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You might be surprised to know just how many movies
have been made that are either set in Las Vegas, in a
casino, or revolve around casino gambling
activities. We won't go so far to give you
an exact number of studio produced casino movies, but we
can say that we know of approximately one-hundred plus great flicks - old
and new.
Keep in mind, we are talking about casino movies for
entertainment - Not instructional videos on how to win
money inside the casinos. If you are fan of gambling and
have spent any length of time inside a Las Vegas casino,
you will understand the allure and excitement that is
perfect for drama and entertainment on the big screen.
All of the casino movies we feature here are available
online or at a video rental store, and might even be attainable in your
local library. We just want to share with you our own
passion for casino movies, and hope to introduce you to
some that you've never heard of or seen before! Our top
picks are featured below:
"21" (2008) has enjoyed a huge success at the
box offices. Raking in nearly $24 million on opening
weekend in the U.S., there's no doubt that blackjack can
bring in the crowds. Or perhaps it's Kate Bosworth,
Kevin Spacey and Jim Sturgess, who star in this
true-story flick about the MIT math team who devised the
card-counting technique as we know it today and took
their amazing skills on the road to rack up
unprecedented winnings at the casino blackjack tables.
This movie won't teach you how to count cards, which
casinos have mitigated the effects of anyways, but it
gives a fascinating and exciting insight into
blackjack...err...21.
Lucky You (2007) was hyped up before its
release as being the first movie that really explores
the life of a professional poker player (Eric Bana).
Although it got mixed reviews, some pointing to a lack
of story between Bana's and Drew Barrymore's characters,
it does indeed shed light on the professional poker
circuit. There are several cameos by poker pros,
including Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Phil Hellmuth
and Jack Binion.
Casino Royale (2006) stars Daniel Craig as
James Bond and is directed by Martin Campbell. Much of
the hype that came from the fact that Craig was the
first blonde James Bond. Not only did Craig pull off
being blonde and sexy, he pulled off some great poker
playing to oust an evil banker trying to use the poker
tournament to fund terrorism. A great Bond and casino
movie. The stakes don't get higher at the Baccarat table
in Casino Royale.
Oceans Eleven (2001) is a remake of the
original 1960 flick, but with some more star power.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Oceans Eleven stars
George Clooney, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck and a host of
other recognizable actors. A hit at the box offices,
Oceans Eleven unfolds as a team of robbers pull a hit on
the vault shared by the Mirage, MGM and Bellagio
Casino's.
Rounders (1998) is a great flick about the
underground poker circuit. Although it had modest
success at the the box offices, when the popularity of
online poker took off, Rounders became a cult hit with
poker players. It's directed by John Dahl and stars
Edward Norton and Matt Damon. If you've every wondered
what it was like in the underground, illegal poker
rooms, where yes, you could get killed by the Russian
mafia, this offers a great view.
Gambling Movie News
April 14, 2008 -
Casino Poker Movie "Deal" May Need a New Hand
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