#84: Field of Dreams (1989)

Director: Phil Alden Robinson
Starring: Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones and Ray Liotta
Academy Awards: Nominated three times. Best Picture, Best Writing and Best Music.
Plot: “An Iowa corn farmer, hearing voices, interprets them as a command to build a baseball diamond in his fields; he does, and the Chicago White Sox come.”
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: #29

“If you build it, he will come.”

When my brother and I were growing up I would often hide and try to whisper that line to him in an attempt to scare him and entertain myself. My success rate mirrored the Cleveland Browns winning percentage of the last decade.

Field of Dreams is full of memorable scenes and memorable moments. Between Kevin Costner playing catch with his dad, to Ray Liotta standing out in the middle of the dark baseball field, to the line of cars making their way to Costner’s farm. The imagery, the music, and the acting all combine to make this an all-time great movie.

Field of Dreams is one of those special films that evolves with age. It can mean different things to the viewer depending on when they are watching it. For a young boy it’s a story about baseball. For others it’s a story about remembering their father. And for some it’s a story about life after death. And the best part is that they are all right. It completely encapsulates all of those ideas.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Field of Dreams and that’s a shame. It should be one of those movies I watch every year during Spring Training. Or at the very least whenever I am lacking inspiration. The tag-line to this movie is dead on. “If you believe the impossible, the incredible can come true.”

Words to live by.

UPDATE

Preferences and tastes change all the time. Field of Dreams is a great example of this. Back in 2011 I had it ranked inside the top thirty. Now, just four years later it is outside the top eighty. And you know what, four years from now it could be back in the top thirty.

It speaks to not only the constant flux in preferences but to also how dynamic this film is.

Fun Fact: Tom Hanks was originally offered the role of Ray Kinsella but turned it down.

Hint for #83: Sharknado would have been a love-child between Jaws and this film.

Peace Be The Journey.