Weekend Watch: Field of Dreams in Honor of the Giants

Welcome one and all to the Weekend Watch — a weekly review of a movie to watch at the weekend! This blog series is really an ode to my love of movies. I have been enamored with movies since I was a small boy watching "Indiana Jones: The Temple of Doom" for the first time. What began as mere infatuation exploded into full blown love as I began working on films as an adult. I have done many different jobs on films over the last 10 years from holding up light-boards, to writing screenplays, and even occasionally acting, all of this culminating with me writing this blog.

For this series there are a few basic goals I would like to accomplish: first and foremost, I want to talk about the films I love, the films I hate, and hopefully get you talking about them as well. Each week I will be choosing a movie to review and discuss. This could range from movies fresh in the theaters to black and white
classics. Also, once every month I will be reviewing an additional movie that
one of you recommends.

Where possible I may talk about the history of a particular film, or even highlight connections and similarities to other films.

Just so we can get this out of the way, with any subject like movies the dreaded SPOILER is going to be an issue. Here’s what you can expect from me in this regard: If the Weekend Watch movie of the week is a new film you will find NO SPOILERS in my review. If for some unforeseen reason I am stricken with an insatiable urge to SPILL MY GUTS about some insane plot twist or whatnot, I pledge to, at the very least give you fair warning. However, if the movie in question is older, and by that I mean readily available for your consumption…THERE WILL BE SPOILERS, and I will not apologize for that. If you haven’t watched a movie that your parents saw in the theater for a dollar when they were five, you have no right to complain.

For this week we will be taking a look at the 1989 classic Field of Dreams.

Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) is a normal guy with a family, farm, and daddy issues. One day while tending to his cornfields he hears a voice that he cannot ignore. He cuts down half his field and builds a baseball diamond per the voice’s
instructions. Thus begins a journey to reconciliation, not only for Ray but for the ghostly ball players that have begun showing up on his farm.

This film is the perfect respite from a time of year when we are saturated with the
macabre. Gore, guts, and ghouls fill our streets and minds. It is also the
ideal end point for those of you riding the high of the Giants World Series win
or wallowing in the lows of the Tigers loss.

The theme of reconciliation is constant throughout the film. As we look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday, feel-good movies like this highlight our need to be
thankful for what we do have, especially family.  

Despite the message of the film, there are some kinks in the plot. I love James Earl Jones, but I just don’t see the need for the character of Terrance Mann. I think through more exposition between Costner and co-star Amy Madigan (Ray’s wife, Annie) the director could have conveyed the message of how a youth spent
rejecting authority and the ideals of our parents can affect us as adults.  

There is one thing that Terrance got right however. Baseball is a constant and despite how America and our lives within it change, the essence of the game will always remain true.

So since the stadiums are closed, and the seats have emptied for the season, grab some popcorn, plop down on your couch and bring the spirit of baseball into your living room with Field of Dreams this weekend.

What do you think of Field of Dreams? Share your review in the comments. Have a movie suggestion? Let me know!