The opening with Akeem waking up is floated as a pick; it is rewatchable but too long, since he barely reaches America 40 minutes in.
First pick: the presentation of the future queen, lavish and well executed, with James Earl Jones's line about having sex with the bathers.
The Zamunda sequence uses the old Hollywood trick of a lavish set piece, with elephants wandering past windows and 400 costumed people, compared with Cabin in the Sky.
The first nightclub scene is cleverly edited, with a string of women and ending with Arsenio in drag.
Invited to make a veiled joke, the reply notes this is the fourth Eddie Murphy conversation and riffs "Eddie, you talking to us." — Wesley Morris
The nightclub scene is blocked as shot-reverse-shot, but for Arsenio's turn Eddie sits beside him, so Arsenio is essentially reacting to himself.
The nightclub premise of judging which woman is good enough may belong in What's Aged the Worst; some moments are "definitely 1988".
Black Awareness Week, called "probably going to be my winner", features Arsenio's reverend and Randy Watson with Sexual Chocolate to tepid applause; the makeup hides Eddie for about 40 seconds, in six great minutes.
The scene rings true to community events in Baton Rouge, at the Leo Butler Community Center, where a tired local celebrity always performs.
Another had a version at Fairmont Park; the name Black Awareness Week is the canned-peas version, and the crowd's reaction to Randy Watson is captured perfectly.
Randy Watson sings The Greatest Love of All rather than Super Freak, a song sung at every graduation; without Whitney Houston you hear how mediocre it is.
The St. John's game brings back the 80s Big East; the bathroom recognition is called one participant's favorite scene and another's second favorite.
The bathroom scene is moving: a Black man seeing a Black person who means something deep to him in a common space; truly touching rather than funny.
Akeem's first date with Lisa brings the cross-movie cameo of Mortimer and Randolph from Trading Places as homeless men, a huge theater surprise.
A dad expected the Dukes to take the money and come back; a movie of that was expected but never came.
The dad-versus-dad clash between John Amos and James Earl Jones, with "I'm going to put my foot in your royal ass", is really good.
The barbershop scenes are held for What's Aged the Best because they are short.
The scene where all the characters come together to straighten out the plot is fine but a little long. — Bill Simmons
That plot-resolution scene is called a favorite: a party sequence with deep depth of field and stakes, plus a living-room farce where misunderstandings get ironed out like a Three's Company ending, with Amos, Madge Sinclair and James Earl Jones on different sides.
The barbershop scenes are the pick: so short that they're so rewatchable, arguing over the same things people argue about in the barbershop. — Van Lathan
In reply, the barbershop scenes, earlier held for What's Aged the Best, are accepted as collectively the most rewatchable scene; a YouTube clip strings them all together like its own movie.

Mortimer and Randolph crossover; barbershop Joe Louis bit; Darryl and Soul Glo; "The royal penis is clean"; McDowell's versus McDonald's; Louie Anderson's cameo; Eddie's Jewish comedian makeup; engagement-announcement trope; the women in the cast; the Waldorf Astoria; Queens and New York as themselves

In the discussion (14)

Approx. transcript time · 00:57:14Read transcript

Mortimer and Randolph crossing over is mentioned again, along with the barbershop bit about Joe Louis's age and Frank Sinatra saying he was 137.
A barbershop take starts with Kobe being better than Jordan and escalates; the lines are sneaky funny and well written.
As personal trauma, avoiding barbershops where the average age is 75 after bad shape-ups.
Darryl and Soul Glo helped end the Jheri curl, making it mainstream to mock; West Coast rap briefly kept curls and N.W.A was the last gasp.
The Soul Glo commercial is a tour de force that feels like real TV, one of the funniest, most devastating Black culture jokes.
"The royal penis is clean, your highness" always kills.
John Amos explaining the difference between McDowell's and McDonald's is enjoyed.
Louie Anderson's McDowell's monologue gained a second life through Kanye West's Gold Digger.
It was reportedly Landis's idea for Eddie to play the Jewish comedian, and visiting Paramount executives didn't recognize him in the makeup.
The 80s-90s trope of a father announcing his daughter's engagement to an annoying boyfriend without her knowing is a favorite gimmick.
Every Black woman in the movie has aged well, including Vanessa Bell Calloway, Garcelle Beauvais, Shari Headley and Madge Sinclair.
Jody Watley's sister, who went by Midori, plays one of the rose bearers.
The Waldorf Astoria became the benchmark for an amazing hotel; the Plaza plays that role through Home Alone.
Queens and New York look like themselves, without the snow plowed for the king's arrival.

What’s Aged the Worst?

117-minute runtime; John Amos's once-major presence; Darryl bragging about St. John's tickets; the name Semmi; John Landis's next films; missing hit soundtrack

In the discussion (15)

Approx. transcript time · 01:05:47Read transcript

At 117 minutes it is too long; about 105 would be ideal, cutting the first 20 minutes to get to New York.
John Amos being in the movie was a big deal in 1988 that is hard to explain 33 years later, like other TV dads such as Robert Reed.
Darryl being excited and bragging about four tickets to a St. John's game has aged poorly.
Arsenio's character is named Semmi, like a Celtic (ASR "shemiochile") blamed for the team being 13-13 as they tape.
Soul Glo hurt Eric LaSalle's career until ER; a counterpoint says he made good there, and Shari Headley didn't get enough work afterward.
LaSalle is outrageously handsome even under the curl, unlike Eddie, whose stardom never relied on looks.
The bearded O.J. Simpson in Buffalo around 1975 as the most handsome man who ever lived is reaffirmed.
John Landis's next films after this: Oscar, Innocent Blood and Beverly Hills Cop 3, which is called terrible.
Beverly Hills Cop 3 was the first movie one participant ever walked out of.
Eddie doing a third Beverly Hills Cop felt sad; it became almost a Disney film.
Rewatching Cop 3 on cable confirmed it was bad; after it Landis made The Stupids, Blues Brothers 2000 and Susan's Plan.
The System's end-credits theme song is called aged worst; others object, calling it a jam played on BET.
The song wasn't a hit because it wasn't that good. — Bill Simmons
The soundtrack is a missed opportunity: the only song heard in full is The Greatest Love of All, with no Janet Jackson or Paula Abdul, while other movies had big soundtracks like the Pointer Sisters.
Nile Rodgers did the music and Michael Jackson, his friend, is nowhere on it; "It's a miss."

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Allison Dean as Patrice

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 01:16:09Read transcript

Madge Sinclair is considered, but she is known as the queen and had many Emmy nominations.
Runner-up is Paul Bates, the first person seen, who sings when the queen is introduced; IMDb lists True Romance.
The winner is Allison Dean as the sister Patrice, great in the movie and expected to have a long career.

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

Frankie Faison

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:17:13Read transcript

No overacting was felt beyond Eddie's characters, which is not a bad thing.
Frankie Faison as the slumlord is proposed ("Good call") and given the Vincent Hanna Award; a garbled Louie Anderson mention precedes it.

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Allison Dean as Patrice

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 01:17:44Read transcript

Nominees include Frankie Faison, Louie Anderson, and Sam Jackson, then in a rut of playing guys with drug issues or robbing places.
Patrice, played by Allison Dean, gives a great Dion Waiters performance, including her line about earrings.
She is super likable, hot and sexually assertive and owns it, matching the late-80s R&B attitude of songs like Ain't Nothing Going On but the Rent and What Have You Done for Me Lately.

Apex Mountain

Shari Headley; Allison Dean; Clint Smith; Jheri curls in film

In the discussion (13)

Approx. transcript time · 01:30:43Read transcript

Eddie Murphy is not at Apex here.
Arsenio Hall is proposed as at Apex, but the objection is that the Arsenio Hall Show is his apex, with 1989 preferred.
James Earl Jones's apex is debated: this film and Field of Dreams, the 70s, the voice of Darth Vader, the Yellow Pages ads, possibly no apex, or Sandlot as a belated apex.
Best of the Best is jokingly named as an apex and a future Rewatchables pick.
Shari Headley and the other sister are "definitely Apex for both".
St. John's is no, because the 1985 team with Chris Mullin, Walter Berry and Mark Jackson was better.
Clint Smith is a yes.
Hot tubs are raised; the Coming to America hot tub is admired, but others point to Julia Roberts and Eddie's James Brown sketch.
For Jheri curls, Soul Glo is both the nadir and the apex, at least in film.
Queens isn't treated well enough to be at Apex, and classy New York hotels peak with Home Alone.
Barbershop conversations were copied for 33 years, but the movie Barbershop is judged the apex for barbershops.
The category should be specific to Black barbershops because Mississippi Burning has a barbershop scene the same year. — Wesley Morris
It's got to be Barbershop.

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

Not recommended

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 01:44:19Read transcript

The answer to a Netflix series is "Please, no."
Instead of a movie, the sequel could have been a season of TV; not recommended, but conceivable. — Bill Simmons
The sequel is about Akeem 30 years later discovering an illegitimate son in New York; who the mother is remains a tease.

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

McDowell's cheeseburger phone; gold hair dryer; toothbrush suitcase; Eric LaSalle's sunglasses; Akeem's necklace

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 01:50:14Read transcript

The McDowell's cheeseburger phone John Amos uses would be bought on eBay right away.
The gold hair dryer and the suitcase full of toothbrushes are wanted.
Eric LaSalle's sunglasses and Akeem's necklace with red threads between the blocks are also named.

Who Won the Movie?

Eddie Murphy

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 01:50:44Read transcript

Eddie Murphy is named repeatedly as winner: "Let's not overthink this one."
Arsenio Hall gets a best supporting actor nod.
Alternatives for Arsenio's sidekick role are debated: Mario Joyner, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Townsend, Denzel, Wesley Snipes, Sinbad and David Alan Grier, with most judged too handsome, too early or a complexion mismatch.

Podcast choices

Speaker not identified: Eddie Murphy