Field+of+Dreams+Review,+Chaeri+Jeong

Field of Dreams makes a home run once again! By: Chaeri Jeong

Directed by Phil Alden Robinson, 1989 production Field of Dreams comes back to America and warms our hearts once again. It was a big it then, and it still is a big hit now. Nominated for 3 Oscars and a Grammy award, this movie is a definite classic, if not, an epitome of the motion pictures. It reaches out to thousands of people around the globe and reminds them of the importance of following your heart. A story about an ordinary father and a husband, Ray Kinsella is one day triggered by a mysterious voice to build a baseball field. This field is not like any other sports field; it is magical. It brings back the memories of people who he loves the most and transforms dreams into reality. Through the field, Ray encounters Shoeless Joe Jackson, Terence Mann and Moonlight Graham. Unfortunately, reality catches up with Ray and puts him in danger of becoming bankrupt. The only way to avoid his family from losing their home is to give up the baseball field, which means letting go of his deepest desires and dreams. In spite of such dilemma, Ray discovers a part of him that has been in hiding all this time. The atmosphere, which the movie creates is undoubtedly the highlight of the film. It’s what makes it one of the most phenomenal classics that has ever been created. The breathe-taking sunset behind the baseball field creates warmth and love that Ray feels when reunited with the people he loves the most. This directly touches the audience at an emotional level; hence, it is almost impossible to not feel such sentiment when witnessing the scene. The effects used in this movie are barely noticeable. They don’t follow the advanced editing techniques used in many fantasy movies such as Hulk, Spiderman and Harry Potter. However, this is what makes the story credible. In spite of its non-realistic entities such as the ghosts and the voice, everything seems believable. Moonlight Graham and Shoeless Joe Jackson (the ghosts of the movie), were not created by computer graphics, but portrayed by real actors. This makes everything flow easily together. It doesn’t induce any suspicions or doubts about the story. The sound effects, however, could have been improved to put emphasis on certain events. When Ray encounters the voice in the middle of the cornfield, there could have been some sound effects in the background to create more suspense and tension. I did not feel scared or worried when watching such scene and was left empty with no emotions whatsoever. Unfortunately, the camera angles were also very limited in the movie. It almost always captured full front from waist up and consistently maintained at the same angle. There could have been some angles where it zoomed in more on the face rather than showing the whole upper body. When Ray’s daughter continued to repeat, “people will come”, the camera didn’t zoom in and merely captured her upper body, which did not give a stronger effect than it should have been. Increase in a variety of camera angles could have definitely improved the overall effect of the movie. In addition, the actors and actresses attribute to such powerful effect with their outstanding and credible acting skills. I was very impressed by Kevin Costner’s portrayal of Ray, for everything came naturally for him. The way he talks and moves are all very believable that the connection he establishes with the audience is never hindered or weakened. No one could have delivered such character as well as Ray. The whole cast was also all very talented and succeeded in playing their roles. Amy Madigan is one of my favorites in the film. Her bright and spontaneous personality is loved by many viewers of the film. Most importantly, both Annie and Ray are characters which many of us can relate to. They are regular American people bearing the same responsibility as many others living in the country. This allows the audience to become more intimate with the character which makes the movie irresistible. Overall, Field of Dreams is a outstanding movie that will always be remembered from one generation to the next. If you haven’t watched the movie yet, I highly encourage that you go to the DVD store as soon as possible and watch it with your family. Watch the mystery unroll itself as Ray goes through the journey of self-discovery. Witness the impossible become possible. You will never regret it!