Some might go with "Field of Dreams" or "The Sandlot". Any of the three would be correct. BTW.. The Atlanta Braves Rule!
My dvds own. All of them bought for 3 dollars each http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=35309311
I liked this movie for the most part, but it was pretty melodramatic, and not even close to being the BEST fictional baseball movie.
And Chapel pitching a perfect game in the very last game of a 19 year career, is about as plausible as Steve Nebraska striking out all 27 batters in his FIRST START in The Scout, which conveniently was also in the World Series. And then he signs a ball to the owner announcing his retirement, three outs before a potential perfecto? It doesn't get any sappier or unrealistic than that.
Also, they kept playing up the fact that the beleagured owner was having to sell, and that the first move the new ownership was going to do was to trade a 19 year pitching icon in that city....REALLY? There is no way a new ownership group would be making this announcement in ADVANCE of taking over a franchise.
Finally, they made it seem like Chapel had some loyalty to the current owner, and thus instead was choosing to retire rather than accept a trade to SF. Not likely, and more syrupy melodrama, and if he was being traded, then clearly he was still under contract, and likey a fat contract at that...so he is going to walk off into the sunset after pitching a perfect game, and a fat contract, "for Love of The Game". RIIIIIIIIGHT.
Like I said, I liked it, but nowhere near the best.
Randy Johnson was 40 and in his 17th season when he threw his perfect game, so why not?
And it's not plausible that Roy Hobbs comes back after 20 years and hits one off the lights, knocking out the electricity, on his final AB. And it's not plausible that Nuke LaLoosh goes from the bus league to "the show" in his rookie professional season.....and so on and so on. Every fictional sports movie features the implausible.
This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.
"Every fictional sports movie features the implausible"
Somewhat...but of all of those, For Love of the Game, which was not supposed to be a Field of Dreams/The Natural, fantasy-type movie, is low on the totem pole of plausibility.
And as far as the best baseball movie, fictional or otherwise?
Not.....even....close.
But hey, to each his own...I liked the movie just fine, but nowhere near the best imo.
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None of the above.
1) Bull Durham
2) Eight Men Out
3) A League Of Their Own
4) Major League
5) The Bad News Bears (original)
6) The Natural
7) The Rookie. Anybody who doesn't choke up when he tells his family, especially knowing the story, that he's going to the majors just doesn't get it.
8) For Love Of The Game
This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.
This and 61* are the two most underrated baseball films of all time.
I'm SO glad it's baseball season again!!!!!!!
Pride of the Yankees
shareTo many closeups of Kevin and Preston plays a ditz. No not a great movie by any means. Way too long and why is he cutting boards? Actually rather silly and shallow movie though they did get the assinine fans right
shareAgree, Preston and Kostner are not strong actors, and this is a dismal film.
"For dark is the suede that mows like a harvest"
This is my favorite baseball movie, but it has one major flaw. I get really irritated when Jane talks about her past. She has a baby alone at 16 and walks out of the hospital with her daughter, to make it on her own. We see her about 14 years later with a nice apartment in New York City, making a decent living as a free-lance writer. How? Who fed them while she was getting enough education to write? How did she ever save up enough even for a deposit on that apartment, not to mention feeding and clothing and taking care of the medical needs of a growing daughter? I think this sends a really bad message to young girls watching it about what is a practical possibility in life, where such romantic dreams usually lead to poverty and dependence on welfare.
shareBull Durham
"Few people understand the psychology of dealing with a highway traffic cop."
This is good, but The Natural is the best fictional baseball movie of all time. I think a large part of was that it was set in an earlier era (1939) and thus had a mysticism around it.
Major League, is the best baseball comedy.