Le gang des champions

One of the best "kid" movies that I have ever seen. A story about friendship and baseball, and the people in our lives. Great one to watch with your friends to reminisce about the old days. Look for a great cameo by James Earl Jones. Recommended for those of us who had great friends growing up, and never wanted the good times to end.

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.

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

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). (****/*****).

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.