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‘Snake Eyes’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan

November 11, 2025 · Snake Eyes (1998) · Crime · Mystery · Thriller · 2:02:31 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Categories

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 12:07Nicolas Cage — Snake Eyes is not Apex Mountain for Nicolas Cage - it's more like 'Last Dance' or the 1998 Bulls with MJ, representing the end of his peak era
Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:02Rapid-fire: Cage — no; De Palma — no; fixed boxing movies — Diggstown; Rispoli — yes; Carla — no; Stan Shaw — no (Great Santini probably his number one)
Sean Fennessey▶ 17:12Brian De Palma — Snake Eyes represents the pinnacle of De Palma's commercial appeal as a filmmaker, coming off Mission Impossible at the mountaintop of his mainstream success
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:37:25For Atlantic City as a movie destination, the apex is the Louis Malle Atlantic City (Lancaster/Sarandon) — 'this would be number two for me'
Van Lathan▶ 17:08Brian De Palma — Agrees this period represents De Palma most flirting with mainstream cinema, coming out of Mission Impossible, though notes he holds back some of his trademark freak elements
Van Lathan▶ 1:40:34Offered his own: this is Apex Mountain for boxing matches in non-boxing movies — a full heavyweight title fight in a movie that isn't about boxing

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 53:44The opening one shot scene with Cage's overacting, the shooting scene, the knockout punch video scene, and Carla wiping blood off in the bathroom
Sean Fennessey▶ 54:32The opening one shot scene, particularly praising the crowd synchronization and filmmaking technique
Van Lathan▶ 54:00Agrees on the opening scene's impact and the bathroom scene with Carla, praising the De Palma-esque restraint

Overacting Award

Bill Simmons▶ 56:06Carla Gugino — Ruffalo, Hannah, Rubenick, Partridge combo - they're just screaming for two minutes

What's Aged the Best

Van Lathan▶ 1:09:13The scene where the Josh Gad-type character gets murdered after being used by Carla Gugino's character

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 1:10:50Now you assume a woman randomly interested in you will drug you and take your stuff due to increased awareness; Palestinian sniper terrorist plot is topical in 2025; Trump declining to let them use his casino despite needing money in the 90s

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:43The cut tidal wave sequence - the movie sets up a storm/tidal wave throughout but then has no payoff because they removed the ending
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:20:15Agrees with the tidal wave issue, explaining the director felt it wasn't what the movie was about and they likely weren't happy with how it looked

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:08The assassination plot made way more sense in 1998 than it would in 2025 due to modern surveillance and cameras - you couldn't get away with such an elaborate plan today
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:20:34The tidal wave should have been kept in the ending, and the less classy the material, the better the Brian De Palma movie - The Untouchables isn't very good compared to his trashier films like Blowout, Dressed to Kill, Body Double
Van Lathan▶ 1:22:18There was a more efficient way to accomplish what the conspirators wanted - why does a boxer have to take a dive for them to kill someone in the front row?

Dion Waiters Award

Sean Fennessey▶ 1:33:10Jane Heitmeyer as Serena the redhead is Sean's Dion Waiters pick — he adds she's also his 'I would throw my life away for her' choice.
Van Lathan▶ 1:33:32Agrees with the pick — Jane Heitmeyer's Serena is 'a prototypical Dion Waiters in this role.'

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:2150 Cent — 50 Cent for Lincoln Tyler (though notes it's two years too early since 50 Cent wasn't famous yet), Elizabeth Shue for Gugino's character
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:33:59Michael Clarke Duncan — Michael Clark Duncan or Ving Rhames for Lincoln Tyler
Van Lathan▶ 1:34:06Ving Rhames — Agrees Stan Shaw was too old for Lincoln Tyler but likes him as an actor; mentions Ving Rhames could have done it; generally prefers using actual fighters in boxing movies when possible

Is There a Better Title?

Sean Fennessey▶ 1:36:14Fight Night
Van Lathan▶ 1:36:57Fight Night

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:53:56Joe Davis — Joe Davis and John Smoltz announcing the fight
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:55:11Byron Mayo would be incredible in this movie

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:57:26Don't be naive (from the line 'I'm naive. There's worse things to be.')

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:57:31Face/Off
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:57:36No Way Out — Listed five nominees: Domino, Dress to Kill, JFK, In the Line of Fire, No Way Out, and LA Confidential, with preference for No Way Out
Van Lathan▶ 1:57:32Face/Off

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:59:51Directors usually have a run of 7-25 years unless you're Scorsese or Spielberg. De Palma was in his late 50s and may have thrown his chips in, plus there were things that happened to him in the 70s and 80s involving substances
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:59:32Did De Palma quit or get fired from the role of major director? What actually happened after Mission Impossible and Snake Eyes?
Van Lathan▶ 2:00:06Mission to Mars bombing killed his career - it was a bad movie and big Disney swing that he never should have made, followed by Femme Fatale which lost money despite being enjoyed

Movies Referenced (68)

Carlito's Way (1993)

11 mentions · Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 10:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scarface (1983)

11 mentions · Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 10:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Con Air (1997)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Reindeer Games (2000)

5 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 30:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Body Double (1984)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey▶ 17:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Carrie (1976)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 15:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Enemy of the State (1998)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:31:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Femme Fatale (2002)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan▶ 18:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fight Club (1999)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 35:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ghost Rider (2007)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan▶ 14:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey▶ 5:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Legends of the Fall (1994)

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 51:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (13)

Steven Spielberg

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 28:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian De Palma

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Body Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities▶ 0:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alfred Hitchcock

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest▶ 22:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Scorsese

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 28:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 20:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Francis Ford Coppola

2 mentions · Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II▶ 4:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jamie Sheridan

2 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Salt▶ 33:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Frankenheimer

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Seven Days in May▶ 30:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cameron Crowe

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky▶ 44:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Iyi Tubi

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Ex Machina, World War Z▶ 2:00:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jake Paltrow

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 2:01:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Louis Malle

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Elevator to the Gallows▶ 1:37:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (84)

Gary Sinise

25 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Forrest Gump, Of Mice and Men, Apollo 13▶ 25:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Dunn

21 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan · Known for Transformers, Warrior, Chain Reaction▶ 48:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Josh Gad

11 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Frozen▶ 1:09:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Carla Gugino

10 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Watchmen, Gerald's Game, Sucker Punch▶ 43:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Santoro

9 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stan Shaw

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Cutthroat Island, The Monster Squad▶ 47:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Pacino

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 9:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Donald Trump

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York▶ 1:13:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Rispoli

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Kick-Ass▶ 48:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Will Smith

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Men in Black, I Am Legend▶ 1:31:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Farley

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Tommy Boy, Black Sheep▶ 21:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Claudio Pacifico

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, John Wick: Chapter 2, Gangs of New York▶ 1:49:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (5)

Shane Black

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Predator, The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang▶ 41:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Koepp

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Jurassic Park, Stir of Echoes, Black Bag▶ 49:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jon Favreau

1 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Chef, Iron Man, Swingers▶ 1:30:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Judd Apatow

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The King of Staten Island, Knocked Up▶ 39:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mike Flanagan

1 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for The Life of Chuck▶ 44:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Joan Rope

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Hustle▶ 24:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗