Ep 201: The Sandlot

Ep 201: The Sandlot

Author: Movie Reviews for your favorite movies June 16, 2025 Duration: 2:43:11

It's summertime! What better way to kick off the summer season with some incredible summertime nostalgia and talk The Sandlot!? The Movie Defenders today reach back for a timeless family classic. Benny, Smalls, Ham, and the rest of the gang are all here as we roll into Summer the right way. We also break down our top 5 Summertime movies of all time! So beware the Beast, don't forget the Smore stuffs, and remember to throw it low and outside... just the way we like it. It's time for The Sandlot on The Movie Defenders Podcast!

Click here to listen and connect anywhere: https://linktr.ee/moviedefenders

  • 00:00:00 Intro and What We've Been Watching
  • 00:24:01 Top 5 Summertime Movies of All Time
  • 00:50:22 Sandlot Movie Discussion Starts
  • 01:12:10 Movie Opens
  • 01:34:49 Please Catch It!
  • 01:42:17 Smores and The Beast
  • 01:55:04 A Challenge
  • 02:03:47 The Ball Goes Over the Fence
  • 02:11:11 The Babe Visits
  • 02:23:53 Meet Mr. Mertle

Special thanks to our amazing Patreon supporters!
Alex Kirkby 
Alexis Helman
Barrett Young
Bart German
Brett Bowen
Daryl Ewry
Doug Robertson
Ena Haynes
Eric Blattberg
Jason Chastain
Josh Evans
Joshua Loy
Katherine Boulware
Kevin Athey
Mark Nattress
Mark Martin
Megan Bush
Michael Puckett
Nick Nagher
Randal Silver
Sean Masters
Stephanie Ewry
Attack of the Killer Podcast


Ever feel like your favorite film just got a bad rap? The Movie Defenders is here to change the conversation. While so much film criticism focuses on flaws and nitpicks, this podcast digs into the genuine merits, clever choices, and pure joy of popular movies that often face undue ridicule. Each episode is a dedicated re-appraisal, a lively discussion that aims to articulate why a maligned blockbuster or a critically panned genre piece actually works. You’ll hear thoughtful analysis that goes beyond simple praise, exploring the artistic decisions, cultural impact, and hidden strengths that might have been overlooked. It’s for anyone who’s ever left a theater loving a movie only to see it torn apart online, or who has a soft spot for a film they’re almost embarrassed to admit they enjoy. This isn’t about blind fandom, but about giving these films a fair shake and celebrating what makes them resonate with audiences. Tune in for a refreshing take that might just make you see an old favorite-or even a former disappointment-in a completely new and appreciative light. If you believe a movie deserves a second chance, you’ve found your audio home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Movie Defenders
Podcast Episodes
Ep 180: Cloud Atlas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:59:51
Everything is connected! Today with the help of our great friend, Kat, we are going to defend a movie that's either beloved, or reviled... Cloud Atlas! A DENSE movie that has multiple stories all going on at once, one of…
Free Backlot Tour: The Movie Quote Game [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:58
This is a free episode of our second show, The Backlot Tour. This second show is produced for Patrons as a perk of all tiers at patreon.com/moviedefenders! Head there now and help financially support the show, participat…
Ep 179: Ladyhawke [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:05:44
Today we head back to the 1980s to a film that helped launch the fantasy genre in Hollywood... Ladyhawke! A film that's dated in some ways, and amazing in so many more, it's also one that two of the three hosts grew up w…
Ep 178: The Last Starfighter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:48:44
Ready for three Gen Xers to get misty eyed over a kids movie? Your wait is over! Today the three Movie Defenders re-live their childhood with The Last Starfighter! A film that means so much more to the three of us than j…
Ep 177: Furiosa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:05:51
Today we jump into our latest movie poll winner, and raise our shields for Furiosa! A movie that got the summer movie season started with a revved engine. An outstanding prequel to the immortal Fury Road, this movie also…
Ep 176: Terminator 2 - Judgement Day [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:09:11
Today we pay homage to one of the best films ever made... Terminator 2: Judgement Day! (Director's Cut too!) A movie that certainly needs no 'defending', but one where we peek under the hood and examine all the reasons w…
Ep 175: Real Steel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:21:26
Happy Father's Day! To honor today's holiday we're visiting a modern Father/Son film hidden behind robots... Real Steel! This film has SO much going for it and was written so incredibly well. Many critics got lost in the…
Ep 174: Road House [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:00:16
Today we stay in the 1980s with an absolute gem of a classic... Road House! There is WAY more to the writing here than many give it credit for and The Movie Defenders will break it all down in the way only we can. We hav…
Ep 173: They Live [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:58:05
It's time to peel back the layers of another 1980s classic, going back to John Carpenter's They Live! A bonkers movie in all the best ways, and even better... Donald saw it for the first time! Did he like it...? Well, fi…
Ep 172: Face/Off [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:36:35
It's time to visit our 2nd place winner of our 90s movie Patreon poll... Face/Off! A John Woo classic action thriller from 1997, our hosts feel this deserves to live in the pantheon of classic action flicks. Before we ju…