Just What is Apex Mountain: Rewatchables discussion thread

Van Everyman

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Had the same hangup, Mallory goes SO hard for her beloved properties (and as any regular knows, there are many) that in some circumstances it can suck the air out of the room. One of those circumstances is when the focus of the episode is NOT that property, in this case the FNL TV show. I get they have to address the show to an extent, but ‘The Rewatchables’ serves to platform/pimp the movies it chronicles. In this case, tough, seemingly every other sentence out of her mouth in this episode is an unfavorable comparison to the TV show. It’s her opinion, sure, but have somebody on who will push back on her if you want that perspective. I didn’t dial this up to hear about how much better the TV show is or isn’t, which, incidentally, I’ve never seen.

I would’ve been bummed to dial up ‘The Godfather’ episode and get a treatise of Puzo’s book, too.
Properties?
 

Vandalman

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The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan didn’t appreciate the sold-out crowd in Los Angeles popping off like that after rewatching the 2018 heist film ‘Den of Thieves,’ starring Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr., 50 Cent, and Pablo Schreiber.
 

TheGazelle

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Kyle Brandt with an all time performance on the Home Alone 2 pod.
I'm very late on this, but I'm just listening to this now and this is absolutely correct. His Gus Johnson impression was great, and his hot take that Kevin hates his parents was a gem.
 

Bongorific

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The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan didn’t appreciate the sold-out crowd in Los Angeles popping off like that after rewatching the 2018 heist film ‘Den of Thieves,’ starring Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr., 50 Cent, and Pablo Schreiber.
There’s some dude in the background just hootin and hollerin that’s really distracting.
 

Bozo Texino

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The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan didn’t appreciate the sold-out crowd in Los Angeles popping off like that after rewatching the 2018 heist film ‘Den of Thieves,’ starring Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr., 50 Cent, and Pablo Schreiber.
Lathan addressing the crack about O'Shea Jackson's character's penis is must-listen.

I'm very late on this, but I'm just listening to this now and this is absolutely correct. His Gus Johnson impression was great, and his hot take that Kevin hates his parents was a gem.
Brandt episodes always deliver. Simmons deserves a lot of credit for recognizing which hosts to put on which episodes.
 

Vandalman

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The Ringer’s Bill Simmons opens up the mailbag for the first time in 2025 and reads listener questions and submissions for new categories with Chris Ryan and Craig Horlbeck.
 

bbc23

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Bill pushing for Gymkata as a potential episode and 20 minutes later pronouncing Aragorn as Oregon is an excellent encapsulation of the pod's direction
 

Spelunker

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Bill pushing for Gymkata as a potential episode and 20 minutes later pronouncing Aragorn as Oregon is an excellent encapsulation of the pod's direction
Oregon was thematically perfect, but while it lacked that larger resonance 'che-CAH-dah' was sublime.
 
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kfoss99

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Bill pushing for Gymkata as a potential episode and 20 minutes later pronouncing Aragorn as Oregon is an excellent encapsulation of the pod's direction
Bill being the full-of-himself, know-it-all "dumb jock" is what, I think, separates Rewatchables from so many other movie podcasts. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes infuriating, but always entertaining.
 

Remagellan

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Bill pushing for Gymkata as a potential episode and 20 minutes later pronouncing Aragorn as Oregon is an excellent encapsulation of the pod's direction
You forgot that he referred to the movie as "The Twin Towers"

Oregon was thematically perfect, but while it lacked that larger resonance 'che-CAH-dah' was sublime.
Chris Ryan's response, "No, I know the insect." to Bill's "You've seen the movie?" had me laughing out loud on my walk today.
 

luckiestman

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You forgot that he referred to the movie as "The Twin Towers"



Chris Ryan's response, "No, I know the insect." to Bill's "You've seen the movie?" had me laughing out loud on my walk today.

This Q&A pod could go on indefinitely and I would listen to all of it.
 

Vandalman

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The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey get lost in Vienna for the day after rewatching Richard Linklater’s 1995 romance classic, ‘Before Sunrise,’ starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.
 

Wingack

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Well, a rewatchable for the most perfect movie ever.

There are no critiques to give.

Everything about Before Sunrise is perfect.

It might just be the apex mountain of movies for me.
 

scott bankheadcase

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Well, a rewatchable for the most perfect movie ever.

There are no critiques to give.

Everything about Before Sunrise is perfect.

It might just be the apex mountain of movies for me.
I adore this movie, but my hot take is "before sunset" is even better. It captures a perfect moment in a relationship that is seldom captured in other films.

But this entire trilogy is an all-timer for me.
 

Rustjive

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I adore this movie, but my hot take is "before sunset" is even better. It captures a perfect moment in a relationship that is seldom captured in other films.

But this entire trilogy is an all-timer for me.
Not a hot take at all - over in the 'ONE movie' thread I took Sunset as my one movie. Both are perfect - unparalleled in capturing the exact feeling that Linklater set out to capture - and despite Simmons and Co. sometimes being very 'Sports Guys', you really could hear the romantic in each of CR, Fennessey and BS's voices as they recapped how they felt watching it again recently. They remembered what they felt like in their 20s, or in late high school, or whenever. I have seen Sunset probably over 200 times (and Sunrise over 50) - it's so easy to put on and listen to, and just imagine the faces of the leads and the looks they give each other while you hear their lines and voices. It is exactly like remembering a fond time of your own, meeting someone, making that deep connection.
 

Wingack

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Not a hot take at all - over in the 'ONE movie' thread I took Sunset as my one movie. Both are perfect - unparalleled in capturing the exact feeling that Linklater set out to capture - and despite Simmons and Co. sometimes being very 'Sports Guys', you really could hear the romantic in each of CR, Fennessey and BS's voices as they recapped how they felt watching it again recently. They remembered what they felt like in their 20s, or in late high school, or whenever. I have seen Sunset probably over 200 times (and Sunrise over 50) - it's so easy to put on and listen to, and just imagine the faces of the leads and the looks they give each other while you hear their lines and voices. It is exactly like remembering a fond time of your own, meeting someone, making that deep connection.
100% and they said it on the pod, but it is incredible how these movies change for you, the more you live and love, as you age and go through your own relationships. It is really amazing.
 

Rustjive

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Is ‘Before Sunset’ the Best Sequel of All Time? The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Mallory Rubin have one day to find out if they should pod together forever after rewatching Richard Linklater’s 2004 romantic drama ‘Before Sunset’.

I'm BUZZING, so ready to listen to this.
 

jmm57

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I’m glad they did both of these, would prefer they weren't back to back.
 

8slim

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I never saw either of these movies. In fact, I'm not sure I so much as heard of them until they appeared on the pod.

I guess I should watch them, although romance movies are not my thing at all.
 

jezza1918

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I never saw either of these movies. In fact, I'm not sure I so much as heard of them until they appeared on the pod.

I guess I should watch them, although romance movies are not my thing at all.
I know they are billed as Romance, but im not sure that really does the trilogy justice (Before Midnight is also a VERY good film, even if it isnt quite as rewarding as the first two are). They are almost more character studies done through a relationship lens.
 
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scott bankheadcase

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I know they are billed as Romance, but im not sure that really does the trilogy justice (Before Midnight is also a VERY good film, even if it isnt quite as rewarding as the first two are). They are almost more character studies done through a relationship lens. T
This is a good way of putting it. Or maybe even, with the trilogy, it's a relationship study -- perfectly capturing the feelings of each step, including midnight (with some happier/sadder outcomes). Relationship study, not romcom is the key here.

The first two are almost perfect movies. The last is an amazing, but less satisfying movie.

I know all three (Hawke, Delpy, Linklater) have basically said they haven't come up with a good idea for a 4th, but, man do I want to spend time with Jesse and Celine again, no matter what their life stage.
 

allstonite

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I just finished the “Before Sunrise” episode. It was great as expected from the Big 3.

Bill’s quip (paraphrasing) “I never believed people in movies might actually be soul mates until this. it was this and maybe Jackie Brown…DiNiro and Bridget Fonda” was maybe the hardest I’ve laughed at the Rewatchables. Just a perfect setup and he landed it

Now to rewatch Sunset and listen to that episode
 

jmcc5400

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I just finished the “Before Sunrise” episode. It was great as expected from the Big 3.

Bill’s quip (paraphrasing) “I never believed people in movies might actually be soul mates until this. it was this and maybe Jackie Brown…DiNiro and Bridget Fonda” was maybe the hardest I’ve laughed at the Rewatchables. Just a perfect setup and he landed it

Now to rewatch Sunset and listen to that episode
I also thought "when your sex PER is under 3, all bets are off" was laugh out loud funny and a flash of what made Bill so "revolutionary" as a sports columnist when he was first starting out. Just a perfect, fresh blend of sports and pop culture to make a point.
 

Vandalman

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The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and they’re wearing sunglasses as they rewatch the 1980 classic ‘The Blues Brothers,’ starring Jon Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.
 

jose melendez

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The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and they’re wearing sunglasses as they rewatch the 1980 classic ‘The Blues Brothers,’ starring Jon Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.
I don't listen to this podcast much, but the Blues Brothers might be my all time favorite movie, so I loved this.
 

johnmd20

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Man, despite being a massive fan of OG Aykroyd and having gone on a Belushi bender at one point, this movie didn't really land for me when I was a kid. Does it hold up?
Not really. It is a very overrated movie that has become enhanced over time because Belushi died.

Watch it for yourself. It's not a good movie. It has a couple of decent vignettes. I'd be interested in what you think.
 

luckiestman

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Not really. It is a very overrated movie that has become enhanced over time because Belushi died.

Watch it for yourself. It's not a good movie. It has a couple of decent vignettes. I'd be interested in what you think.
It’s the random baseball game of movies. If it’s on in the background while you’re doing something the good scenes are entertaining enough to watch. I really like some scenes but I think the movies too long.
 

Red(s)HawksFan

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It’s the random baseball game of movies. If it’s on in the background while you’re doing something the good scenes are entertaining enough to watch. I really like some scenes but I think the movies too long.
I think you've nailed it. The run time is 2 hours and 13 minutes and there's easily 15-20 minutes of fluff just from the musical numbers. As much as I understand why they're there, those are the parts that drag for me the most. Specifically the cameo driven ones like Aretha in the diner and Ray Charles in the music store (James Brown in the church is borderline because it includes the moment where Jake gets the "mission from God" inspiration). The scenes can still work without the songs though and it would cut a good 10-20 minutes from the run time.
 

johnmd20

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It’s the random baseball game of movies. If it’s on in the background while you’re doing something the good scenes are entertaining enough to watch. I really like some scenes but I think the movies too long.
It's the movie people who are trying to be cool love. Poser Rewatchable.

Like we both said, it's got some good vignettes and good music. But it's not a movie.
 

Van Everyman

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Not really. It is a very overrated movie that has become enhanced over time because Belushi died.

Watch it for yourself. It's not a good movie. It has a couple of decent vignettes. I'd be interested in what you think.
I may rewatch this at some point but also worth noting: no one is listening to those guys make music on their own without this movie.
 

Spelunker

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I may rewatch this at some point but also worth noting: no one is listening to those guys make music on their own without this movie.
It's definitely because it was "those guys" and they were already famous, but Briefcase Full of Blues went to #1 two years before the movie came out: it went double platinum!
 

Remagellan

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It's the movie people who are trying to be cool love. Poser Rewatchable.

Like we both said, it's got some good vignettes and good music. But it's not a movie.
This...

It's definitely because it was "those guys" and they were already famous, but Briefcase Full of Blues went to #1 two years before the movie came out: it went double platinum!
And this. I wore out Briefcase Full of Blues when I was kid. I found the movie to be an overlong disappointment with some good musical sequences.
 

Ralphwiggum

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This movie never did anything for me either, although its been years since I watched it. I'm going to check it out so that I can listen to the pod.
 

fiskful of dollars

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Same here Ralph. I always felt this was a hole in my movie fandom because it is so loved. The quotes are solid, the music is great. The car chase/crash-up is iconic (maybe). That's ALL I can remember about TBB. I'll cue it up this weekend so I can listen to the pod. Curious how it holds up.
 

Pablo's TB Lover

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Never got seriously into it, but it was a movie that dropped when I was like 3 years old and I didn't watch it until probably 10 years later for the first time. After the entirety of the '80s and into the '90s by the time I watched, a lot of popular culture had lost touch with the music side of the movie and it didn't ring the same. The spirit of Saturday Night Live was also a lot different by then and your teenage years always seem to be one's favorite era of SNL, which changed my lens.

The guys seemed to diagnose this right, in that this was a series of vignettes with memorable moments but not really a tight movie. It was the first SNL-inspired movie so the skit-like nature of the movie with bloat surrounding makes sense when you view it that way.