How can you not love casinos? They’re the true coliseums of our time, a place of spectacle, glamour, ruined lives and dreams come true. With so many stories you can tell inside a casino, is it so strange that dozens upon dozens of directors decide to set their films there? Some do it successfully, others… receive points for trying, at least. But who did it best? Which movies made us part of the casino culture, shaking in anticipation over that last poker hand? Let’s take a look!
5. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
You know you’ve got one hell of a list when one of the most beloved heist movies of all time barely makes it in! Danny Ocean, played by the always great George Clooney (except for “Batman & Robin”, but I like to pretend that film never happened), assembles an all-star cast in order to pull off the burglary of the century by robbing three of the biggest casinos in Las Vegas at the same time. Plans are made, and then proceed to go completely wrong multiple times, leaving you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire picture. With that said, while “Ocean’s Eleven” is often the first thing that pops into people’s minds when they hear the words ‘casino movie’, there’s really not all that much casino in it. The casinos are a setting, a goal and little else. You can replace them with banks or private penthouses without really losing all that much from the overall experience. Still, it really says something when, fourteen years and two sequels later, people continue to love this film to bits. At the end of the day, casinos or not, you can’t go wrong with Danny Ocean and his band of misfits!
4. Maverick (1994)
Not a lot of people know about this classic, but to this day it still remains one of the funniest films I’ve ever seen. Pre-psychotic breakdown Mel Gibson plays scoundrel Bret Maverick, who is on a mission to get to, and win, the biggest poker tournament in the Wild West, thus claiming the million dollar prize alongside the title of the best poker player of his time. Along the way he’s forced to form fragile companionships with some of his rival poker players (who are all pretty insane in their own right), knowing full well that he’s going to face them at the tournament. Oh, and did I mention he’s also several thousand dollars short on his entry fee? Comedy gold ensues! “Maverick” holds the distinction of being one of the very, very few Western movies that really don’t take themselves very seriously, instead treating their characters and situations as nothing more than set-ups for jokes. Not to mention, it’s got one of the best ending plot twists I’ve ever seen in my life, which left me roaring in laughter upon its reveal. If you want some laughs during a late night poker game, look no further!
3. 21 (2008)
Card counting has always fascinated me. The idea of a person who is so smart and so attentive that they have found a way to beat the system without really cheating or doing anything illegal has the potential for some great storylines, and I’d say that “21” makes the best of it! Ben (Jim Sturgess) is a brilliant MIT graduate looking to get into a prestigious medical school, but lacks the funds to do so. In order to accumulate them, he decides to join a team of card counters who have hatched a plot to send signals to each other and bet big on blackjack when the cards are in their favour. What follows is a thrill ride of intrigue and suspense as Ben descends deeper and deeper into the world of card counting while desperately trying not to lose himself in the process. Conspiracies are made on top of conspiracies, and at the end of the day you’re never quite certain who comes out on top, if anyone at all. Which I’m sure was exactly what the movie was trying to narrate.
2. Casino (1995)
This movie is directed by Martin Scorsese. Do I need to say anything more? I mean, come on, that’s the guy who brought you “Taxi Driver”, “Goodfellas”, “The Departed”, “Shutter Island”, “Wolf of Wall Street” and countless other great movies across the decades, have some faith in him! “Casino” takes us right in the heart of a mob-controlled 1970s Las Vegas as Ace (Robert De Niro), a sports handicapper working for the mafia, is assigned to his own casino involved in money laundering and skimming. As Ace desperately tries to keep his own little criminal empire together, several opponents are determined to take it away from him. Friends become enemies, enemies become worse enemies, and meanwhile the FBI’s gaze is locked firmly onto the casino, just waiting for Ace to slip up and give them a reason to bust him. Unlike “21”, “Casino” is not a cautionary tale about what happens when you get too deeply involved in shady casino business – it’s more of a story about human decadence brought about by our own vanity. Let’s just say that, unlike “Ocean’s Eleven”, there’s a very good reason why this movie uses a casino as its setting. And it is brilliant.
1. Casino Royale (2006)
Come on, even with a movie by Martin friggin’ Scorsese on this list, how could anything other than “Casino Royale” assume the number one spot? After dominating the 20th century as the ultimate superspy, James Bond was replaced by other action heroes towards its end and the beginning of the 21st one. Following multiple semi-successful movies starring Pierce Brosnan, this once mighty franchise was considered by many to be a relic of the past… Until “Casino Royale” brought it back with a passion, showing us exactly why there’s only one James Bond! Agent 007 (Daniel Craig) finds himself entering a high stakes poker tournament in the hopes of stripping a suspected terrorist of his funding and making his capture by MI6 easier. Naturally, said terrorist isn’t above cheating in various ways in order to ensure his victory, and the game of cat and mouse that follows is going to keep you glued to the screen for the entire runtime, and for a film that’s over two hours long that’s quite the achievement! If you ever wanted to see for yourself just why James Bond is THE superspy, of both last century and this one, look no further than “Casino Royale”!