‘The Martian’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan
October 13, 2020 · The Martian (2015) · Adventure · Drama · Sci-Fi · 1:32:52
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsOpening storm scene, when he blows himself up with quote 'So yeah, I blew myself up', texting with NASA scene, potato farm exploding, and Starman montage▶ 34:46
Chris RyanSupports opening storm scene for character establishment and Starman montage as effective despite being on-the-nose▶ 36:43
Van LathanAgrees with opening storm scene and potato farm explosion as gut-wrenching, supports montages in general▶ 35:42
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsKristen Wiig's casting and performance - doesn't fit the tone and feels like she'll break into an SNL character▶ 1:01:19
Chris RyanThe unrealistic expectation that government agencies would feel compelled to level with the American public▶ 1:03:20
Sean FennesseyKristen Wiig's tonal mismatch - doesn't have the register to be in dramatic scenes with Sean Bean and Jeff Daniels▶ 1:02:24
Van LathanAgreed on Kristen Wiig lacking gravitas and believability in serious scenes, and skeptical about public caring about Mars mission in reality▶ 1:02:23
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsJessica Chastain — Prefers Jessica Chastain over Cate Blanchett for the Lewis role - 'I actually like where they landed with Chastain'▶ 1:05:49
Chris RyanMade a joke about Cate Blanchett's hair color but didn't express a clear preference between the casting options▶ 1:05:52
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsBenedict Wong — Benedict Wong because whenever I see him now in anything, he's the guy from The Martian▶ 1:06:05
Sean FennesseyBenedict Wong — Benedict Wong, but disagrees with SPEAKER_00's reasoning - knows him from the MCU/Doctor Strange universe instead▶ 1:06:13
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsFilmed in Jordan and Hungary with famous giant soundstage; NASA assisted filmmakers; Matt Damon filmed solo scenes for 5 weeks; real potato farm installed on studio lot; story set in 2035 when Tom Brady plays for Jacksonville Jaguars and LeBron returns to Cleveland for 4th time▶ 1:11:55
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsThe Bourne Identity — Not Matt Damon's apex (says it's later with Bourne); suggests potatoes, botany, duct tape as apex/comeback mountain▶ 1:12:47
Chris RyanThe Bourne Identity — Potatoes and tarps as apex mountain; agrees Damon's apex is Bourne, not this movie▶ 1:13:59
Sean FennesseyTotal Recall — Debated whether Mars reached apex mountain in this movie vs Total Recall▶ 1:14:40
Best Quote
Bill SimmonsMark Watney space pirate monologue and colonizing Mars 'in your face, Neil Armstrong' quote▶ 1:19:30
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsPosed multiple questions: Where was Mark Watney's family? Is this the only sci-fi movie where nobody dies? CNN hosts in 2035? Being married to an astronaut dynamics? Mars sols vs Earth days?▶ 1:21:55
Chris RyanDiscussed Mark Watney's dating prospects post-Mars, astronaut spouses getting 'Tang money', and Instagram complications for space relationships. Noted it's probably the only major sci-fi where nobody dies.▶ 1:22:00
Sean FennesseyDefended the movie's lack of character development as a strength, keeping focus on survival mission. Provided technical detail that a Mars sol is 24 hours 39 minutes.▶ 1:23:48
Van LathanMark Watney becomes the most famous man on Earth, spends 4-5 years 'hoeing around coast to coast' before becoming a teacher. Tang commercials, hanging out with Scarlett Johansson.▶ 1:22:20
Movies Referenced (62)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln (2012) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 23 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 23:21 |
| Goodfellas (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | ▶ 42:07 |
| Spotlight (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 27:55 |
| Steve Jobs (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 28:32 |
| Total Recall (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:14:45 |
| Black Hawk Down (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 26:23 |
| Boogie Nights (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 43:16 |
| First Blood (1982) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan | ▶ 55:41 |
| Good Will Hunting (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 19:27 |
| Minority Report (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 3:30 |
| Aliens (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 2:50 |
| Blade Runner (1982) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 2:50 |
Directors Referenced (6)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridley Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Martian, Blade Runner | ▶ 5:48 |
| Martin Scorsese | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets | ▶ 23:09 |
| John Colorado | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Hancock | ▶ 34:19 |
| Tom Brady | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | The Hot Chick | ▶ 22:25 |
| Clint Eastwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven | ▶ 19:12 |
| Paul Thomas Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood | ▶ 43:34 |
Actors Referenced (57)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Damon | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 56 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed | ▶ 2:15 |
| Mark Ruffalo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 33 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Spotlight, The Kids Are All Right, The Avengers | ▶ 6:29 |
| Sean Bean | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 30 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 2:06 | |
| Donald Glover | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | ▶ 25:52 | |
| Jessica Chastain | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons | Zero Dark Thirty, Molly's Game | ▶ 25:41 |
| Jeff Daniels | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Squid and the Whale | ▶ 25:41 |
| Kristen Wiig | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Bridesmaids | ▶ 25:41 |
| Bill O'Brien | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 41:38 | |
| Will Smith | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Men in Black, I Am Legend | ▶ 10:12 |
| Benedict Wong | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Weapons, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | ▶ 8:19 |
| Kerry Washington | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Save the Last Dance | ▶ 1:02:36 |
| Tom Hanks | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | Cast Away, Big, Forrest Gump | ▶ 8:51 |
Writers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Weir | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | The Martian | ▶ 25:18 |
| Drew Goddard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | The Martian | ▶ 25:13 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Other Guys | ▶ 29:12 |