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'Con Air’ With Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, and Chris Ryan

December 18, 2018 · Con Air (1997) · Action · Crime · Thriller · 1:08:55

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Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 3:47Cameron Poe's conviction and 8-year prison sentence despite clear self-defense with witnesses and the attackers being degenerates who started the fight
Chris Ryan▶ 4:21Questions the legal logic around military personnel being held to different standards, suggests they'd need to check Alabama state statutes to verify if that's actually true
Shea Serrano▶ 3:52Cameron Poe had the worst legal representation of all time - his lawyer told him he'd get probation but he got 10 years because the judge said his military skills made him a deadly weapon

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 21:11The cons taking over the plane
Chris Ryan▶ 20:50Stealing the second plane sequence (including Colmini's car crashing into the tower)
Shea Serrano▶ 21:51Cusack doing the introduction/scouting report of the inmates

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 28:22Nick Cage's performance and hair, Dave Chappelle's performance, and the Cyrus 'Say-onara' scene with Buscemi and Cage
Chris Ryan▶ 33:08John Malkovich's villain performance and the broader trend of casting dramatic actors in action movies

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 40:16The gregarious prison guard's references to outdated TV shows (11 current affairs, two hard copies, and a genuine Geraldo interviewee) and the cheesy guitar solo scene when Nick Cage says he'll show God exists
Chris Ryan▶ 41:08The insulin subplot - Michael T. Williamson's character having diabetic shock the entire movie as an unnecessary plot device

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 43:21Robert Downey Jr. — Prefers Robert Downey Jr. over John Cusack for Vince Larkin role, dislikes Cusack's attitude toward the movie. Glad Gary Oldman didn't play Cyrus. Happy Tim Roth didn't play Marietta Mangler.
Chris Ryan▶ 43:07Robert Downey Jr. — Thinks Robert Downey Jr. is 30% too cool for the Vince Larkin role, character needs to be nerdy. Provides context about Downey's career rehab timing.
Shea Serrano▶ 42:57Robert Downey Jr. — Robert Downey Jr. would make it a better movie, he's just better than John Cusack for the Vince Larkin role

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 44:41Dave Chappelle — Chappelle (despite acknowledging the controversy)
Shea Serrano▶ 44:31Dave Chappelle — Initially suggests Chappelle as incredible but then argues against picking him due to racism controversy

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 44:43Presented various trivia facts including Kid Rock basing American Badass on Cameron Poe, Nick Cage doing his own stunts, 43 people dying in the movie, filming locations, script rewrites affecting Malkovich, contradictory reports about Cusack's feelings about the film, and Chappelle improvising his lines
Chris Ryan▶ 45:25Discussed casualty count speculation, questioned Monica Potter character's loyalty, confirmed Malkovich's performance reflected script issues, noted Cusack has been in many bad movies, mentioned Simon West's idea for space sequel
Shea Serrano▶ 44:48Agreed with Kid Rock/Cameron Poe connection, expressed desire for Cameron Poe prison prequel and Army Rangers prequel movies, reacted to various trivia facts

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 54:01Nicolas Cage — Yes, this is Nick Cage's Apex Mountain - the moment when he became a major star for the long haul
Chris Ryan▶ 54:03Nicolas Cage — Allows that this could be Nick Cage's Apex Mountain, though initially suggested The Rock might be
Shea Serrano▶ 54:05Danny Trejo — No, this is not Danny Trejo's Apex Mountain - says it's probably Trejo's tacos or Machete

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 56:17Renoly Santiago — Rinaldi Santiago (Sally Can't Dance character from Con Air, also in Dangerous Minds)
Shea Serrano▶ 57:24Monica Potter

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:03Sorry boss, there's only two men I trust. One of them's me. The other's not you.
Shea Serrano▶ 1:01:09Agrees with Bill's pick and relates to the quote personally, saying he's said it to several people

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:56Asked multiple questions: Did they name Con Air before writing the script? How many people died on the Vegas Strip? Would Nick Cage really risk saving others? Wouldn't they shoot the plane down immediately? Details about various character backstories including William Bedford and Diamond Dog
Chris Ryan▶ 1:02:05Con Air was definitely the pitch first, then script written. They would have shot the plane down in real life. Speculated that Denzel was asked to be in the movie originally and the Diamond Dog line might be a reference to that
Shea Serrano▶ 1:02:12Agreed Con Air was the title first, imagined someone saw a shampoo bottle and thought of flying prison concept. Estimated 250 people would have died on the strip. Thinks Nick Cage was just being a good guy trying to redeem himself

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:06:07Nicolas Cage — Nicholas Cage - makes a case for Buscemi but ultimately agrees it's his favorite Nick Cage performance
Shea Serrano▶ 1:05:03Nicolas Cage — Nicholas Cage - calls it a legacy defining role and says there's only one answer

Movies Referenced (69)

The Rock (1996)

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano▶ 9:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Die Hard (1988)

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano▶ 11:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rushmore (1998)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano▶ 1:06:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

In the Line of Fire (1993)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 33:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lethal Weapon (1987)

4 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 4:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mile 22 (2018)

4 mentions · Shea Serrano▶ 34:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Patch Adams (1998)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano▶ 57:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Running Scared (2006)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano▶ 25:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taken (2008)

3 mentions · Shea Serrano▶ 1:07:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 26:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Forrest Gump (1994)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 10:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

2 mentions · Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons▶ 9:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (2)

Simon West

3 mentions · Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The General's Daughter, Con Air▶ 1:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mel Gibson

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Braveheart, Conspiracy Theory▶ 4:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (50)

John Cusack

23 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Chris Ryan · Known for High Fidelity, 1408▶ 14:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Malkovich

18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano · Known for In the Line of Fire, Being John Malkovich, Burn After Reading▶ 2:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kid Rock

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Chris Ryan · Known for Into the Storm, Matchstick Men▶ 9:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steve Buscemi

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano · Known for Fargo, Reservoir Dogs▶ 2:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dave Chappelle

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Chris Ryan · Known for A Star Is Born▶ 12:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Denzel Washington

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano▶ 13:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Monica Potter

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Chris Ryan · Known for The Last House on the Left, Patch Adams▶ 47:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nicolas Cage

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons · Known for Face/Off, Leaving Las Vegas▶ 2:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Connery

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano · Known for Dr. No, The Untouchables, The Rock▶ 50:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ving Rhames

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano · Known for Pulp Fiction, Bringing Out the Dead▶ 12:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny Trejo

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn, Predators▶ 2:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Caruso

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for First Blood, Proof of Life▶ 9:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

Patch Adams

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano · Known for Patch Adams▶ 57:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 7:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scott Rosenberg

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Beautiful Girls, Con Air▶ 12:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Michael Grantland

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Other Guys▶ 28:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael McDonough

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Winter's Bone▶ 26:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗