‘Boogie Nights’ (Part 2) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey
September 27, 2022 · Boogie Nights (1997) · Drama · 2:49:29 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Great Shot Gordo Award
Bill SimmonsThe opening steadicam shot through the nightclub - three minutes long, introduces all seven main characters, starts at the Boogie Nights marquee and moves through the entire club▶ 4:30
Chris RyanThe opening steadicam shot, focusing on the complex choreography like when the camera follows Maurice and hits perfectly when Julianne Moore is lighting her cigarette▶ 4:19
Sean FennesseyThe opening steadicam shot, specifically praising the moment when the camera moves off the crane and starts moving through the club▶ 5:16
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsBoogie Nights — Agrees with Chris Ryan's pick of this movie for people reading their own reviews▶ 33:05
Chris RyanBoogie Nights — Apex Mountain of people reading their own reviews - choosing this movie over Citizen Dick in Singles▶ 32:59
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsReed Rothschild - multi-talented guy who was magician, bartender, poet, songwriter, could make margaritas, knew how to cut cocaine, write music, play guitar, squatted 350, looked like Han Solo, good team guy▶ 1:15:25
Sean FennesseyThe cast - went from maybe one Oscar nomination when made to north of 25 now, multiple Best Actor/Actress winners, and the beginning of PTA putting together his recurring troupe▶ 1:16:40
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Chris RyanNo clear weak link, mentioned Buck's plotline as least favorite of major plots but wouldn't call it weak link▶ 1:25:39
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsDirk Diggler's prosthetic penis wasn't big enough - should have been two inches longer and thicker▶ 1:36:50
Chris RyanThis movie is basically West Coast Goodfellas - it wouldn't exist without Goodfellas▶ 1:39:14
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsWarren Beatty — Leo and Titanic was perfect, and Wahlberg in Boogie Nights was perfect - it worked out for the best. Also fascinated by Warren Beatty's potential Jack Horner role▶ 1:42:32
Chris RyanMark Wahlberg — Mark Wahlberg was great and the right choice - agrees it worked out better than if Leo had been cast▶ 1:42:17
Sean FennesseyMark Wahlberg — Wahlberg was the right choice over Leo - Leo couldn't have delivered the 'dumb guy quality' that Wahlberg brought to Dirk Diggler▶ 1:43:00
Overacting Award
Chris RyanJulianne Moore — Initially suggests Julianne Moore, then discusses several options including the donut shop robber and John Doe▶ 1:50:22
Sean FennesseyAlfred Molina — Mentions Molina as a possibility but doesn't give a definitive pick▶ 1:50:52
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsPhilip Baker Hall — Initially suggests it comes down to the Colonel versus Floyd Gondali, then proposes moving the Colonel to another category so Floyd can win, ultimately agrees to co-winners▶ 1:56:07
Chris RyanPhilip Baker Hall — If the Colonel is in this category, it's the Colonel, but Floyd Gondali is more of a true Dion Waiters performance by letter of the law▶ 1:56:11
Sean FennesseyPhilip Baker Hall — Co-winners: Floyd Gondali and the Colonel, comparing them to LeBron and Kyrie's stats from the Cavs finals▶ 1:56:45
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsJamie Gillis' groundbreaking On the Prowl series from 1989 spurred the limo scene, and Gillis was horrified when parodied in Boogie Nights▶ 2:09:52
Chris RyanRobert Ellsworth and PTA watched every existing porno that was ever shot on film for research▶ 2:09:36
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsMultiple nits: Torrance to Reseda is too far (33 miles), Eddie's pricing structure is terrible ($5 to look, $10 for jerk off), Amber calling at 2:30am to check on her sleeping 7-year-old, the four runaways Floyd brought look too desperate, donut shop has unrealistic amount of money ($10,000-15,000), Buck's Egyptian look is insane for 1980 porn, Jack's house locations would get repetitive for filming, Johnny Doe being a loser when meeting Dirk▶ 2:20:47
Chris RyanDefends most elements - Eddie's pricing works with singles, Floyd's people represent the shift from aspirational to desperate porn, donut shop could be a month of deposits or front for cocaine business, questions why cops don't investigate Jack's house more thoroughly after the murder-suicide▶ 2:21:54
Sean FennesseyGenerally defends the movie's logic - the distance shows Eddie's ambition, the pricing reflects Carter-era inflation, porn stars in the 70s looked more normal than 80s stars, donut shop money could be weeks of deposits, cops coming to Jack's house after murder-suicide wouldn't be unusual for 1979 San Fernando Valley▶ 2:21:00
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsJack is post-sexual; Reed should be saved over Dirk because he has more to offer society with literature, music, magic; Roller Girl took off her skates around 1989; Dirk probably died of AIDS in 1987 like John Holmes▶ 2:30:31
Chris RyanJack doesn't drink alcohol (asks for 7-Up); Todd Parker transitioned from dancing to dealing drugs by 1983; Reed should be saved over Dirk▶ 2:30:40
Sean FennesseyJack has seen too much porn and equipment doesn't work due to age; Jack's attraction to Dirk is like a baseball scout finding talent; Little Bill's wife didn't deserve to die, she was challenging him to step up; Reed should be saved over Dirk; Amber went on to make Paradise Lost films▶ 2:30:32
Who Won the Movie
Sean FennesseyPaul Thomas Anderson — PTA, without question - everyone got a boost but PTA won▶ 2:44:23
Movies Referenced (58)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodfellas (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 3:46 |
| Magnolia (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 24:44 |
| Armageddon (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:27:04 |
| New Year's Eve (2011) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 12:12 |
| Palm Springs (2020) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 8:16 |
| Pulp Fiction (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:46:28 |
| Sing (2016) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 58:25 |
| True Romance (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 2:17:25 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 44:52 |
| Good Will Hunting (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:27:04 |
| I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:11:16 |
| Midnight Run (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 40:03 |
Directors Referenced (14)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 20 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 2:07 |
| Warren Beatty | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Heaven Can Wait | ▶ 1:44:07 |
| Nina Hartley | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Boogie Nights | ▶ 22:07 |
| St. Vincent | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 26:45 | |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood | ▶ 1:45:34 |
| Mel Gibson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Braveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory | ▶ 1:58:09 |
| Robert Altman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Gosford Park | ▶ 39:54 |
| Adam Shankman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | A Walk to Remember | ▶ 33:28 |
| Alison Wonderland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | Promising Young Woman | ▶ 2:29:22 |
| Jonathan Demme | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married | ▶ 1:39:28 |
| Michael Bay | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Armageddon | ▶ 1:27:14 |
| Michael Stein | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Boogie Nights | ▶ 1:49:12 |
Actors Referenced (107)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Adams | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 28 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Planet of the Apes | ▶ 9:23 |
| Mark Wahlberg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 27 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Fighter, Boogie Nights, The Departed | ▶ 10:41 |
| Burt Reynolds | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 20 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Boogie Nights, Smokey and the Bandit, Striptease | ▶ 54:55 |
| Julianne Moore | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Far from Heaven, Boogie Nights, Magnolia | ▶ 4:19 |
| Christian Bale | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Rises | ▶ 1:02:03 |
| Don Cheadle | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons | Crash | ▶ 1:13:17 |
| Night Ranger | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Sixteen Candles, Boogie Nights | ▶ 37:45 |
| Philip Baker Hall | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Magnolia, Boogie Nights | ▶ 30:17 |
| Melora Walters | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Dead Poets Society | ▶ 1:14:26 |
| Ricky Jay | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Magnolia, Boogie Nights | ▶ 24:09 |
| Robert Downey Jr. | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Iron Man, Iron Man 3 | ▶ 2:01:47 |
| Robert Ridgely | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Boogie Nights, Beverly Hills Cop II | ▶ 29:30 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Mamet | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | House of Games | ▶ 22:01 |
| Brian Koppelman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | Runaway Jury, Michael Clayton | ▶ 2:12:42 |
| John Riley | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Men in Black, Independence Day, Stargate | ▶ 1:33:56 |
| Bill Cohen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Amadeus | ▶ 42:22 |
| Vim Shanmugam | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:52:25 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Elswit | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | There Will Be Blood, Nightcrawler | ▶ 8:48 |