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‘Alive’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Craig Horlbeck

January 17, 2023 · Alive (1993) · Biography · Drama · Thriller · 1:25:24

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

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Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Craig Horlbeck▶ 5:08References his previous 'altruistic cannibalism' take from another podcast, defending the survivors' actions as necessary for the greater good

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 36:22The plane crash
Chris Ryan▶ 36:26The plane crash

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 37:57How did they have enough cigarettes? Calculated they'd need 70 cartons for 20 people smoking a pack a day for 70 days, plus using cigarettes for birthday candles
Chris Ryan▶ 38:22Were they cigarette smugglers? Also questioned smoking at high altitude when lung capacity is diminished, though noted cigarettes suppress hunger

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Chris Ryan▶ 45:40The wine (people guzzling wine straight out of the bottle)
Craig Horlbeck▶ 45:49Discussed the wine and noted it's back-to-back rewatchables with people guzzling wine from bottles

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 47:06The Andes (though filmed somewhere else)

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 47:15Roy the radio guy - 'batteries are in the tail and the tail's gone'
Chris Ryan▶ 48:06The mechanic (Jose played by an ego) - agreed he was glad the character got taken out in the avalanche
Craig Horlbeck▶ 47:47Agreed with criticism of Roy the radio guy as supposed comic relief that doesn't work

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 55:17Likes 'Miracle of the Andes' but also suggests joke titles: 'Snow Feast', 'Snow Burgers', 'Human Sushi', 'Cannibal Airlines'
Chris Ryan▶ 55:21Prefers 'Alive' because it suggests what happens and feels visceral, while 'Miracle of the Andes' feels like a misnomer
Craig Horlbeck▶ 55:11Miracle of the Andes

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 55:50What's so great about hope if we die we're gonna die walking
Chris Ryan▶ 56:38Roberto are you ready to go out there and cut flesh from a human body and eat it

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:01Leonardo DiCaprio — Leonardo DiCaprio could have played one of the younger guys; wishes there was one awesome star like Brad Pitt, Leo, Affleck, or Damon in the movie

Overacting Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:45Ethan Hawke — Ethan Hawke right after he wakes up from the coma
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:02:35Discussed Roy or the mechanic, calling the mechanic 'out of control' and 'deranged'

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:06:36Discussed various categories like plane crashes, survival movies, cannibalism movies, Uruguayan rugby movies, and cigarette smoking movies, but didn't give definitive apex mountain picks for specific actors/directors
Chris Ryan▶ 1:08:15Mad Men for apex mountain cigarette smoking in filmed entertainment

Racehorse Name Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:36Tintin Canessa
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:08:41Tintin Canessa (agreed with another host)

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:18Agrees it's untouchable but discusses hypothetical all-Black cast remake and Wayne Jenkins cast alternatives
Chris Ryan▶ 1:14:29Participates in hypothetical Wayne Jenkins casting discussion with Jonathan Majors as Antonio
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:14:14Untouchable - believes it cannot be remade

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:32Wayne Jenkins, Steve Buschemi, Sam Jackson, JT Walsh, Philip Baker Hall
Chris Ryan▶ 1:14:51Chris mostly reacted to Bill and Craig's comments, offering humorous asides and not directly contributing 'Is This Movie Better With' suggestions.
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:14:48Craig primarily responded to Bill's suggestions with tangential comments and jokes, not offering specific 'utility player' additions.

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:36Cast Away — Castaway
Chris Ryan▶ 1:18:46Fearless — Fearless (Peter Weir's plane crash movie with Jeff Bridges)
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:19:10127 Hours

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:20Start eating sooner - don't wait, once you find out they've called off the search party you need strength to get off that mountain and just do whatever it takes
Chris Ryan▶ 1:21:53Agreed with taking the trip early, noting he would feel dumb dying on a walk three days into the crash if helicopter came on the fourth day
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:21:48While you have the energy, take the trip - when you land in the first week and know it's winter and bad, go then

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:45Ethan Hawke — Hawk
Chris Ryan▶ 1:22:45Ethan Hawke — Hawk

Movies Referenced (36)

Flight (2012)

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 24:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:24:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lord of the Flies (1990)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck▶ 13:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

School Ties (1992)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 8:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dead Poets Society (1989)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 8:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 54:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jaws (1975)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck▶ 18:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Purge (2013)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck▶ 59:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Training Day (2001)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 20:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

White Fang (1991)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 8:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

127 Hours (2010)

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 1:19:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A Few Good Men (1992)

1 mentions · Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:02:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (5)

Dead or Alive

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The A-Team▶ 9:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Marshall

1 mentions · Craig Horlbeck · Known for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Raiders of the Lost Ark▶ 17:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Bellany

1 mentions · Craig Horlbeck · Known for Stardust▶ 0:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Thomas Anderson

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 43:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ron Howard

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for A Beautiful Mind▶ 6:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (20)

Ethan Hawke

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Training Day, Before Sunrise, Before Midnight▶ 3:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Josh Hamilton

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Alive▶ 9:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Matt Damon

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed▶ 0:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Rooker

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Guardians of the Galaxy▶ 10:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cole Hauser

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Dazed and Confused, Good Will Hunting▶ 19:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny Nucci

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Titanic, Crimson Tide, Alive▶ 10:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Rogan

2 mentions · Craig Horlbeck▶ 14:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Crazy Town

1 mentions · Craig Horlbeck · Known for Something's Gotta Give, Saving Silverman, Orange County▶ 0:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeff Bridges

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Big Lebowski, Crazy Heart, True Grit▶ 1:18:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jennifer Aniston

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for We're the Millers▶ 39:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jerry Rice

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Malkovich

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for In the Line of Fire, Being John Malkovich, Burn After Reading▶ 35:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (2)

John Sayles

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Lone Star▶ 9:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tony Behringer

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for No Hard Feelings, Draft Day▶ 5:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗