‘Apollo 13’ With Bill Simmons, Amanda Dobbins, and Rob Mahoney

Bill Simmons is joined by Amanda Dobbins and Rob Mahoney to rewatch Ron Howard's 1995 space drama, Apollo 13. The film, starring Tom Hanks, is celebrated for its authentic portrayal of the ill-fated lunar mission and its impact on both cinema and American culture.

A Perfect Concoction of 90s Hollywood

Amanda Dobbins immediately declares Apollo 13 as "peak 90s Hollywood." She highlights its status as a big-budget studio movie based on a true story, where a team of movie stars, practical effects, and zero gravity combine to make you "feel better about yourself and the world, and not in a cheesy way." Dobbins recalls 1995 as a pivotal year for her, with Clueless, Apollo 13, and Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility (next week's Rewatchables) shaping her view of what movies should be. She emphasizes Tom Hanks's ability to carry a film, stating he was "carrying a movie on his back."

Rob Mahoney agrees, noting Apollo 13 was the "first grown-up movie I was allowed to watch." Growing up in Texas, space was a "humongous deal" for him, filled with space toys and dreams of Space Camp. He vividly remembers Disney Adventures magazine advertising Space Camp "like crazy" and his disappointment at never being allowed to go. Mahoney credits the film with bringing him to adult movies and also notes it was the first time he saw Tom Hanks on screen. He argues that Apollo 13 fundamentally changed space movies, shifting from fantastical journeys to a focus on "every minute is like a fight for survival." He believes films like Project Hail Mary, The Martian, and Interstellar wouldn't exist without it, marking a new type of storytelling from a moviemaking perspective.