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SALT LAKE CITY — With the start of Major League Baseball season and the opening of the movie "42" this weekend, it is only fitting we take a look at the top 5 baseball movies of all time. These movies will make you want to go dust off the old glove and go have a catch.
5. The Natural PG (1984)
"The Natural" stars Robert Redford as Roy Hobbs, a middle-age player who comes out of nowhere in the 1930s to help a losing baseball team rise to the top. With the aid of his bat, Wonderboy, made from a childhood tree, Hobbs changes baseball.
The home run scene at the end of this movie is one of the best in the history of cinema. It will inspire you to make your own bat and go chase after your big-league dreams again.
4. Moneyball PG-13 (2011)
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"Moneyball" stars Brad Pitt as Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane in his successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players.
"Moneyball" gives great insight into how MLB teams are run. It reminds us that baseball is a business, but behind the business is the love for the game.
Pitt gives one of his his best performances of his career and Jonah Hill steps out of his usual role to play a lovable computer crunching nerd who loves baseball.
3. A League of Their Own PG (1992)
"There is no crying in Baseball."
A League of their Own tells the story of two sisters who join the first female professional baseball league during WWII and struggle to help it succeed amidst their own growing rivalry.
With an all-star cast which includes Tom Hanks as the manager, this movie is full of everything from comedy, drama to suspense and it also brought attention to a forgotten piece of baseball history.
2. The Sandlot PG (1993)
Shot here in our beloved state, "The Sandlot" is about a kid who moves to a new neighborhood and doesn't know a soul. But when a group of local kids need one more person for a pick-up game of baseball, they reach out to the new kid in town to fill that void.
Friendships evolve as these youngsters embark on a Summer filled with romance (we will always love you Wendy Peffercorn), rivalries, adventures and, most importantly, baseball. The Sandlot is a timeless and classic film that perfectly embodies my youth through the love of America's favorite pastime.
1. Field of Dreams PG (1989)
This was a tough one to put ahead of "The Sandlot" and I know many will disagree with me but "Field of Dreams" is the best baseball movie of all time.
Field of Dreams stars Kevin Costner (who is in several baseball themed movies) as Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella who hears a voice telling him to build a baseball field in his cornfield. When he does, he finds himself playing host to the ghosts of baseball past, most notably, Shoeless Joe Jackson.
When the voice continues, Ray seeks out a reclusive author to help him understand the meaning of the messages and the purpose for his field.
This movie embodies why we love baseball. It has a great message of faith, believing, tradition and family. It reminds us of why baseball will forever be considered America's Pastime.
Honorable Mention
61* NR
Fever Pitch PG-13
