Stories of compulsive gamblers, willing to put everything on the line to hit that elusive jackpot are those of legend. This genre somehow intrigues the normal person, pulling on the heartstrings and fulfilling some sort of emotional casino crave. Therefore, some of the world’s largest movie producers and production companies take the gambling experience and feature casinos and the whole wagering experience into feature films. The heated action on the poker tables, the rolling of the dice, the rattling of the reels and the occasional scream of a winner appeals to almost everyone. Join us here if this is something that stokes your proverbial fire.
Ocean’s Series
This series has evolved into a casino classic, the Ocean series is set over four movies based on casinos, Las Vegas and colossal heists. The premise is about eleven accomplices who plan on robbing three casinos at the same time. The plethora of larceny is peppered with witty antidotes and unlikely friendships blossoming. Ocean’s Twelve was released three years later in 2004, it involved an additional accomplice; Julia Roberts, who together with the original eleven cast members, plan the grandest heists on the great European casinos.
Casino
Casino is the film that paved the way to the modern-era casino classics, it was a revolutionary picture that captured the world’s imagination about gritty Las Vegas gambling and crime. Released in 1995, the picture is timeless and looks as good as it did back then now. Casino rotates between two casino mobsters, one who is interested in making a brand out of his name and the other who is only consumed with crime and greed.
The pair have a past friendship, but now both compete to monopolize the gambling empire and win the heart of a socialite. Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone spearhead this casino great and go above and beyond to set the scene on what Vegas underworld was like. Power, greed, deception, love; Casino has all the ingredients for a mobster classic, which why it remains a must-watch for gamblers today.
21
21 follows a group of MIT geniuses traversing the golden plains of Sin City, learning the unethical and illegal card-counting game. There is a reason why the dark art of card-counting is illegal because it goes hand in hand with corruption, theft and even murder. Relive the dream of taking a casino for every penny through 21, where 6 MIT students are trained to be card counting experts and take over Las Vegas. They win millions and swindle money right off the hands of other players. The film was released in 2008 and it has received great reviews and has become critically acclaimed for its exciting and tense casino drama.
Casino Royale
The re-make of the 1973 same-titled movie is one of the most appreciated movies in the 007 series because it shows the high-roller world of secret agents and casinos. Follow the most famous secret agent James Bond, who embarks on a mission to stop a criminal banker of many worldwide organizations. Bond finds himself winning high-stakes games of Texas Hold’Em at Casino Royale while trying to prevent the terrorists from thwarting his plans.
The casino classic has all the makings of another great and has an abundance of action, deception and all your Bond favorite moments. This Bond movie has become a timeless masterpiece and has unearthed the affluent world of casinos and secret agents.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Based on the popular novel, cult film Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas portrays Hunter S. Thompson’s drug-fuelled adventure into Sin City. In the company of his crazed and unstable Samoan lawyer, Thompson heads to Vegas with a hefty advance to cover a sporting event for the magazine he works for. Blowing the king’s ransom on copious amounts of drugs they set out in search of the fabled American Dream, encountering police, gamblers, drug dealers, women and hitchhikers along their way.
This film presents the dark and yet gritty reality that Las Vegas presents to some. Las Vegas has a dark underbelly peppered with crime, drugs and deception. This Las Vegas is very far from the American Dream.
The Hangover
The Hangover is a quintessential “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” casino movie. The Franchise first Hangover film made a staggering $467 million with little endorsement and just a bagful of originality. Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu and Alan head to Vegas to celebrate their friend Doug’s bachelor party in pure Vegas style.
The triumvirate arose the next day with no memory of the night’s events, with a missing groom and a tiger in the bathroom. In a race against the clock to find Doug, the three must find their friend in order to get him back in time for his wedding.
The Gambler (1974)
Aptly named, The Gambler tells the story of an English university professor (played by James Caan), who has a crippling casino gambling addiction. As the film continues, we see a beaten-down Caan on the path to self-destruction and his mental state becomes increasingly precarious. As the down and out gambler continues to borrow, his need for thrills threatens and endangers his life. The film builds to a steady crescendo and ends on a fantastic climax.
This is another cult classic for the gambling purists, who will be able to identify with the ever-compelling James Caan and resonate in the bright lights of Las Vegas.
Rain Man
Lavish businessman Charlie Babbit (Tom Cruise) is put in a difficult position after only receiving rose bushes from his wealthy estranged father’s will. After meeting his older brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), an autistic introvert, for the first time, Charlie takes him to Vegas on the chance of taking advantage of his unique gift.
Rain Man shows a glimpse of another side of Vegas and how family relationships can be built over a card table. This old but gold casino oriented Hollywood blockbuster has the makings of a Las Vegas great.
