People use different media as a form of entertainment. The same may be possible for you. For instance, some people enjoy playing sports whereas others would rather relax at home. For someone who would rather take a break with a laid-back yet interesting weekend, there are many things you can do.
You can socialize with friends and family, or you can spend your time reading a book. With the rise of online gambling culture, many people have made playing casino games their favorite leisure activity.
However, if you simply want to watch a movie, you can combine the two. There are many gambling or poker-related movies that have been released in popular media over the years. These movies can be a very thrilling and fun experience as a gambling enjoyer.
Here is a checklist of some of the best casino movies of all time that you need to watch today.
1. Casino
Casino is the title of a highly-acclaimed gambling movie released in 1995. The movie is directed by Martin Scorsese and boasts of a star-studded cast with Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, and James Woods as the lead cast.
The movie is a harrowing tale of greed and the fast-paced lifestyle of the two lead characters of two friends. One of them is a mafia enforcer, and the other is a casino executive who must compete in the gambling industry against each other.
The movie was extremely well-received at the box office, grossing over $42M and is considered a classic of gambling movies.
2. Rounders
The movie Rounders was released in the year 1998. It is directed by the well-known director John Dahl. This movie too is full of a great cast ensemble, including big industry names like Matt Damon, Gretchen Mol, Edward Norton, and John Malkovich.
The movie revolves around the character played by Matt Damon. He plays a young man who retired as a gambling player but had to play big tables again to help his friend pay off debt while managing his personal life.
At the time of release, the movie did well at the box office, grossing over $22M as revenue, and people enjoy watching the movie to this date.
3. Ocean’s Eleven
One of the most popular gambling movies from recent media is probably Ocean’s Eleven, which was released in 2001. The movie is directed by the beloved director Steven Soderbergh. The cast is vast and full of big Hollywood names like Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, and Matt Damon.
The thriller crime movie also has multiple sequels that follow the success of the first but are not as well-received by the critics. The focus of the story of the movie is on the main character Danny Oceans and his accomplices as they try and rob three casinos in Vegas at the same time.
Ocean’s Eleven was a big hit at the box office and grossed over $183M, making it one of the most popular gambling movies ever made. The movie is still available to stream on various streaming services, along with its sequels.
4. Maverick
Another super-hit gambling movie released in 1994 is the movie Maverick. The movie was directed by Richard Donner and had Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, James Garner, and Graham Greene as the main cast.
The story of the movie is based on the lead character Bret Maverick played by Mel Gibson, who requires funds for poker. He finds himself in various mishaps and comical situations. The movie takes a more light-hearted tone to the gambling industry.
It was a big hit at the box office, grossing just over $101.5M while also being widely well received by the critics.
5. High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story
Taking the gambling trope to the real world, the movie High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story was a biography drama released in 2003. The movie was directed by A.W. Vidmer. It has a cast of some highly critically acclaimed actors like Al Bernstein, Andrew N.S. Glazer, Brian Kaplan, and Michael Imperioli.
The movie is based upon the real-life story of a man named Stu Ungar, who won millions in his lifetime while playing casino games. The movie documents a professional poker player by the early age of 10 and how his life turned out to be.
The movie did pretty well at the box office and is a good example of underrated gambling biographies to date.
6. The Sting
Widely acclaimed as one of the earliest representations of gambling in the film sphere, The Sting was released in 1973. The movie is directed by George Roy Hill and stars major actors of the time like Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Charles Durning, and Robert Shaw.
The movie is a lighthearted and jovial take on the story of two con artists or grifters that try to con the big casinos. The movie is a good old classic gambling movie that has a refreshingly funny take on the act of gambling itself.
Even for its time, the movie was a smash hit at the box office and managed to gross just under $160M in total revenue. It is considered a critics’ favorite even today and is a must-watch for all gambling movie lovers.
7. Casino Royale
Taking the beloved character of special agent 007, James Bond, through a gambling-and-casino-related mission, the movie Casino Royale was released in 2006. Directed by Martin Campbell, the movie stars Daniel Craig as James bond. Other important members of the lead cast include celebrity names like Judi Dench, Eva Green, and Jeffrey Wright.
The action-packed thriller movie follows Bond to Montenegro for his mission of finding and killing a private banker that is using his wealth to fund terrorists through poker games. With an abundance of fast chases and James Bond action, the movie manages to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Being such a big franchise name, the movie was bound to do well at the box office. It ended up grossing over $167M in total as revenue earned and was also well received by movie critics and franchise fans alike.
