Movie Rewind: FIELD OF DREAMS (1989)

FIELD OF DREAMS (1989)
Director: Phil Alden Robinson
Starring: Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, Gaby Hoffmann, Ray Liotta, James Earl Jones, Timothy Busfield, Burt Lancaster, Frank Whaley

In honor of baseball season, I wanted to look back at one of my favorite baseball movies. I asked my Facebook and Twitter followers for their opinions on this topic and A League of Their Own, The Sandlot, and Field of Dreams were, by far, the most common titles given. As much as I love those first two films, I feel like I have watched them quite frequently as they always seem to be airing on ABC Family or some other cable network. It has been many years since I last saw Kevin Costner build a baseball diamond in a corn field, so I thought Field of Dreams would be the perfect choice to revisit as its central message seems very relevant in my personal life right now. Plus, the film is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Baseball has always been an important part of Ray Kinsella’s (Costner) life. Many of the memories of his dad all center on that American pastime. Ray’s father had idolized Shoeless Joe Jackson (Liotta), who was suspended from the game after the baseball league blamed him and seven of his fellow players of intentionally throwing the 1919 White Sox World Series game for money. At the age of 36, Ray, his wife Annie (Madigan), and their daughter Karin (Hoffman), move to a farm in a small Iowa town. One day while out in the corn fields, Ray hears a mysterious voice whispering, “If you build it, he will come.” He had heard an urban legend about hearing voices in the cornfield, but Annie and the locals think he’s a bit crazy.

This phrase permeates in his head until he believes he solves the mystery of what he is supposed to build and for whom. He believes the voice is telling him to build a baseball diamond for Shoeless Joe and his teammates so they can return to the game. Ray is scared of turning into his father who never did anything daring, never fulfilled a dream, or carried out some spontaneous mission. He explains this all to Annie over a bedtime heart to heart talk. While the idea to build a baseball diamond to host some dead ball players is a bit far fetched, she fully supports him. Ray cuts down a huge portion of the corn crops and builds a full-scale field with lights, white chalk outlining the bases, and a few wooden bleachers. Months pass until the night when Shoeless Joe finally arrives. His entrance onto the field marks the beginning of a longer journey Ray finds himself on as he lives out his mission in life, which also includes a reclusive author (Jones) and the influence baseball has on so many individuals.

The film is written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson (Sneakers, The Sum of All Fears) based off the book Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella. The title of the film was originally the same as the book, but test audiences reacted poorly to it, so it was changed to Field of Dreams. Terrence Mann is a fictionalized version of J.D. Salinger, whose real name was used in the book. Since Salinger disapproved of the use of his persona, the character’s name was changed for the movie. I have never read the book, but it seems to be one of those cases where the movie will be remembered more than its original source material. It has a terrific cast led by Kevin Costner. Amy Madigan is a funny spitfire as his wife. Ray Liotta has some beautiful moments with Costner when he first appears as Shoeless Joe Jackson. Their first moments are dialogue-free while Shoeless Joe is reunited with his love of baseball. The film also marks the last major screen role of the legendary Burt Lancaster as Doc “Moonlight” Graham, who played one single game of professional baseball as a young man and never had had a chance to go back to the game.

Field of Dreams went on to be nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Score for James Horner (Titanic). The film is listed as #28 on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years 100 Cheers list and the classic line, “If you build it, he will come” landed the #39 spot on the 100 Years 100 Movie Quotes list. The film was shot near Dyersville, Iowa, and the owners of the farm kept the field intact and turned it into a tourist attraction, which is visited by thousands of people every year.

It is easy to think about the movie as a great baseball movie. There is something sentimental about the good old days of baseball where the players all played due to their love of the game and their fans. It wasn’t about endorsement deals or signing with whatever team paid the most. Instead of scandals about performance enhancing drugs, you get a glimpse into the real-life 1919 Black Sox Scandal, which naturally led to more research after watching the movie again. While it involved the 1919 World Series between the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds, those eight players were referred to as the “Black Sox” due to their potential involvement in the conspiracy to lose the game in order to win money from gamblers. The film also features the theme that the good old American past time of baseball is passed on generation after generation. “The one constant through all the years, Ray, is baseball”, says Doc “Moonlight” Graham.

While I enjoy the game of baseball and have fun sitting through nine innings of the Minnesota Twins, I don’t think I would say I have a passion or deep knowledge of the game and its history. What draws me to this movie and tugs at the heartstrings after this particular viewing is the concept that you are never too old to stop dreaming or carry out one last wish in life. I am, by no means, old, but this idea has been floating around in my head lately. Ray Kinsella meets people throughout the film who are of different ages, backgrounds, and walks of life and he encourages them to fulfill that last wish or dream they have yet to pursue. I wrote a piece for my work department newsletter about how you are never too old to stop dreaming or live out your passion in life. While many people, like me, would never claim their “day job” as their passion, I think many people get stuck in their daily routine as it pays the bills. For me, it is my passion for acting and movies that keep me going in life. Being an actor is a hard can be frustrating, but no matter how many auditions I have gone to where I get rejected, I keep going back. I keep trying because when I get to perform, I love it. The same goes for writing about the movies I see. I feel a drive and energy whenever I talk about movies to my friends and family. Someone may disagree with my perspective, but I don’t let that stop the conversation because part of my joy is learning the different reactions people have to the same experience. Some may see Field of Dreams as just some wholesome baseball film. I see it for the deeper message about carrying out that dream you have in life no matter how you old happen to be. I think this message is why it has had a lasting impact and why moviegoers continue to re-watch it year after year.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? It continues to inspire moviegoers year after year and seems personally relevant in my life as the film really teaches you that no matter where you are at in life, it is never too late to pursue a dream, be spontaneous, and live out one of your passions in life.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

Movie Review: VERONICA MARS

VERONICA MARS
Director: Rob Thomas,
Starring: Kristen Bell, Enrico Colantoni, Jason Dohring, Krysten Ritter, Martin Starr, Tina Majorino, Chris Lowell, Gaby Hoffman, Jerry O'Connell

Truth be told, I have never seen a single episode of the television show “Veronica Mars”. It’s the legions of fans, known as Marshmallows, that made it into the little cult show that now has come back for an all new mystery. The new movie version acts as a reunion for the cast and for the fans to have one more chance at seeing their favorite characters when the show was cancelled far too early on. The question I kept asking myself is if it could still hold up for someone like myself that has never seen the show. I knew the basic idea behind it, but I didn’t have a connection to these characters going in. I don’t know their relationships to each other, who are the good guys, who are the bad guys, etc…

Nine years have passed since the events in the final season of the show. Veronica (Bell) Mars has said goodbye to her life as a private investigator. She has lost too many friends along the way. She has left her hometown of Neptune, California and has moved to New York City to start her life over as a successful lawyer. She has received news that her old classmate Carrie, who is now pop star “Bonnie DeVille”, has been found dead in her bathroom. Veronica’s ex-flame Logan Echolls (Dohring) has been accused of her murder and calls Veronica for some legal aid.

Veronica feels the need to go back to Neptune to help him out but only plans on staying a couple of days. Her dad Keith Mars (Colantoni) is beyond thrilled when she shows up at his office at Mars Investigations. Old habits are hard to break as Veronica cannot seem to shake the feeling that something doesn’t add up. She firmly believes that Logan is innocent and feels compelled to stay in Neptune a bit longer. It doesn’t help that she feels some of her old classmates probably know more than they are leading. Let’s forget that Bonnie had an obsessive fan (Hoffman) that is equally a bit nutty herself.

It’s refreshing for fans to see a majority of the old cast come together again for this new Veronica Mars case. Percy Daggs III, Francis Capra, Ryan Hansen, Tina Majorino, Krysten Ritter and a slew of other cameo appearances get audiences of new and old back into the spirit of the show. There were plenty of fans of the show in the audience and you could tell where there would be a little nod or reference as little giggles happened with excitement. It should also be known that series creator Rob Thomas (not the singer) wrote and directed the film, and Kristen Bell is one of the executive producers. You may be asking yourself how and why they are still in Neptune. Are we to believe that Veronica was the only one that moved away? Their high school reunion just happens to be the same weekend that the murder of Bonnie DeVille happens which coincidentally helps with the idea that all of the old faces are back together. I am getting a bit sick of using a high school reunion as the catalyst to bring people back together. Luckily, it is not the sole focus of the movie like it was for American Reunion.

For someone who has never watched the show, the film is fairly entertaining. There is a quick montage at the beginning to set up the character relations and give a brief recap of what happened during the show’s run. As for the rest of the story, I never once felt like I didn’t know what was going on. Yes, obviously having a background with the show would help deepen your knowledge of the characters but you quickly realize who Veronica’s friends are as opposed to her enemies and whatnot. I must say there were some shocking moments along the way that I audibly gasped at that took me by surprise. Maybe the show was like that and I’m not giving it enough credit. It’s easy to see why the show has appeal as it plays smarter than your average teen soap typically found on the WB or UPN at the time. Kristen Bell and Enrico Colantoni have an infectious father daughter relationship full of fun banter and witty rapport.

It’s due to the fans that this movie even came together. Thomas and Bell created a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds needed to make the movie happen. I applaud their effort as it pays off for the die-hard Marshmallows as well as those like myself that are new to this universe. Anyone that watched the show will no doubt get a big kick out of the film. If you have never seen the show, the film may feel like going to your spouse’s high school reunion. You will most likely go, have a great time, enjoy the people that you meet, but you don’t have the history or connections that everyone else has. I am now even inspired to go back and watch episodes of the show.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? Yes. The film works well as it's own story without making the newbies feel too left out.

RATING: 3 out of 5 Ticket Stubs