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‘Blood Diamond’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

June 14, 2023 · Blood Diamond (2006) · Adventure · Drama · Thriller · 1:21:20

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 20:57Leo's accent - calls it the weakest element though gives it a B+ and says it doesn't bother him that much
Chris Ryan▶ 22:01Agrees the accent is problematic, noting Leo drops it when yelling/emotional, but also mentions Leo being too beautiful/movie star-like is distracting compared to other soldiers

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 40:40Danny giving the diamond back, saying goodbye to those guys and calling Matty

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 41:18Leo's death scene on the mountain when he calls Jennifer Connelly is the best scene of Leo's career

Great Shot Gordo Award

Bill Simmons▶ 43:13The wide shot

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 43:22Makes reference to 'that wide shot' but doesn't specify the exact location

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 45:30David Harewood — Agrees with David Harewood pick
Chris Ryan▶ 45:18David Harewood — David Harewood who plays the CIA director in Homeland

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 48:16Leo in 2006 - watching his journey from child actor to reaching the top of the mountain
Chris Ryan▶ 50:16The asides and patois/language of the movie, plus the road movie structure and journey establishing character relationships

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 51:23Palm wine, which is used in three different ways - as an aphrodisiac and a disinfectant
Chris Ryan▶ 51:35Palm wine - agrees it's both a disinfectant and a drink

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 56:05No, there is not a better title
Chris Ryan▶ 56:07No, they nailed it because Blood Diamond introduced the concept to the world

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 56:20You Americans love to talk about your feelings

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 58:08Russell Crowe — Russell Crowe was considered for Danny Archer but they went with Leo instead. For modern recasting: Daniel Kaluuya as Danny Archer, Sydney Sweeney as Maddie
Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:05Agreed with Bill's modern casting choices, noting it would depend on whether updating the story to today and that it would be made through that perspective

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:18Titanic — Titanic for Leo

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:30Agreed they should mention the De Beers fact
Chris Ryan▶ 1:02:21De Beers diamond company was not psyched about this movie

Racehorse Name Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:07Suggested multiple options: Diamond Mine, Diamond, Danny Archer, and T.I.A.

Movies Referenced (46)

The Departed (2006)

9 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Top Gun (1986)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 9:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Marathon Man (1976)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:03:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gladiator (2000)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 13:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Little Children (2006)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 8:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Titanic (1997)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 5:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Courage Under Fire (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 15:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 23:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Last Samurai (2003)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 16:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Babel (2006)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 23:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Career Opportunities (1991)

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 7:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (6)

Martin Scorsese

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 4:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Norman Jewison

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for In the Heat of the Night, Moonstruck▶ 18:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spike Lee

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 18:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cameron Crowe

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky▶ 7:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kosta Jokic

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Bellany

1 mentions · · Known for Stardust▶ 0:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (50)

Leonardo DiCaprio

11 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Departed▶ 2:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jennifer Connelly

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for A Beautiful Mind, House of Sand and Fog, Hulk▶ 22:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Sheen

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 28:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Carrey

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Bruce Almighty, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind▶ 6:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Russell Crowe

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind▶ 58:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Hansu Zhan

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 13:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Newman

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Road to Perdition, The Verdict▶ 4:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sydney Sweeney

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 49:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Timothée Chalamet

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Call Me by Your Name, Lady Bird▶ 48:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alan Arkin

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Argo, Little Miss Sunshine, Glengarry Glen Ross▶ 24:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Arnold Vosloo

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Mummy, Blood Diamond▶ 59:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Daniel Kaluuya

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Get Out, Black Panther▶ 54:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (5)

Julie Siege

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 16:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 28:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Malcolm X

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Malcolm X▶ 18:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Clancy

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Hunt for Red October, The Sum of All Fears, Clear and Present Danger▶ 48:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Holland

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Child's Play▶ 48:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗