The Sandlot

One of those little films that walked quietly into theaters in 1993 and left just as quietly with little fanfare(which is probably why Fox was hesitant on releasing a DVD) not ONLY happens to be one of the greatest SLEEPERS of all-time, it's also one of the greatest SPORTS films of all-time, ranking with "Field of Dreams", "Bull Durham", "Major League", "The Natural", and "The Longest Yard", to name a few.

This movie is good, so sweetly and innocently GOOD, that you don't care if the obnoxious happens or that a main plot-point happens to be the kids retrieving a prize/signed baseball(by Babe Ruth of all players) from the jaws of a dog-beast-monster-thing.

No, if there was something that James Earl Jones was right about in FIELD OF DREAMS(and he's in here too as a modern-day Boo Radley), it was that baseball brings us back to the times when we were young and apathetic to the world around us. The same applies here.

This film will make you forget about your problems and redirect your focus on your youth and the times you had fun with your best friends.

No matter if those times were spent on a surburban street where the foul poles were really parallel phone poles on either sides of the street or you sat on the porch watching us while drinking lemonade and listening to Ray Charles, those are the good times we remember...

Take a look for yourself...

The DVD has a beautiful 2:35.1 widescreen transfer(it was originally shot in 70mm Panavision) but is lacking in extras. Still, a good cheap DVD with a great film...that's all we ask for sometimes.

-- Matt


"This is baseball. You gotta stop thinking. Just have fun."   October 9, 2003
cookieman108 (Inside the jar...)
34 out of 37 found this review helpful

Back in 1993, two movies involving baseball and children, The Sandlot and Rookie of the Year, came out in the theaters about the same time, both being released by Twentieth Century Fox. I remember Rookie of the Year was pushed hard by the studio while The Sandlot got much less advertising and publicity, which was too bad because I always thought The Sandlot was a much better film.

Scotty Smalls, his mother (Karen Allen), and his step dad (Dennis Leary) just moved into the neighborhood and Scotty is having problems acclimating himself to his social surroundings. An intelligent boy (an egghead), he lacks certain abilities most boys have, like knowing how to catch and throw a ball, any basic baseball rules, or who's the Great Bambino. The movie does an excellent job in providing just enough depth into these characters to provide a sense of the family dynamic given that Allen and Leary have limited screen time. In attempting to join a neighborhood pick up game, Scotty's lack of rudimentary baseball skills is made painfully apparent, to which all the boys except Bennie, the best player of the bunch, let their derisive comments fly. Bennie, feeling a bit sorry for the new kid, gives Scotty a couple of tips and a little extra help in a well hit fly ball that gives Scotty a measure of confidence and helps bring him into the gang. Once Scotty's accepted into the group the movie delves into a plot involving a priceless baseball and a local dog with a mythical reputation. What I really liked was how all the boys came together to help a friend in need, and it was an automatic response. If someone in the circle needs help, the group rallies around, regardless, as they would have done the same for any other member. While a seemingly natural trait in children (atleast in this movie), it seems to be one that becomes lost as we grow older, as seen in Scotty's step dad and his reluctance to play catch with Scotty because he has too much work and doesn't have the time. What is so great about this movie is while it's set in the 50's, the story appeals to most anyone. Whether or not we all had that one great summer or just fond remembrances of childhood friends and activities in general, the movie serves to help recall days when things were simple, and summers were made up of endless possibilities. While watching this movie, I thought about friends I had when I was a kid, phrases we used, nicknames, activities, etc.

No real extras on this disc, but a great presentation of a wonderful movie. My favorite part involved one of the boys called Squints, a smaller boy with great, big glasses, and scene with curvaceous, older, female lifeguard at the local pool.


The best movie for kids ever made...   June 8, 2003
Tom Harrison (Melbourne, Australia)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful

I first saw The Sandlot when I was eight years old, and have found myself watching it every year since.

The Sandlot is a film about a kid named Scotty Smalls, who moves to a new town and tries to make friends before school starts.
He walks across a small suburban baseball field where eight kids his age play daily, and he turns up one day, plays terribly and ends up joining the gang anyway.

Soon, the team find themselves in trouble after 'Smalls', as he is affectionately nicknamed, hits a Babe Ruth signed baseball into the yard of an almighty dog, who as rumor has it once ate a kid in the area.

The gang tries all sorts of methods to get the ball back, and this results in an extremely funny and enjoyable film.
The Sandlot is a great watch, and you will find the whole family stuck infront of the TV for this one.


A Christian Perspective   March 22, 2008
TEK (Lawrence, KS USA)
14 out of 15 found this review helpful

** Disclaimer: The reason I have chosen to review this item from the perspective of my Christian faith is to provide other Christians some information or food for thought concerning this item. It is not my intention to convince non-Christians that they should convert, nor is it my intention to convince other Christians that they must agree with my opinions. What follows is simply my view of this item through the lens of my understanding of the Christian faith, so I trust that none will be offended by points-of-view I express with which they disagree. Peace.

This was one of my favorite movies when I was a young boy. I hadn't watched it since I was probably 14 or so, so I was excited to watch it again with my wife to see if I would still like it. For the most part this movie lived up to my expectations. It is very funny with a type of humor that is reminiscent of the humor of The Little Rascals. One of the best features of this movie is the varying characters and how their traits mesh within the context of the group. Further, the acting is very good and the story-line is fairly intriguing, especially for the kids. The thought of baseball and adventure in the summertime is one that rings true to many kids, and it certainly brings back memories for me.

All in all, I highly recommend this movie with the following reservations. This movie is rated PG while I think it should be rated PG-13. Though it is generally a clean movie with innocent fun and jest, there are a couple things about it that I think disqualify it for a PG rating. The kids swear on a number of occasions (not often, but enough to make a difference), and at one point all the kids partake of chewing tobacco. Further, there are two back-to-back scenes with mild sexual content. As a Christian, I would hesitate to allow my children to watch this movie before age 12 or so. Nevertheless, this movie is a classic and as far as movies go these days it is pretty clean. I think it is most appropriate for young teenagers.


Greatest "Feel Good" Movie of all time, Ages 2-102 !   March 4, 2000
Susan L. Rambus (Southern California)
12 out of 14 found this review helpful

This movie is a RIOT! I am 36 years old and have been watching this movie with my kids for YEARS! I rarely watch any movie even twice, but I absolutely LOVE this one and so do my kids. It is a true Classic. We just bought a new DVD player and immediately and unanamously decided our first movie would be Sandlot. (To our disappointment it isnt on DVD yet). Dont rent it, BUY it! It totally reminded me of being a kid in the 60's/early 70's, especially since it took place in the San Fernando Valley. The director did a truly superb job in getting the awesome acting job out of these kids. It's not over acted - they all seem so believable, maybe thats why its so great. Squints is hysterical! p.s. If you like this type of movie and want to see something similar about a bunch of 12 yr old girls and their adventures in the same time period (60's). Check out "Now and Then" it's also pretty funny, geared more towards girls, but my boys enjoyed it too.