by Jake Wetherill
1. Casino
Casino is one of the most iconic Las Vegas movies of all time. Directed by Martin Scorsese, it follows the mobs that controlled the Vegas casino scene in the ’70s and ’80s. Robert De Niro plays the main character Sam “Ace” Rothstein, and some would probably say it’s among De Niro’s best performances. Although Casino was released in 1995, it is definitely worth a watch – especially if you love a good crime movie.
2. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a trippy journey through Sin City. Johnny Depp plays the drug-fueled Raoul Duke in this surreal and dark comedy. The movie was shot over the course of 56 days in 1997, but the movie itself takes place in the 70s. Fun fact: the production ran into a problem when they attempted to film inside casinos. The producers were only allowed to film inside the casinos between 2 and 6 am and given only six tables to film with.
3. 21
21 follows the infamous MIT Blackjack Team that stripped the casinos over the course of several decades. The team used sophisticated card counting tricks and won millions of dollars until the casinos finally started to catch on. Released in 2008, 21 was directed by Australian Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde) and features famous Hollywood names like Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey. If you like to play casino online or are interested in blackjack, 21 is a must-watch.
4. Ocean’s Eleven
Ocean’s Eleven is a 2001 remake of the classic Ocean’s Eleven from 1960. The plot of the movie is about a group of thieves who plan to rob the famous casinos Bellagio, Mirage, and MGM Grand. Ocean’s Eleven has one of the most star-studded casts of all time, with names like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Bernie Mac on the casting list. If you liked Ocean’s Eleven, be sure to check out the other movies in the Ocean’s franchise.
5. The Hangover
You can’t have a list of top Las Vegas movies without mentioning The Hangover, one of the most iconic comedies ever. In this movie, the phrase “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” has never been more true. The plot follows three friends (played masterfully by Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis) trying to piece together events from a bachelor party gone wild in order to find their missing friend who is due to get married. The Hangover is funny from start to finish, and you couldn’t have put together a better cast. It’s just too bad we can’t say the same about the terrible sequels.
