The Sandlot

THE SANDLOT is quite possibly one of the best "family films" ever made. In it, a young, studious, unpopular boy named Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry) moves to a suburb just before school lets out for the summer, and concurrently has a hard time making friends. He frequently sees kids playing baseball in a sandlot in his neighborhood, and wants to make friends with them. He figures the best way to do this is to join in on their baseball games--but alas, Scotty has almost no baseball skills, while the other kids are very experienced and good at the game. One day, the neighborhood hero Benny (Mike Vitar) approaches Scotty and asks if he'd like some pointers and to join in on their game. Scotty agrees, and slowly improves, while making friends with the other boys in the neighborhood. But one day, Scotty foolishly takes his stepfather's baseball autographed by Babe Ruth and knocks it into the adjacent backyard. This backyard, as Scotty is informed, is home to The Beast, a monstrous dog that, as legend has it, ate the only other boy who was daring enough to go after a baseball in that yard. The boys devise a plan to get the ball back, one way or another. I watched THE SANDLOT several times growing up, and remember always loving it. When I watched it again recently, I realized exactly why--it's a great movie. Just the right balance of childhood innocence and experience is captured, and this movie is bound to make any adult remember his childhood and all the different aspects of it. The summertime atmosphere and almost all of the scenes are terrifically nostalgic. Some of the scenes involving The Beast are hilarious, and everything has a nice familiar feel to it. It's a wonderful feel-good film. All of the actors put in at least average performances. Most of the child actors are just okay, with a few exceptions. Tom Guiry is good as the awkward and naive Scotty, as is Patrick Renna as the outspoken and witty Hamilton. I think the real standout of the actors, though, is Mike Vitar as Benny. He was excellent as the kindhearted, but still very cool hero of the neighborhood, the guy that everyone loved. He showed real promise, and it's a shame that he didn't continue with his acting career. The cameos from James Earl Jones and Denis Leary are also nice. I always loved watching THE SANDLOT growing up, and now I remember why. It's a great family film that is very entertaining and enjoyable to watch. I'm sure I'll watch it again years from now and remember just why I loved it. 8/10.

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!

This Movie is the best ever!!!!! It truly is a classic, and I know that because every time I mention the name "The Sandlot", people constantly rave about it. Also, when it first came out it was my favorite movie, and then I never saw it again until I bought it 2 weeks ago and have watched it approx. 7 times since I got it!!! "The Sandlot" is a movie I will never get tired of and can literally watch over and over again for sure!!!! This movie keeps me laughing every time and the more you watch it, the more you'll love it!! Definitely one to see!!

I grew up watching The Sandlot and what i realized about this movie is that this film doesn't have the players winning or losing, but this is about friendship and how a big dog can make your worst dreams come true. The Sandlot is about a gawky kid named Smalls(Tom Guiry) who just moves into the neighborhood and tries to blend in with the crowd, until he fails. Mike Vitar who plays the neighborhood baseball hero Benny, helps Smalls play baseball and fit him in with the crowd. The team accepts Smalls and what makes the film interesting like i written above is that this film isn't about winning or losing, but about living your days in the summer when you are ten to twelve and realize that there is more to life than winning. Overall a great movie.

source: The Sandlot

A so-corny-it-had-to-be-intentional story of boyhood, America, summer, imagination, truth, fantasy, and baseball, that I will love forever and for always so get over it.

This movie totally rocks! I am totally obsessed with Baseball and even people that don't really get into the game of Baseball love this movie! It is so hilarious! I have seen this movie so many times and each time it keeps getting better and better! I would totally say that this movie has something for everyone! :-)

Two movies that are tied for my all-time favorites just happen to be baseball movies. 'The Sandlot' and 'Major League'.

"The Sandlot" is one of my favorite movies. I have seen it several times. My favorite character is Benny. I own this movie on DVD and it was worth every penny. I first watched this movie when it was on the Disney channel. I loved the movie so much that I had to get it on DVD. If your local video store carries this movie I suggest that you should rent it, you won't regret it.

It's always disappointing - even just a little - when a favored childhood movie doesn't have the same sheen when viewed through adult eyes. Thankfully, "The Sandlot" is not one of those, and I think it's because of the this is a great group of kids; they have a nice camaraderie and their natural ball-busting is right for that age. That is, until James Earl Jones walks in and steals the movie, but that's a whole other virtue. But all of the comedic elements still retain their value, and it helps that it's in the nostalgic spirit of something like "A Christmas Story" (really feels like it should've been narrated by Jean Shepherd). My wife even thought of it as a fluffy "Stand By Me". It's easy to write this off as a kids movie, but it's too versatile for that.