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‘Before Sunrise’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey

January 28, 2025 · Before Sunrise (1995) · Comedy · Drama · Romance · 1:47:13

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

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What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 4:12Nothing has aged poorly - the movie achieved perfection for what it was trying to do
Chris Ryan▶ 5:15Agrees nothing has aged poorly, emphasizing how the movie serves as a perfect time capsule of pre-internet connection and communication
Sean Fennessey▶ 6:35Agrees the movie hasn't aged poorly, noting it represents the best version of the 90s independent cinema hangout movie subgenre

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 44:02The listening booth scene - calls it his winner for most rewatchable
Chris Ryan▶ 43:54Contributes to discussion of various scenes but doesn't pick a definitive most rewatchable scene
Sean Fennessey▶ 44:48Discusses multiple scenes including the listening booth scene, agrees with its significance but doesn't declare a single winner

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 58:05If there's any magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone.
Sean Fennessey▶ 57:57Agreed with Bill's quote choice and praised it as showing the wisdom of Linklater, calling the line 'insane' and noting that every person can understand where it's coming from

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:28Why aren't the characters smoking cigarettes, especially given the 1994-95 era when at least one if not both would definitely be smoking
Chris Ryan▶ 1:03:22Suggests Ethan Hawke probably actually smoked back then, so it wouldn't be about avoiding fake cigarettes

What's Aged the Best

Sean Fennessey▶ 1:03:42The absence of smoking in the movie, making it feel more modern since smoking is no longer common in films

Movies Referenced (27)

Reality Bites (1994)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 6:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alive (1993)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 10:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boyhood (2014)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 28:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Halloween (1978)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 52:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Troy (2004)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 10:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Killing Zoe (1993)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 32:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Say Anything (1989)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 32:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Third Man (1949)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 59:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Training Day (2001)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 27:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Almost Famous (2000)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 14:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Big Eyes (2014)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 46:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Billy Madison (1995)

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 36:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (10)

Richard Linklater

17 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Waking Life, Before Midnight▶ 3:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Carpenter

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Dark Star, Halloween▶ 52:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cameron Crowe

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky▶ 14:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dead or Alive

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The A-Team▶ 32:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Larry Clark

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 34:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mann

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 58:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michelangelo Antonioni

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 52:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Bellany

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Stardust▶ 0:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Peter Weir

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Way Back, Witness▶ 33:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Todd Haynes

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Far from Heaven, I'm Not There▶ 34:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (24)

Ethan Hawke

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Training Day, Before Sunrise, Before Midnight▶ 3:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Julie Delpy

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Before Sunrise▶ 3:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Crazy Town

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Something's Gotta Give, Saving Silverman, Orange County▶ 0:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Castle Rock

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 3:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jane's Addiction

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Natural Born Killers, Gone in 60 Seconds▶ 34:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mike Lee

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 11:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert De Niro

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 45:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Screaming Trees

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for True Lies, The River Wild, Singles▶ 6:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bridget Fonda

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for A Simple Plan, Point of No Return, Single White Female▶ 45:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cold War Kids

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 34:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Daniel Craig

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for No Time to Die, Casino Royale, Skyfall▶ 51:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Demi Moore

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Striptease, Indecent Proposal▶ 2:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (3)

James Joyce

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 57:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kim Krizan

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise▶ 33:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 35:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗