Holly’s savvy child-with-a-heart-of-gold trope and presence on every adventure are questioned despite praise for Rice; her restraint on Healy supplies the story’s heart. — Bill Simmons
Her desire to save men who nearly killed her is considered odd. — Bill Simmons
Basinger feels outside the film’s comic register, especially beside Tally’s better-fitting performance. — Bill Simmons
The period setting, young Qualley, the and-stuff correction and memorable lines are praised; the Crowe/Basinger reunion means little to one participant. — Bill Simmons
Crowe’s reported claim of gaining weight for the role prompts joking comparisons with athletes returning overweight. — Chris Ryan
Dive bars, adult theaters, bookstores and the airport hotel’s multiple bars create an appealingly seedy setting.
The running jokes about Janet and her sister are enjoyed, especially Gosling talking to kids like adults and the daughter driving.
Hannibal Burris as the killer bee in the back seat while the driver sleeps is great. — Chris Ryan
Suspicion of corporations remains timely. The automaker conspiracy is questioned as overcomplication but defended for the smog-related comedy it enables.
Gosling’s subsequent rise strengthens appreciation of the performance. — Bill Simmons
Nick Castle reportedly lost Hook to Spielberg, then lost Sleepless to Ephron after creative conflict, eventually directing Dennis the Menace the same year. — Bill Simmons
Internet casting lists are treated skeptically; Roberts turning down Annie is considered credible because she reportedly discussed it herself. — Bill Simmons
Demi Moore is an intriguing hypothetical Annie but is considered too feisty or controlled; Robin Wright likewise lacks Ryan’s daffy quality.
Bullock is considered too early in her career and Roberts too famous, potentially overpowering the film. — Bill Simmons
Ryan’s accessible appeal and relatability are defended as essential to supporting a character who stalks a stranger.
Ryan reportedly pushed for husband Dennis Quaid as Sam, but Ephron rejected the married pairing; the panel doubts Quaid could deliver the radio speech as effectively. — Bill Simmons
The original Jonah was replaced after days; an assertion that Hanks pushed the firing is qualified by his documentary recollection that Ephron fired the child. Ross Malinger's later car-sales work is reported secondhand. — Bill Simmons
Isobar reportedly involved a genetically created monster escaping on a train, with Stallone and Kim Basinger attached and successive departures by Ridley Scott and Emmerich. — Bill Simmons
Gale Force reportedly cast Stallone as an ex-Navy SEAL fighting pirates during a hurricane. — Bill Simmons
Harlin reportedly received three million dollars; four million went to writers, including a rejected erotic-thriller rewrite by Joe Eszterhas. — Bill Simmons
Cliffhanger reportedly followed the cancellation of Gale Force, with Harlin retaining his fee. — Bill Simmons
The rabbit’s survival reportedly required a100,000-dollar Stallone-funded reshoot after test screenings. The claim a rabbit was actually killed on camera is unverified speaker assertion. — Bill Simmons
The absurd forty-foot cliff jump was reportedly removed after trailer audiences laughed at it. — Bill Simmons
Carolco reportedly surrendered much of the revenue rights to finance production, stopped twice for inability to pay crews, overspent by 40 million and took a 2 million salary sacrifice from Stallone, leaving little benefit from the hit. — Bill Simmons
Stallone's reported top-three physical-condition films are RockyIV, Cliffhanger and RamboIII; RamboII is a wrong guess and Cobra misses the list. — Kyle Brandt
Mountain filming reportedly used the Italian Dolomites near Cortina d’Ampezzo. — Bill Simmons
Simon Crane’s million-dollar plane crossing is reported as a record aerial stunt; failure to enter the second plane required an edited close-up. — Bill Simmons
The opening glove reportedly would not slip despite oversizing and Vaseline because Stallone held too tightly, eventually yielding the desired take. — Kyle Brandt
Stallone reportedly injured his hand on a soundstage cliff but described it publicly as a climbing injury. — Bill Simmons
Keaton is a yes: the biggest movie ever when released, and his juice got Pacific Heights made. — Bill Simmons
A joke asks whether Damon Wayans understood Apex Mountain.
Pacific Heights is defended as great, prompting a joke to schedule it. — Bill Simmons
Basinger could be argued yes given her fame and coming Alec Baldwin romance, but L.A. Confidential is offered instead; she worked little after it. — Bill Simmons
Peters and Guber are a yes, since this success helped them take over Sony before it fell apart. — Bill Simmons
The Knox actor gets an “absolutely”, but it is immediately deferred to Arli$$ as his apex. — Bill Simmons
For Burton, this film is possible but Batman Returns is preferred as the better movie he fully controlled; it has great performances throughout, with no bad Palance turn. — Sean Fennessey
The framing of Vicki Vale is flagged as weird and reserved for this category. — Bill Simmons
Some special effects, like the bat plane flight, feel very 1989. — Bill Simmons
The film is too dark and literally hard to see in places; The Batman is said to be darker still. — Bill Simmons
The Keaton-Basinger scenes feel rough; a defense says they convey chemistry and that the Joker is crude and after her. — Sean Fennessey
Keaton’s Bruce is an odd, untraumatized weirdo, so the romance raises the question of why she likes him beyond his money; he is compared to a tech billionaire with a Steve Jobs look, though he had great chemistry with Michelle Pfeiffer in the sequel. — Sean Fennessey
The uproar over casting Keaton, with a reported 50,000 protest letters, is hard to explain today and is contrasted with modern tweet-based hate. — Chris Ryan
The Prince soundtrack is named, while Trust and Party Man are defended as good songs.
The importance of the Gotham Globe newspaper has dated; the setting feels like both 1989 and 1948, and Gotham is a composite of many cities.
Robert Wuhl as Knox is the worst part: he is in too many scenes after Bull Durham, which is called the most unfortunate part of the movie. — Bill Simmons
Keaton’s lower Batman voice; Kim Basinger; Nicholson as the Joker; the Batcave; the rushed Christmas teaser; making a Batman movie; Burton gamble; low angst; Bruce’s armor room
Peters reportedly rushed out a trailer played in theaters around Christmas after reading of fan anger over Keaton; it created huge excitement and is still on YouTube. — Bill Simmons
The role as an exclamation point on Nicholson’s pop-culture career is added. — Bill Simmons
Making a Batman movie at all, and taking a chance on Burton, look smart given how many followed. — Chris Ryan
The relative lack of angst compared with the Nolan, Snyder, and Reeves films is praised. — Chris Ryan
Bruce’s office and armor display room are added, prompting a joke about needing one at home.
The project began as Cheech and Chong joining the Army; Columbia preferred Dennis Quaid to Harold Ramis, and Kim Basinger was offered the role ultimately played by the actress the transcript calls P. J. Souls.
This discussion recalls a choice from an earlier episode.
Columbia preferred Dennis Quaid for Ramis’s role, and participation was made conditional on Ramis remaining in the cast. — Bill Simmons
Kim Basinger was offered the role ultimately played by the actress identified in the transcript as P. J. Souls; the offer fell through because Basinger’s agent requested what the panel calls a crazy amount of money. — Bill Simmons
The panel thinks Basinger’s star power and appearance would have overwhelmed the ensemble. — Brian Koppelman
