‘Boyz n the Hood’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan, and Logan Murdock
June 29, 2021 · Boyz n the Hood (1991) · Crime · Drama · 1:48:07
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsPraises the setup of the moment when Tre comes back and the scene with Fishburne, calling the movie brilliant▶ 58:28
Logan MurdockDiscusses the revenge scene's impact in humanizing characters and showing how people become monsters▶ 57:41
Sean FennesseyThe barbecue scene - while he finds Ricky getting shot most affecting, he prefers rewatching the barbecue scene▶ 56:09
Van LathanThe barbecue and ending are favorites, but emphasizes the revenge ride scene where Doughboy gives up his last humanity▶ 56:26
Apex Mountain
Sean FennesseyIce Cube — Discussing 1991 Ice Cube and Singleton identifying him for the role▶ 1:05:39
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsThe successful casting of a musician (Ice Cube) in a movie role, noting how this worked out as well as it could have compared to many failed attempts throughout film history▶ 1:08:50
Logan MurdockJohn Singleton's persistence in pursuing Ice Cube for the role - the story of how Singleton as an 18-19 year old intern kept approaching Ice Cube at the Arsenio Hall show until Ice Cube gave him a ride back to USC▶ 1:05:51
Sean FennesseyIce Cube's transformation from the most provocative musician in America to one of the 35-40 most successful movie stars of the last 30 years, comparing it to Elvis Presley being plucked for movies▶ 1:06:58
Van LathanIce Cube's career transformation and debut performance impact - how this movie allowed him to both redefine himself for existing fans and define himself for new audiences, setting up a completely different career trajectory▶ 1:07:08
Joey Pants Award
Logan MurdockMentions someone being a 'monster' and discusses the black cop character extensively but doesn't clearly state his pick▶ 1:14:30
Van LathanVonte Sweet — Vontae Sweet (appears in both Boyz n the Hood as the guy who takes the ball and Menace II Society as Sharif)▶ 1:14:43
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsTyra Ferrell — Tyra Ferrell - praised her range and screen presence despite limited scenes, calling her the winner▶ 1:18:05
Logan MurdockTyra Ferrell — Discussed Tyra Ferrell but noted she played similar characters in other films like White Men Can't Jump▶ 1:19:13
Sean FennesseyAlysia Rogers — Focused discussion on Alicia Rogers (Ricky's baby mother) whom he had a crush on, comparing her to other 1992 Best Supporting Actress nominees▶ 1:19:24
Van LathanTyra Ferrell — Tyra Ferrell - emphasized her range from hardened mom to vulnerable and terrified, noted her importance to the film▶ 1:18:47
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsMorgan Freeman — Suggested Morgan Freeman would have made the USC recruiter role too much about himself; considered Sam Jackson for USC recruiter role▶ 1:21:13
Logan MurdockMorgan Freeman — Against Morgan Freeman as USC recruiter - believes Freeman would make it about himself rather than Ricky, prefers current casting▶ 1:21:30
Sean FennesseyDenzel Washington — Agreed Denzel could have worked but noted it's hard to replace people in a movie where the director discovered so many actors▶ 1:22:28
Van LathanDenzel Washington — Denzel Washington could have played Furious Styles - thought it was a Denzel part▶ 1:22:13
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsDiscussion about 'pour out a little liquor' phrase possibly being invented by the movie, and Detroit Tiger hats being popularized by the film▶ 1:32:13
Sean FennesseyReferenced Tupac song 'Pour Out a Little Liquor' but noted it came after the movie, mentioned apex mountain discussion▶ 1:32:31
Van LathanExpressed doubt that the movie invented 'pour out a little liquor' because the practice predates the film▶ 1:32:25
Picking Nits
Bill SimmonsShould have included a 3-minute football game scene showing Ricky play; Fishburne is only 7 years older than Cuba Gooding Jr.; Little Ricky should be a better athlete; needed 10 seconds of Tecmo Bowl gameplay; Ricky's final moments don't make sense - he stops to pee and walks slowly doing scratch cards despite being chased by killers▶ 1:33:12
Logan MurdockAgrees they couldn't do Tecmo Bowl in the tense gun scene because it needed suspense; jokes that Postmates would have been clutch for getting cornmeal▶ 1:33:53
Sean FennesseyRicky's death scene is 'the biggest flaw in the movie' and tells the others to stop 'blaming the victim'▶ 1:36:13
Van LathanRicky's death scene is illogical - he acts like a sitting duck, runs in a straight line instead of being evasive like the athlete he is, they hide in an alley with streets on both sides, and they don't act scared despite constant threats from the gang▶ 1:34:36
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsDid this movie create 'booyah'? Stuart Scott may have gotten his catchphrase from this movie since someone says it and he would grab pop culture stuff▶ 1:38:43
Logan MurdockDiscussed the Ice Cube paradox and suggested Doughboy might have his own rap career but hasn't made it yet▶ 1:37:16
Sean FennesseyDoes Ice Cube exist in Doughboy's world? Ice Cube's song 'A Bird in the Hand' plays during the opening scene where Doughboy is threatened▶ 1:37:06
Van LathanIs this movie cursed? Yes, three actors died under weird circumstances including one killed in a satanic ritual by his cellmate▶ 1:39:35
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsJohn Singleton — John Singleton - first black director ever nominated for an Oscar and sets up a career▶ 1:46:25
Logan MurdockPreviously mentioned Fishburne (referenced by Bill) but didn't speak in this segment
Van LathanJohn Singleton — Agrees it's got to be Singleton but really wants to say Ice Cube - notes Cube's career takes on different form after this and rarely does someone explode onto movie scene like he did▶ 1:46:32
Movies Referenced (48)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stand by Me (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | ▶ 17:53 |
| Do the Right Thing (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 14:49 |
| Apocalypse Now (1979) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | ▶ 27:44 |
| The Color Purple (1985) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan | ▶ 7:38 |
| King of New York (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 4:47 |
| Alien (1979) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:04:24 |
| Creed (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 50:45 |
| Crocodile Dundee (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan | ▶ 49:51 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:01:22 |
| Hidden Figures (2016) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | ▶ 22:25 |
| Pulp Fiction (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 28:43 |
| Reservoir Dogs (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 10:54 |
Directors Referenced (10)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spike Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 15 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan | Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It | ▶ 12:24 |
| John Singleton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Van Lathan, Logan Murdock, Sean Fennessey | Boyz n the Hood, Four Brothers | ▶ 3:22 |
| John Hughes | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Logan Murdock, Van Lathan | Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club | ▶ 1:28:11 |
| Quentin Tarantino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn | ▶ 10:54 |
| Abel Ferrara | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | King of New York | ▶ 5:41 |
| Alfred Hitchcock | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest | ▶ 1:05:03 |
| Foxy Brown | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Logan Murdock | Jackie Brown, The 40-Year-Old Virgin | ▶ 6:14 |
| Michael Mann | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans | ▶ 22:18 |
| Rob Reiner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | This Is Spinal Tap, The Wolf of Wall Street | ▶ 17:51 |
| Sean Penn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking | ▶ 14:52 |
Actors Referenced (25)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurence Fishburne | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey | The Matrix, Contagion | ▶ 16:43 |
| Ice Cube | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 15 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock | ▶ 8:27 | |
| Regina King | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 15 | Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock, Sean Fennessey | The Harder They Fall | ▶ 4:47 |
| Larry Riley | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:11:45 | |
| Nia Long | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Logan Murdock, Bill Simmons | Big Momma's House | ▶ 30:05 |
| Angela Bassett | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock | Black Panther | ▶ 20:05 |
| Barry Jenkins | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Zodiac | ▶ 21:29 |
| Eddie Murphy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Logan Murdock | The Nutty Professor, Beverly Hills Cop II | ▶ 7:12 |
| Juliette Lewis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Cape Fear, Natural Born Killers | ▶ 1:20:30 |
| Morris Chestnut | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 30:05 | |
| Orson Welles | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil | ▶ 10:40 |
| Right Said Fred | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Grumpy Old Men | ▶ 14:49 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Darabont | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Mist | ▶ 12:18 |
| Jack Hill | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 23:07 | |
| Peter Morwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:03:45 | |
| Theodore Melfi | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | Hidden Figures | ▶ 22:49 |