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Apollo 13
Speed
Speed
Speed
Ali
To Live and Die in L.A.
To Live and Die in L.A.
Fargo
Sicario
The Blues Brothers
Before Sunrise
Saving Private Ryan
Editorial Director, The Ringer
Chris Ryan
Chris Ryan is listed by The Ringer as editorial director.
Also referred to as Chris, CR, Christopher Ryan, Sierra
Stats
- Episodes credited in this archive
- 286
- Movies in this archive
- 271
- Attributed podcast choices
- 46
Recently watched on Letterboxd
Across the table
Appearing on these Rewatchables episodes
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1982 film
Bill Simmons · Chris Ryan · Sean Fennessey · Mallory Rubin
Aired May 17, 2022
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
1997 film
Bill Simmons · Chris Ryan · Sean Fennessey
Aired May 3, 2022
Displaying episodes 145 - 156 of 286 in total
Mentioned in discussions
Is This Movie Better With…?
Wayne Jenkins as an astronaut
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:39:14Read transcript
- Some participants are content to skip without Chris Ryan
- A Wayne Jenkins reaction to Jack landing is imagined
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 02:03:03Read transcript
- Chris chooses Die Hard and two others agree — Bill Simmons
- Transformers is the fourth choice — Bill Simmons
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Would Harry as villain improve the movie, and who commands the bomb squad?
In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:58:42Read transcript
- The panel prefers the finished version over the reported Harry-villain script
- Who is the most important Jan? De Bont is compared with Jan Hammer and others
- What is the bomb squad’s hierarchy when Jack and Harry keep improvising?
- When does Jack’s attraction to Annie become another motivation?
- The fictional Chris Ryan obituary tangent is not treated as a fact about him
Jesse Eisenberg “That’s good. You should be proud of that right there. Don’t worry if you don’t make it any further” Award for Best Line Reading
A bomb that does not explode is a cheap gold watch
Flex pick · Bill Simmons
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:25:13Read transcript
- A second flex picker chooses Hopper’s gold-watch line — Sean Fennessey
- The picker links it to Chris’s earlier quote choice but their own identity is not explicit in this text — Sean Fennessey
The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot
The bus explosion behind Jack and the scale of the practical action
In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:15:06Read transcript
- The Jaguar-door shot is recalled
- Chris’s pick centers on the camera panning around Jack as the bus explodes behind him
- Flames reflected in the ringing payphone are admired
- The low helicopter shot of the police escort is nominated
- The bus hitting the jet is nominated
- The rescued passengers watching Jack and Annie from the other bus is an emotional alternative
The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot
The speed-bag image, purposeful ramp walk, Foreman-fight entrance, dark Zaire arrival, and overhead-to-behind running shot are nominated.
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:14:44Read transcript
- CR chooses the camera behind the speed bag, synchronized with the music.
- The fast ramp walk and Ali’s Foreman-fight entrance are nominated.
- The dark Zaire arrival and running shot that closes in behind Ali are praised. — Van Lathan
Flex pick · Chris Ryan
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 00:55:31Read transcript
- Chris’s Vincent Chase flex questions Frank’s lyrics, musicianship, betrayal of a bandmate and contribution to the disastrous artistic direction; his class affectation is also mocked.
The Dennis Peck Relationship Test
Masters, Bianca and Serena’s openness
The panel proposes a new category here.
Flex pick · Chris Ryan
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:24:12Read transcript
- Chris’s Dennis Peck relationship test concludes that Masters, Bianca and Serena’s openness would defeat Peck’s usual destructive power. — Chris Ryan
Did This Movie Need a Random Sports Scene?
Masters joining the pickup basketball game
Flex pick · Chris Ryan
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:24:12Read transcript
- Chris’s random-sports flex proposes Masters joining the pickup basketball game; a possible White Shadow court connection remains uncertain.
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:27:06Read transcript
- That Guy choices split between Harve Presnell as Wade and Larry Brandenburg as Stan, with Chris choosing Brandenburg; Presnell’s return from obscurity is admired. — Bill Simmons
Most Rewatchable Scene
Mike Yanagita; roadside triple homicide; driveway witness
In the discussion (13)
Approx. transcript time · 00:05:43Read transcript
- The Mike Yanagita scene is defended as the clue that makes Marge revisit Jerry and as a thematic study of false appearances; a further interpretation suggests she briefly wants to feel noticed beyond domestic routine. — Chris Ryan
- Marge’s discomfort during the Yanagita encounter is praised as precise facial acting.
- The opening bar meeting is a scene candidate; empty bottles are criticized as a hacky drunkenness cue, countered by the bar’s possible lack of staff.
- The kidnapping setup’s domestic knitting and local morning show are enjoyed, particularly its incongruous Nile-cruise promotion. — Chris Ryan
- Young Adult is a regional comparison; Jean’s frozen response and then terror during the kidnapping are praised, with the sequence proposed for the Dan Campbell escalation category.
- The failed financing request, ice-scraper breakdown and rehearsed ransom call form a favorite run, exposing Jerry’s catastrophic planning; small cold-weather behavior adds authenticity. — Kyle Brandt
- The roadside murders are a scene candidate for shocking violence mixed with comedy; the physical effect of the headshot is questioned without a settled answer.
- Marge’s escort interviews and the repeated funny-looking description of Carl are praised; McDormand’s account says even the tiny verbal beats were scripted.
- Carl’s parking-attendant argument, Shep beating and Wade confrontation are scene candidates, with Buscemi’s mounting fury singled out.
- The snow-shoveling witness’s monotone account is a favorite scene, including his recollection of Carl threatening the last person who called him a jerk. — Bill Simmons
- The second Jerry interview, woodchipper approach, drive afterward and three-cent-stamp ending are scene candidates; abrupt death and Marge’s rare anger are praised.
- Kyle chooses the Mike Yanagita scene, including its alarming greeting and awkwardness. — Kyle Brandt
- Chris chooses the roadside triple homicide; another participant agrees on its filmmaking but personally prefers the driveway witness monologue, so the final scene preferences remain split. — Chris Ryan
Is This Movie Better With…?
Zane Lowe advising Ted
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:47:11Read transcript
- Chris chooses Zane Lowe encouraging Ted before the bar for Better With; Wayne Jenkins is jokingly put in the bullpen rather than declared permanently retired.
Displaying discussions 1 - 12 of 119 in total
Flex picks
Flex pick · Chris Ryan
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:10:31Read transcript
- An explicitly invited CR flex questions Pete’s recruiting and coaching despite two titles: household-object demonstrations, indignation about expected payments and a simplistic defensive adjustment are criticized. — Bill Simmons
- The rigid offense fails to adapt to Hardaway’s gifts; pick-and-rolls and alley-oops are suggested instead of forcing players into the system. — Van Lathan
- Poor conditioning compounds the lack of tactical sophistication. — Bill Simmons
When I Would Have Died
Hotel explosion or mall collision
Flex pick · Chris Ryan
In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 00:50:37Read transcript
- The explicitly invited CR flex chooses either the hotel explosion and collapsing room or being hit by an Oldsmobile while shopping in the mall. — Chris Ryan
Flex pick · Chris Ryan
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:03:40Read transcript
- Julie Delpy wins the explicit Chris Ryan flex for smoking at the cafe, though more actual puffs are desired. — Bill Simmons
- Jesse taking a drag, getting his own cigarette and lighting it from hers is admired as authentic smoker behavior. — Bill Simmons
Jesse in Before Sunrise Award for the Character Who Should Have Smoked but Didn’t
Jesse; probably Céline too
The panel proposes a new category here.
Flex pick · Chris Ryan
In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:01:37Read transcript
- Chris explicitly selects the category as his flex after Bill invites him to restore a cut category. — Chris Ryan
- Chris remembers Jesse as a smoker and argues that Hawke's real-life smoking makes the omission puzzling. — Chris Ryan
- The 1995 European setting and the smoking poet make the absence of cigarettes especially conspicuous.
- The lack of smoking now makes the movie feel unexpectedly modern.
- Julie Delpy is also proposed as someone who would plausibly smoke. — Bill Simmons
The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot
Mother in doorway; men crossing field; heads over hill; men on steps; helmet death; handheld combat; crossing tank; underwater landing
Flex pick · Chris Ryan
In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:04:48Read transcript
- The mother framed in the doorway as the car approaches, followed by her collapse onto the porch, is a selected cinematic image. — Chris Ryan
- The men walking across the field and heads appearing over the hill are offered as other striking compositions. — Chris Ryan
- The wide shot of the men on the steps listening to the record player, apart from Hanks and Damon, is praised as poster-like. — Chris Ryan
- A soldier surviving a shot that hits his helmet, removing it, and then being shot in the head is singled out as a brutal visual moment. — Sean Fennessey
- The intricate handheld battle shots are praised for coordinating several moving actions within one shot. — Sean Fennessey
- The tank crossing the opening in the final battle visually shows that the planned defense must change without explanatory dialogue. — Sean Fennessey
- The underwater imagery during the landing is praised, including the realization that soldiers can be shot underwater. — Bill Simmons
Displaying flex picks 37 - 41 of 41 in total
From other episodes
Sourced picks from episodes not yet fully included in the archive.
The Neil McCauley “A Book about Metals” Award for Best Line from the Movie
Han Solo’s speech rejecting a mystical force controlling his destiny
Flex pick · Chris Ryan
Transcript excerpt · Targeted transcript check; recording not verified
Star Wars: A New Hope — Part Two
· May 6, 2025