Rowena Sorensen
Casino
This movie is based on a real story. Scorsese brought it to the big screen, and it features some huge names. Some of them include Joe Pesci, Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone. This movie is quite possibly the ultimate gambling-related movie. The plot revolves around De Niro, who plays a bookie. He needs to run various Vegas casinos for his bosses, who are part of the mob. Joe Pesci’s character, however, is both a thief and a killer, and his reckless behaviour puts them all in danger. This movie stands out among other mob movies because it tackles gambling on a macro-level. The stakes are high and this movie raises them even more.
Casino Royale
Do you love James Bond? If you do then you will absolutely love Casino Royale. The story follows a rookie agent who is known by the name James Bond. He’s on his very first mission and it’s his job to try and take down Le Chiffre, who is the banker for the biggest terrorist organisation around. There are talks that he has plans to try and raise a lot of cash during a high-stakes poker game, and it’s Bond’s job to try and defeat him. If he does, then this would absolutely destroy the organisation and it would leave them unable to make further threats. If the mere thought of this makes you want to try your hand at poker, then you should know that 5 Star Pokies are able to give you an online poker experience unlike any other.
Ocean’s 11
Ocean’s 11 is quite possibly one of the best and the most entertaining movies around. It tells the story of the one and only Danny Ocean, who happens to violate his parole after being released from prison. He then travels to Las Vegas, where he uses his friends and his acquaintances to rob The Mirage, The Bellagio and the MGM Grand. The main reason he chooses to do this is because they are all owned by his rival. The movie features a major cast, including Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Bernie Mac and Brad Pitt.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Johnny Depp might be known for his performances, but this is always going to be one that stands out from the rest. He played the character of Raoul Duke, who decided that the best way to discover the American Dream would be to take a ride to Vegas. They go with their psychotic lawyer and they take all kinds of drugs on their trip. Long story short, they don’t end up discovering the true meaning of the American dream, but they do meet up with hitchhikers, gamblers and even a quirky police officer too.
Molly’s Game
This movie is a biographical drama. It’s based on the story of Molly Bloom, a champion skier who is forced to give up her dreams and her career after being involved in an accident. Instead of following her original plan, which was to attend law school, she quickly becomes introduced to underground poker. She then ran some of the world’s biggest underground poker tournaments but was soon arrested when 17 FBI agents stormed the premises. The film marks Aaron Sorkin’s directorial debut and features performances from Idris Elba, Kevin Costner and Michael Cera.
Rounders
This movie is more about exploring the darker side of addiction. It’s not remotely glamorous and it contains a lot of dark humour too. It’s adrenaline-filled; it’s quite difficult to put the story itself into words. The only way to truly get an idea of what the movie is about would be for you to watch it for yourself.
Cincinnati Kid
It’s been over 50 years since one of the most iconic gambling movies hit the big screen. The last hand still causes arguments and debates among gamblers to this day. Poker experts state that it would be laughable to throw poker out of the window, but movie critics are more concerned about how the movie shows some degree of youth and recklessness. So it doesn’t really matter whether you want to learn about the mechanics of stud poker or whether you want to explore some of the best casino movies of all time, because you should certainly bump this one up your watch list.
The Gambler
The Gambler is another movie with a darker side. It offers insight into the mind of an addict, more than anything else out there. It’s filled with brilliant performances and the story soon develops into much darker obsessions. James Caan builds up a very authentic character and he does this better than anyone. Alex Freed is a college teacher who is somewhat troubled. He has an obsession with danger and soon ends up on a path of self-destruction. This is a brilliant movie that was remade recently with Mark Wahlberg, and if you want something that is going to capture your attention or even have you on the edge of your seat then this is certainly one that should be on your list.
Mr Lucky
No rom-com would make this list normally, but when you have Cary Grant who poses as a shady gambler who attempts to scam a relief charity, it’s hard to ignore it. He takes on the ID of a dead gangster, but soon has a change of heart as he falls head over heels for a socialite. This is an old-time movie but that being said, it’s still a classic and if you have never seen it before then you need to bump it up your watch list as soon as you can.
So, there you have it! Some of the best gambling movies around. How many of them have you seen in the past? And how many are you going to try and rent before the weekend comes along?
