Latest news with #LeonardoDiCaprio
Tom's Guide
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Prime Video is about to lose one of the best Leonardo DiCaprio movies you (probably) haven't watched — stream this 90%-rated war thriller while you still can
'Blood Diamond' is a 2006 movie seared into my psyche. That's not necessarily because I've rewatched it loads of times, but rather it's because for about a decade, my family's DVD copy took up permanent residence on top of our player. I guess we were all too lazy to put the case back in the adjacent bookshelf. Years later, and with that dusty DVD copy probably now in a landfill somewhere or sitting neglected in a thrift store, 'Blood Diamond' is a movie I don't hear people talk about very often. In some ways, that's a little surprising considering it stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Michael Sheen and Djimon Hounsou, so there are a lot of recognizable names involved. Plus, Leo scooped an Oscar nomination for his work on the picture. While scrolling the list of movies being removed from Prime Video at the end of this month (on June 29, 2025), I stumbled across 'Blood Diamond' and figured now would be a good time for a long-overdue rewatch while it's still available on one of the best streaming services. The movie is carried mostly by the strength of its cast and isn't without its flaws, but if you're looking for something to watch on Prime Video this week, 'Blood Diamond' is a chunky action-thriller that viewers really love. Set in 1999, "Blood Diamond" opens as Sierra Leone is in the midst of a bloody civil war, with a ruthless revolutionary force roaming the countryside and forcing locals to harvest valuable diamonds to fund their campaign of terror. Stuck in the middle of the conflict is Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a fisherman separated from his family and forced into a work camp. After discovering a seemingly priceless diamond and burying it in the ground to avoid having to give it up to the authorities, he becomes involved with a South African mercenary, Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio). The two strike up a reluctant agreement to work together to retrieve the diamond, along with help from an American journalist (Jennifer Connelly). But getting back to the stone's location will force them to venture into rebel territory, a price that might be too great for even such a valuable treasure. 'Blood Diamond's' biggest asset is definitely Leo. The A-lister gives one of his finest performances as Danny Archer, and completely captures your attention in every single scene. Archer is a well-realized character, at first seeming entirely self-serving but eventually revealing a capacity to care for others and striking up a romance with Connelly's Maddy. And his tragic backstory only adds more dimension. DiCaprio brings Archer to life beautifully. No wonder he was nominated for an Academy Award. Plus, he's got a pretty great South African accent to boot. But that's not to say DiCaprio completely outshines his castmates. Djimon Hounsou is the movie's heart, and rightfully received an Oscar nomination of his own. Vandy's emotional journey to be reunited with his family is the movie's best character arc, and by the end, don't be shocked if you shed a few tears. The movie's biggest failing is that it gets bogged down repeating its thesis. Its comments on man's greed and the craven exploitation of the innocent civilizations in society (particularly during periods of conflict) are valuable. However, this worthwhile commentary is too often presented in a rather cookie-cutter, very Hollywood manner. Some subtlety would be nice. But even when 'Blood Diamond' verges into emotional manipulation, DiCaprio and Hounsou are so darn good that they easily sell you the material. And while it presents an African continent torn apart by Civil War, it still manages to highlight the undeniable beauty of the region. Viewers wanting bombastic thrills and frenetic firefights are well catered to, with several high-production action sequences. While the adrenaline-pumping moments perhaps feel at odds with the movie's message, they are quite well crafted, and there is one scene in particular involving Hounsou's son, which is smaller in scale, but it really leaves a devastating mark. The movie received a mixed reception from critics. It currently scored a middling 60% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, viewers found a lot more to like about 'Blood Diamond,' rating it a strong 90%. Recent reviews praise the cast, and one even calls it 'one of the greatest films of all time.' I'm not sure I'd echo that sentiment, but clearly lots of viewers liked this one quite a lot. As noted, you have until Sunday, June 29, 2025, to watch 'Blood Diamond' on Prime Video. So don't throw this one in your wishlist and forget about it (we all do it!), give it a stream as soon as possible. Meanwhile, if you want some alternative picks which aren't expiring soon, here's a rundown of everything new heading to Prime Video this month. Watch "Blood Diamond" on Prime Video until June 29, 2025
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2 Adds Aquaman Star To Cliff Booth Movie Cast
has added an Aquaman star to the cast. Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was released in 2019 by Sony Pictures. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton, Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth, Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate, and more. David Fincher is now working on a sequel for Netflix that will focus on Pitt's Cliff Booth character. Pitt will reprise his role in the movie, while the cast further includes Elizabeth Debicki and Scott Caan. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has now joined the cast of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2, according to Deadline. He is rumored to be playing a character 'in the vein of Jim Brown, who famously ended his Hall of Fame football career early to focus on acting, starring in such hits as The Dirty Dozen.' The script for the movie comes from Tarantino. Plot details remain under wraps at this time, though Deadline reports, 'The film will follow one of Tarantino's characters as he now serves as a Hollywood fixer.' Abdul-Mateen is known for playing David Kane/Black Manta in the DCEU Aquaman movie that was released in 2018, while he also reprised the role in the 2023 sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. He additionally played Anthony McCoy/Candyman in 2021's Candyman movie and Morpheus in 2021's The Matrix Resurrections, while his filmography further includes 2017's The Greatest Showman, 2019's Us, 2020's The Trial of the Chicago 7, and 2022's Ambulance, and more. He'll be seen playing the MCU's Simon Williams/Wonder Man in a Disney+ series launching later this year, while he's also leading a new Man on Fire show for Netflix. A release date for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2 has not yet been announced. The post Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2 Adds Aquaman Star To Cliff Booth Movie Cast appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Geek Tyrant
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Will Smith Admits He Passed on Christopher Nolan's INCEPTION Because 'I Didn't Get It' — GeekTyrant
Will Smith is no stranger to turning down major movie roles, but in a recent interview with Kiss Xtra (via HuffPost), he revealed a surprising addition to that list… Christopher Nolan's Inception . Smith confessed that the mind-bending sci-fi thriller just didn't click for him at the time. He explained: 'Chris Nolan brought me Inception first and I didn't get it. I've never said that out loud. Now that I think about it, it's those movies that go into those alternate realities… they don't pitch well. But I am hurt by those, too.' Leonardo DiCaprio eventually stepped into the lead role and the film went on to become one of Nolan's biggest box office hits, raking in $839 million globally and earning eight Oscar nominations. Smith, meanwhile, added Inception to a short but brutal list of projects he regrets turning down, right alongside The Matrix and Django Unchained . Back in 2019, Smith broke down his reasoning for passing on The Matrix . Smith recalled the Wachowskis pitch, telling him: 'We're thinking like… imagine you're in a fight. You, like, jump. Imagine if you could stop jumping in the middle of the jump. But then, people could see around you 360 degrees while you stop jumping. We're going to invent these cameras… It hurts too bad to talk about.' Smith obviously has an issue seeing the big vision for these massive projects. It's so funny that he passed on these films, but then jumped on board a movie like Wild Wild West . As for Django Unchained , Smith has always maintained that the creative direction just didn't align with his vision. Though Quentin Tarantino initially approached him for the lead role, which eventually went to Jamie Foxx, Smith previously said: 'I didn't want to make a slavery film about vengeance. To me, it's as perfect a story as you could ever want: a guy that learns how to kill to retrieve his wife that has been taken as a slave. 'That idea is perfect. And it was just that Quentin and I couldn't see [eye to eye]. I wanted to make that movie so badly, but I felt the only way was, it had to be a love story, not a vengeance story.' In the end, even some of the biggest movie stars can't see or grasp the vision of smart filmmakers... especially when it's buried in a dream within a dream within a dream.
India Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Why Will Smith said no to Inception, one of Christopher Nolan's biggest films
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan's sci-fi blockbuster 'Inception' became one of his most acclaimed films, with Leonardo DiCaprio delivering a memorable performance as Dom Cobb. But before DiCaprio took the role, the part was offered to 'The Pursuit of Happyness' actor Will Smith, who turned it first approached Smith for the role of Cobb in the film, but the actor declined, stating that he didn't understand the a conversation with UK radio station, KISS, Oscar-winning actor Will Smith revealed that acclaimed director Christopher Nolan, known for 'Oppenheimer', 'The Dark Knight', and 'Interstellar,' originally approached him to star in 'Inception'. The film ultimately went on to become a blockbuster in 2010 with Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead. When asked by the host if the actor turned down 'Matrix', Smith laughed and said, "That was one of my beautiful scars."'I don't think I've ever said it publicly, but I am going to say it because we are opening up to one another. Chris Nolan brought me 'Inception' first and I didn't get it. I've never said that out loud. Now that I think about it, it's those movies that go into those alternate realities they don't pitch well. But I am hurt by those, too,' he to reports, Nolan also offered the script to Brad Pitt and "requested a response within 48 hours". When the 'Seven' star didn't commit, Nolan moved on to Will Smith. After Smith's rejection, the director moved on to 'Titanic' star Leonardo DiCaprio, which ended up as one of his biggest hit the radio interview, Smith admitted that he regrets passing on the films, which have become iconic, saying, 'It hurts too bad to talk about.'Back in 2019, Smith shared a YouTube video explaining why he turned down the lead role of Neo in 'The Matrix'. He admitted that he wasn't able to connect to the Wachowski siblings' pitch. The actor also turned down Quentin Tarantino's 'Django Unchained'. The film was initially offered to him before ultimately going to Jamie Foxx, known for his roles in 'Baby Driver' and 'The Amazing Spider-man 2'.When asked why he turned down Tarantino's film, Smith told GQ magazine that he 'didn't want to make a slavery film about vengeance,' so he turned the filmmaker Smith has several upcoming movies, including 'I Am Legend 2' and 'After Earth 2', both slated for release in 2025. There are also rumours and concept trailers circulating about a potential 'Black Panther 3' and 'Alien VS Predator 3' featuring Watch
Khaleej Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Here's why Will Smith rejected Christopher Nolan's 'Inception'?
If you think Will Smith's biggest regrets include turning down The Matrix and Django Unchained, then here's another shocker. The actor was offered Christopher Nolan's Inception first, reported Variety. In a recent interview with radio station Kiss Xtra, Smith turned down the movie because he didn't understand its plot. After Smith's rejection, Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio headlined the film and ended up with one of his biggest hits. "I don't think I've ever said it publicly, but I am going to say it because we're opening up to one another. Chris Nolan brought me Inception first, and I didn't get it. I've never said that out loud. Now that I think about it, it's those movies that go into those alternate realities... they don't pitch well. But I am hurt by those, too," Smith said. Smith also rejected The Matrix because he didn't connect to the Wachowski siblings movie pitch, which he said was more about their intended directing style than the actual story. Smith posted a YouTube video in 2019 in which the actor retold the pitch that was narrated to him by the Matrix makers. "We're thinking like... imagine you're in a fight. You, like, jump. Imagine if you could stop jumping in the middle of the jump. But then, people could see around you 360 degrees while you stop jumping. We're going to invent these cameras, and then people can see the whole jump when you stop in the middle of the jump," Smith was quoted as saying by Variety. As for Django Unchained, which is another painful addition to the actor's rejected movie list, Smith said that he turned down the movie because he didn't want to "make a slavery film about vengeance". "It was about the creative direction of the story. To me, it's as perfect a story as you could ever want: a guy that learns how to kill to retrieve his wife that has been taken as a slave. That idea is perfect. And it was just that Quentin and I couldn't see [eye to eye]," Smith was quoted as saying by The Hollywood Reporter. "I wanted to make that movie so badly, but I felt the only way was, it had to be a love story, not a vengeance story." The Men in Black and Wild Wild West actor recently released his first full-length solo music project in 20 years, titled Based on a True Story.
