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‘Weird Science’ With Bill Simmons and Kyle Brandt

November 18, 2025 · Weird Science (1985) · Comedy · Romance · Sci-Fi · 1:47:25

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 31:28Multiple scenes: the opening credits/gym scene, and the scene where they create the girl on the computer
Kyle Brandt▶ 33:15The computer scene where they create Lisa, specifically the part where the boobs get really big on the computer

Apex Mountain

Kyle Brandt▶ 33:43Scrambled porn apex mountain - discusses how this era was the peak for difficulty accessing adult content

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 50:25The premise that parents could go away and kids could throw parties undetected, because now there are ring cameras, security systems, and tracking apps like Life 360
Kyle Brandt▶ 50:51Kids can't get away with pranks like ding dong ditching anymore because of security cameras - cites busting neighborhood kids on Halloween

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 51:08Multiple picks: grandparents being frozen in the closet, LeBrock's life lesson speech about being yourself, Kim Malin's triple crown IMDb run (Weird Science/Die Hard/Roadhouse), and Anthony Michael Hall's stunned double take
Kyle Brandt▶ 51:15Agrees with and elaborates on Bill's picks, particularly emphasizing Kim Malin's iconic triple crown run and the comedic value of the grandparents in the closet

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 54:59the icy
Kyle Brandt▶ 55:01the icy

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 59:42The boys weren't nearly horny enough - in real life they would have immediately used Lisa as a sex robot instead of going out to dinner
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:04:37Ilan Mitchell-Smith's performance as Wyatt - gave him the 'Matt Flynn award for actor I can't believe we thought was a lead' saying he drags the movie down
Kyle Brandt▶ 58:55The lack of sexual action between the teenage boys and Lisa - they created a 'super hot woman' but there's 'no fucking action' and the boys aren't horny enough for realistic 15-year-olds

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:24Weird Science is the best 80s movie theme song that actually has the title in the song, beating out Footloose because Hughes specifically commissioned Oingo Boingo to write it for the movie concept
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:15:16Lisa sucks - she's a terrible influence who puts the boys in danger, forces unwanted situations on them, traumatizes Gary's family, and abandons them after causing chaos

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:47Kelly Emberg — Discusses Kelly Emberg being initially cast as Lisa but left after two days; mentions Demi Moore and Robin Wright auditioning for Lisa; notes Anthony Michael Hall chose Weird Science over European Vacation
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:17:17Demi Moore — Argues that younger actresses like 20-year-old Demi Moore would have been better for Lisa role to be closer in age to Wyatt and Gary; discusses Robin Wright coming off Santa Barbara

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:26Production was kept closed to keep the plot secret, and Elon Mitchell Smith revealed that Bill Paxton appears in disguise (sunglasses and trench coat) in the party scene because he loved being around the filming
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:22:02Commented on the contrast between Bill Paxton's nice personality versus his asshole character Chet, noting Paxton's comedic talents in this film, True Lies, and Aliens

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:31:15Was Illinois just the best place for real estate in the mid-80s? Were these movie houses expensive or did everybody just have nice houses?
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:31:29It's a really nice place to live - the north suburbs where all these movie houses are located are great areas

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:33:57Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs - someone comes looking for Lisa days later and she's already kidnapped in his basement
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:33:09Gus Johnson — Gus Johnson doing play-by-play commentary at the beginning when Wyatt and Gary are in the gym watching girls gymnastics

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:46Danny Elfman — Danny Elfman for music, though notes he would refuse to accept it since he disowns the movie

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:40:17We could deal with shame. Death is a much bigger issue.

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:40:47Anthony Michael Hall — Anthony Michael Hall - says he should have had a bigger career like Jonah Hill and this is part of an Anthony Michael Hall double feature
Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:42:06Discusses LeBrock positively and the movie's 80s elements extensively but doesn't give a clear 'who won the movie' pick
Kyle Brandt▶ 1:41:36Kelly LeBrock — Kelly LeBrock - says she's sensational and if she doesn't work, the movie's terrible

Movies Referenced (51)

Superbad (2007)

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Craig Horlbeck▶ 7:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Home Alone (1990)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 15:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Die Hard (1988)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 52:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pretty in Pink (1986)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 15:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Purple Rain (1984)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 1:12:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Breakfast Club (1985)

5 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons▶ 16:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 16:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Road Warrior (1981)

4 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:07:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Vision Quest (1985)

4 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons▶ 5:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 21:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Risky Business (1983)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 50:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dumb and Dumber (1994)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 51:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (7)

John Hughes

35 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 3:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stanley Kubrick

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon▶ 21:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Columbus

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for The Help▶ 1:26:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Christopher Nolan

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Tenet, Interstellar, Inception▶ 55:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dave Halls

1 mentions · Craig Horlbeck · Known for The Matrix Reloaded, Fargo▶ 1:06:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Oliver Stone

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK▶ 1:07:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Savage Steve Holland

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Better Off Dead▶ 4:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (89)

Bill Paxton

24 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons · Known for Aliens, Apollo 13▶ 3:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kelly LeBrock

23 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Weird Science, Wrongfully Accused▶ 2:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Anthony Michael Hall

21 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Live by Night▶ 7:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steven Seagal

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Under Siege 2: Dark Territory▶ 26:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kim Cattrall

10 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons · Known for Sex and the City▶ 52:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jonah Hill

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck · Known for 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, The Wolf of Wall Street▶ 7:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Jordan

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt · Known for Space Jam, He Got Game▶ 1:29:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Oingo Boingo

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Donnie Darko, Weird Science▶ 44:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Pryor

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Craig Horlbeck · Known for Silver Streak▶ 34:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Britt Leach

4 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for The Great Outdoors, Weird Science, Silent Night, Deadly Night▶ 1:18:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny Elfman

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 45:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Lee Roth

4 mentions · Kyle Brandt, Bill Simmons · Known for Don't Look Up, Ready Player One, Mission to Mars▶ 13:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (5)

Roger Ebert

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Kyle Brandt▶ 17:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Kraft

2 mentions · Kyle Brandt · Known for The Little Mermaid▶ 1:46:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Feldstein

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Tales from the Crypt▶ 29:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lorne Michaels

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt▶ 25:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taylor Sheridan

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Hell or High Water, Wind River▶ 15:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Ben Chads

1 mentions · Kyle Brandt▶ 58:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗