Grays Almanac

Home/Episodes/The Ice Storm

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

March 1, 2022 · The Ice Storm (1997) · Drama · 1:35:05

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

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

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

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 (49)

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▶ 40:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ang Lee

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for 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▶ 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▶ 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▶ 1:09:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Christina Ricci

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Addams Family▶ 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▶ 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▶ 36:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗