‘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
Categories
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsNicolas 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▶ 12:07
Sean FennesseyBrian 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▶ 17:12
Van LathanBrian 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▶ 17:08
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsThe opening one shot scene with Cage's overacting, the shooting scene, the knockout punch video scene, and Carla wiping blood off in the bathroom▶ 53:44
Sean FennesseyThe opening one shot scene, particularly praising the crowd synchronization and filmmaking technique▶ 54:32
Van LathanAgrees on the opening scene's impact and the bathroom scene with Carla, praising the De Palma-esque restraint▶ 54:00
Overacting Award
Bill SimmonsCarla Gugino — Ruffalo, Hannah, Rubenick, Partridge combo - they're just screaming for two minutes▶ 56:06
What's Aged the Best
Van LathanThe scene where the Josh Gad-type character gets murdered after being used by Carla Gugino's character▶ 1:09:13
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsNow 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▶ 1:10:50
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsThe cut tidal wave sequence - the movie sets up a storm/tidal wave throughout but then has no payoff because they removed the ending▶ 1:19:43
Sean FennesseyAgrees 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▶ 1:20:15
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsThe 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▶ 1:22:08
Sean FennesseyThe 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▶ 1:20:34
Van LathanThere 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?▶ 1:22:18
Casting What-Ifs
Bill Simmons50 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▶ 1:34:21
Sean FennesseyMichael Clarke Duncan — Michael Clark Duncan or Ving Rhames for Lincoln Tyler▶ 1:33:59
Van LathanVing 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▶ 1:34:06
Best Double Feature
Sean FennesseyNo 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▶ 1:57:36
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsDirectors 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▶ 1:59:51
Sean FennesseyDid De Palma quit or get fired from the role of major director? What actually happened after Mission Impossible and Snake Eyes?▶ 1:59:32
Van LathanMission 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▶ 2:00:06
Movies Referenced (67)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlito's Way (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:58 |
| Scarface (1983) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:52 |
| Con Air (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 6:43 |
| Lincoln (2012) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:18:39 |
| Casino (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:13:38 |
| Carrie (1976) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 15:42 |
| Enemy of the State (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:31:45 |
| Dracula (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:42:27 |
| Fight Club (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 35:53 |
| Ghost Rider (2007) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | ▶ 14:41 |
| Leaving Las Vegas (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 5:10 |
| Legends of the Fall (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 51:47 |
Directors Referenced (13)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steven Spielberg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan | ▶ 28:36 |
| Brian De Palma | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Body Double, Dressed to Kill, The Bonfire of the Vanities | ▶ 0:47 |
| Alfred Hitchcock | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest | ▶ 22:25 |
| Martin Scorsese | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets | ▶ 28:43 |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 20:34 |
| Francis Ford Coppola | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | Apocalypse Now, The Godfather Part II | ▶ 4:58 |
| Jamie Sheridan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan | ▶ 33:56 | |
| John Frankenheimer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Seven Days in May | ▶ 30:41 |
| Cameron Crowe | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky | ▶ 44:40 |
| Iyi Tubi | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Ex Machina, World War Z | ▶ 2:00:42 |
| Jake Paltrow | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 2:01:07 | |
| Louis Malle | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:37:26 |
Actors Referenced (84)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Sinise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 25 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | Forrest Gump, Of Mice and Men, Apollo 13 | ▶ 25:23 |
| Kevin Dunn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 21 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | Transformers, Warrior | ▶ 48:05 |
| Josh Gad | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Van Lathan | Frozen | ▶ 1:09:16 |
| Carla Gugino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Watchmen, Sucker Punch | ▶ 43:43 |
| Richard Santoro | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:00:53 | |
| Stan Shaw | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 47:55 | |
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 9:56 |
| Donald Trump | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Home Alone 2: Lost in New York | ▶ 1:13:38 |
| Michael Rispoli | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | Kick-Ass | ▶ 48:12 |
| Will Smith | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Men in Black, I Am Legend | ▶ 1:31:45 |
| Chris Farley | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Tommy Boy | ▶ 21:17 |
| Claudio Pacifico | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | John Wick: Chapter 2, Gangs of New York | ▶ 1:49:35 |
Writers Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shane Black | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Predator, The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | ▶ 41:26 |
| David Koepp | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Jurassic Park, Stir of Echoes | ▶ 49:53 |
| Jon Favreau | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | Chef, Iron Man, Swingers | ▶ 1:30:35 |
| Judd Apatow | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | The King of Staten Island, Knocked Up | ▶ 39:22 |
| Mike Flanagan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | ▶ 44:23 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joan Rope | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 24:42 |