentina’s Osvaldo, and Pele! Now that is a fucking team, and it must have been a joy for Caine to play with some of these legends including a certified GOAT in Pele.
2. Ladybugs
OK, as a child of the 80s. Rodney Dangerfield is an idol of mine as I always love his persona as a comedian as well as an actor. He is a better actor than people give him credit for. Yes, his schtick was becoming dated in the 1990s but this film by Sidney J. Furie is not as bad as people claim it is to be. Dangerfield is hilarious as a guy who is trying to get a promotion at his job so he can get the money to marry his longtime girlfriend. What he does is claim he is a soccer coach where he would coach his company’s girls’ team that includes the boss’ daughter as he has Jackee` helping him. Thus, hilarity ensues while he would get his girlfriend’s son Matthew dressing up as a girl in Martha so that he can be a ringer for the team. It is a comical film that include some racy language that is quite extreme for a family film. “They broke my nail! MOM, THOSE BITCHES BROKE MY NAIL!!!!!” This is one of those rare films that I saw in the theaters more than once and I am not ashamed to admit it.
3. Fever Pitch
Not to be confused with the 2005 film by the Farrelly Brothers starring Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore about the Boston Red Sox. In fact, that film is remake of this 1997 film by David Evans that is based on a book by Nick Hornby, who also wrote the screenplay, about a schoolteacher’s love for Arsenal set in 1988 as he also falls in love with another teacher as he becomes conflicted in trying to have both. The film stars Colin Firth as this man who also coaches his school’s team as it also plays into his troubled relationship with his father who first took him to an Arsenal game. The film also features Mark Strong as Firth’s best friend who is also a massive fan of Arsenal. It is this film that made me a fan of Arsenal and if anyone has a problem with Arsenal will have to answer to…. The Queen….
4. Bend It Like Beckham
Gurinder Chadha’s 2002 film is not just one of the finest films on the beautiful game, but it is also this light-hearted and touching film that revolves around cultural differences, identity, and not wanting to betray family values. Starring Parminder Nagra as a young Punjab-Indian woman who loves futbol as she meets up with a white Briton played Keira Knightley who is part of a local amateur futbol club as they become friends but also rivals for the affection of their Irish coach. Yet, the film also explores Nagra’s character Jess trying to not dishonor her family’s values and wishes just as her sister is hoping to get married while the film also has a lot of humor. Particularly from Juliet Stevenson as Knightley’s mother who believes that her daughter is a lesbian as her reactions bring such joy. It is a film that my parents and my sisters love as it is just one of those amazing films though the scene of Stevenson crying over what happened to George Michael when he came out is hilarious. Yet, the man who plays her husband tells her, “George Michael is still a superstar, and you still listen to Wham!”
5. Kicking & Screaming
Not to be confused with the 1995 film by Noah Baumbach of the same name, Jesse Dylan’s 2005 sports comedy about a man who decides to coach a youth soccer team after his dad had refused to play his son for his own team. Starring Will Ferrell and Robert Duvall, the film is a light-hearted comedy that is more about the relationship between father and son as Ferrell often felt he had to compete with his overly-competitive father in Duvall. What does make it work is that you have Ferrell team up with legendary Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka in creating a team of misfits who may not be athletic but their heart and willingness to get better at the game. It also has funny moments such as Ferrell becoming addicted to cappuccino and the need to wanting to merge his father’s sporting goods business with his own small business selling vitamins.
6. Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team
This 2005 documentary from HBO Sports about the U.S. women’s soccer team that would win the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup is among one of the finest documentary films about women athletes. Notably in the struggles these legendary players had to endure from being underpaid, not having a lot of support from their own country, and not being taken seriously by other countries. Yet, this is a documentary that proves how they managed to become winners and that moment at the Rose Bowl in 1999 where they won it all. Even if the aftermath of the brief rise and fall of the WUSA league is also told though that league did pave the way for the NWSL which has so far done well.
Jafar Panahi is one of the world's best filmmakers as well as one of the best filmmakers from Iran despite his own battles with its government who have tried to ban him from making films. Among the films he has made in his country that has gotten into trouble is his 2006 film about a group of young women disguising themselves as men as they want to watch a qualifying game between Iran and Bahrain at the national stadium. Of course, they get caught as guards are forced to watch over these women where one of them does escape and does get a glimpse of the game. The scene where this young woman explains what she saw with the guards also looking at her own description is among one of the best scenes in the film. Despite all the political and social turmoil, it is the sport that does bring people together as it is one of the finest films of the 21st century so far.
8. She’s the Man
An adaptation of the William Shakespeare play Twelfth Night, Andy Fickman’s comedy is about a young woman whose school team has been disbanded as she decides to be her twin brother, who went to Europe to play some shows, who is about to attend another prep school as she disguises herself as a dude so she can play the beautiful game. She would have Channing Tatum as her roommate where she falls for him but also deals with all sorts of trouble. The film has Amanda Bynes in one of her most iconic performances as this young woman that just wants to play futbol as she would have Vinnie Jones as her coach while dealing with the affections of Laura Ramsey but also Alex Breckenridge as her brother’s vain girlfriend. It is an amazing film where Bynes is a total hoot while proving that tampons can help with nose bleeds.
9. Rudo y Cursi
From Carlos Cuaron is a film about two half-brothers from a farming family in a small Mexican town as they are both talented in futbol as they both go into separate teams and journeys as they both rise into the ranks of the professional Mexican league. Starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna who had worked with Cuaron previously as he co-wrote Y Tu Mama Tambien with his older brother Alfonso Cuaron. Alfonso, along with Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu produce the film as it is a comical story of sibling rivalry as well as the way futbol rivalries occur in Mexico as Bernal and Luna are great in this as well as a phenomenal supporting performance from Argentine actor/comedian Guillermo Franca as a slimy agent who also narrates the film. Another thing about the film that is worth watching is seeing Bernal doing a hilarious ranchero cover of Cheap Trick’s I Want You to Want Me.
Ken Loach’s 2009 film is about a middle-aged postal worker who is experiencing his own mid-life crisis as well as family drama in Manchester where he finds a sense of joy in the presence of his favorite player in Eric Cantona. While it is not a sports film, the presence of Cantona does add to why futbol matters to people and how it helps a man going through so much in his life find some bit of hope. Especially as Cantona is a man full of joy who understands the struggles that this postal worker is going through as it does play into the elements of magical realism. It may be a minor work from Ken Loach but only someone like Ken Loach can create films set in the real world and not be afraid to bring in elements of fantasy that is grounded in reality.
11. The Two Escobars
One of several films in this list from the 30 for 30 documentary series, Jeff and Michael Zimbalist’s film about the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and the rise of Colombian futbol in the 1990s that included its captain in Andres Escobar (no relation). It is one of the best films of the series as it explores the rise of these two different men and their impact on the country but also the fall with the end of Pablo’s reign and the 1994 FIFA World Cup game against the U.S. where Andres scored an unfortunate own goal for the U.S. as he would be killed more than a week later. It is one of the documentary films that highlight a team that had a lot of promises only to fall with a drug lord who wanted to do good things for his country.
12. Maradona ‘86
One of 7 documentary short films from the 30 for 30 series as part of the Soccer Stories series in celebration of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, this documentary short about Argentina’s Diego Armando Maradona and his performance at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. A performance that is considered legendary including the quarter-final game against England where he would score 2 legendary goals. One of which remains a source of controversy because of a handball he committed yet it counted as the English to this day are still angry about it. That would be followed by what many call the Goal of the Century as Maradona was untouchable that year.
13. Ceasefire Massacre
The 2nd short from the 30 for 30 documentary series in Soccer Stories is about one of the most violent events to happen during a watch party at a small pub in Northern Ireland. All because a bunch of people wanted to watch Ireland vs. Italy during the 1994 FIFA World Cup where a Protestant terror group ambushed the pub where six people were killed. Directed by Alex Gibney and Trevor Birney, the documentary short film explores the Northern Ireland conflict and how this incident marked as a turning point in the conflict.
14. The Myth of Garrincha
Also, from the 30 for 30 series in Soccer Stories is a documentary short on Mane Garrincha who had been part of the 1958 and 1962 Brazilian national team that won the World Cup twice in those years. The short film explores a man who had a unique style of play due to his legs as they were bent when he was children. The film also played into his aftermath of his career where he struggled with alcoholism and finances leading to his death in 1983 where the people did give him a proper funeral.
15. The Opposition
Another entry from the 30 for 30 series is this short documentary by Ezra Edelman and Jeffrey Plunkett about one of the most discomforting World Cup qualifying games in 1973 between the Soviet Union and Chile in the latter’s national stadium in Santiago which was being used as a prison and killing field during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. The Soviet Union’s refusal to play the two qualifiers led to the country being disqualified as it is a sobering documentary about one of the darkest periods in world history.
16. White, Blue and White
Another documentary from the 30 for 30 series is a short film about two men from the 1978 Argentina national team in Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa who helped the country win their first World Cup that year as they would later join the Tottenham Hotspurs in England where they would become major stars for that team and help the club win the 1981 FA Cup. Yet, all of that changed in 1982 where Ardiles leaves the club to return to the Argentine national team during one of the most horrific conflicts of the 20th Century in the Falkland Islands War between Britain and Argentina. It is a somber short of two men who are torn apart by their love for two countries and the war that tore everything apart.
17. Barbosa: The Man Who Made All of Brazil Cry
Until the events of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, what happened in the 1950 World Cup that was also hosted by Brazil who made it to the finals against Uruguay was a tragic event. It was the day where everyone thought the host country would win but a goal from Uruguay changed everything and Brazil’s goalkeeper Moacir Barbosa became the scapegoat as he was considered a national hero before the World Cup. This documentary short from 30 for 30 is about Barbosa and the aftermath of the 1950 World Cup where he was unfortunately seen as a pariah as it is one of the best documentary shorts from the 30 for 30 series.
18. Hillsborough
A feature-length documentary from the 30 for 30 series by Daniel Gordon is about one of the most horrific events in the history of the sport on April 15, 1989, during a FA Cup semi-final game between Liverpool and Nottingham at Hillsborough stadium where 97 people were killed due to a crowd crush with 766 injured from the event. The two-hour documentary explore incidents years before the event and what could have been prevented as well as the troubling aftermath that included falsified police reports and such leading to a trial and an investigation as the film was originally released in 2014 just twenty-five years after the event as it would later be expanded and updated two years later to include the inquiry and its verdict. Of all the films of the 30 for 30 series, this one is the best of them all.
The final film in a thematic trilogy about troubled geniuses from Asif Kapadia, this documentary film on the famed Argentine futbol player during his time playing for S.C.C. Napoli in Italy’s Serie A league from 1984 to 1991. Kapadia’s usage of archival footage, voice-over work, news reports, and such allows audiences to see one of the greatest players ever who would find a home in Naples as well as make their team one of the most beloved teams in Europe. Even as he endures a troubling cocaine addiction, extramarital affairs, and other things that would add to his legend as well as tidbits on his international career including his legendary performance at the 1986 FIFA World Cup where he gave Argentina their 2nd World Cup victory.
While it may be inferior to the 2014 documentary film of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, Taika Waititi’s dramatic re-telling about Dutch-American coach Thomas Regan who takes on the impossible task to coach the American-Samoa national team and make them contenders. Starring Michael Fassbender as Regan, the film is a touching comedy-drama that explores a man still dealing with personal tragedy while trying to take a team of misfits into a team that can do well in World Cup qualification games. It is a minor film by Waititi, but it is still a compelling film that plays into Waititi’s exploration of life being a comedy and tragedy.
Films to Avoid
For every film that is about the beautiful game that can range from being great to even something that is considered mediocre. There are films on the beautiful game that should be avoided. In how they portray the beautiful game as well as how they depict certain personalities. 1995’s The Big Green from Walt Disney Studios starring Olivia d’Abo, Steve Guttenberg, and Jay O. Sanders is just this awful film about British schoolteacher who goes to Texas as part of an exchange program by getting a bunch of disinterested misfits to play the game as it just poorly executed. It is meant to be a family comedy, but it is not funny at all as it is also generic in its approach to sport as it features Patrick Renna of The Sandlot as the goalie who is meant to be the comic relief, but it is so awful.
Another film that should be avoided is a bio-pic on Pele in Pele: Birth of a Legend from Jeff and Michael Zimbalist as those two filmmakers should have stuck to documentary films. This is a movie that is as generic as it can get while it is also filled with a lot of inaccuracies on Brazil’s failure at the 1950 FIFA World Cup and on Pele’s life. When you have Vincent D’Onofrio as the team’s head coach, Colm Meany as the Swedish head coach along with great Brazilian actors like Seu Jorge and Rodrigo Santoro and do not give them anything to work with. The film was fucked. It is a boring and formulaic bio-pic but my father’s opinion of it was damning who cited everything about that movie that was wrong.
For all the bad movies that have been around, including awful sports films. There is nothing as bad as 2014’s United Passions by Frederic Auburtin starring Gerard Depardieu, Sam Neill, Tim Roth, Fisher Stevens, Thomas Krestchmann, and many others all funded and produced by FIFA about the creation of FIFA and the World Cup. It is astounding in how fucked up that film is in terms of skirting around certain issues as well as what it wanted FIFA to be seen as. You have parts of the film of kids playing the beautiful game intercut with all these dramatic moments of FIFA officials trying to modernize the game and all of that. It is truly one of the worst films ever made as there is this shot of Depardieu as Jules Rimet holding the old trophy that he is about to award to Brazil as he climbs the stairs of the stadium to see that Uruguay has one. It is the stupidest thing ever captured on film with the most awful music ever. An absolute fucking piece of shit.
Well, that is all for anyone interested in the beautiful game to see what films that are out there to see. It may not be as big as other sports in the U.S. but there is a reason people love futbol around the world as Americans do embrace it slowly. Especially as the World Cup gives American the chance to explore different cultures from around the world and be a part of something that is just universal. Sports do bring people together and futbol is one of those sports that gets people to sing and root for something that is beautiful.
Summer is approaching and the world’s biggest event is coming, which is the World Cup, as I am getting a bit excited about it despite a lot of the political bullshit that is happening as well as FIFA meddling with so much bullshit. Especially as they will do anything to praise our human septic tank of a dictator who is creating a massive spectacle for our country’s 250th birthday as it looks like the worst birthday party ever. Even as concerts have been announced in Washington D.C. where they announced the list of performers which was news to Morris Day and the Time, Bret Michaels, the Commodores, Martina McBride, and Young MC as they said no. Good for them for not wanting to be part of this shitshow though I am not surprised who has chosen to before at the clown show such as Flo-Rida and Vanilla Ice. Looking at what is happening at the White House itself is an indication of how far this country has fallen.
While I have focused my attention on futbol in anticipation for the World Cup, I still have my eye on cinema even though I still have not had the motivation to watch anything new or go to the movie theatres. Still, there was this year’s Cannes Film Festival as it was a good year as it focused more on international films rather than Hollywood fare. The big winner of the festival is Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord starring Renate Reinsve and Sebastian Stan as it won the Palme d’Or as well as the Francois Chalais Prize, the Ecumenical Prize, and the FIPRESCI prize as it also a victory for the distributor NEON that will release the film in the U.S. later this year. Other winners include Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur winning the 2nd place Grand Jury prize, and Valeska Grisebach’s The Dreamed Adventure winning the 3rd place Jury prize. Pawel Pawlikowski of Fatherland and the duo of Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi for The Black Ball shared the Best Director prize. Emmanuel Macchia and Valentine Campagne shared the Best Actor prize for the performances in Lukas Dhont’s film Coward while Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto shared the Best Actress prize for their work in Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden. Emmanuel Marre won the festival’s Best Screenplay prize for his film in A Man of His Time.
The winners of this year’s festival have been good while there have been some good buzz for other films that were competing for the Palme d’Or in James Gray’s Paper Tiger, Pedro Almodovar’s Bitter Christmas, Na Hong-Jin’s Hope, Sheep in the Box by Hirokazu Kore-eda and Ira Sachs’ The Man I Love with buzz for Rami Malek’s performance. Nicolas Winding Refn’s new film Her Private Hell, which played out of competition, has received mixed reviews which is expected from Refn while Lea Seydoux has gotten attention for being in three films in Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet’s A Woman’s Life, Marie Kruetzer’s Gentle Monster, and Arthur Harari’s The Unknown. The lack of Hollywood fare is a good thing as I often have issues with their presence in the festival though I am glad the first The Fast and the Furious film was able to play at this year’s festival to celebrate its 25th anniversary as a midnight screening where its cast members and Paul Walker’s daughter Meadow were there where the film was celebrated. One qualm I do have is the honorary Palme d’Or to John Travolta who was there premiering his directorial debut Propeller One-Way Night Coach as that was trashed by the critics as was his stupid look that he was sporting with that awful beret.
In the month of May 2026, I saw a total of 6 films in two first-timers and four re-watches with both first-timers being a film directed or co-directed by a woman as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. Not much activity like one of the re-watches I had been rewatching is Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor as it had been many years since I had seen the theatrical version which is Bertolucci’s preferred cut. I have a review half-finished, but it has been slow as it will hopefully come out once it is finished.
Monthly Mini-Reviews/What Else I Am Watching
Mother’s Nature
From Pixar and director Valerie LaPointe is this 2-minute short film made specifically for Mother’s Day as it plays into the journey that moms take for their children. All told through animals in the funniest moments. Notably a turtle trying to tell her child to clean up his room. A corn trying to tell her daughter not to be exposed to sunlight. All sorts of funny shit as it is just absolute fun.
The Boys of Dungeon Lane: In Conversation with Paul McCartney & Paul Mescal
With the release of Paul McCartney’s 20th solo studio album, Charlotte Wells directs a conversation between McCartney and actor Paul Mescal who is playing McCartney in the upcoming bio-pics on the Beatles. The discussion is on the album as well as its themes and the songs McCartney created based on the few tracks I have heard. It feels like an album by McCartney reflecting on his early life including his time with John Lennon and George Harrison when they were young. Days We Left Behind is a key example of that reflective narrative while McCartney also talks about his parents having to raise him during World War II as he thought about the difficulties they had to endure. This is an 11-minute short film that fans of McCartney should seek out as he is creating music that still has a lot to say while talking to the man who is playing him in Sam Mendes’ upcoming films on the Beatles.
Soccer’s American Dream (episodes 1-4)
With the World Cup happening as the U.S., Canada, and Mexico being the host nations, it was time for a documentary to be made about America’s relationship with the beautiful game and why it has been so complicated. It all goes back to the 1966 FIFA World Cup where it was the first time the event was televised as it was a worldwide event. It led to rich businessman trying to create a men’s professional league that eventually became the North American Soccer League that lasted from 1968 to 1984. The episodes talked about why it failed in the end due to lack of developing players as well as relying too much on Pele. The second episode is about the rise of women’s games and their popularity. Part three is about the 1994 World Cup and how it revived America’s interest in the beautiful game while the most recent episode is about the formation of Major League Soccer and its early struggles. There are two more episodes left in the series, yet I am excited for them as it is a documentary series that my dad would have loved to watch.
AEW Double or Nothing 2026
Given the lukewarm reaction towards WWE and the growing over-commercialization from TKO, longtime wrestling fans who have watched and supported WWE have become disillusioned. The fact that some of them either came to the AEW event at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York or watched the event out of curiosity has opened a lot of eyeballs. A lot of AEW fans know what to expect from the company yet what they delivered is already a top contender for pay-per-view event of the year. On the main show that opened with Adam Copeland and Christian Cage taking on FTR for the AEW World Tag Team Championship in an “I quit” street fight gave fans something that was hot. Then it was followed with the best match of the night in Konosuke Takeshita versus Kazuchika Okada for the AEW International Championship that saw Takeshita win the match but would be betrayed by Kyle Fletcher and the Don Callis Family.
The rest of the show had this sense of momentum in standout matches including the Stadium Stampede match and the main event for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship between Darby Allin and MJF with MJF’s hair added as a stipulation where he would shave it bald if he had lost the match. AEW had been criticized by some for having long events, yet many felt that AEW had listened to the criticism and found a way to simplify things a bit. The result has wrestling fans buzzing about an event that many felt in what WrestleMania should have been if not for the awful booking, over-usage of celebrities, over-commercialization, and the constant interference of TKO. AEW may not have the drawing power or money that WWE has made but they are now a serious threat with new fans coming along because it feels different and right.
Well, that is all for May as I am unsure if I will go see Toy Story 5 in the theatres this coming June as I am still haunted by the day that I saw its predecessor as it would be followed by my father’s death hours after I had seen the film. I hope to jump back into the Blind Spot Series with The Watermelon Woman as well as complete my review of The Last Emperor. Other than that, I have no clue what I will do as I think I will spend time just re-watching a few films I never reviewed but own on Blu-Ray.
Before I bid adieu, there are two people I need to acknowledge who passed away this month who have been important parts in my life as well as all the people here in Atlanta. The first is Bobby Cox who managed the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1981 and again from 1990 to 2010 for what was their greatest run including a World Series win in 1995. Cox was more than just a baseball manager, but he was like a father figure for a lot of us young baseball fans as he was always fun to watch as well as managed some of the best players we had during that period.
The other figure that was instrumental in the Braves’ success and was once their owner is a much bigger figure who did more than just own the Braves and the Atlanta Hawks for a time. Ted Turner. The man who created the Superstation in TBS as well as TNT, Turner Classic Movies, the Cartoon Network, and CNN. He was also an important figure for professional wrestling when he bought Jim Crockett Promotions and rebranded it as World Championship Wrestling where for a time. It was beating WWE in the ratings. Turner was important here in Atlanta as one of my dad’s friends worked for Turner as he posted a picture of him back in the 1990s. To Ted and Bobby, thank you for making Atlanta a great city. Thank you Ted for creating TCM as a place for old movies to be seen again and for giving us an example of what a rich man should do in making the world a better place.
Also, those who passed away this month include Marcia Lucas, who edited Star Wars and was instrumental in the rise of her ex-husband in George Lucas. Others who have passed include Ronald LaPread of the Commodores, actress Kelly Curtis, hockey player Dennis Hull, Foster Sylvers of the Sylvers, baseball player Bob Horner who also played for the Braves, actor/filmmaker Howard Storm, rapper Rob Base, costume designer Albert Wolsky, actor Charles Cioffi, saxophonist Dick Parry of Pink Floyd, actor Peter Helm, voice actor Tom Kane, Dennis Locorriere of Dr. Hook, economist Edmund Phelps, screenwriter Krzysztof Piesiewicz, actress Claudine Longet, songwriter Clarence Carter, writer Barry W. Blaustein who also directed Beyond the Mat, actor Donald Gibb aka Ogre of the Revenge of the Nerds film series, film critic Rex Reed, music producer Jack Douglas, actor Dennis Rush, Warren Tipton of the Chi-Lites, sports broadcaster Jack Sterling, and the legendary saxophonist Sonny Rollins who played on the Rolling Stones’ song Waiting on a Friend. This is thevoid99 signing off…
Another staged assassination attempt happened and unfortunately, no one of less importance died. Still, a lot of dumb shit has happened in the past month as it does get hard to keep up with what is really going on as I no longer trust the news with anything these days. I go to Reddit and whatever Yahoo and Google posts from whatever credible news publications are saying. Still, it is not enough as I have been spending a lot of time at home not really doing anything except re-watch a few James Bond movies. Yet, I feel relaxed about it as it took off a lot of pressure in keeping up with new releases and anything else I have not seen. Plus, I have shifted my focus on a couple of things while also paying attention to the Atlanta Braves who are starting this baseball season doing well as they have won over 20 games so far and have not lost a series. Then there are the Atlanta Hawks who were winning 2 games to 1 against the New York Knicks only to get eliminated by the time I post this.
Being away from the world of film has made me relax a bit as one of the things I am anticipating for although to a less degree than previous events from the past, which is the FIFA World Cup. Raised on soccer for much of my life as I went to the 1982 World Cup in Spain when I was only a year old as I am sure it was exciting. This year should be exciting except for the fact that things here in the U.S. are horrible with a country seriously divided while Mexico is going through their own issues right now. The other thing about this year’s World Cup that has intrigued me is not just in who will be at the Cup, but who is not at the World Cup. Earlier this month saw a shocking event in a qualifying game between Italy and Bosnia-Herzegovina where the latter beat Italy in penalties and for the third time in a row. Italy has failed to qualify for the World Cup as I am in shock that this happened. Yet, I realized that I should not have been shocked considering the state of Italian football and what I learned was even more shocking.
At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Italy won the whole thing yet there was a scandal at that time that would overshadow their victory and this recent failure to qualify has the country and many in the world wonder how this happened. It all goes back to the 2006 FIFA World Cup and Italy’s stubbornness to evolve in the game where after being eliminated in the group stage at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Legendary Italian player Roberto Baggio came to Italy’s football federation where he spent a lot of time researching and going to various individuals to see what is wrong as well as what other European countries are doing. Spain, Germany, France, and England are among these countries that not only has top leagues in Europe that is worth a lot of money but also strong youth leagues that are accessible to everyone as well as teaching kids the fundamentals of the game. In 2011, Baggio created a 900-page report on how to fix Italian football, but the federation ignored him while the Italian press also were dismissive of him as he would leave the federation a few years later.
In 2021, the famed Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho made a return to Italy to coach Roma having previously coached Inter Milan in the late 2000s to great success. Upon coaching Roma, he was shocked by not just the state of Italian football but also its aging infrastructures, the lack of Italian football players in favor of foreign players in Serie A, and the league itself. Despite his success with Roma, he would be fired in 2024. This loss against Bosnia-Herzegovina proved that both Baggio and Mourinho were right about Italy as they now face the threat of losing the chance to the host the 2032 Euro Cup with Turkey.
Italy’s decline was a revelation into what has happened to its soccer program and failure to evolve with the game, yet I found myself not finished into looking at what else is happening in relation to the World Cup. That led me to what is happening in Brazil as I still remember the infamous game against Germany at the 2014 World Cup where Brazil got destroyed by the Germany 7-1 at the semi-final. What I did not realize is that Brazil for years has lost their identity where the team are going to be at this year’s World Cup but not as contenders. Brazil’s decline is due to their homegrown players going to Europe and play a more European style as opposed to the looseness and creativity that many of their players had done in the past. Youth academies in Brazil are more polished than in the past where kids would play in broken concrete, dirt fields, and other things as they would figure things out in their playing. Now, kids are being forced to play a certain way as well as learn tactics at an early age which is not the way to get kids into a game.
Right now, I have Argentina, France, Spain, and Croatia as my top 4 picks to win the World Cup though I do not feel excited about the event as tickets are enormously expensive. Speaking of expensive ticket prices, WrestleMania 42 happened again in Las Vegas, and they did not sell as well as they wanted in comparison to the previous year despite Pat Magafee’s attempt to get ticket prices at 25% off. Yet, this is not in WWE’s hands for why ticket prices have been extremely expensive as it comes from their parent company TKO and its CEO Ari Emmanuel. Their involvement in some of the creative decisions for WWE has been horrendous where they brought in Magafee and Belly Flop into the main event of the first night of WrestleMania 42 between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The first night of WrestleMania 42 was not well-received though the 2nd night was much better thanks to a solid main event between CM Punk and Roman Reigns for the WWE World Championship, Oba Femi destroying Brock Lesnar into retirement, and Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Smackdown Championship.
Still, WWE is going through a mess ever since they sold the company to TKO a few years ago as fans have become restless while these fans deserve the shit they cheer for since some of them were chanting “thank you Vince” during the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony during Stephanie McMahon-Levesque’s speech during her own induction. There are very few positives in the company but the number of ads during WrestleMania that overshadowed the event has turned people off. With next year’s WrestleMania coming to Saudi Arabia, this serves as a golden opportunity for AEW to create something to fulfill wrestling fans who feel spurned by WWE. AEW is going through its own resurgence following a troubled period from 2022 to 2024 despite their own uncertainty in relation to the Skydance-Warner Discovery merger. Still, AEW has managed to win over fans while maintaining strong relationships with other wrestling organizations such as New Japan Pro Wrestling and CMLL in Mexico as the latter company is the hottest wrestling company in the world.
In the month of April 2026, I saw a total of six films in one first-timer and 5 re-watches. Not a bad month to be honest with you as I am surprised that I had the time to watch some of these films.
Monthly Mini-Review
Godard in Fragments
While I have still yet to see the feature film work of Kogonada, I have however had seen a few of his video essays. This one on the works of Jean-Luc Godard in French New Wave period is one of his finest experimental shorts. Notably as it uses footage from all those films from A bout de souffle to Week-end in a collage that plays into the many themes that Godard did in his work at that time. It is this kaleidoscopic short that really play into Godard’s brilliance at that time and how innovative he was in reinventing film language even though the stuff he did post-New Wave are still interesting.
Well, that is all for April 2026. I have no idea what I will do next month though I am tempted to see The Mandalorian and Grogu. Other than that, I have no idea though I prefer not to know what I will do. Before I bid adieu, I must acknowledge on those who have passed away this month including David Allen Coe, Alan Osmond of the Osmonds, Dave Mason of Traffic and Fleetwood Mac, WCW wrestler Van Hammer, comic book writer Gerry Conway, film sound mixer Steve Maslow, comic writer Len Strazewski, film director Adolfo Aristarain, Nedra Talley of the Ronettes, actor Matt DeCaro, Patrick Muldoon, Tony Wilson of Hot Chocolate, production designer Dean Tavoularis, Ricardo de Pascual of El Chavo del Ocho, Nathalie Baye, BBC Radio 1 deejay Andy Kershaw, songwriter Don Schiltz, actress Joy Harmon, author Ian Watson, actor John Nolan, Sid Krofft, actor Mario Adorf, music producer Don Landee, and the legendary hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa. Until then, this is thevoid99 signing off…
Spring has arrived. Shit. I hate Spring. I prefer longer winters instead of having to deal with all the fucking pollen as this year’s pollen season fucking sucks. 2026 has been bad though not as bad as 2016 from what I can remember. Airports have gone to shit with people waiting and waiting to depart with ICE now making trouble. There is a lot that is happening as it is overwhelming as I try to distance myself from the chaos of the real world, but another reality has now overwhelmed me. In the world of film where I have struggled to keep up with a lot of the activities relating to the Oscar races though I had fun watching Timothee Chalamet’s Oscar campaign blowing up in his face though I still like the guy.
For anyone that goes to my Letterboxd account would notice the lack of output and logging in the past few months. I admit I have not been posting a lot of content in my blog and in my Letterboxd account than I often would in the past few years. Mainly because things in my life are overwhelming and the events that happened this past fall and during the Christmas holidays did not help me mentally as I have struggled to watch films and have the time to enjoy myself. I was hoping to watch one of my Blind Spot films in The Wind Will Carry Us by Abbas Kiarostami this month. Yet, something happened as I realized that I was just forcing myself to watch something and not really get the chance to savor it. Plus, writing reviews for this blog has not become fun anymore as it would take days to write a review for me and it has become a struggle as I would get started but then I struggle to get things out. Then I would investigate what I have written and wonder if this works or all of that.
What I did instead was re-watch a couple of James Bond movies just for no reason and I was enjoying it as there was no pressure and I was just having a good time. I think the decision I am making right now is really for myself as I am going to take a break from writing for a while. I will expand the Blind Spot series into 2027 as it would give me more time to watch the films I have chosen as well as to get access to some of the films that are either unavailable on streaming or are available in physical forms. I think for now, I am just going to take a step back and not write anything unless something important and good would light a fire up my ass. In the month of March, I only saw a total of six films in four first-timers and two re-watches.
Monthly Mini-Reviews
Forevergreen
One of the short films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film is this 13-minute short film about a cub that is raised by a large tree. The look of the film is amazing, but the story is not that great. Notably as it comes off as preachy about why a cub should not be eating something like a bag of potato chips. Yet, who would turn down a bag of potato chips? Of course, the cub would cause trouble and gets some life lesson although it ends with a quote from the Bible that feels unnecessary.
The Girl Who Cried Pearls
The short film that would win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film is a remarkable short film though I much prefer Butterfly from last month. Still, I do think this is a short film that deserves its Oscar as it is a touching tale about an old man who tells his granddaughter a story when he was a boy living in poverty as he lives next door to a young girl that cried pearls. Narrated by Colm Feore, whose narration has this great sense of warmth in his voice, the film does play into a young boy’s conflict as well as him caring for this young girl that is abused. There is some ambiguity in its ending, yet it is about a boy that is coming of age as well as what he tried to do to survive and the conflict he faces as it relates to this young girl.
Lightbulb
This 2-minute short film from Pixar is a touching and light-hearted short film that is about the life of a trio of lightbulbs. It plays into how they are used and what happens when they are no longer used. Yet, it is the fate of the lightbulbs that end up being a big surprise and a good one. It is worth seeking out.
Gorillaz-Journey to the Mountain
This 13-minute documentary short film about the making of Gorillaz’s ninth studio album The Mountain is a fascinating film that explores Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s trip to India. There, they would not just find musical inspiration in the many locales of the country but also deal with their own personal losses that would play into some of the songs in the album. In coping with those losses, Albarn and Hewlett would find healing through music and the ideas they would have in India as it is an excellent short for fans of the group who have created one of the year’s best albums so far.
Well, that is all for March. As I will be going on a hiatus for some time, I am not sure what I will post as I just want to take a break. Before I bid adieu, I must acknowledge those that have passed away this month including the legendary Chuck Norris. While I may not have agreed on his political views, he was a cool man that could kick a lot of asses. Yes, we may know him as Walker Texas Ranger, the action films he has been in and those facts about him are true. The man remains beloved as I think he should be best remembered as one of the definitive action film stars as he is right now having that long-awaited rematch with Bruce Lee as that scene in Way of the Dragon remains an unforgettable moment. We will miss you, Chuck.
Also, who have passed away this month include Christopher North of Amborsia, Greg Elmore of Quicksilver Messenger Service, comedian Alex Duong, Mary Beth Hurt, Welsh actor Desmond Barrit, James Tolkan, Dash Croft of Seals & Croft, animator Barry Caldwell, writer Tracy Kidder, Valerie Perrine, songwriter Chip Taylor, Nicholas Brendon, wrestler Dennis Condrey of the Midnight Express, Ben Keaton from Father Ted, actor Matt Clark, Phil Campbell of Motorhead, actress Judy Pace, Country Joe McDonald, Ross the Boss of Manowar & the Dictators, Terry Cox of Pentangle, Jennifer Runyon, actor Corey Parker, actor Stephen Hibbert aka the Gimp, and music producer Mike Vernon. We will miss you all. This is thevoid99 signing off…
Are we in the darkest timeline? Honestly, we are two months into 2026 and it fucking sucks. Chaos is still looming in Minnesota while people all over the country are dealing with the dumb-fucks that is ICE who will take anyone without warrants or any legal documents. Tariffs have been raised and it is us that is getting fucked. Things have not been well around the world as it has gotten harder to ignore all of that as it has been overwhelming. Even with the celebrity deaths happening and some things at the Winter Olympics that has our national hockey team winning the gold medal for the first time in 46 years and how do they celebrate their win? Partying with the director of the FBI, talking to our dictator while insulting our national women’s hockey team, and then eating cold, shitty fast-food at the White House apart from the five players who chose not to go to the White House since four of them are from Minnesota. Oh, and today we and Israel decided to launch missiles in Iran in which we killed their leader. Yeah, we are fucked.
A lot of what has been happening has been numbing as I have taken a break from watching and reviewing films which is why I have been behind on my Blind Spot Series. Burnout is a real thing as it was not fun as I have become disenchanted with a lot of what is happening in the world of film in terms of the film-going experience. It has been 4 months since I last went to the movie theaters as nothing went wrong during the film, but something did change. I have been noticing this in last few films I had been to in the movie theaters where I would show up a minute or two early or late before the showtime is to start. It was not just a bunch of movie trailers showing up but commercials for things that had nothing to do with the film. Hearing that there will be more commercials before the movie begins is something I would rather not be a part of. I admit to not being active in going to the movie theaters more than I wanted to but now I do not have the enthusiasm to see anything except for films by a select few filmmakers that I care about.
In the month of February 2026, I saw a total of 8 films in 5 first-timers and 3 re-watches with 3 first-timers being films directed or co-directed by women as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. The highlight month is my Blind Spot film in Cairo Station.
Monthly Mini-Reviews/What Else I Am Watching
Jane Austen’s Period Drama
Goddamn… I did not know what to expect as it did suggest a period film based on the many adaptations of books by Jane Austen. The title alone is an absolute misdirection in terms of what it suggests. What Julia Aks and Steve Pinder create is a period short film about love, but it is really about a man trying to understand the struggles that women go through in their bodies. Thus, a lot of hilarity would ensue including gags and the deconstruction of Austen’s language. It must be seen as this truly deserves to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Live-Action Short film.
Two People Exchanging Saliva
The second of the five nominees for Best Live-Action Short film is by Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata as it is this black-and-white dystopian short film set in a Parisian mall. It all plays into the way people interact with one another and the idea of longing as it stars Luana Bajrami as a store clerk, Zar Amir Ebrahimi as a rich client, and Aurelie Boquien as an older store clerk who becomes consumed with envy over her younger co-worker in attracting this rich client. All of it is told through narration by Vicky Krieps as currency is paid through slaps in the face. It is a sexy yet strange short film that plays into the idea of desire and identity in an absurd dystopian film.
Retirement Plan
The first of two animated short films nominated for the Best Animated Short film at the Oscars is a 7-minute short by John Kelly with narration by Domhnall Gleeson as it is about a man pondering what to do with the remaining years of his life as he begins retirement. It is a heartfelt animated short film made in a hand-drawn animated style that has a lot of beauty. Even as it plays into the things this man wants to do as well as experience before he dies as it is just a gem of a film.
Butterfly
The second animated short film that is nominated for the Best Animated Short film at the Oscars is 15-minute animated short based on the life of French-Algerian swimmer Alfred Nakache. The usage of water-color paintings and movements in the animation is truly exquisite as it helps tells the story of this man who found all the things he wanted in life through swimming and being in the water despite horrors he had to endure as a Jew. Notably as he would lose his family in the Holocaust as well as endure prejudice during the time of Nazi while being one of the few Holocaust survivors to compete at the 1948 Summer Olympics.
Well, that is all for February 2026. I have no idea what I will do next month other than watch whatever short films that are nominated for the Oscars that are available and hopefully films that are nominated. I had hoped to do The Watermelon Woman this month, but I think I will do that later in June as I might do 2 Blind Spots in March. The only film theatrically that I want to see is Marc by Sofia from Sofia Coppola if it is available at movie theater near me. Other than that, I would rather just scale back on things and watch whatever interests me. Before I leave, this month did see several greats pass away with the biggest death this month is in Robert Duvall. An actor with no equal and one of the rarest of actors who never gave a bad performance. He has been in some awful films, but he never phones it in as he always giving it his all. The man is one of the last of his kind to ever grace the screen whether it is film or television. Thank you, Mr. Duvall, we will miss you.
Also, who passed away this month include Neil Sedaka, James Van Der Beek, Tom Noonan, Robert Carradine, Willie Colon, Eric Dane, Bud Cort, actor Bobby J. Brown of The Wire, Sondra Lee, Monti Rock III of Disco-Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes, writer Dan Simmons, songwriter Billy Steinberg, Tim Very of Manchester Orchestra, Andrew Ranken of the Pogues, Lamont McLemore of the Fifth Dimension, and activist Katherine Short. We will miss you all. This is thevoid99 signing off…
Directed by Youssef Chahine and written by Mohamed Abu Youssef and Abdel Hay Adib, Bab al-Hadid (Cairo Station) is the story of a newspaper seller at a Cairo train station who falls in love with a young woman selling refreshments as he tries to win her heart during a tumultuous time in Egypt involving workers trying to unionize and a serial killer wreaking havoc in the city. The film is a mixture of neorealist cinema with elements of melodrama as it plays into a man trying to win over the woman he loves who is love with a porter trying to unionize. Starring Youssef Chahine, Hind Rostom, Farid Shawki, Hassan El Baroudi, Abdel Aziz Khalil, and Safia Sarwat. Bab al-Hadid is a riveting and mesmerizing film by Youssef Chahine.
Set entirely in a train station in Cairo, the film is about a mentally-unstable newspaper seller with a bad limp who tries to win over a young woman selling cold drinks even though she is engaged to a porter who is trying to unionize his fellow workers. It is a film that explores a tumultuous period in Egypt’s history with this train station being the centerpiece of a conflict of an ever-changing world. The film’s screenplay by Abel Hay Adib, with Mohamed Abu Youssef writing the dialogue, is straightforward though it is first shown from the perspective of a newsstand owner in Madbouli (Hassan El Baroudi) who would find a young man in Kenawi (Youssef Chahine) in the streets and hire him as a paperboy despite his physical limitations.
Kenawi pines for Hanuma (Hind Rostom) who sells cold drinks illegally to train passengers as she is engaged to the porter Abu Serih (Farid Shawki) who is upset towards the station manager Abu Gaber (Abdel Aziz Khalil) over the lack of respect towards workers as he tries to unionize. The script also plays into many things happening at the station such as a feminist protest, a young woman waiting for her boyfriend who is about to leave Cairo, and a story about a serial killer who is on the loose.
Chahine’s direction is entrancing in its approach to realism as it is shot entirely on location in and near the actual train station in Cairo. The train station with the newsstand at the center of the station where Kenawi would get papers and deliver them to whoever is at the station is a character in the film where a lot of activities are happening including a young woman (Hilin) waiting for her boyfriend as she would be seen throughout the film. Chahine’s usage of the wide and medium shots get a nice look into the station itself as well as a few scenes outside including a fountain as it shows this conflict of Cairo entering a new phase where modernism is emerging with old ideas, old buildings, and traditional clothing are on their way out. Especially in scenes where Serih is trying to get other workers to form a union against Abu Gaber after a worker got injured on the job without any compensation. Another moment in the film that highlights this change in Egypt is a brief protest feminist movement led by an organizer (Naima Wasfi) over the issue of marriage. There are still elements of traditionalism in the film through some of its older characters, yet Chahine is aware that things must change for Egypt to move forward.
Chahine’s usage of close-ups in the film are eerie to watch as it play into Kenawi’s troubled state of mind and his obsession towards Hanuma. Notably in the film’s second half where he learns about Hanuma’s engagement with Serih as they decide to get married outside of Cairo to a rural village. It would play into this suspense-drama where things are tense as it relates to a serial killer on the loose where Kenawi would do something horrifying as it would be followed by an aftermath that is filled with suspense. Especially as it would lead to a climax where many at the station come together where Chahine would bring a sense of humanity over this moment where everyone put aside their own differences. Its ending is symbolic in some ways as it would return to the young woman who had been waiting for her young boyfriend while everyone else is focused on something else that plays into the end of an era for Egypt but the beginning of a new era. Overall, Chahine crafts an evocative and rapturous film about a train station in Cairo and the people at the station.
Cinematographer Alvise Orfanelli does incredible work with the film’s black-and-white photography with its usage of available light for some of the interior/exterior scenes in the day as well as some unique lighting for some of the scenes at night. Editor Kamul Abul Ela does excellent work with the editing as its usage of straight and rhythmic cuts to play into the drama and suspense. Art director Gabriel Karraze and set decorator Abbas Helmy do fantastic work with some of the minimal sets such as the shed that Kenawi lives as well as Hanuma’s trunk.
Makeup artists Sayed Mohammed and Hamdi Rafaat do terrific work with the look of the women in the film including Hanuma in her own exotic look. The sound work of Aziz Fadel and A. Mohamad is superb for capturing the natural atmosphere of the locations as well as the way trains sound up close and from afar. The film’s music by Fouad El Zahiri is wonderful for its orchestral score filled with Egyptian percussions and string arrangements that help play into the drama while the music soundtrack also features a scene in the train where early rock n’ roll is being played.
The film’s marvelous cast feature some notable small roles and appearances from Naima Wasif as a feminist organizer, Abdel Hamid Badaoha as a police sergeant always chasing Hanuma, Asaad Kellada as a young traveler, Hilin as the young woman waiting for that young traveler, and Safia Sarwat as a friend of Hanuma in Hallawatim who also sells drinks as she would play a major part relating to its climax. Abdel Aziz Khalil is superb as the station manager Abu Gaber as a man who runs the entire station as he deals with a growing rebellion over his leadership. Hassan El Baroudi is fantastic as the newsstand owner Madbouli who would take Kenawi under his employment where he observes everything around him as well as be the one person that Kenawi would listen to.
Farid Shawki is excellent as Abu Serih as a porter who rebels against Abu Gaber in wanting to form a union for every other worker at the station while he also tries to balance his life with Hanuma, despite her own activities as he sees as a liability, to ensure a better future. Hind Rostom is amazing as Hanuma as a cold-drinks vendor who sells drinks illegally to make money while she is an object of affection for Kenawi whom she dismisses until things go wrong. Finally, there is Youssef Chahine in a brilliant performance as Kenawi as a mentally-unstable man with a bad limp that is obsessed with Hanuma while he does not speak much yet it is a performance filled with intrigue.
Bab al-Hadid is a phenomenal film by Youssef Chahine. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, a study of life in a train station during a tumultuous period in Egypt, and a riveting music score. It is a film that explores a moment in time at a Cairo train station that plays into romantic entanglements and social changes leading to a moment of chaos. In the end, Bab al Hadid is a sensational film by Youssef Chahine.
Youssef Chahine Films: (Son of the Nile) – (The Blazing Sun) – (Struggle in the Pier) – (Jamila, the Algerian) – (Forever Yours (1959 film)) – (Saladin the Victorious) – (Dawn of a New Day) – (The Nile and the Life) – (The Land (1969 film)) – (The Choice (1970)) – (Those People of the Nile) – (The Return of the Prodigal Son) – (Alexandria… Why?) – (An Egyptian Story) – (Adieu Bonaparte) – (Alexandria Again and Forever) – (The Emigrant (1994 film)) – (Lumiere and Company-Youssef Chahine) – (Destiny (1997 film)) – (The Other (1999 film)) – 11’9”01-September 11-Egypt - (Alexandria… New York) – To Each His Own Cinema-47 Years Later - (Chaos, This is)
