Behind the Screen: The 20 Most Influential Movies of All Time

It’s no secret that movies are influential.  From snappy catch phrases – “I’ll be back!” – to fashion (think Diane Keaton in “Annie Hall”), they have an important part in our lives.  Heck, you’re reading this on a website that was created by two people who share a love of the film “Jaws.”  No “Jaws”…no Media Mikes! Recently, researchers at the University of Turin in Italy conducted a study of over 47,000 films to see which had the biggest influence on its audiences.   Their list was based, in part, on how many times a film has been referenced in other films, as well as how many spin-offs it expired. 

Surprisingly (to me anyway), the study determined that the most influential film of all time is 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz,”.which has been referenced over 3,000 times in other films and television programs.  Most of those references were either the use of the Oscar-winning song, “Over the Rainbow,” or the inclusion of Dorothy’s famous line, “I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”  The film has also inspired several other films, including “The Wiz” (1978) and “Return to Oz” (1985). 

Here, according to the study, are the (20) most influential films of all time: 

1.  THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)

2.  STAR WARS (1977)

3.  PSYCHO (1960)

4.  KING KONG  (1933)

5.  2001:  A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)

6.  METROPOLIS (1927)

7.  CITIZEN KANE (1941)

8.  THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915)

9.  FRANKENSTEIN  (1931)

10.  SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937) 

11.  CASABLANCA  (1942)

12.  DRACULA  (1931)

13.  THE GODFATHER (1972)

14.  JAWS  (1975)

15.  NOSFERATU  (1922)

16.  THE SEARCHERS  (1956)

17.  CABIRIA  (1914)

18.  DR. STRANGELOVE or:  HOW I LEARNED HOW TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB  (1964)

19.  GONE WITH THE WIND  (1939)

20.  BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN  (1925)

If you have a film that has influenced you in some way, please let us know below.

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Watch the Superhero Movie to End All Superhero Movies…(Hopefully) When “Teen Titans Go! To the Movies” arrives onto Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and Digital From Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Own it Early on Digital October 9 / Blu-ray and DVD debut October 30

Burbank, CA, September 11 – When the Teen Titans go to the big screen, they go big! “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” finds our egocentric, wildly satirical superheroes in their first feature film extravaganza—a fresh, gleefully clever, kid-appropriately crass and tongue-in-cheek play on the superhero genre, complete with musical numbers. Get ready to LOL when “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital.

The first-ever big-screen version of DC Entertainment and Cartoon Network’s animated TV show stars Greg Cipes (TV’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”) as Beast Boy, Scott Menville (TV’s “Spider-Man”) as Robin, Khary Payton (TV’s “The Walking Dead”) as Cyborg, Tara Strong (the “My Little Pony” franchise) as Raven, and Hynden Walch (TV’s “Adventure Time with Finn & Jake”) as Starfire, reprising their roles from the series. Will Arnett (“The LEGO® Batman Movie”) and Kristen Bell (“Frozen”) also lend their voices as the evil Slade and Hollywood director Jade Wilson.

Peter Rida Michail and Aaron Horvath directed the film from a screenplay by Michael Jelenic and Horvath, which is based on characters from DC. Horvath, Jelenic, Peggy Regan, Michail and Arnett produced the film with Sam Register serving as executive producer. The music is by Jared Faber. Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

“Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack for $35.99 and DVD for $28.98. The Blu-ray Combo Pack features a Blu-ray disc with the film and special features in high definition, a DVD with the film in standard definition and a Digital version of the movie. Blu-ray special features are filled with music and fun, including the “DC Super Hero Girls: The Late Batsby” mini-movie, sing-a-longs, a hilarious look at the Teen Titans characters dubbing their favorite lines in other languages in “Teen Titans GO!: Translated” plus much more!

“Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” will also be available on Movies Anywhere. Using the free Movies Anywhere app and website, consumers can access all their eligible movies by connecting their Movies Anywhere account with their participating digital retailer accounts.

Fans can also own “Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” via purchase from digital retailers beginning October 9.

SYNOPSIS

It seems like all the superheroes are getting their own movies – everyone but the Teen Titans, that is! Determined to be a star, Robin vows to change this. If only they could get Hollywood director Jade Wilson (Kristen Bell) to notice them! With a few madcap ideas and musical numbers (of course), the Teen Titans head to Tinsel Town. But when Supervillain Slade (Will Arnett) messes with their plans, the Teen Titans will have to become true superheroes to save the world!

BLU-RAY AND DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

“Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” Blu-ray Combo Pack contains the following special features:

  • Lil Yachty Music Video: “Teen Titans GO! Rap”
  • Sing-a-long with Silkie “DC Super Hero Girls: The Late Batsby” Mini-Movie
  • Red Carpet Mayhem
  • Teen Titans GO! To the Movies: WB Lot Shenanigans
  • “Everything is Fake”: Exclusive song not in the movie
  • “Teen Titans GO!: Translated”
  • Storyboard Animatics:

o   Storyboard Animatics: Time Cycles

o   The Final Battle

“Teen Titans GO! to the Movies” Standard Definition DVD contains the following special features:

  • Storyboard Animatics: Time Cycles
  • The Final Battle

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Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection First Time Ever on Blu-ray!

FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, A LANDMARK COLLECTION SHOWCASING THE LEGENDARY MONSTERS IN MOTION PICTURE HISTORY

UNIVERSAL CLASSIC MONSTERS: COMPLETE 30-FILM COLLECTION AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY™ ON AUGUST 28, 2018 FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Universal City, California, August 22, 2018 – Thirty of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces starring the most famous monsters of horror movie history come together on Blu-ray™ for the first time ever in the Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection on August 28, 2018, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Featuring unforgettable make-up, ground-breaking special effects and outstanding performances, the Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection includes all Universal Pictures’ legendary monsters from the studio that pioneered the horror genre with imaginative and technically groundbreaking tales of terror in unforgettable films from the 1930s to late-1950s.

From the era of silent movies through present day, Universal Pictures has been regarded as the home of the monsters. The Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection showcases all the original films featuring the most iconic monsters in motion picture history including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, Phantom of the Opera and Creature from the Black Lagoon. Starring some of the most legendary actors including Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains and Elsa Lanchester in the roles that they made famous, these films set the standard for a new horror genre and showcase why these landmark movies that defined the horror genre are regarded as some of the most unforgettable ever to be filmed.

Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection includes a 48-page collectible book filled with behind-the-scenes stories and rare production photographs and is accompanied by an array of bonus features including behind-the-scenes documentaries, the 1931 Spanish version of Dracula, Featurettes on Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., and Jack Pierce, 13 expert feature commentaries, archival footage, production photographs, theatrical trailers and more. The perfect gift for any scary movie fan, the collection offers an opportunity to experience some of the most memorable horror films of our time.

The Universal Classic Monsters: Complete 30-Film Collection includes Dracula(1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Mummy (1932), The Invisible Man (1933), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Werewolf of London (1935), Dracula’s Daughter (1936), Son of Frankenstein (1939), The Invisible Man Returns (1940), The Invisible Woman (1940), The Mummy’s Hand (1940), The Wolf Man (1941), The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), The Mummy’s Ghost (1942), The Mummy’s Tomb (1942),Invisible Agent (1942), Phantom of the Opera (1943), Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), Son of Dracula (1943), House of Frankenstein (1944), The Mummy’s Curse (1944), The Invisible Man’s Revenge (1944), House of Dracula (1945), She-Wolf of London (1946), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951), Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954, and includes a 3D version), Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy (1955), Revenge of the Creature (1955 and includes a 3D version) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956).

 

BONUS FEATURES:

  • Behind-the-Scenes Documentaries
  • 3D Versions of Creature from the Black Lagoon and Revenge of the Creature
  • 1931 Spanish Version of Dracula
  • Featurettes on Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr., and Jack Pierce
  • 13 Expert Feature Commentaries
  • Archival Footage
  • Production Photographs
  • Theatrical Trailers

 

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: 13, 1930s, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1935, ...

Six Hollywood Movies to Watch

Every year thousands of movies are released in the Hollywood. These are some of the best Hollywood movies that one must watch during their lifetime.

Shawshank Redemption

This has to be the best Hollywood movie ever. The movie depicts the story of a man who has been imprisoned for the crime that he didn’t commit. The protagonist of the movie does the best one could do in such situation. He keeps his faith in the almighty alive instead of cursing his fate. He dreams of a paradise filled with pleasures in a situation where an ordinary human being would succumb to the insensitivity of nature.  The movie signifies the power of hope as the prisoner is eventually successful in realizing his dreams.

God Father Trilogy

The God Father trilogy is undoubtedly the most influential Hollywood movie of all times. The movie has immensely inspired the entire generation of filmmaking. The movie shows the gang war between the mafias of America. The impressive performance by the actors Robert De Niro, Marlon Brando and Al Pacino adds to the greatness of the movie.

Inception

Both the audience and the critics were marveled by the movie. The movie is a piece of great imagination and creativity. The concepts of limbo and dream are meticulously depicted in the movie.  The brilliant script was backed by equally brilliant performances by Leonardo Dicaprio and Tom Hardy.

Schindler List

The movie is based on a true story of one Oscar Schindler who had managed to save many jews from the atrocities of the Nazis during the second world war. The realistic, hard-hitting and powerful portrayal of the script successfully struck a chord with the audience. The movie won the Academy award in 1993 for the best picture.

Fight Club

Fight club is regarded as one of the manliest movies all times. The movie was directed by David Fincher and features stars like Bradd Pitt and Edward Norton. The entire movie is filled with rebellious concepts. The thought-provoking twist at the end of the movie is worth watching.

Interstellar

The sci-fi movie delves into the concepts of black hole and life on other planets. Christopher Nolan has quite vividly depicted the entire idea. This movie has repeatedly been rated as the best movie of the 21st century by the audiences.

There are many other movies that are worth watching, but these can’t be missed. You can watch these movies at lower prices by using Bydiscountcodes.co.uk discount codes.

 

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6 Best Poker and Gambling Movies to Watch

There are countless movies about poker and gambling related storylines. Likewise, casinos have been popular prime locations for making these movies since the very beginnings of a silver screen. In case you are interested in learning some tips and tricks while watching such films, then our selection of carefully selected gambling movies will be of a great interest to you. Another place to get try your gambling skills would be supercasinosites.com/online-casinos and play while watching these great movies.

  1. Rain Man

A selfish businessman called Charlie Babbit (Tom Cruise) discovers his father left a fortune to his savant, autistic, brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman). After meeting his older brother for the first time, Charlie takes Raymond to Las Vegas with the idea of using his brother’s gift to win big while playing blackjack. “Rain Man” resembles everything from family bonds, mental insight, to even crossing the legal boundaries.

  1. The Sting

One of the most stylish movies of all times, “The Sting”, takes place in Chicago, in 1936. A young con man Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) teams up with an old pro Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) to revenge for his murdered partner responsible, Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). In this finely-crafted story, things don’t go according to plan, so there is some ad hoc improvisation by the undaunted duo.

  1. Casino (1995)

Full of violence and tragedy, “Casino” is Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece where Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci are the main characters. The movie is all about greed, dishonesty, power, and a rivalry between the two best friends – a mafia underboss and a casino owner, over a trophy wife and a gambling empire.

  1. Two for the Money (2005)

After suffering a career-ending knee injury, a former college football celebrity Brandon (Matthew McConaughey) decides to keep working in the sports gambling business. His knowledge and skills qualify him to choose winners which is how why he catches the eye of one of sports-betting’s consultants Walter (Al Pacino) who takes Brandon under his control. “Two for the Money” is a famous  American drama about the world of sports gambling.

  1. Casino Royale (2006)

Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) is a shady financier who attends a high-rollers poker tournament in Montenegro, where he tries to recoup his money back in order to stay safe amongst the terrorists. Secret agent James Bond (Daniel Craig) is sent on a mission to prevent Le Chiffre from winning the money and escaping. Altogether, “Casino Royale” is a classy casino film which became highly popular among movie lovers.

  1. Louis Theroux: Gambling in Vegas (2007)

“Louis Theroux: Gambling in Las Vegas” is a TV documentary which is created by Louis Theroux who goes to Las Vegas in order to reveal the world behind the curtains of a casino culture. Among many people, he meets interesting individuals such as high-rollers and a worker who looks after them, and also a retired doctor who tells she has gambled millions of dollars in seven years.

The Conclusion

These are top 6 must-see gambling movies. Certainly, some of the titles are better than the others, but they all have one thing in common – to keep you entertained and eager to visit the casinos and try your luck.

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Grateful Dead “Meet-Up at the Movies” Returns With Unreleased 1989 Concert in Movie Theaters Nationwide on August 1 Only

Fathom Events and Rhino Entertainment Commemorate Jerry Garcia’s 75thBirthday With Seventh Annual One-Night Event to Showcase Unreleased 1989 RFK Stadium Concert

DENVER – June 29, 2017 – For the seventh year in a row, beloved American rock group Grateful Dead returns to the big screen for its highly-anticipated annual event, “Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies 2017.” The Meet Up features the Grateful Dead (Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh, Brent Mydland, and Bob Weir) in concert, performing to a sell-out crowd of 40,000-plus fans in Washington D.C. The one-night-only event is scheduled for August 1, which would have been Garcia’s 75th birthday.

Presented by Fathom Events and Rhino Entertainment, “Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies 2017” will play in U.S. movie theaters on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. local time. This special one-night cinema event features the Dead’s previously unreleased July 12, 1989 concert from RFK Stadium.

Tickets for “Grateful Dead Meet-Up at the Movies 2017” can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 450 select movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

The Meet-Up provides an annual occasion for Dead Heads to reconnect with fellow fans, as well as a chance for new devotees to experience the excitement of what it would have been like to see one of the Dead’s legendary shows live. This year’s concert features a rare first set that contains at least one song sung by each of the four lead singers and a terrific show-opening rendition of the band’s biggest hit “Touch Of Grey.” The show’s second set begins with a very uncommon second-set opener, “Sugaree,” two songs with Bruce Hornsby sitting in (“Sugaree,” and “Man Smart [Woman Smarter]”), plus one of the only video recorded versions of “Black Muddy River.”

July 12, 1989 -RFK Stadium- Set List:

Touch of Grey

New Minglewood Blues

Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo

Tom Thumb’s Blues

Far From Me

Cassidy

Friend of the Devil

Promised Land

Sugaree

Man Smart [Woman Smarter]

Ship of Fools

Estimated Prophet

Eyes of the World

Drums

I Need a Miracle

Dear Mr. Fantasy

Black Peter

Turn on Your Love Light

Black Muddy River

“Earlier this spring, Dead Heads gathered in cinemas nationwide for ‘The Grateful Dead Movie 40th Anniversary,’” Fathom Events CEO John Rubey said. “We’re pleased to present them with another opportunity to ‘Meet-Up’ at the movie theater this year.”

Hart, Kreutzmann, Weir’s Dead & Company (also featuring John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, and Jeff Chimenti) is on tour now through July 1, 2017. For more information, visit www.DeadandCompany.com

About Fathom Events
Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema with participating affiliate theaters in all 100 of the top Designated Market Areas®, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events such as live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions like the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live, sporting events like “Canelo Álvarez vs. Julio César Chávez, Jr.,” concerts with artists like Michael Bublé, Rush and Mötley Crüe, the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics film series, inspirational events such as To Joey With Love and Facing Darkness, and anime titles such as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 897 locations and 1,387 screens in 181 DMAs. For more information, visitwww.fathomevents.com.

About Rhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment is the catalogue development and marketing division of Warner Music Group. Founded in 1978, Rhino continues to set the standard for excellence in the reissue business it pioneered in both the physical and digital worlds with an emphasis on flawless sound quality, bonus tracks, informative liner notes, award-winning creative packaging, and a strong social conscience. Rhino has also expanded the definition of what a catalogue music company is, as evidenced by the label’s name and likeness representation deal with Frank Sinatra, its multi-faceted relationship with the Grateful Dead, and releasing new albums by heritage artists such as Jeff Beck and Cyndi Lauper. The vast catalogue of more than 5,000 releases includes material by Led Zeppelin, Eagles, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin, The Doors, Chicago, Ray Charles, Black Sabbath, John Coltrane, Yes, Phil Collins, The Ramones, and The Monkees, among many others.

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All-Time Greatest “Guilty Pleasure” Horror Movies

Source: Flickr

There are some horror movies that are so well crafted they immediately become classics that you’ll return to time and time again. These movies are rare gems, and have the perfect combination of cast, storyline, director, script, special effects and soundtrack. Some horror movies are watchable on first viewing, but for whatever reason fail to make an impact and slide into horror movie obscurity. Then there’s that final, special category of horror movies … the ones that are so bad, so terribly cast and so poorly written that they just shouldn’t work, but they do and they achieve legendary status. These movies are the ultimate in guilty pleasure – and here’s are our all-time favorites!

Dead Snow (2009) – a Norwegian zombie splatter movie, featuring mountains, a death metal soundtrack, snow and Nazis. Yes, Nazis! Although not as terrible as some of the other movies on our list, Dead Snow is one of those films that’s gone onto achieve a bit of a legendary status despite less than satisfactory box office figures. It has even spawned a sequel, ‘Dead Snow 2: Red vs Dead’. In ‘Dead Snow’ a group of students are forced to fight off a series of zombie Nazi attacks, who are out to protect their stolen gold at all costs…

Poker Night (2014) – since poker is well-integrated in popular culture it was only a matter of time before it became the theme for a late-night chiller! ’Poker Night’ was released straight onto video on demand in 2014, but did pull off a limited theatrical release later that month, and stars the ubiquitous Ron Perlman. The plot is not unlike a good old-fashioned Amicus portmanteau: Beau Mirchoff plays a detective who gets invited to a poker night with several police vets and detectives. Each of them has a story to tell about different cases they’ve been assigned to, and when he gets captured alongside Halston Sage he realizes he must use the stories from his fellow officers to find a way to escape.

Wild Zero (2000) – the second zombie movie to make our list, this Japanese masterpiece ticks all the ludicrous boxes – meteorites? Check! Zombie apocalypse? Check! ‘Wild Zero´centers around the story of Ace, a wannabe rockstar who becomes friends with a supernaturally gifted band Guitar Wolf during the afore-mentioned zombie apocalypse caused by falling meteorites and invading aliens. Wild Zero features a gorgeously corny soundtrack, a heart-wrenching love story and all the gore you need for a Saturday night’s viewing!

Faust Love of the Damned (2000) – Brian Yuzna has a unique take on comic book adaptations, ‘Faust Love of the Damned’ is one such film, and like his previous forays into the world of comic strips it wasn’t quite what people expected! Faust ticks all the boxes for icky special effects (thanks, Screaming Mad George!) and is a bafflingly funny take on the legend – a lovesick artist makes a deal with the devil to avenge his the death of his wife. ‘Charming’ is not normally a word you’d associated with a horror flick, but if there’s one thing this movie is, it’s that!

Leprechaun 3 (1995) – well, it wouldn’t be a list of “terribad” films without at least one Leprechaun title, eh? So what makes this particular installment in the wacky series special enough to warrant inclusion above the others? Well it stars the Leprechaun in Vegas for a start, as he literally takes a trip to find his gold. Things get a bit lycanthropic when the little guy takes a bite into Scott, who himself goes through a transformation into (you guessed it) a Leprechaun! Leprechaun 3 is the perfect mix of camp and gore, and being set in Vegas allows for some creative set pieces and a very nice twist, which you’ll just have to watch the film to discover!

What are your favorite so-bad-they’re-good horror movies to watch?

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: alltime, greatestguilty, movies, pleasurehorror

Top 10 Casino and Gambling-Themed Movies

People have always regarded gambling as one of the favourite activities, and it is not surprising that this interest also translates into the world of movies. A number of gambling and casino themed movies come out on a regular basis, but there are movies that capture the hearts and minds of viewers more than others. Here are some of the top 10 casino and gambling themed movies:

  1. Rounders (1998)

The movie features a young Matt Damon, in one of his best roles ever, and Edward Norton as two friends who are addicted to gambling. Damon plays a youngster who excels at poker and uses this skill in order to pay off the loan sharks and help his friend in the process. It may not be a big budget film, but it has all the essentials for a slick poker inspiration.

  1. Casino (1995)

A classic casino-themed movie, it features Robert De Niro as a Las Vegas mobster who is involved in the world of casinos. Yet, he tries to go about his business in a respectable way while his mobster friend is overtaken by greed. The movie was directed by Martin Scorsese, widely regarded as one of the best directors. The film goes into several details of owning and running a casino in its 178-minute runtime.

  1. 21 (2008)

A recent entrant in the world of casino themed movies, 21 is a story of MIT students being coached by their professor – played by Kevin Spacey – in order to win big at Las Vegas casinos. The students set off to Las Vegas and use card counting technique to amass huge sums of money before being eventually caught. The 123-minute runtime will reveal if there is a happy ending or not.

  1. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

A star cast featuring Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, and many others, decide to rob Las Vegas casinos. The film gives an incredible insight into the behind-the-scenes action at a super casino, like those found in Australia and featured at https://pokiestar.com/online-casino-in-australia/. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the movie is not about robbing just one, but three Las Vegas casinos.

  1. Casino Royale (2006)

One of the first James Bond movies to heavily feature casino games, Casino Royale sees the debut of Daniel Craig as James Bond. His mission is to beat a top weapons dealer in a high-stakes game. The movie is set in Monaco, which has some of the oldest and most popular casinos in the world. Eva Green plays the love interest for Bond in the movie, which takes focus away from technology and moves it to Bond himself.

  1. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

A British crime movie, the plot follows a youngster who is indebted to the powerful crime lord to the tune of £500,000. The huge debt is created as a result of a fixed card game. In order to pay off this debt, the youngster goes on about every possible option and there is a huge amount of killing along the way. Directed by Guy Ritchie, the movie also features young Jason Statham.

  1. Owning Mahowny (2003)

A movie about gambling addiction, this Canadian film features Phillips Seymour Hoffman and John Hurt. A bank employee and gambling addiction certainly do not go along well. Large number of bank money being skimmed to fuel the gambling addiction results in everything falling apart. Just like a stack of cards, the movie shows gambling addiction destroying a life. The movie was directed by Richard Kwietniowski.

  1. Maverick (1994)

Starring Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster, Maverick is a movie about a young poker player trying to come up with a huge amount of money in order to enter a major poker tournament. Numerous challenges and comic mishaps happen along the way. The movie was directed by Richard Donner with Jodie Foster playing the love interest of Gibson, and someone who is also a gambler.

  1. The Cincinnati Kid (1965)

This movie depicts the equivalent of a David versus Goliath contest, but in the world of poker. A young and upcoming poker player is pitted against one of the best in the business. Directed by Norman Jewison, the movie features some of the best-known stars of the time like Steve McQueen and Edward G. Robinson. A high-stakes poker game forms the fulcrum of the movie.

  1. The Gambler (1974)

Depicting the life of a literature professor who has become addicted to gambling, this movie shows some of the pitfalls of becoming addicted to gambling. Even after going through various stages of losing money, the lead character – played by James Caan – cannot stop gambling.

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: 10, casino, gamblingthemed, movies, top

Movies theme online casino games

Movies theme online casino games continue to be some of the most popular of all of the online casino games, even when compared with all of the online casino games and not just the fun mobile games. People love the games that give them a certain degree of familiarity, which is certainly the case with movies theme online casino games. People like to be able to revisit the movie scenarios and images that helped to make them happy at different points, and movies theme online casino games can do the trick in a way that simply watching the movies again never will.

When people go the casinopokiesonline.com.au, they are going to find so many online casino slot games that it is going to be difficult for them to keep track. The Australian public seems to have a special affinity for online pokies in particular. Around eighty percent of Australians today play some sort of online casino games, and the online casino slot games are usually at the top of the list for them. While many of the movies featured in the movie themed online casino slot games are specifically American films, Hollywood movies have managed to achieve a level of international recognition that people all around the world are still going to be able to identify with them. The people who go to the casinopokiesonline.com.au website from Australia are going to love the Terminator games as much as the majority of Americans who play this famous online casino slot game series.

The Dark Knight series is one of the most popular of the movies theme online casino games. The Dark Knight series was and still is one of the most popular film series ever released, and it makes perfect sense that a gaming series based on this film series would be just as popular. Naturally, this is also a recent movie series from the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, which makes it that much more understandable that people today are still huge fans of it. The Terminator series has a great deal of enduring popularity, even though it has been some time since a film in that series has been released and people seem to have changed some of their opinions on some of the lead actors since this time period.

The Jurassic Park series of online slot games is also one of the most famous of the online movie themed slot games that people will find today. One of the advantages of this series is the simple fact that Jurassic Park is still an ongoing series as opposed to an old one. However, older series are getting resurrected all the time, so it is possible that this is going to happen again with some other movie series in order to create new online casino slot games. This is the era of cinematic television, and people are now playing slot games based on television series like Game of Thrones. Movies theme online casino games and similar games will only get more popular.

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: casino, games, movies, online, theme

Major Movie Studios Licensing their Movies to Slots Makers

Game developers look in all the unexpected places for inspiration when seeking the next idea for a slot machine. When it comes to slots based on movies, though, things get a bit complicated – they need to sign licensing agreements with the owners of their rights to be able to even touch the subject. And such license agreements are not as unusual as you might expect. The last few years has seen more movies adapted into video slot machines, especially ones you can play online, than all the previous ones combined, both classics and modern day blockbusters. Great slots of which you can get more here at Grizzly.

Microgaming signs with HBO, Studiocanal and Universal

Isle of Man based developer Microgaming has signed quite a few licensing deals in 2014, gaining the right to release three most successful slot machines. Two of them were for blockbusters from the 1990s – Universal’s insanely successful Jurassic Park, and Studiocanal’s equally resounding Terminator II Judgement Day. Both of them were released in the same year, to incredible success – no doubt, due to the players’ fond memories of the movies. (And both of them released not long before a new movie in the franchise has been announced).

But the developer has signed a surprising deal with HBO Global Licensing as well, to turn its hit TV series A Game of Thrones into a slot machine. The game was released, and was a disappointment for many – most likely thanks to the high expectations of the players. But still it’s one of the most atmospheric slots ever released by Microgaming.

NetEnt and its ongoing deal with Universal

Swedish developer NetEnt is famous for its feature- and detail-rich slot machines. It is sometimes called the “Apple of online gaming” thanks to its incredible attention to detail. And it has an ongoing deal with Universal, which allows it to release some of the best slots based on classic horror movies.

Let’s take a look at NetEnt’s Universal Monsters series: Dracula (a bit like the guy from Dracula Untold, but in a Victorian setting), Frankenstein (the Boris Karloff one), The Invisible Man (the classic one, of course), Creature from the Black Lagoon, to mention just a few.

The developer has a history of releasing highly successful movie and TV based slots – including two games with a South Park theme, one featuring Aliens, or classic mobster movies like Scarface.

Playtech’s Marvel deal

Israeli gambling solutions provider Playtech has announced its comprehensive deal with Marvel back in 2009. Since then it has released a cornucopia of video slot machines (and a handful of internet scratch cards) based on the most popular characters from the Marvel universe – the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers (all of them together, and most of them separately) and so on. These have been among the most popular slots offered by the company ever since, especially with the continuous excitement about the upcoming superhero movies.

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: licensing, major, makers, movie, movies, slots, ...

Phil Hall talks about his latest book “The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time”

If you’re a fan of movies you’re probably already familiar with the work of Phil Hall. A contributing editor to the on-line magazine, “Film Threat,” Hall is also a well respected author of such film books as “The Encyclopedia of Underground Movies: Films From the Fringes of Cinema” and “The History of Independent Cinema.” His latest book, recently released, is entitled “The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time.” Mr. Hall recently took the time to answer some questions for Media Mikes:

Mike Smith: What makes a movie “Bad?”
Phil Hall: We need to clarify what “bad” means. I am not writing about the mediocrities that you forget about after the closing credits have rolled. My book celebrates what I call the “anti-classics.” These are the films that inspire wonder – they are so profoundly misguided and egregiously off-target that you have to wonder how they ever got made. These bad films are the cinematic equivalent of narcotics – you get hooked by their toxicity and you become a happy prisoner to their crashing awfulness. It is a wonderful addiction, for sure.

MS: What inspired you to write the book?
PH: A few years ago, I was an actor in a film called “Rudyard Kipling’s Mark of the Beast,” and while on the set a number of people were talking endlessly and enthusiastically about the Tommy Wiseau film “The Room.” I recognized that people tend to become animated and involved when talking about the so-bad-they’re-good films, going to the point of quoting the screenplays verbatim, and I thought that I would bring together my choices for 100 of the best of these anti-classics.

MS: You have some critically popular films, “Mystic River” among them, on your list. Any reservations on labeling films like this “bad” when they were well received?
PH: My book is not a be-all/end-all text book. My book is an expression of my opinion as a film critic and film scholar. Remember, the appreciation of films (or any art form) is strictly subjective. I know people who loathe “Citizen Kane” and “Gone with the Wind” – that is their opinion. And remember, opinions are like a certain lower body cavity – everyone has one and most of them stink! Whether you agree or disagree with me is strictly your call. This book is my vehicle to share my opinions.

MS: Have you received any feedback from any of the filmmakers?
PH: The book covers the full spectrum of the cinematic experience, from the silent era to the present day. Thus, many of the filmmakers cited in the book are no longer with us. As for those that are still active, I don’t know if they are aware of their inclusion in the book.

MS: Do you have a favorite “bad” movie?
PH: That’s sort of like asking if you have a favorite child, isn’t it? Some of the films cited in the book — the musical version of “Lost Horizon,” “Chariots of the Gods,” “Airport 1975” – have a special emotional tug because I saw them in the theater when I was a little kid. Others hold a special meaning because I shared the viewing experience with friends and/or family. And I am always discovering new films, so today’s favorite could easily become yesterday’s corny memory.

MS: Are you planning another book?
PH: This is my sixth book that has been published since 2004. I think I am overdue a long rest!

 

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Filed Under: Author Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: bad, book, greatest, hall, latest, movies, ...

Book Review “The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time”

Author: Phil Hall
Paperback: 258 pages
Publisher: BearManor Media
Release date: July 4, 2013

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

Think you know what makes a bad movie? So did I until I read the latest from Film Threat scribe Phil Hall whose latest book, “The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time,” set me straight.

Hall has assembled an impressive list of 100 films that he isn’t very impressed with. Of course, the list contains some well known “bad” titles, like Ed Wood’s “Plan 9 From Outer Space” and the awful “Battlefield Earth.” But it’s not just bad directors making bad films that are taken to the woodshed here. The great John Huston, with fifteen Oscar nominations (and two wins) in his career, has placed two films on the list: “Beat the Devil” and “The Bible: In the Beginning.” Stanley Kubrick teamed up with Howard Sackler (creator of the Broadway show “The Great White Hope”) for the film “Fear and Desire.” It’s here as well. Other directors taken to task include George Cukor, Bob Rafelson and Michelangelo Antonioni. And, just so you don’t think Hall is picking on the early films of now renowned filmmakers, he also includes Clint Eastwoods’ Oscar winning “Mystic River,” calling the film “so incredibly off-kilter that it demands attention for its sheer awfulness.” Wow! I’m guessing that didn’t make Clint’s day.

Of course, “bad” is in the eyes of the beholder. There are actually a few films on the list that I enjoy watching when I catch them on cable, among them “Head,” starring the Monkees, “The Adventures of Ford Fairlaine” and the Neil Diamond version of “The Jazz Singer.” I know they’re not classic cinema fare, but something about seeing Sir Laurence Olivier weep and rip his clothes while Diamond intones, “Pop…pop,” in his deep voice makes films like this a guilty pleasure. I’m also sorry to see the Robert Altman- directed film “Health” on the list. Not because it’s a good movie but because a couple of friends and I staked out the hotel in St. Petersburg where it was filmed (the Don Cesar) in the hopes of meeting Lauren Bacall. How many teenagers in the 1970s even knew WHO Lauren Bacall was?

Like his Film Threat work, Hall packs his prose with humorous observations. One of my favorite comes from his review of “The Babe Ruth Story,” noting that though some of the Babe’s secrets were ignored “their absence was compensated by a surplus of jolly anachronisms, most notably with the presence of a beer advertisement on a billboard positioned in a stadium game that occurred during the Prohibition years.”

An enjoyable read from A (“Abbot and Costello Go to Mars” to Z (“Zabriskie Point), “The Greatest Bad Movies of All Time” is a must have for anyone that enjoys the movies…good or bad.

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Book Review “Movies of the 2000s”

Author: Jurgen Muller
Paperback: 640 pages
Publisher: Taschen
Release Date: February 15, 2012

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Looking back at the 2000’s first ten years of movies, if it unbelievable how many absolutely amazing films there were during this period. Well book is the perfect companion to assist with that task. Some of the pictures are not crystal clear but I would like to think that they were like that for artistic purpose. Not every shot is perfect freeze framed. The only disappointment and I think it is a little embarrassing even for Taschen is that within this fantastic book, it is also packed with typos. For example, it misspells “Benjamin Button” as “Benjamin WButton”. That is only factor really stopping this book from receiving 5 out of 5 stars.

It hard to look back in the 2000’s because it doesn’t seem to long ago but there were some really ground breaking movies in the last few years. To showcase some of them: “Avatar”, The Bourne Trilogy”, “Moulin Rouge”, “The King’ Speech”, Everything from Pixar like “The Incredibles” and “Wall-E”, “Harry Potter” series and of course the  “Pirates of the Caribbean” series. Those are just a mere few of my favorites. There are literally hundreds of movies showcased through these near 700 pages.

Each film in the book is not only put in the spotlight but also packed with great information including synopsis, film stills and production photos, cast/crew listings, fun trivia, technical information and of course actor and director bios. It honestly has everything you will need to learn about some of your favorite films or maybe even some that you might have missed in the last decade. After reading this book, I am very curious to check out Taschen’s past installments of past decades.

 

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: 2000s, book, movies, review

Book Review “Tales From Development Hell: The Greatest Movies Never Made?”

Author: David Hughes
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Titan Books
Updated Expanded Edition
Release Date: February 28, 2012

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

In the past few months I have found myself becoming a very big fan of author’s David Hughes. His last book “The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made” is similar to this one but focuses in one genre. “Tales From Development Hell” is backed by amazing research and just proves that Hughes knows his films. When I first started to get into movies very deeply I always wanted “Jaws 5” to be made during the 90’s and I would constantly see the words show up development hell…and 20+ years still no “Jaws 5”. It is truly a writers, directors and stars worst nightmare where the scripts are written, actors hired and sets designed…but no production.

This newly updated and expanded edition includes two new chapters that are worth the purchase alone. The previously last chapter “The Incredible Shrinking Film” is expanded focusing in-depth on James Cameron’s then-planned remake of “Fantastic Voyage” and his journey.  The new final chapter which was added is called ” Tales from the Script”.  Since Hughes is an screenwriter himself he knows what it is like to go through development hell with a script.  In the chapter he focuses on his own Hollywood struggles and projects in limbo.  It is a very great chapter and is a breath of fresh air for all aspiring screenwriters.

I seem too learn something new with each of Hughes’ books.  In this one, I discovered that The Beatles were once in talks to star in “The Lord of the Rings”…The Beatles?! Also Clint Eastwood was once talked about starring in a planned “Batman” film.  Those two alone are impressive enough for me (and boy am I happy they never got made). Along with Hughes’ amazing research he also does a great job with getting interesting exclusive interviews with the writers and directors involved with some of these lost projects.  It is a true must for all movie buffs.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book, development, greatest, movies, review, tales, ...

Book Review “The Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Never Made”

Author: David Hughes
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Titan Books
Revised & Expanded Edition
Release Date: July 25, 2008

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

I think we all forget that some of our favorites films have long journeys to the big screen and some never even get made.  Whether it is changing directors or projects falling through, this book reveals the “what if” factor of many sci-fi movies that were never made.  This revised & expanded edition contains over 100 pages added to the book.  It is a must for all sci-fi fans and probably movie fans in all.

The book is kicked off with a great foreword by H.R. Giger (designer for “Alien”), it is a great insight into his career and about his dealings with Hollywood.  I am a huge movie fan especially the sci-fi genre and this book is really such a great insight into these lost films.  Some of them I would have loved to have seen like Terry Gilliam’s “Watchmen” or Tim Burton’s “Superman Lives”. Then there are some that I would have hated like Nicholas Cage playing Superman.  I also enjoyed the fact that this wasn’t consisted of re-hashed knowledge and there was a lot of new information that I never knew about.   Author David Hughes made sure to back this book with a bunch of great new interviews with the people involved with the writers and directors of these lost projects.

Besides providing new information, the book is also very detailed and includes thorough information like budgets and technical information about these films.  I enjoyed that most about this book, especially because I am a big statistical nerd.  Lastly, who else should provide the afterword to a book aimed at nerds, then the biggest nerd, Harry Knowles aka the famous blogger from Ain’t it Cool News.  He gives good insight in the wrapping up the book and its message.  If you enjoyed this book also check out Hughes’ latest coming out February 28, 2012 from Titans Books called “Tales From Development Hell: The Greatest Movies Never Made?”.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book, greatest, movies, review, scifi
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