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‘Casino’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey

January 25, 2022 · Casino (1995) · Crime · Drama · 2:04:56

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

What's Aged the Worst

Sean Fennessey▶ 32:10Every decision that Ace makes related to Ginger

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 35:54Multiple scenes: Ace explaining how Vegas works (the count room scene), Ichikawa gambling scenes with the whale psychology, Sharon Stone's first scene throwing chips, and Ace spotting card counters
Sean Fennessey▶ 41:11Ace spots the card counters - calls it 'one of the single greatest sequences in his entire career'

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:53James Woods' performance as Jimmy - describes it as the best fictional scumbag he played and discusses Woods' career arc through the 80s and 90s
Chris Ryan▶ 1:21:17Initially jokes about the age of the hitman, but ultimately agrees that James Woods aged the best while also crediting Sharon Stone
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:18:36Ace's mid-century modern desert house - appreciates the kitschy 70s decor and cool suburban architecture

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:36Sharon Stone — Sharon Stone was the right choice over Madonna, Nicole Kidman, Melanie Griffith, and Tracey Lords
Chris Ryan▶ 1:30:40Scarlett Johansson — Skeptical of Scarlett Johansson as an alternative, saying he's never seen her as unhinged as Ginger requires
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:28:31Traci Lords — Defends Tracey Lords as a viable option, noting she can act and has had a 30-year career, and that her life experience would suit the Ginger character

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:04L.Q. Jones — Discussed LQ Jones as Pat Webb as an example of 'that guy' actor but noted he never knew his name despite always recognizing him
Chris Ryan▶ 1:33:30Nick Mazzola — Nick Mazzola (the blackjack dealer) and John Menko (Nicky Eyes from Goodfellas)
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:32:11L.Q. Jones — Explained that LQ Jones is too important/famous to be considered 'that guy' since he appeared in major Peckinpah westerns, but acknowledged the perspective

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:44:09Ace's house from the movie was bought by Suge Knight in 1996, located in Vegas where Tupac died shortly after
Bill Simmons▶ 1:44:43Real-life Lefty Rosenthal moved to California then Florida, worked as nightclub manager, ran online betting site, died in 2008 at age 79

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:45:28Robert De Niro — De Niro - no (despite Heat and Casino within three weeks), believes Raging Bull is likely his apex but it's not rewatchable; Pesci - agrees it's Goodfellas; Kevin Pollack - yes for Casino; 1981 Cadillac Eldorado - yes; various other categories discussed
Chris Ryan▶ 1:46:18Kevin Pollak — Kevin Pollack - absolutely his apex mountain
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:45:44Joe Pesci — De Niro - believes it's Raging Bull; Pesci - definitively says Goodfellas into My Cousin Vinny, agrees this is end of Pesci's leading movie run; Kevin Pollack - agrees it's his apex mountain

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:57:13Sharon Stone
Chris Ryan▶ 1:56:57Sharon Stone
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:57:09Sharon Stone — Initially agreed with Sharon Stone but argued that Martin Scorsese could also win, though ultimately seemed to concede Sharon Stone

Movies Referenced (63)

Goodfellas (1990)

23 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 4:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 9:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:00:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dead Man Walking (1995)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 23:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Irishman (2019)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 17:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boogie Nights (1997)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 6:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cape Fear (1991)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 25:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jackie Brown (1997)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 18:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 23:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raging Bull (1980)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:45:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Ghost (2022)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 1:23:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Total Recall (1990)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:03:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (12)

Martin Scorsese

43 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 2:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

15 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 19:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sidney Lumet

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for 12 Angry Men▶ 1:05:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Anson Jew

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Wonder Woman▶ 17:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Fincher

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Se7en, Gone Girl, Zodiac▶ 11:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mike Figgis

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Leaving Las Vegas▶ 23:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Noonan

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 23:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Radford

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 23:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tony Scott

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Unstoppable, True Romance▶ 12:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brit Manor

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 2:00:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 1:32:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sam Peckinpah

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs▶ 1:32:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (80)

Robert De Niro

41 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 2:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Pesci

32 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The Irishman▶ 2:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sharon Stone

29 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Basic Instinct, Casino, The Quick and the Dead▶ 2:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Don Rickles

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Kelly's Heroes, Casino, Toy Story▶ 38:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Woods

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Hercules, The Virgin Suicides▶ 44:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jimmy Woods

9 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 5:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Oscar Goodman

8 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Casino▶ 10:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Vincent

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Goodfellas, Casino▶ 12:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alan King

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Casino▶ 21:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeff Bridges

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Big Lebowski, Crazy Heart, True Grit▶ 1:22:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Barrymore

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Grand Hotel▶ 10:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kansas

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Pitch Perfect▶ 50:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Michael Dinner

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:46:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian Koppelman

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Runaway Jury, Runner Runner, Michael Clayton▶ 2:03:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Lucas

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, THX 1138, American Graffiti▶ 1:25:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taylor Sheridan

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Hell or High Water, Wind River▶ 1:53:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Michael Grantland

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Other Guys▶ 34:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sam Naiman

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 53:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗