I should just start listening to this, but what was Wesley’s problem with Bernthal? He’s fucking amazing.
Just What is Apex Mountain: Rewatchables discussion thread
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If my quick scan is correct, he hadn't been on before this since April (The Player). It's not like he works at The Ringer: it's pretty random and occasional as it is.
Honestly Wesley didn’t seem to understand the bit and was trying to seriously address whether Bernthal would improve Blowout-his view seemed to be that Bernthal is great but maybe not great in everything and wouldn’t really have a place in blow out.
Exactly. Last week it was Morris that suggested Bernthal for a Cruising re-make: he obviously thinks highly of him. This was just another Apex Mountain of not knowing the running gag.
He comes in for a week and does like 10 pods. This last run he’s done a Simmons pod, several Hottest Takes, and a couple Rewatchables.
Bravo! (Like Simmons, I am often tickled when someone mentions the title during the movie. Keeping the discussion in the Malle, Bill might think more of him if ever he watches Malle's classic Au revoir les enfants and discovers that the last line of dialogue before the closing voiceover by Malle is a character saying the movie's title...although more likely it would be the Candice Bergen thing.)
Two laugh out loud moments for me while listening to the pod on Body Heat:
When Bill brought up Sydney Sweeney and Mallory said he hit the under in her own generated over/under for how many minutes into the pod would Bill go before bringing up Sydney Sweeney in a potential remake.
The following exchange (paraphrasing);
Bill: Why didn't J.A. Preston get more roles in movies?
Wesley: That's racism in Hollywood.
Bill: But how do you know it wasn't just that they didn't write roles for him?
Wesley: THAT'S THE RACISM!
When Bill brought up Sydney Sweeney and Mallory said he hit the under in her own generated over/under for how many minutes into the pod would Bill go before bringing up Sydney Sweeney in a potential remake.
The following exchange (paraphrasing);
Bill: Why didn't J.A. Preston get more roles in movies?
Wesley: That's racism in Hollywood.
Bill: But how do you know it wasn't just that they didn't write roles for him?
Wesley: THAT'S THE RACISM!
The stretch of the Body Heat podcast where Bill just rattled off who was his "most bangable actress in hollywood" belt was pretty cringe. And fwiw, Sydney Sweeney does not have whatever the fuck Kathleen Turner was bringing to the table in Body Heat. Sydney Sweeney as Rollergirl? Sure, that makes sense. Sydney Sweeney in Body Heat? Uh, no. Total misreading of the type of actress required for the part. Sweeney seems to still be playing down 5 years (she's 25 now). Turner emerged from the womb as a sexed up 30 year old.
Planes Trains & Automobiles with Van Lathan.
Not all the way through, but I think they miss Chris and/or Sean to give some context to the movie and the stars.
For one thing, I think Sean would have noted that the 80s/modern Road Trip Movie originated with the 1970s trucker movies like Convoy and Smokey and the Bandit that exploited a 70s counter culture trend that that celebrated CB radios and long-distance trucking. Those were big hits, and led the way to more straight up comedy (Cannonball Run) and family-centric takes on "Life on the Open Road" like National Lampoon's Vacation.
Not all the way through, but I think they miss Chris and/or Sean to give some context to the movie and the stars.
For one thing, I think Sean would have noted that the 80s/modern Road Trip Movie originated with the 1970s trucker movies like Convoy and Smokey and the Bandit that exploited a 70s counter culture trend that that celebrated CB radios and long-distance trucking. Those were big hits, and led the way to more straight up comedy (Cannonball Run) and family-centric takes on "Life on the Open Road" like National Lampoon's Vacation.
The Eastwood movies Every Which Way But Loose “right turn Clyde” would be in this genre. Those were always on TV in the 80s.
I can never decide if this or Ferris Bueller is my all time favorite movie. Both are really special to me.
So I was really looking forward to this one and then disappointed when I saw it wasn’t Sean and Chris.
While I still wish there was a version with them, VL was great. Like him, John Candy always had a special place in my heart. I thought his analogy to Santa Claus was the perfect way to describe it. I saw PTaA, Uncle Buck, Home Alone, Great Outdoors, etc. from 8 - 10 years old with my dad, uncles, and cousins. These movies will never get old to me because of the memories they evoke. I distinctly remember where everyone was sitting in our family room, during Christmas break, when I was 9 and saw Steve Martin go off on the rental car lady for the first time. Two drops of pee came out. It was the first time I peed myself from laughing so hard.
Yeah, John Hughes was an era-defining director. I’m partial to Vacation just because I’m more than a little Clark Griswold and because it’s one of the first movies I remember watching with my family as a kid. “Holiday Road” is pure joy, and now I associate it both with being 5 and getting ready to go on a family trip and being 40, doing the same with my kids.
VL was great. But Simmons is just…man. He can’t do justice to certain things, like articulating why stories and characters work. “Hughes has villains…not like James Bond villains or anything but uh….” “I mean Bender is a bad guy but by the end you’re kind of pro Bender!” He’s like a little kid trying to explain why they like Fruit Loops. “They’re uh…fruity! And they’re loops!”
Also he really leaned heavily into the “Those aren’t pillows” bit pretty heavy. He and his buddies said that…multiple times a year? It’s a top line of the 80s? Um.
EDIT: Final comments:
1) Am I the only one that thinks the original Vacation is the best one? Maybe it's because I actually go on long road trips a lot...
2) Suggesting Ben Affleck for a remake of P, T, & A had to have been a joke, right? He has almost no comedic ability; he scowls and broods. I think the correct answer is Jon Hamm or Ewen McGregor but I'm sure others will come up with better ideas. But Ben Affleck in the Steve Martin role? Christ. It was like self parody (also self parody: when Bill mentioned the "play with your balls a lot" scene purely so he could insert the Larry Bird reference).
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Die Hard 2 pod (yes it was like 8 months ago, I just missed it):
Simmons said he has to see Die Hard With a Vengeance again because he's not really sure about it but that it's not on as much as others. About 2 minutes later "I think that's why (Die Hard 2) isn't on as much as 1 and 3" when referencing the plane crash.
Simmons said he has to see Die Hard With a Vengeance again because he's not really sure about it but that it's not on as much as others. About 2 minutes later "I think that's why (Die Hard 2) isn't on as much as 1 and 3" when referencing the plane crash.
I have to admit, I haven’t listened to an episode since Glengarry Glen Ross. And 7 of the past 8 episodes I have no interest in. I’ll check out Planes, Trains & Automobiles soon. The rest? A big meh.
It was great during the Man On Fire episode when Simmons made a joke about his wife mispronouncing an actor's name. Chris Ryan said something like who are you to give someone a hard time for not being able to pronounce a word correctly.
Yeah the choices have been pretty lackluster lately, PT&A aside.
I've only listened to the first 15 minutes of the Man on Fire one but already we have Simmons wondering why Man on Fire wasn't a BIG MOVIE two minutes after talking about how at one point Denzel sticks an explosive up some guy's ass. I dunno, Bill, maybe it's hard to market that kind of movie to a large audience? Speaking personally, I never had any interest in Man on Fire exactly because it looked like a generic "Over the Top Denzel" movie, which is its own subgenre.
And on a broader point, I have nothing against Denzel but you have to be kidding me with the idea his filmography from 1987 to 2012 was some unimpeachable run. There's a TON of dogshit in there. John Q? The Siege? Fallen? He's chased paychecks as much as anybody.
I've only listened to the first 15 minutes of the Man on Fire one but already we have Simmons wondering why Man on Fire wasn't a BIG MOVIE two minutes after talking about how at one point Denzel sticks an explosive up some guy's ass. I dunno, Bill, maybe it's hard to market that kind of movie to a large audience? Speaking personally, I never had any interest in Man on Fire exactly because it looked like a generic "Over the Top Denzel" movie, which is its own subgenre.
And on a broader point, I have nothing against Denzel but you have to be kidding me with the idea his filmography from 1987 to 2012 was some unimpeachable run. There's a TON of dogshit in there. John Q? The Siege? Fallen? He's chased paychecks as much as anybody.
Man on Fire is really good man. Not at all like those other three movies you listed.
That's not my point, though (although I will say the view that it's a great movie seems like its in the minority, based on its reviews). They brought up his career and stated his 1987-2012 run is an all-timer and ran through a bunch of movies while conspicuously leaving out a whole bunch of stinkers. That's not normally how they do it.
Bill has a boner for Denzel and that's fine, he's done a lot of great work, but there's no need to BS it.
It’s a great movie, but there’s also a bunch of Spanish (with really cool subtitle effects, but still). That might’ve been a turnoff too. Plus, yeah, it’s really violent. Dynamite suppositories. Fingers getting shot off, etc.
You’re my Creasy bear.
All time great line delivered by Walken as well:
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8oJynb12DY&feature=emb_logo
How about when Julio 8 fingers laughs and tells Creasy he is pronouncing "guardians" wrong? Cracks me up every time.
I like the movie, but…..fuck me sideways did Scott and his cinematographer really need to triple down on what I guess I would call the shaky cam aesthetic? I’m not even talking about a handheld camera, mind you. These are, from what I can tell, fixed/static camera shots where the frame is then jerked around for effect in editing/post and overlaid with pivots from brief slo mo frame rate to real time speed and brief flashes of discoloration. It was literally hurting my eyes the last time I saw it on cable.
I don’t think I’m doing the aesthetic justice in my description, but fair warning.
I don’t think I’m doing the aesthetic justice in my description, but fair warning.
I'm with you. I still watch it once a year.
The original movie from 1987 (with Scott Glenn and Joe Pesci)? Now that movie was a steaming pile of crap.
Yeah, Scott definitely pulls out a lot of “cool” director tricks. I liked it, in that it brought some newness and disorientation to a movie that was ultra violent and shot in pretty varied locations, but I can also see finding it annoying and film schooly.
If the question is why it wasn’t a box office hit, it’s because it was rated R and ultra violent. During that time movies like that didn’t make a ton of money at the box office.
(I love Man On Fire BTW; thought it was awesome)
Adding to this, it wasn't a huge hit, but it's not like it was a bomb or anything. It made 130m on a 60m production. Even assuming a 2x marketing budget (which I find unlikely) it made money, and that's back when DVD sales were still a thing.
I had never watched Man on Fire until I did before listening to the pod, and thoroughly enjoyed it, although I was disappointed that Bill, Chris, and Craig didn't pick up on one of my nitpicks on the movie: Walken provides Denzel a warehouse full of weapons for his revenge mission, and neither one of them think of getting the guy who is already nursing three shots to the chest some body armor? Might have come in handy as things worked out.
It is not really my kind of film, but it is a masterpiece.
It is not really my kind of film, but it is a masterpiece.
Late period Scott did that a lot, especially in Domino, Déjà Vu and the Pelham 1 2 3 remake, before settling down a bit with Unstoppable.
Yeah, I love Man on Fire, but it has absolutely given me a headache before.
The Verdict is one of my favorite episodes in a long time and I’m just saying it now, if there is any gratuitous shots taken at Bill regarding this episode, you’re going right on “ignore this poster”. No warnings, no purgatory.
I haven't listened yet (and won't until my hike tomorrow), but this has me pumped for it (as does the teaming of Sean and Chris with Bill, which often produces the best Rewatchables).
Definitely best combo. Two are knowledgeable about film two are entertaining Bill stops it from being a Sean geek out session about film stock.
10/10, no notes. CR/SF/BS pods remain the best pods.
Best gratuitous shot taken by Chris Ryan--"you a big Caravaggio guy?"
Looking forward to this one. The Verdict is a masterpiece. And I think I agree with y'all - the best pods are Simmons/Ryan/Fennessey pods.
Great ep. I do think Simmons is a little hard on Clooney; he pretty clearly decided to stop chasing superstardom years ago in favor of directing (mediocre as that's gone), doing quirky shit with directors he likes, and hanging with his family (including two young kids). Not everyone wants to be Tom Cruise.
This is true to some extent but Clooney has also not been in a truly awesome movie since Michael Clayton. That was 15 years ago. And he's been in a decent number of movies. They just suck, at worst, or can be endured, at best.
On the directing front, I really did love The Tender Bar, so maybe that's a comeback for George. But it was also not a widely known or watched movie. Midnight Sky was pretty lame. Suburbicon sucked. The Monuments Men, Ides of March, and Leatherheads are competent movies, to be sure, but they are also not great.
You have to go back to 2005 in Good Night and Good Luck to find the last great Clooney directed movie.
It isn't crazy to be sad about Clooney's output in the last 15 years. It's clear he doesn't care, so you are right that he doesn't want to be Tom Cruse, but he also is in and makes a lot of garbage. So he might not want to be Tom Cruise, but I bet you he doesn't want to be Jason Friedberg either.
You're correct overall, but I think you're forgetting about Gravity from 2013 - that one was pretty damn good.
For sure. I also thought he was older than just 61 now. It wouldn’t have been that unusual for him to make hits through his mid 40s and 50s. Kind of surprised he hasn’t done Marvel yet.
Didn't clooney make a couple hundred million selling his tequila company? As a movie fan I'd appreciate it if clooney was acting in serious roles but obviously not every very rich actor wants to be like tom cruise and just work all the time.
Descendants was pretty good but jeepers, 2011.
Yeah, I don’t think maddog2020’s point was begrudging him living his awesome life with his beautiful, brilliant wife and kids or whatever. It’s just when he had taken roles, they’ve tended to bomb. Like, all these movies out here casually making billions, and he did Tomorrowland.
Fair. He's basically not in good movies over the past decade -- and Hanks is picking some stinkers too -- and as a 47 year old dude who loves genre films this is killing me.
He’s been in, like, 6 movies since 2014 though. And the one from this year “Ticket to Paradise” with Julia Roberts took in $160 Million. And I’m guessing he only did it because he’s buddies with JR. And likely he only did Hail Caesar because he likes the Coens. Hell, one of the other few movies he did was *also* with JR.
I genuinely don’t think he gives a shit about commercial potential, and probably barely likes acting anymore unless it’s something weird or involves his friends. I am disappointed because I really find him appealing and funny when he wants to be, but it’s he’s basically been in quasi retirement for 8 years. He’s not Nicholas Cage going 3/65 despite trying.
Yeah Clooney I think just doesn’t really care about Hollywood anymore. He’ll show up every now and then but he probably is in the top 5 of people I’d love to trade lives with. He seems very happy