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‘The Ice Storm’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey

March 1, 2022 · The Ice Storm (1997) · Drama · 1:35:05 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 50:23The key party - says calling anything in this movie 'most rewatchable' is almost illogical and the last 15 minutes are the most gripping, but if he's flipping channels and the key part(y) is about to start, he's watching.
Chris Ryan▶ 8:50The entire progression of the Friday night after Thanksgiving as it gets more ominous, drunken and reckless, with cross-cutting between three storylines - describes it as more like a poem than short stories that needs to be experienced entirely
Chris Ryan▶ 51:02'The key party is the most rewatchable scene.' Also flagged Kevin Kline driving Tobey Maguire back from the train talking about self-abuse (saved for What's Aged the Best) and seconded the Joan Allen book-sale scene.
Sean Fennessey▶ 50:38Highlighted Joan Allen at the book sale, encountering the reverend and seeing Wendy riding her bike ('a really beautiful scene'); went along with the key party as the consensus most rewatchable.

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 56:54Sigourney Weaver
Chris Ryan▶ 56:22Francis and Paul - the roommates and their relationship as a needed gear shift in the movie

What's Aged the Worst

Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:24Mikey's unrealistic football performance - worst wide receiver portrayal, doesn't make sense how he plays

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:00Christina Ricci — Agrees Christina Ricci was better choice than Natalie Portman for Wendy - Portman would have continued problematic pattern of sexualized underage roles, and Ricci was more authentic and fitting for the character
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:02:26Christina Ricci — Agrees Christina Ricci was better choice - notes that having Portman would have completed a problematic 'trifecta' of sexualized underage roles, and Ricci has the darker, more withering energy needed for Wendy

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:34Michael Cumpsty — Discussed the annoying overlaugher from Sleepless in Seattle who appears as Weather Lady on TV, and Michael Kumpste who plays The Reverend
Chris Ryan▶ 1:02:58Michael Cumpsty — Agreed that Michael Kumpste (The Reverend) is 'the definition of that guy' who often plays priests and religious characters

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:31Allison Janney
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:05:43Henry Czerny — Henry Czerny (Kittridge) - specifically the moment when he gets the keys from the heavyset woman and gives the guys a 'let's do this' look

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:10:52Real ice storm happened December 16-17, 1973, named Felix. Ang Lee was attracted to climax and Hood family reunion. Cast studied 70s magazine cutouts. Two anachronisms: MTA didn't exist yet, and Marlboro Lights not invented until 1977
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:11:56Contributed questions about Newports cigarettes in the movie and discussed whether they existed in 1973

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:16Ran the board: Kevin Kline no; Sigourney Weaver no (her apex is around Aliens/Working Girl, late 80s); Ang Lee no (Brokeback Mountain); Joan Allen YES - 'It's Ice Storm and Face Off in the same year leading to Pleasantville. This is the wheelhouse for her'; Tobey Maguire no; Katie Holmes no; key parties '100%, yes.'
Chris Ryan▶ 1:16:01For Joan Allen, first argued 2004 Bourne Supremacy ('Pamela Landy in the biggest action franchise in the world'), then conceded: 'For the sake of this part, I'll say this is her apex. I still think Pamela Landy's some incredible stuff.' Also floated John Updike's collected fiction as the key-party apex.
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:14:23Floated alternatives without committing: for Weaver, 'is it Ghostbusters?'; for Joan Allen, 'or is it 2000 when she is the star of The Contender?' (Oscar-nominated), and noted she's 'one of the great I-play-the-number-two of this generation'; suggested the true key-party apex might be unknowable (Playboy Mansion era).

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:42Multiple questions: What happens to both families next? Why didn't Jim Carver masturbate before the key party? Did anyone have a worse night than Jim Carver without going to jail?
Chris Ryan▶ 1:23:50Contributed to discussion about what happens to families (predicting divorces), Sandy's fate, and whether Paul and Libets would repeat their parents' sins
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:25:42Did Paul (Tobey Maguire's character) have any chance with Libets?

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:05Joan Allen — Joan Allen - because this is probably her best dramatic performance other than The Contender, and she had a really nice run of good roles in different movies
Chris Ryan▶ 1:26:54Ang Lee — Initially suggested Ang Lee, discussing how it confirms him as a major filmmaker and proves he can cross over with American films, but didn't give a final definitive pick after the discussion evolved
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:29:44Joan Allen — Joan Allen - her role as Dr. Eve Archer in Face Off and her work in The Ice Storm really solidified 1997 for her

Movies Referenced (50)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:31:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boogie Nights (1997)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 4:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Forrest Gump (1994)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 16:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alien (1979)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Full Monty (1997)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:27:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Prestige (2006)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Titanic (1997)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 4:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

American Beauty (1999)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 1:28:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 52:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beautiful Girls (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:01:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 11:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fantastic Four (2005)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 18:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (7)

Jamie Sheridan

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Salt▶ 40:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ang Lee

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Wedding Banquet, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Life of Pi▶ 5:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Oliver Stone

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK▶ 11:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mann

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 1:28:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mike Binder

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:16:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Thomas Anderson

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 6:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steven Spielberg

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan▶ 6:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (53)

Kevin Kline

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Wild Wild West, Dave, A Fish Called Wanda▶ 3:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joan Allen

18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Room, The Contender▶ 3:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sigourney Weaver

18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Avatar, Alien▶ 3:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Elijah Wood

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers▶ 3:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Katie Holmes

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Disturbing Behavior, Batman Begins▶ 46:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tobey Maguire

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Spider-Man, Wonder Boys▶ 3:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nick Nolte

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Warrior▶ 46:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Philip Seymour Hoffman

6 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Master, Capote, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead▶ 1:09:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Christina Ricci

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Addams Family, Casper▶ 3:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Elton John

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Rocketman, The Lion King▶ 46:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Harrison Ford

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive▶ 1:07:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sharon Stone

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Basic Instinct, Casino, The Quick and the Dead▶ 1:06:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (6)

Roger Ebert

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 40:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Cameron

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 6:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Judy Blume

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.▶ 52:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Buddy Holly

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Big Fish, Almost Famous▶ 14:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Updike

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Witches of Eastwick▶ 1:17:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rick Moody

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Ice Storm▶ 9:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Gordon Willis

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Godfather Part II, Manhattan▶ 36:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗