Major League III

I enjoyed this movie quite a bit and find myself watching it when it comes on TV. I'm not sure why several other 'reviewers' are getting so fired up about why Charlie Sheen or Wesley Snipes are not in the movie, or why the Indians have been replaced by the Twins: this is the Major League franchise, friends, not the Godfather trilogy. Just accept this as a nice little movie focused on minor league ball, jokes, and Ted McGinley's overacting. It's not going to save the world, or win an Oscar, but it's certainly enjoyable. If you have to compare the 3 movies, the first one is the best, then I'd put this one because it's not trying so hard to repeat the original, then the 2nd one, because, well, that one's just very bad: worse than drinking Jobu's rum. (Although the look on Berenger's face in the second one when he has to say "okay, Rick, let's get nasty" is priceless, I have to admit). Major League 3 doesn't try to do too much, so don't expect much out of it, and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

This film did nothing to help carry on the success that Major League's I & II started. As a matter of fact they didn't mention the Cleveland Indians once during the whole film. What happened to the "Comeback Kids"? Did they finally win the World Series or did they just give up? I understand that the story was about a minor league team but come on. What was their motive for winning? I hope it wasn't to see if they could beat the Minnesota Twins ( the way those guys are playing now anybody can beat them ). After they finished their season in first place did they go on to the championship or did they just go to Disneyland like everyone else? The only highlights of the film was seeing Pedro Cerano and Tanaka return to baseball ( although it was a bit cheesy learning how they quit the majors only to return to the minor league later on ). Bob Uecker was great as always (did he get fired as the Indians head announcer?). I hope that if a fourth one is on the horizon that it is not a repeat of this awful season.

Gus Cantrell is a major league pitcher in the twilight of his career. He contacted by Roger Dorn, General Manager of the Minnesota Twins, and offered the role of managing the Buzz, the Twins' AAA team. Cantrell accepts but regrets it almost immediately. The Buzz is a dysfunctional no-hoper team, with an odd assortment of characters. However, Cantrell quickly sets about forging them into a winning team.

My expectations for this, the third installment of Major League, were quite low. The first Major League was great but Major League II was very disappointing, filled with clichés, cheap humour and unrealistic baseball. Back to the Minors initially promised to be more of the same, looking quite unoriginal and predictable.

However, it grows on you and its charms become more apparent with time. The key is that it is set in the Minor Leagues, so instead of the glamour of major league baseball, we have no-frills, small town, salt-of-the-earth baseball. It makes a refreshing change and does help the engagement factor.

This all said, it is still fairly predictable and the humour hit- and-miss, but the baseball is fairly realistic, certainly more realistic than Major League II.

Overall, okay, not brilliant, but better than Major League II, at least.

Yet another team of castaways led to improbable victory by a troubled coach who discovers himself in the process.

The only novelty here is the drama of the announcers. More energy was expended on their dialog than on anything else, with all the rest of the story is automatic. But this is actually done well. The first problem in drama is how to place the viewer. The oldest trick is also the most effective: create a chorus to stand as surrogate and leader for the viewer. A distance from the action is established, but since it is within the play, that distance is vastly less than between the screen and me in my seat.

So here we have a screenwriter working to put new life into a tired cliche. Probably it is not enough, but it is interesting to watch the struggle.

With a new Major League francise as its location, but some former stars of the Cleveland indians and the first two films in the cast, the final film of the series takes us Back To The Minors. The crux of tis plot has a rivalry between Minnesota Twins manager Ted McGinley and Scott Bakula the manager of their Triple A franchise the Charleston Buzz.

Corbin Bernson from the frst two films of the series is now the General Manager of the Twins and he hires both men, rivals since their playing days. Bakula is OK, but McGinley is pretty insufferable. The climax is a pair of exhibition games netween the teams.

A few of Bernson's teammates from his playing days with the Indians are back including Denns Haysbert the Santeria worshiping slugger.

A good sprts comedy, not quite as good as the first two of the series.