‘Minority Report’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan
April 22, 2025 · Minority Report (2002) · Action · Crime · Mystery · 1:48:44 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including Howard Marx about to kill his wife, Cruz figuring out the Leo Crow murder, the 15-minute sequence from 'I like you chief' to Cruz pulling out in new car, cruise gets away from eight guys/running/fire escape sequence, and blind cruise moves through apartment building with ID spiders▶ 38:15
Chris RyanThe 15-minute sequence from when Wally says 'I like you chief' (40th minute) to where Anderton pulls out in the new car (55th minute), calling it 'fucking pure'▶ 41:06
Van LathanPraised Cruz figuring out the Leo Crow murder scene for Tom Cruise's acting and emotional complexity, and supported the blind cruise apartment building scene▶ 40:08
Dion Waiters Award
Chris RyanPeter Stormare — The greenhouse scene with the old lady improvising kissing Tom Cruise, and Peter Stormare as the eye surgeon▶ 52:36
Van LathanColin Farrell — The first meetup between Colin Farrell and Tom Cruise where he rolls the ball▶ 53:19
Great Shot Gordo Award
Chris RyanThe overhead shot of all the apartments being invaded by the spiders (also mentioned the scene in Leo Crow apartment building lobby with both heads in frame)▶ 1:02:50
Van LathanThe scene where the camera pans back behind Neil McDonough's character's head and he visually splits the two opposing characters▶ 1:03:28
Big Kahuna Burger Award
Chris RyanAgreed they were fucking with him and explained context about other people being in the apartment before▶ 1:05:59
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsMax fucking up and saying the girl drowned - doesn't make sense that someone so smart would make that mistake▶ 1:09:59
Chris RyanDiscusses the Lara character as not that dynamic, and mentions the long stretch with Dr. Iris and the eye doctor where nothing happens for 25 minutes▶ 1:09:54
Van LathanThe physical media (thin glass data slides that seem easy to break) and the CGI when they're jumping around cars on the highway▶ 1:10:42
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsSamantha Morton — Samantha Morton apex mountain, also discusses Neil McDonough having a 25-year apex mountain with deep bag of recognizable characters▶ 1:29:52
Chris RyanMinority Report — Nokia Wave genre - Minority Report is apex mountain for this made-up sub-genre spanning 1995-early 2000s featuring tactile futuristic technology▶ 1:28:04
Van LathanTom Cruise — Discusses Cruz/Spielberg collaboration being apex mountain, mentions this as better than War of the Worlds in their partnership▶ 1:28:46
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsDiscusses multiple nitpicks including the eyeball swapping technology being unrealistic and Cruise stumbling into finding Anne Lively's drowning too easily▶ 1:32:37
Chris RyanLamar shooting himself doesn't fit the film's imagination and tone compared to earlier jetpack fights▶ 1:33:29
Van LathanWho's in charge of updating the retinal files - John Anderton can still access secure areas with his retinal scan despite being a fugitive▶ 1:33:47
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsAgrees with retinal scanner issue - in 2025 we'd know better, but acknowledges it's 2002 filmmaking▶ 1:34:33
Chris RyanAcknowledges the paradox issues but defends them as intentional Philip K. Dick-style philosophical concepts about predestination▶ 1:36:01
Van LathanRetinal scanner still giving access after eye removal - who updates the retinal files? Also, cops leave the victim (Ann Wiley) alone after arresting the murderer, allowing Burgess to kill her▶ 1:34:27
Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake
Bill SimmonsPrestige TV adaptation should have worked, comparing it to Apple's approach - would be more heady and less fun/chase-oriented, suggests Apple could do it with Morning Show level budget as advertisement for future tech▶ 1:37:06
Chris RyanSuggests prequel about the first guy caught by precogs, agrees on all minority reports concept, proposes 'Law and Order: Pre-Crime' as cheaper procedural version▶ 1:37:53
Van LathanQuestions whether prestige version should be one season stretching Anderton's story or multiple seasons based on pre-crime system▶ 1:37:41
Is This Movie Better With
Bill SimmonsLists standard options (Wayne Jenkins, Danny Trejo, Doris Burke, Sam Jackson, Byron Mayo, Barney Cousins, Tony Romo, Harling Mays, Chris Collinsworth, Daniel Plainview, Long Legs, Wilford Brimley in The Firm) and adds Ryan Ruссo for NBA playoffs; also references Lamar Burgess▶ 1:38:08
Chris RyanDoris Burke — Doris Burke (DB) - extended riff about her as Agatha from Minority Report, coming out of the photon milk and living her best life in Gap clothing▶ 1:38:18
Just One Oscar
Bill SimmonsJanusz Kaminski — Kaminsky for cinematography - thinks the movie looks so cool and has a unique vibe that stands out▶ 1:39:09
Chris RyanNotes this is hardly discussed as a Spielberg movie that should have won an Oscar, but acknowledges people still study it▶ 1:39:30
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsAsked multiple questions: Did Howard Marx's wife deserve to die? (answered no), Has any actor worn more masks than Tom Cruise?, What's the betting line on the crane fight?, Has Van typed 'precog' in porn search?, What memorabilia would you want? (wants the pre-crime screen, doesn't want the eyeballs)▶ 1:39:45
Chris RyanDiscussed Tom Cruise's mask usage across movies, thinks Irish guy (Farrell) would win crane fight at minus 310 odds over Cruise, wants the pre-crime screen for watching basketball analysis▶ 1:40:45
Van LathanHoward Marx's wife did not deserve to die - calls the scene diabolical but says the answer is no▶ 1:40:09
Who Won the Movie
Van LathanDiscussed the problems with early 2000s CGI being worse than consistently bad effects▶ 1:45:12
Movies Referenced (54)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recall (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Chris Ryan, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 49:51 |
| Edge of Tomorrow (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 26:30 |
| Sinners (2025) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:12:53 |
| Blade Runner (1982) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:14:13 |
| Just One of the Guys (1985) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 33:37 |
| The Fugitive (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 51:54 |
| Jack Reacher (2012) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 26:21 |
| North by Northwest (1959) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 9:13 |
| They Live (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:48:23 |
| Rushmore (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 48:41 |
| The Matrix (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 8:01 |
| Vanilla Sky (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 24:17 |
Directors Referenced (13)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Fincher | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Se7en, Gone Girl, Zodiac | ▶ 6:18 |
| Steven Spielberg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan | ▶ 2:33 |
| Charles Nichols | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 42:34 | |
| Mike Binder | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 50:15 | |
| Tony Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Unstoppable, True Romance | ▶ 22:57 |
| Cameron Crowe | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky | ▶ 1:23:32 |
| John Carpenter | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | Halloween | ▶ 1:46:11 |
| John Woo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 23:13 | |
| Kevin Costner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves | ▶ 50:51 |
| Kevin Weir | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 47:48 | |
| Oliver Stone | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK | ▶ 23:04 |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood | ▶ 1:23:32 |
Actors Referenced (22)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 1:58 |
| Colin Farrell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Lobster, In Bruges | ▶ 33:01 |
| A. Ross De St. Croix | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Nightmare Alley | ▶ 1:04:36 |
| LeBron James | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 36:36 | |
| Matt Lauer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 25:44 | |
| Steve Harris | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | The Rock | ▶ 1:20:18 |
| Barry Bonds | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Rookie of the Year | ▶ 2:02 |
| Chong Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 48:19 | |
| Howard Marks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:02:11 | |
| Javier Bardem | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Skyfall, No Country for Old Men | ▶ 1:19:20 |
| Jenna Elfman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Keeping the Faith, Friends with Benefits | ▶ 1:19:12 |
| Joan Allen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 50:42 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philip K. Dick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Chris Ryan | Blade Runner, Minority Report, Total Recall | ▶ 9:27 |
| Andy Greenwald | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:40 | |
| Mike Bender | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 50:15 | |
| Scott Frank | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Out of Sight | ▶ 35:06 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janusz Kaminski | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Schindler's List, Minority Report | ▶ 5:55 |