With Opening Day approaching, Moviesandfood thought it only right to put together our baseball movie starting 9. With your three favorite bloggers being complete studs on the diamond before hanging ‘em up to become bloggers, this list hits close to home for us. Aside from being former ball players, Moviesandfood respects baseball for one other reason: the fat man still exists in baseball. While other sports implement combines to test endurance, strength, speed, among other athletic characteristics, Baseball has a simpler approach; you throw the ball, you hit the ball, you catch the ball. That is why fatties like Miguel Cabrera can win the Triple Crown, CC Sabathia can win 20 games while eating a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch a day, and Rod Beck can use excuses like, “you can’t pull fat” to get out of the weight room. But it doesn’t stop their, there are many other examples of ball players living the moviesandfood lifestyle, like Wade Boggs crushing over 100 beers on a cross country trip, and our beloved Red Sox crushing fried chicken and beers in the club house everyday- they may have been going to last place in a (fried chicken) bucket baby, but at least they were enjoying the ride!
Maybe its because I’m somewhat of a baseball romantic, but when it comes to sports movies baseball movies are by far the best. There are still some questions to be sorted out however during the remaining time in Spring Training like, how many Kevin Costner movies will make the list? Will any sequels make the list? Is Basketball a Baseball movie? And of course, who will be the ace? Stay tuned to find out.
So here's our starting 9...
Maybe its because I’m somewhat of a baseball romantic, but when it comes to sports movies baseball movies are by far the best. There are still some questions to be sorted out however during the remaining time in Spring Training like, how many Kevin Costner movies will make the list? Will any sequels make the list? Is Basketball a Baseball movie? And of course, who will be the ace? Stay tuned to find out.
So here's our starting 9...
9. Summer Catch
Sandy Koufax, Pedro Martinez, Freddie Prinze Jr., whether it be from the pitchers mound or on the big screen all three completely dominated but just didn’t last as long as we all hoped they would. In Koufax and Martinez’s case, being a pitcher brings wear and tear to your body, but what happened to Freddie Prinze Jr.? He owned the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Middle school guys wanted to be him, middle school chicks wanted to chat on AIM with him. Classic. So where’d he go? Oh, I remember, he was a horrendous actor.
Towards the end of his prime Freddie Prinze put in one last dominant performance before we indifferently watched him ride off into the sunset, and that was Summer Catch. What a film. Freddie Prinze played the classic 90’s role of the underdog who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks trying to make it, in this case, in the Cape Cod baseball league. The bad boy of the Cape could bring the heat but couldn’t always control it both on and off the diamond. When he wasn’t butting heads with him teammates, he was mowing Jessica Biel’s lawn (insert Matthew Lillard joke here).
While the Freddie Prinze’s teenage heartthrob era was ending, the era of Biel was just beginning. Her bikini scene in this movie is to this day one of the best ever. While we are all rooting for Ryan Dunne (Prinze) to impress some big league scouts in the movie, we are rooting that much harder for him to win over Tenly Parrish (Biel).
If you’re looking for a baseball romcom to get your spring started off right, look no further.
Sandy Koufax, Pedro Martinez, Freddie Prinze Jr., whether it be from the pitchers mound or on the big screen all three completely dominated but just didn’t last as long as we all hoped they would. In Koufax and Martinez’s case, being a pitcher brings wear and tear to your body, but what happened to Freddie Prinze Jr.? He owned the late 90’s/early 2000’s. Middle school guys wanted to be him, middle school chicks wanted to chat on AIM with him. Classic. So where’d he go? Oh, I remember, he was a horrendous actor.
Towards the end of his prime Freddie Prinze put in one last dominant performance before we indifferently watched him ride off into the sunset, and that was Summer Catch. What a film. Freddie Prinze played the classic 90’s role of the underdog who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks trying to make it, in this case, in the Cape Cod baseball league. The bad boy of the Cape could bring the heat but couldn’t always control it both on and off the diamond. When he wasn’t butting heads with him teammates, he was mowing Jessica Biel’s lawn (insert Matthew Lillard joke here).
While the Freddie Prinze’s teenage heartthrob era was ending, the era of Biel was just beginning. Her bikini scene in this movie is to this day one of the best ever. While we are all rooting for Ryan Dunne (Prinze) to impress some big league scouts in the movie, we are rooting that much harder for him to win over Tenly Parrish (Biel).
If you’re looking for a baseball romcom to get your spring started off right, look no further.
8. Money Ball
If you’re a baseball fan like us here at moviesandfood I highly recommend Moneyball, however, if you don’t enjoy the ins and out of America’s pastime, you might want to skip over this one, because baseball is all it offers. This film adaptation of the Michael Lewis novel by the same name portrays Billy Bean, a former 5 star prospect who didn’t live up to expectations and is now GM of the low budget Oakland Athletics trying to compete against big market teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, and really dives into the geeky side of sports; the numbers.
The acting was great in this movie. Brad Pitt crushed it as usual. Billy Beane must have been pumped when they cast Pitt in this role, nice little ego boost for him. This was the beginning of the Jonah Hill transformation as well. Going from being the funny fat kid to, although he’s still chubby in this film, the slimed down critically acclaimed actor always co-starring alongside A list actors. Hill killed it as the chubby nerd in this film.
Although this is a great story about a low budget underdog trying to compete in the same league as the Goliath big market teams, I still have some issues with the whole moneyball philosophy, the main one being, Billy Beane has never won shit. Yeah he made it to the playoffs a few times coming out of a weak AL West, but they always lost in the first round. In the movie they also made it seem like below average players like Scot Hatteburg were the ones that turned their season around, the film fails to mentions the A’s had the best rotation in the league that year. Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, and Mark Mulder were all in Cy Young contention… but Scot Hatteburg is why they made the playoffs, seems a little far fetched.
All and all a good movie with terrific acting that shows us the game of baseball off the field. What it takes for a low budget team to compete in a league with no salary cap and loses their star players in free agency every year. Definitely worth the watch for any baseball fan.
If you’re a baseball fan like us here at moviesandfood I highly recommend Moneyball, however, if you don’t enjoy the ins and out of America’s pastime, you might want to skip over this one, because baseball is all it offers. This film adaptation of the Michael Lewis novel by the same name portrays Billy Bean, a former 5 star prospect who didn’t live up to expectations and is now GM of the low budget Oakland Athletics trying to compete against big market teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, and really dives into the geeky side of sports; the numbers.
The acting was great in this movie. Brad Pitt crushed it as usual. Billy Beane must have been pumped when they cast Pitt in this role, nice little ego boost for him. This was the beginning of the Jonah Hill transformation as well. Going from being the funny fat kid to, although he’s still chubby in this film, the slimed down critically acclaimed actor always co-starring alongside A list actors. Hill killed it as the chubby nerd in this film.
Although this is a great story about a low budget underdog trying to compete in the same league as the Goliath big market teams, I still have some issues with the whole moneyball philosophy, the main one being, Billy Beane has never won shit. Yeah he made it to the playoffs a few times coming out of a weak AL West, but they always lost in the first round. In the movie they also made it seem like below average players like Scot Hatteburg were the ones that turned their season around, the film fails to mentions the A’s had the best rotation in the league that year. Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, and Mark Mulder were all in Cy Young contention… but Scot Hatteburg is why they made the playoffs, seems a little far fetched.
All and all a good movie with terrific acting that shows us the game of baseball off the field. What it takes for a low budget team to compete in a league with no salary cap and loses their star players in free agency every year. Definitely worth the watch for any baseball fan.
7. Hardball
Do you remember the first time you cried in a movie theater? Old folks might say Gone with the Wind, some may say Old Yeller, others may name classic romance films like The Titanic or The Notebook, but not here at moviesandfood. The first time I shed a tear in the movie theaters was when G-Baby got shot and killed in Hardball, I’m tearing up just writing about it. Probably the saddest scene of all time. But that’s the kind of emotion a movie must provoke to get on this list, and is exactly why Hardball falls in at number 7.
Keanu Reeves put in another stellar monotone performance as only he can do portraying a selfish gambling addict who gets himself into debt with the wrong people. Strapped for cash, when asked to coach a Little League baseball team (The Kekumbas) from a housing project in Chicago, he reluctantly accepts just to help pay off his debt.
Originally seeing the team as just a bunch of punk ass crack babies from the hood, as Keanu overcomes his inner demons he begins to take on a fatherly role to his players. As Keanu’s relationship grows with his players, the team begins to win some games but that doesn’t necessarily make life any easier for the kids growing up in a tough ghetto.
Do you remember the first time you cried in a movie theater? Old folks might say Gone with the Wind, some may say Old Yeller, others may name classic romance films like The Titanic or The Notebook, but not here at moviesandfood. The first time I shed a tear in the movie theaters was when G-Baby got shot and killed in Hardball, I’m tearing up just writing about it. Probably the saddest scene of all time. But that’s the kind of emotion a movie must provoke to get on this list, and is exactly why Hardball falls in at number 7.
Keanu Reeves put in another stellar monotone performance as only he can do portraying a selfish gambling addict who gets himself into debt with the wrong people. Strapped for cash, when asked to coach a Little League baseball team (The Kekumbas) from a housing project in Chicago, he reluctantly accepts just to help pay off his debt.
Originally seeing the team as just a bunch of punk ass crack babies from the hood, as Keanu overcomes his inner demons he begins to take on a fatherly role to his players. As Keanu’s relationship grows with his players, the team begins to win some games but that doesn’t necessarily make life any easier for the kids growing up in a tough ghetto.
6. Rookie of the Year
A kids movie that still cracks me up to this day, moviesandfood had to put Rookie of the Year on this list. A far fetched story about a kid, Henry Rowengartner, you loves but sucks at baseball, breaking his arm which heals in a way that allows him to bring the cheddar from the pitchers mound and go on the pitch for his beloved Cubs.
Its awesome that Gary Busey plays the savvy veteran pitcher near the end of his career and mentors Henry. I gotta tell ya, I can’t think of a better guy to mentor a young kid than crazy old Gary Busey, it’s pretty much like asking old relief piicher Ugueth Urbina to mentor someone.
But what really makes this movie is Daniel Stern. Daniel Stern is the most underrated comedic actor of all time. You may know him as Marv from the first two Home Alone’s, but he puts in one hell of a performance in this movie as well. Playing Henry’s pitching coach, he helps teach Henry the ins and outs of the big leagues. He invents “hot ice”, locks himself in a locker, crushes the ball in BP, and crushes sunflower seeds, he’s gotta be one of the best coaches of all time.
A kids movie that still cracks me up to this day, moviesandfood had to put Rookie of the Year on this list. A far fetched story about a kid, Henry Rowengartner, you loves but sucks at baseball, breaking his arm which heals in a way that allows him to bring the cheddar from the pitchers mound and go on the pitch for his beloved Cubs.
Its awesome that Gary Busey plays the savvy veteran pitcher near the end of his career and mentors Henry. I gotta tell ya, I can’t think of a better guy to mentor a young kid than crazy old Gary Busey, it’s pretty much like asking old relief piicher Ugueth Urbina to mentor someone.
But what really makes this movie is Daniel Stern. Daniel Stern is the most underrated comedic actor of all time. You may know him as Marv from the first two Home Alone’s, but he puts in one hell of a performance in this movie as well. Playing Henry’s pitching coach, he helps teach Henry the ins and outs of the big leagues. He invents “hot ice”, locks himself in a locker, crushes the ball in BP, and crushes sunflower seeds, he’s gotta be one of the best coaches of all time.
5. The Natural
This may not come in as high on most people’s lists, but like I said, I’m somewhat of a baseball romantic so The Natural is coming in at number 5 on moviesandfoods list. The Natural is a mystical story about Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford), a natural baseball talent, who is on the fast track to become a big league pitcher before some bitch shoots him.
After 16 years of recovering, Hobbs finally makes it to the majors but as a right fielder now. I don’t have much else to add other than the last scene when Roy Hobbs goes deep and the lights explode everywhere gives me goose bumps every time. This is another film where if you’re not a baseball fan, I don’t recommend it, but if you are, it’s a must see.
This may not come in as high on most people’s lists, but like I said, I’m somewhat of a baseball romantic so The Natural is coming in at number 5 on moviesandfoods list. The Natural is a mystical story about Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford), a natural baseball talent, who is on the fast track to become a big league pitcher before some bitch shoots him.
After 16 years of recovering, Hobbs finally makes it to the majors but as a right fielder now. I don’t have much else to add other than the last scene when Roy Hobbs goes deep and the lights explode everywhere gives me goose bumps every time. This is another film where if you’re not a baseball fan, I don’t recommend it, but if you are, it’s a must see.
4. Major League
Major League is straight up the best Baseball comedy of all time. So many great characters and a great cast. One of my favorite scenes is when all the players are showing up to spring training because I think it perfectly sums up the characters and movie.
Lets start with the manager Lou Brown. Probably the best manager of all time, I don’t know how he didn’t land an actually MLB manager position after this film. He assembles the perfect cast of misfit toys and makes them into a pennant winning team. The cast of misfit toys includes the savvy veteran catcher, Jake Taylor, Rick “Wild Thing” Vaughn who pitched in the California penal league before Brown got his hands on him, and Willie Mays Hayes a classic Wesley Snipes character. Those three may get the most attention in the film and Wild Thing probably has the best walk out routine of all time, but the play by play announcer, Harry Doyle, sneakily steals the show with his subtle one liners and getting loaded in the booth, “vasoline ball swung on and grounded to short.” I also love how his color man doesn’t say a word the entire movie, “he’s the best colorman in the game for a reason!”.
You don’t have to be a baseball fan for this film to having you laughing throughout but if you are a fan, you will appreciate that much more.
Major League is straight up the best Baseball comedy of all time. So many great characters and a great cast. One of my favorite scenes is when all the players are showing up to spring training because I think it perfectly sums up the characters and movie.
Lets start with the manager Lou Brown. Probably the best manager of all time, I don’t know how he didn’t land an actually MLB manager position after this film. He assembles the perfect cast of misfit toys and makes them into a pennant winning team. The cast of misfit toys includes the savvy veteran catcher, Jake Taylor, Rick “Wild Thing” Vaughn who pitched in the California penal league before Brown got his hands on him, and Willie Mays Hayes a classic Wesley Snipes character. Those three may get the most attention in the film and Wild Thing probably has the best walk out routine of all time, but the play by play announcer, Harry Doyle, sneakily steals the show with his subtle one liners and getting loaded in the booth, “vasoline ball swung on and grounded to short.” I also love how his color man doesn’t say a word the entire movie, “he’s the best colorman in the game for a reason!”.
You don’t have to be a baseball fan for this film to having you laughing throughout but if you are a fan, you will appreciate that much more.
|
|
3. Field of Dreams
Field of Dreams is another film that appeals to the baseball romantic in me. If you can’t appreciate baseball as America’s pastime after watching this movie then do us all a favor and move to Canada. With reoccurring quotes like, “if you build it, he will come” and “is this heaven?” Field of Dreams portrays baseball in a spiritual way.
After a corn farmer in Iowa, Ray Kinsella, cuts down half his crop to build a baseball field because of a voice in his head while already struggling financially, the 1919 “Black Sox” appear from the cornfield to play some ball. Only seen by some, more and more known to be deceased players appear on the diamond to live out their dreams. After all, heaven is the place where dreams come true.
Field of Dreams also delves into the ever-popular cinematic theme of a man’s relationship with his father. When Ray says, “Dad, wanna have a catch?” at the end of the movie its probably the second most iconic father-son piece of work of all time right behind Cat Steven’s “Cats in the Cradle”.
I also have to give a quick shout out to my boy Moonlight Graham who has one of my favorite quotes of all time and I think his character alone perfectly sums up the movie.
Field of Dreams is another film that appeals to the baseball romantic in me. If you can’t appreciate baseball as America’s pastime after watching this movie then do us all a favor and move to Canada. With reoccurring quotes like, “if you build it, he will come” and “is this heaven?” Field of Dreams portrays baseball in a spiritual way.
After a corn farmer in Iowa, Ray Kinsella, cuts down half his crop to build a baseball field because of a voice in his head while already struggling financially, the 1919 “Black Sox” appear from the cornfield to play some ball. Only seen by some, more and more known to be deceased players appear on the diamond to live out their dreams. After all, heaven is the place where dreams come true.
Field of Dreams also delves into the ever-popular cinematic theme of a man’s relationship with his father. When Ray says, “Dad, wanna have a catch?” at the end of the movie its probably the second most iconic father-son piece of work of all time right behind Cat Steven’s “Cats in the Cradle”.
I also have to give a quick shout out to my boy Moonlight Graham who has one of my favorite quotes of all time and I think his character alone perfectly sums up the movie.
2. The Sandlot
If you don’t like The Sandlot then you’re a square, a L-7 weenie, you probably bob for apples in the toilet… and you like it, and you most certainly play ball like a girl! This classic coming of age story is full of timeless quotes and characters. Hamilton “Ham” Porter is an all-time moviesandfood character. He crushes s’mores like he crushes the low and outside fastball, packs dingers, and does a cannonball that gets all the ladies by the pool wet… Then we got Benny the Jet and Squints. I could never decide who was a bigger legend; Benny the Jet for outrunning The Beast and making it to The Show (with a mean ‘stache), or Squints for pulling a legendary move on Wendy Peffercorn before knocking her up 9 times. Remember, hero’s get remembered, but legends never die…those two are certainly legends.
The story revolves around the main character and new kid in town, Smalls, and how Benny The Jet takes him under his wing and introduces him the baseball and the gang. I was always amazed at how bad Smalls was at baseball when I first saw the movie, but when I realized his asshole Dad, Denis Leary, is throwing him curves the first time they ever play catch I gave him a break. What kind of dick head throws his son a curveball the first time they ever play catch? Drills him right in the eye, kids gonna be scared of the ball the rest of his life.
If you don’t like The Sandlot then you’re a square, a L-7 weenie, you probably bob for apples in the toilet… and you like it, and you most certainly play ball like a girl! This classic coming of age story is full of timeless quotes and characters. Hamilton “Ham” Porter is an all-time moviesandfood character. He crushes s’mores like he crushes the low and outside fastball, packs dingers, and does a cannonball that gets all the ladies by the pool wet… Then we got Benny the Jet and Squints. I could never decide who was a bigger legend; Benny the Jet for outrunning The Beast and making it to The Show (with a mean ‘stache), or Squints for pulling a legendary move on Wendy Peffercorn before knocking her up 9 times. Remember, hero’s get remembered, but legends never die…those two are certainly legends.
The story revolves around the main character and new kid in town, Smalls, and how Benny The Jet takes him under his wing and introduces him the baseball and the gang. I was always amazed at how bad Smalls was at baseball when I first saw the movie, but when I realized his asshole Dad, Denis Leary, is throwing him curves the first time they ever play catch I gave him a break. What kind of dick head throws his son a curveball the first time they ever play catch? Drills him right in the eye, kids gonna be scared of the ball the rest of his life.
1. Bull Durham
Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days. Boom! Bull Durham tops are list as moviesandfood’s favorite baseball movie. Almost every line is quotable and Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins characters are awesome together. Crash Davis (Costner) is a veteran ball player brought on to an A ball team to help mentor a wily young top pitching prospect (Robbins). This film touches upon literature, theology, but most of all, baseball. Susan Surandan is also great in this movie. She plays a Durham Bulls groupie creating a love triangle with Costner and Robbins.
An under rated character in this movie is the bench coach, Larry. His mound visits are perfect, he once worked at Sears and sold Lady Kenmores., nasty!, and he hates lollygaggers.
Baseball fan or not, Bull Durham is a much watch. It has it all, great characters, great quotes, drama, romance, life lessons, and baseball.
Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days. Boom! Bull Durham tops are list as moviesandfood’s favorite baseball movie. Almost every line is quotable and Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins characters are awesome together. Crash Davis (Costner) is a veteran ball player brought on to an A ball team to help mentor a wily young top pitching prospect (Robbins). This film touches upon literature, theology, but most of all, baseball. Susan Surandan is also great in this movie. She plays a Durham Bulls groupie creating a love triangle with Costner and Robbins.
An under rated character in this movie is the bench coach, Larry. His mound visits are perfect, he once worked at Sears and sold Lady Kenmores., nasty!, and he hates lollygaggers.
Baseball fan or not, Bull Durham is a much watch. It has it all, great characters, great quotes, drama, romance, life lessons, and baseball.
GDONUT