Astoria is praised as an idyllic-looking place to raise children and compared with the appeal of Notre Dame in Rudy and its appearance in The Goonies. — Bill Simmons
The abuse plot triggers a sarcastic contrast with present-day intolerance and memories of issue-driven sitcom episodes teaching children about danger. — Kyle Brandt
The strong poster and surname-only star billing are praised; Project Hail Mary’s Gosling billing and uncluttered Sports Illustrated covers are comparisons. — Bill Simmons
Ponytailed villains are celebrated: Crisp, Ben Kingsley in Sneakers, Julian Sands in Warlock, Sam Jackson in Jackie Brown and Terry Silver in Karate Kid3/Cobra Kai. — Bill Simmons
A ponytail’s ability to change someone’s perceived personality leads to a roommate anecdote. — Bill Simmons
Tim Robbins reportedly declined because of other obligations; his intended role is explicitly unknown. — Bill Simmons
Billy Crudup reportedly declined because of other obligations; his intended role is explicitly unknown. — Bill Simmons
Carla Gugino was meant to play Moore’s role but an overrun on another project forced a late replacement. — Bill Simmons
Grace Gummer played Quinto’s ex-girlfriend in a deleted scene; Chandor reportedly blamed poor direction rather than her acting, and the scene is available on DVD. — Bill Simmons
The new category is introduced as something these podcasts have circled before; it is expected to be really funny for a Roadhouse episode, with a case that Ben Gazzara was robbed in 1989 and for the Jeff Healy Band (as transcribed) for Best Original Song.
Several of those nominees are liked, In the Bedroom a lot and Gosford Park pretty good, but Fuqua and Training Day should have been nominated; Lord of the Rings was a tough hang that soaked up nominations for years in a way Star Wars never could, even though one host would take Star Wars a hundred times.
Early validation from a nomination might have set Fuqua on a different course, since the movies he made after this resemble Training Day; Denzel's Best Actor win over Russell Crowe, Sean Penn in I Am Sam, Will Smith in Ali and Tom Wilkinson in In the Bedroom is fine, and Halle Berry won for Monsters Ball (as transcribed).
As in Rain Man, where Tom Cruise is the best person in the movie but Dustin Hoffman won, the performer who blows everyone away obscures how good the other one was; Hawke had to avoid being blown away by Denzel, be on PCP for half an hour and be believable in the fight scenes, which is likened to Chris Paul playing on a hamstring.
Nobody here would pick Kingsley in Sexy Beast over Hawke, though he is good in it; two-hander movies like Butch and Sundance, The Sting, The Color of Money and Rain Man raise the question of how filmmakers present the straight man, and Redford is seen as more important than Hoffman in All the President's Men.
Hawke is in more scenes and the movie starts in his house, so he could be argued as the lead with Denzel supporting, but really both were best actors, and doing it otherwise is like making Geena Davis supporting in Thelma and Louise.
Later, on the phone, the Hawke loss to Jim Broadbent is called terrible and one of the few times an actor was right there with Denzel, alongside Viola in Fences, Morgan Freeman in Glory and Hanks in Philadelphia; he should have gotten that award.
Earlier, the hosts note Denzel had only a supporting Oscar before this, having been passed over for Malcolm X, He Got Game, The Hurricane and Remember the Titans.
