The Sandlot: Historia de un verano

This is a truly amazing film. It's a very good family film that can be enjoyed by BOTH your kids and yourself! That's rare, as often "family films" have too much smutty language or sexual situations for kids OR are so saccharine sweet that sane adults would prefer suicide over watching the films (think Disney in the 1960s).

The film isn't quite a comedy, though there are really funny moments in it (such as the evil dog that eats baseballs). And, it's not exactly a drama. It's more like an occasionally surreal slice of life film about the good old days of the late 50s-early 60s. It's about a group of kids that live to play baseball--and that's all they ever seem to want to do! Despite this very simple plot, somehow the excellent acting, direction and writing make you really care about the kids and it engages you from start to finish.

My husband watched it for the first time a few days ago (over the long Veterans Day weekend). He then watched it for a second time the day after. He did not have a happy childhood, in fact some childhood memories for him are downright painful. We have been married 11 years and I know very little about his childhood and what went on. However, after (and during the second viewing), he began a waterfall of childhood memories that I had never heard before. Of long summers of "sandlot" games with him and his cousins (they were known as "the cousins") they could play baseball and football and kicked the butt of most of the teams in town, during the movie his memories spewed forth as if they had been bottled up and just needed to be set free. His friend actually did the "lifeguard" thing, pretended to drown to kiss her, and like the movie they were all banned from the pool. They also had a "scary guy" in the old house that everyone was terrified of (in fact so did I as I recall). He assures me that this movie is as faithful a retelling of a childhood in the 60s as he has ever seen, and he revels in it. I think that is the greatest compliment that anyone can ever pay a movie and I am grateful to the director for uncorking the well of my husbands memories for me to share.

Okay, I didn't grow up in the time this film is set (I was born in 1978). But after seeing the film, I've got a pretty good idea of what it was like. My dad likes the film because of how much it reminds him of his own childhood. The story is simple: a new kid moves with his mother and step-father to a brand new neighborhood where he knows no one. So imagine his surprise when he winds up meeting a kid who invites him to play baseball with him and his best friends. Naturally, the other kids don't take to him too well: he's not very good at baseball, and he can't even throw right. But eventually, the kids grow to like him and teach him the ways of the game, and before long they're having a lot of fun during the summer. THE SANDLOT is a great kids film, very family-friendly, unlike the majority of so-called "family" films that are made nowadays. Sure, there's a scene where the kids are throwing up on a carnival ride thanks to some chewing tobacco, but the scene is done more for laughs than as a gross-out. (You can imagine that the scene would be done the opposite way if the film was made more recently). The characters and the young kids playing them are all appealing, and it's nice to see Denis Leary playing a kind sensitive role instead of the over-the-top characters he's used to playing. He's very good, even though the part's not a big one. The few scenes between him and star Tom Guiry are very nice. THE SANDLOT is a very good film. Kids will like the humor, and adults will remember how fun it was to be a kid.

I rate my films in terms of context. This film never aspired to be an Oscar nominated movie of a lifetime. But it did aspire to be a good family film, and that it is. For me, I'll admit nostalgia has a lot to do with it. This is a movie from my childhood, and yes as a girl I had a huge crush on Mike Vitar. But at the same time this reminds me of my childhood because my brother played baseball with all the neighborhood kids in our side yard and we always spent our summers outside or at the neighborhood pool just as the kids in the movie did.

Besides, the nostalgia I'd say this movie is right up there with "A Christmas Story" or "Ferris Buller's Day Off" as far as extremely recognizable quotes go. Nearly anyone will know what movie you're talking about when you say them.

"You're Killing me Smalls!" --- "FOR-EV-ER" --- "THE BEAST" --- "The great Bambino? Oh, I thought you said the great... Bambi." --- "You play ball like a GIRL" --- "Yeah-Yeah the kids a square" --- "Benny 'THE JET' Rodriguez"

I could go on, but I won't. This is a great movie to watch with your kids and to reminisce of your own summers spent as a kid. ENJOY!

Tommy Smalls (Tom Guiry) is the new kid, who moved with his mother (Karen Allen) and his stepfather (Denis Leary) is a suburbans area of Salt Lake City in the summertime. When Smalls becomes curious with a group of kids (Mike Vitar, Patrick Renna, Chauncey Leopardi, Marty York, Brandon Quintin Adams, Grant Gelt, Shane Obedzinski and Victor DiMattia), who plays Baseball all day long in a old baseball field. Smalls is hoping to play with them but he knows nothing about the game. When he tries to play, he's quite bad at all. He can't even throw a ball to the catchers. When he becomes friend with the leader of the game and Smalls starting to like the game. But when his stepfather goes away for business, Smalls take a baseball from his stepfather trophy room. Which without realizing that the ball, he took from the room is actually signed by the Baseball Legend "Babe Ruth". Smalls hits his first home run, the ball went over the fence of a old house. But that old house, it has an mean-spirited junkyard dog. Which the kids called him "The Beast". Now the kids have to help Smalls to get the ball back before his stepfather comes back from the business trip.

Directed by David M. Evans (First Kid) made an likable family comedy that plenty of funny moments, a good cast and a lot of imagination. The narration of the film will certainly make you remember of the late Bob Clark film "A Christmas Story", although the narration of "The Sandlot" is sightly heavy-handed at times. This film has a surprise hit, when it was release in the spring of 1993. Fox had another fantasy film about Baseball, which it was "Rookie of the Year". James Earl Jones, Art LaFleur and a young Marley Shelton have memorable bit parts in this pleasant comedy as well.

DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer (Also in Pan & Scan) and an good Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD also includes an featurette, trailer and TV spots. This film went on to be an modest classic over the year. All the kids have their moments, especially Renna and Leopardi have their comedic moments. The movie slows down a bit during the second act. But it's well made and this picture pleases everyone as well. It's one of the better family movies of the 1990's. Don't miss it. Co-Written by the director. Arliss Howard appears Unbilled. Followed by Two Direct to DVD's. Joe-Dunton-Camera Scope (J-D-C Scope). (****/*****).