The Sandlot (1993)

Country: USA
Director: David Mickey Evans
Screenwriters: David Mickey Evans, Robert Gunter
Stars: Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Patrick Renna, Chauncey Leopardi, Brandon Adams, Marty York, Grant Gelt, Denis Leary, Marley Shelton, James Earl Jones

Baseball, summertime, a group of your best friends, and a fight against a terrifying mastiff called "The Beast"—c'mon, what's not to love about the quintessential 1990s kids movie? The Sandlot defined the ultimate summer, making you feel bad when yours didn't live up.

Not only did it fill you with an unquenchable sense of adventure, the film confronted you with real life issues in the gentlest way possible. Got daddy issues? It's OK, you're not alone, because Smalls' dad is absent, too. You don't fit in with kids 'cause you suck at sports? You'll find a cool athletic friend with a name like Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez who'll show you the ropes. Got a crush on a hot lifeguard? Be a man, pretend to drown, and use CPR as an excuse to kiss her!

Everything you needed as kid, you could find watching The Sandlot. —TA