Casino Blockbuster Movies
Casinos and casino games are favourite features of filmmakers. The backdrop of a casino provides a backdrop of prestige, opulence, and sophistication while the games themselves serve as a way to add tension without the need for an expensive special effects budget or to explain the rules, since most people are familiar with how common games are played.
Combine that with stunning settings like Las Vegas, Monte Carlo, and Macao, and you can see why writers, directors, and producers are drawn to creating movies that feature casino games.
This includes those working for major studios in Hollywood and elsewhere in the world that put out epic blockbusters that break box office records.
We love these movies almost as much as we love casino games, so if you share our passion, here are some fabulous flicks you can put on at your next movie night.
Casino Royale
There is no one more sophisticated than 007. James Bond is Britain’s most famous (fictional) spy and he’s known for his love of the ladies, his quick and sarcastic quips, and his ability to outsmart even the most dastardly of international super villains.
Spending decades chasing these criminals around the world while masquerading as a high roller, Bond is no stranger to the casino floor. We’ve seen him numerous times playing cards over the years, with baccarat being his game of choice.
In fact, 007 is so synonymous with casinos, there is even a roulette strategy named after him.
In 2006’s Casino Royale, we saw Daniel Craig reboot the franchise as the first blond Bond. This wasn’t the only change, in this film 007 gets caught up in a high-stakes poker game where he risks both an eye-watering amount of taxpayers’ money and his own life in pursuit of his mission.
Ocean’s 11
Ocean’s Eleven is a 2001 remake of the movie Ocean’s 11 from 1960. They both boast ensemble casts, with the original featuring names like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. while the remake included George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts.
The 2001 film is the one that most are familiar with and it was so successful that it saw two sequels plus a more recent reboot with an all-female cast.
In Ocean’s 11, Danny Ocean (Clooney) puts together a team of talented criminals and conmen to help him rob a casino. They’re not planning a simple smash and grab though, this is a sophisticated plot that involves a contortionist, computer hacking, and an EMP device.
Set in Las Vegas, we also get plenty of shots of casinos and casino games, including roulette, blackjack, slots, and baccarat. This is complemented by endless scenes and B-roll set in and around some of the most famous Vegas casinos.
The Cincinnati Kid
The Cincinnati Kid is a 1965 movie based on the 1963 book of the same name. Starring Steve McQueen, it follows Eric “The Kid” Stoner, a young poker player as he rises through the ranks of the professional scene.
It’s another film that features numerous tense face-off scenes over a poker table as characters size each other up and try to get one over on their opponents.
21
21 is a 2008 movie that is based on a true story. It follows the MIT Blackjack Team, a group of academics from MIT and several other major universities from the United States and elsewhere, including the UK.
The team was founded in the 1980s with the aim of trying to beat casinos at blackjack by counting cards. Card counting is an extension of more common blackjack strategies that, while not illegal, is generally frowned upon by casinos, leading most to tweak the rules of their games to make it more difficult. It’s also not possible to do in online games.
The real team operated for over 20 years, winning millions. However, the film cuts the story down for simplicity and brevity, adding some interpersonal tensions to add more depth to the characters.
Big Momma’s House 2
The most unlikely addition to this list is Big Momma’s House 2. This 2006 crime comedy features a hilarious bingo scene where Big Momma is confronted and, eventually, punches a former love rival.
We don’t get to see much of the bingo game but the scene is very authentic with its American bingo hall aesthetics.
Casino
Martin Scorsese’s 1995 film Casino doesn’t just feature some of the best casino games in movies, nor is it just one of the best casino-themed films. It is simply one of the best motion pictures ever made.
With a 79% score from critics and a 93% rating from fans, this film about a low-level Chicago mobster called Ace who gets tasked with running a new Las Vegas casino.
It’s violent, it’s funny, and it’s dramatic in equal parts, all of which is delivered epicly by big names like Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci.
The film also lives up to its name as it’s peppered with the best casino games seen in movies, as well as shots of the casino floor throughout.