The Sandlot is almost twenty years old? You're killing me, Smalls. The nostalgic baseball period pic released into theaters in April 1993, which feels like yesterday (or maybe "for-eh-ver" ago). The Sandlot was previously released on Blu-ray, however, in honor of its 20th anniversary, it's being re-released on Blu-ray, with some baseball themed cover art.
Directed by David M. Evans, The Sandlot is set in the early 60s and stars Tom Guiry as Scotty Smalls, an awkward kid who moves to a new neighborhood when his mother remarries. He's eventually taken under the wing by neighborhood kid Benny Rodriguez (Mike Vitar), who invites him into a group of kids who spend as much of their summer vacation as they can on the lot playing baseball and obsessing over the Great Bambino (aka The Titan of Terror, the Colossus of Clout, The King of Crash). That's Babe Ruth - not to be confused with the Great... Bambi.
The game is a crucial part to the story, as it's the thing that ties these boys together, but just as relevant is the nostalgic tone and emphasis on friendship and growing up during those magical pre-adolescent years when summer seemed to go on forever. From the unfortunate (but hilarious) carnival-ride scene to the unforgettable "pool kiss" moment, to all of the baseball and the infamous "pickle" that dominated the final act and involved the terrifying "Beast" that lived on the other side of the fence beyond the lot, The Sandlot's a classic and well worth adding to the DVD/Blu-ray library.
As mentioned, the film is actually already available on Blu-ray, however the new set not only comes with updated box art, which you can view below, but it also looks like it's bumped up to a combo-pack - going by the box art - with both the Blu-ray and DVD included in The Sandlot: 20th Anniversary.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they're adding new bonus content for the new set, which includes a featurette, the theatrical trailer and a number of TV spots. All three features are included on the 2011 Blu-ray, so if you already own the film on Blu-ray, aside from the new box art and the DVD, there may not be much of an upgrade here. A commentary or something might have been a nice addition. Maybe when the film hits the quarter-century mark?
The Sandlot: 20th Anniversary Blu-ray hits shelves March 26. Pre-ordering will be available starting next week (2/27).
"Remember kid, there's heroes and there's legends. Heroes get remembered but legends never die, follow your heart kid, and you'll never go wrong."
