‘Wild Things’ With Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, and Mallory Rubin
February 3, 2026 · Wild Things (1998) · Crime · Drama · Mystery · 2:15:21 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
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Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill Simmons▶ 17:37Discussed the impact of seeing the nudity on a large movie theater screen versus at home
Mallory Rubin▶ 16:41Kevin Bacon's contract stated no nudity, but he claimed he didn't realize he'd be naked in the movie and agreed to use the full nudity take when asked
Van Lathan▶ 16:55Kevin Bacon shows full frontal nudity - 'butt to penis' - and this was the pioneering dick scene in movies
Apex Mountain
Mallory Rubin▶ 30:49Posed the Apex Mountain question early ('I was going to save this for Apex Mountain, but let's do it now'): is emerging-from-a-swimming-pool apex this (Denise Richards) or Phoebe Cates in Fast Times?
Van Lathan▶ 31:29Calls it 1A and 1B / possibly a tie, but for the emerging-from-the-pool scene specifically 'I got to probably go Phoebe Cates.'
Watch Party
Bill Simmons▶ 48:31Solo -- 'you gotta be by yourself,' a 'five o'clocker'; also frames the alternative: Mallory's version, the 12-to-14-year-old sleepover once the parents are asleep.
Mallory Rubin▶ 22:55Emphasized the movie's inherent watchability and entertainment value, calling it 'so watchable' regardless of quality
Mallory Rubin▶ 48:46The formative-years teen sleepover: parents asleep, the party where the next activity is spin the bottle or seven minutes in heaven -- that's the Wild Things watch setting.
Van Lathan▶ 48:54No setting pick -- answered with the memory of watching at home as a teen with his brother when his dad walked through and delivered 'one of Dad's all-time great goddams' at the Denise Richards scene.
Teddy KGB Award
Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:38Sandra — Considers Sandra for the Jed Nelson award (different movie) but concludes she's actually in this movie
Great Shot Gordo Award
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:04:44Discussed the motel threesome scene as most cinematic and meaningful, with genuine plot importance
Van Lathan▶ 1:04:01Matt Dillon as evil Superman - the shot of him with curly hair going 'yeah' with evil Superman Elvis look
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:11The weak link is cutting the explicit Sam/Ray (Matt Dillon/Kevin Bacon) relationship -- the scripted shower scene was dropped and 'it just makes more sense if that's what happens... It makes it a better movie.'
Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:53Pushes back on Mallory's pick — likes the weird dive bars (Smiling Jack's fish camp) and New Orleans/Florida settings for movies; offers no weakest-element pick of his own in this window
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:19:51Noted the conflicting reports about who refused to film the scene (Mallory reads the interviews as Dillon being glad they didn't, Bacon wanting to); joked about the absurdity of the platonic shower visit.
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:21:11Cutting/not filming the Dillon-Bacon scene: the movie makes a lot more sense with it actually there rather than implied (the shower, hotel, and bar-pickup scenes all read as Ray picking Sam up).
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:12:35The South Florida setting (Blue Bay/Everglades) — great as atmosphere but underutilized for plot; unacceptable that an alligator never actually eats anybody
Van Lathan▶ 1:20:43Agrees the cut hurts the film: it makes much more sense for Ray to strike up that bond with Sam if they're involved -- 'the first thing y'all do as new friends is not a scheme to kill a bunch of people.'
Van Lathan▶ 1:13:21Defends the backdrop — the sexiness/neo-noir heat makes the movie (compares to A Time to Kill) — though he concedes a body found in the Everglades would have helped; no pick of his own
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:12:43South Florida is used very well as atmosphere and setting but not really underutilized for plot, though disappointed that alligators don't actually eat anybody
Van Lathan▶ 1:13:23Agrees the South Florida backdrop works well for the neo-noir sexiness and atmosphere, comparing it to how heat amplifies tension in movies like A Time to Kill
Den of Thieves Benihana Award
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:15:49Van Ryan home - praised the house, balcony, guest house, gun cabinet, and boat dock
What's Aged the Worst
Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:55A teacher accused of sleeping with multiple students - the entire plot premise and how it's handled
Van Lathan▶ 1:25:07How the school handles the accusations - allowing the teacher to remain while investigating instead of immediate consequences
Overacting Award
Bill Simmons▶ 1:33:01Kevin Bacon — Kevin Bacon flipping out in the police station and going 'yeah you want to say that to my face?'
Van Lathan▶ 1:33:17Made a comment about 'balls to the nearest wall' but unclear if this was his pick or just a reaction
Casting What-Ifs
Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:45Robert Downey Jr. — Discusses Robert Downey Jr. being originally cast as Sam but couldn't do it due to drug issues and injuries
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:37:55Robert Downey Jr. — Robert Downey Jr. couldn't pull off seeming like a clean teacher - you would know he's dirty immediately
Van Lathan▶ 1:38:01Robert Downey Jr. — Robert Downey Jr. wouldn't work as Sam - his reputation would precede him and he's not dashing enough; would make more sense in the Kevin Bacon part
Is This Movie Better With
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:59:47Wayne Jenkins as either the Ray Duquette character or another dirty cop looking into Ray
Who Won the Movie
Craig Horlbeck▶ 2:11:09Discussed the movie's entertainment value, twists, and praised famous actors doing B-movies, but didn't give a specific person as winner
Movies Referenced (45)
Directors Referenced (3)
Actors Referenced (81)
Neve Campbell
33 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin · Known for Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3▶ 5:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Kevin Bacon
30 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin · Known for Footloose, Hollow Man▶ 13:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Denise Richards
22 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin · Known for The World Is Not Enough, Starship Troopers, Wild Things▶ 5:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Bill Murray
19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan · Known for Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom▶ 37:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Matt Dillon
19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Craig Horlbeck · Known for There's Something About Mary, Crash, Drugstore Cowboy▶ 31:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Saint Motel
9 mentions · Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin · Known for Paper Towns▶ 47:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Phoebe Cates
7 mentions · Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Gremlins▶ 31:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Bruce Willis
6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Mallory Rubin · Known for Die Hard, Pulp Fiction▶ 13:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Charlie Sheen
5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Wall Street▶ 30:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Writers Referenced (3)
Ted Turner
4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Angels in the Outfield▶ 2:00:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Robert Kraft
1 mentions · Mallory Rubin · Known for The Little Mermaid, Moulin Rouge!▶ 1:12:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
Todd Pacey
1 mentions · Mallory Rubin · Known for Den of Thieves: Pantera▶ 1:08:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗