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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.

Scotty Smalls is the new kid in the idyllic small town with his mom and stepdad. He's an awkward kid who wants to play baseball with neighborhood kids. There were 8 of them, and he hoped to be the ninth. Their best player Benny Rodriquez takes Smalls under his wing. Over the summer, the group has great childhood adventures together. It all culminates to a story of a lost baseball signed by Babe Ruth and a feared dog named the Beast.

This is more than just a kids movie. You can easily overdose on the innocence of it all. There is the group of kids. They are perfectly casted with amazing chemistry. Each one is an iconic child type. As a period piece, they picked an era just before the world goes into revulsion. In the sport of baseball, they have accentuated the childhood love of the game.

This is a kids movie for the whole family. That's not a cliché. It has the feel of a timeless classic.

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!

The Sandlot is a great childhood film because it examines changes and friendship among a group of pre-teens. It is really just good old fashioned fun (especially James Earl Jones' cameo) in the adventures of their baseball days. Denis leary makes one of his breakthrough films here. Entertainment supreme, and maybe adults will like it too. A

I thought The Sandlot captured the innocence and joy of being young and playing baseball in a small town neighborhood. The film isn't perfect but has great atmosphere. I enjoyed the sub-plot with the dog and James Earl Jones and I loved the scenes when the kids were just being kids and enjoying the summer. The film made me feel good and I sometimes think that's all a film is supposed to do. Check it out.