The Best Casino Movie Scenes of All Time

In films gambling is often shown as part of the plotline to illustrate a certain degree of tension. Someone is playing a game of poker and the stakes are high… Or there is a roulette spinning, all eyes on the ball and the protagonist questioning the bet just made.

The presence of gambling scenes does not dictate a specific genre. There are romantic comedies, action films, and thrillers. Let’s have a look at 5 of the best scenes from casino themed movies down below.

Poker, pokies, roulette, blackjack, dice…

There surely is a great way to get your hands on all the most scene-worthy games like roulette, blackjack, video poker, and pokies all in the same place. These are all offered at Televega casino, Australia’s favourite place to gamble. But sometimes you just feel like kicking back and watching a good movie.

When it comes to poker, there aren’t that many films that perfectly capture the essence of the game. But there are a few good ones where you can appreciate the build-up of tension.

In most cases, you’ll find the best casino movies featuring blackjack, roulette, craps, and pokies. Probably because these are easier to understand for the audience that may not be familiar with the hierarchy of poker hands.

Molly’s Game

This film was released in 2017 and tells the story of Molly Bloom. Getting seriously injured during a pre-game qualifier, she takes a year off and moves to LA.

Following some waitressing at a club, she starts running an underground business. The business involves setting up poker games for celebrities, business titans, and the like.

The new job isn’t exactly a career soar. But Molly steps up in the new world and starts running her own games. The film follows her down the rabbit hole of underground poker games.

Throughout the movie, you are left guessing whether Molly will come out on top, with poker adding more depth.

The best scene is the one with Harlan, the guy who “played poker, while the others were gambling” getting bluff by Bad Brad, the worst player. The scene comes commented by the movie protagonist, which lets even less experienced poker fans appreciate the drama.

Casino Royale

The 2006 movie Casino Royale is one of the most famous movie casino scenes. Agent 007 a.k.a. Daniel Craig is on another mission. Poker comes up, as it often happens in movies trying to hike up the sense of tension.

Up against a dangerous terrorist and eyeing the pot with 120 million, James Bond proves yet again he’s always one step ahead of the opponent. Perfectly tense and deliciously nerve-racking, this one is a must-see. The pressure of the real game is portrayed to perfection. As a result, the viewers gain a better understanding of the real atmosphere at the table.

Ocean’s Eleven

Ocean’s Eleven is an illustration of how the gambling theme can become an excellent setback for an action-packed masterpiece. George Clooney’s character is after robbing three Las Vegas casinos in one take.

One of the most iconic scenes is the one with Clooney joining Pitt at the poker table. “What’s the first rule of poker?” – “Leave emotions at the door.”

Even if you aren’t a fan of those two guys and their indirect verbal square off, the tips offered by Pitt to his disciples are worth hearing. Just to brush up on the basics.

And if you start missing Ocean’s Eleven right after watching, there are two sequels and a spin-off.

Casino

Made in 1995, this is the kind of movie that you may still have on VHS as a memory of the time long gone. This one is a must-see and must-rewatch if you have trouble remembering the cowboy scene.

In that scene, a cocky cowboy feels like putting his feet up during a game of blackjack.  Predictably, he gets dragged out and thrown through the door and out, literally. Respect and all that, to be expected in a movie featuring De Niro and Pesci.

Besides that, the movie is filled with masterfully-captured casino scenes.

Indecent Proposal

Released in 1993, this one has a few memorable scenes featuring roulette and dice. Indecent Proposal is about a couple of high school sweethearts who find themselves in a difficult situation. Hoping to score a big win to realize a fantasy real estate project, they end up losing everything.

As everyone knows, relying on a casino win to build your life up is never a good idea.

There are two interesting scenes worth mentioning. One when they lose their money playing roulette. The other one with Demi Moore kissing the dice before rolling out a seven (with stacks of chips at stake).

Final words

There are many gambling-themed movies out there, but only a few ones worth rewatching. Hope all the five movies listed above make it to your personal list of favorites.

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: casino, movie, scenes, time

The Best Bingo Scenes in TV and Film

Bingo has seen quite the resurgence in recent times with the more traditional version of the game reappearing in land-based venues as well as in various online environments at sites like www.bingosites.uk.

Not only that but it has even begun to sneak further into the public psyche due to it featuring in some of the world most popular TV shows and even into a few films.

Take a look at some of the pastime most memorable appearances below.

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM

Larry David stars in this truly cringeworthy series where the former ‘Seinfeld’ co-creator plays a semi-fictional version of himself and ends up in the middle of some of the most socially awkward scenarios imaginable. In the season 5 episode ‘Kamikaze Bingo’ Larry once more manages to upset and offend those around him whilst taking part in a friendly bingo game at his father’s retirement home in this hilarious scene.

BAD GRANDPA

‘Jackass’ star Johnny Knoxville plasters on the make-up and takes his Bad Grandpa character out on the road for his very own feature length adventure. Knoxville stars as Irving Zisman in this stunt-based semi-scripted hidden camera comedy. There are plenty of memorable scenes including one in a bingo hall where the always inappropriate Zisman does his best to flirt with the other players whilst drinking down the bingo marker fluid to everyone’s amazement.

BETTER CALL SAUL

It’s a shame that most TV and movie scenes that relate to bingo do seem to revolve around the older generation and retirement homes, however that’s once more the setting for this excellent sequence from ‘Breaking Bad’ spin-off ‘Better Call Saul’. During a partial melt down lawyer Jimmy, played by Bob Odenkirk, gets monumentally anecdotal and opinionated during his stint as bingo caller to the residents at the local retirement home, much to their bemusement.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

The only animated scene on our list comes courtesy of family comedy ‘Hotel Transylvania’. It may be brief but is still a humorous bingo-related scene whereby the traditional game takes on a rather disturbing twist. The classic balls being spun in this macabre version of the games are replaced with miniature skulls which even manage to voice their numbers by themselves. One lucky player manages to call bingo only to have her winning card gobbled up by the heartless creature she’s unfortunate enough to sit next to.

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Filed Under: Commentary Tagged With: bingo, film, scenes, tv

Behind the Scenes: The 84th Annual Academy Awards

As Oscar time rolls around it’s time to take a look at this years nominees and pick the winners. If you agree or disagree, please feel free to post your comments. Here we go:

BEST PICTURE

The Nominees are:
The Artist, The Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, War Horse.

Missing: The Way

After going from five nominees to ten a couple of years ago the Academy once again changed their rules. When ballots go out, each voter is allowed to name five films in order of one through five. The new rules state that if a film is named in the first position on at least 10% of the votes, it is a Best Picture nominee. Which means next year we could have eleven nominees….or three!

Should win: The Artist

Will win: The Artist

One of the most original films of the 21st Century, this love letter to the days of early Hollywood should become the first silent film (o.k., there are two words spoken but why quibble) to be named Best Picture since “Wings” won the very first Best Picture Oscar.

BEST ACTOR

The nominees are: Demian Bichir (“A Better Life”), George Clooney (“The Descendants”), Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”), Gary Oldman (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), Brad Pitt (“Moneyball”)

Missing: Michael Fassbinder (“Shame”)

Should win: George Clooney

Will win: George Clooney

It’s really a two man race between Clooney and Dujardin, who won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. But Clooney gets the nod here because his performance here as a man who learns his critically ill wife has cheated on him is unlike anything he’s done before. Plus Hollywood loves him.

BEST ACTRESS

The nominees are: Glenn Close (“Albert Nobbs”), Viola Davis (“The Help”), “Rooney Mara (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”), Meryl Streep (“The Iron Lady”), Michelle Williams (“My Week with Marilyn”)

Missing: Tilda Swinton (“We Need to Talk About Kevin”)

Should win: Meryl Streep

Will win: Viola Davis

Here we have a two women race. This is Streeps’ SEVENTEENTH acting nomination and most people assume she has 5 or 6 Oscars on the shelf. However, she’s only won twice (Best Supporting Actress for “Kramer vs Kramer” and Best Actress for “Sophie’s Choice”) with her last award coming almost three decades ago. She is due for Oscar number three and with her performance as Margaret Thatcher she should win it. However Davis (a past MediaMikes interview subject), in a role that could have easily slipped into stereotype, put so much dignity and soul into her performance that you truly rooted for her.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

The nominees are: Kenneth Branagh (“My Week with Marilyn”), Jonah Hill (“Moneyball”), Nick Nolte (“Warrior”), Christopher Plummer (“Beginners”), Max von Sydow (“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”).

Missing: Ben Kingsley (“Hugo”)

Should win: Nick Nolte

Will win: Christopher Plummer

Probably the closest race of the bunch, this category features three actors who are often regarded as the greatest in their countries history: Sweden’s von Sydow, Canada’s Plummer and England’s Branagh. There is a great irony in Branagh’s performance. He is often regarded as the successor to the great Laurence Olivier due to his Shakespearean background and his nomination comes from his portrayal of Olivier. In my opinion this award should go to Nolte, who gives one of his best performances ever in “Warrior.” But I think the Oscar will go to Plummer for his rare comedic performance as a man who comes out of the closet to his son after his wife dies in “Beginners.” Both Plummer and von Sydow are 82 and should either win they would become the oldest person to win an acting Academy Award. Currently the title is held by George Burns (Best Supporting Actor for “The Sunshine Boys”) and Jessica Tandy (Best Actress for “Driving Miss Daisy”), who were 80 when they won (though to be fair, Tandy was 200 days older then Burns).

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

The nominees are: Berenice Bejo (“The Artist”), Jessica Chastain (“The Help”), Melissa McCarthy (“Bridesmaids”), Janet McTeer (“Albert Nobbs”), Octavia Spencer (“The Help”).

Missing: Shailene Woodley (“The Descendants”)

Should win: Octavia Spencer

Will win: Octavia Spencer

This appears to be the runaway category, with Spencer nabbing pretty much every award she’s been nominated for. Like Viola Davis she took a role that could have easily spun into stereotype and put a humorous yet dignified spin on it. I will say that I am so glad to see Melissa McCarthy nominated. Comedy is so rarely recognized at awards time and she is truly deserving of her nomination.

BEST DIRECTOR

The nominees are: Michel Hazanavicius (“The Artist”), Alexander Payne (“The Descendants”), Martin Scorsese (“Hugo”), Woody Allen (“Midnight in Paris”), Terrence Malick (“The Tree of Life”)

Missing: David Fincher (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”)

Should win: Michel Hazanavicius

Will win: Michel Hazanavicius

Even though he made arguably one of the greatest films of the 1980s (“Raging Bull”) and the 1990s (“Goodfellas”), Martin Scorsese did not win a directing Oscar until “The Departed” five years ago. Had he still been Oscar-less “Hugo” would have surely brought him the prize. That being said, the award should go to Hazanavicius for his brilliant recreation of young Hollywood.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

The nominees are: A Cat in Paris, Chico and Rita, Kung Fu Panda 2, Puss in Boots, Rango.

Missing: The Adventures of TinTin

Should win: Puss in Boots

Will win: Rango

Despite winning the Golden Globe and Producer’s Guild awards for Best Animated Feature, Steven Spielberg’s “The Adventures of TinTin” was not nominated as apparently the animation branch of the Academy does not consider the motion capture process animation. Phooey! This is the first year that Pixar had a film eligible for a nomination (“Cars 2”) and didn’t receive one. Guess members aren’t big Mater fans. Dreamworks, the studio behind both “Kung Fu Panda 2” and “Puss in Boots” has won a couple awards in this category (for “Shrek” and a shared award for “Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit”) so the Academy should want to spread the wealth around and give it to “Rango.”

THE REST OF THE WINNERS

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory”

DOCUMENTARY SHORT: “God is the Bigger Elvis”

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: “A Seperation:

CINEMATOGRAPHY: “The Tree of Life” (yes, you read that right)

MAKEUP: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2”

ART DIRECTION: Hugo

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: “Midnight in Paris” – Woody Allen

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: “Moneyball” – Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin

ANIMATED SHORT FILM: “La Luna”

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM: “Time Freak”

VISUAL EFFECTS: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2”

COSTUME DESIGN: “The Artist”

FILM EDITING: “Hugo”

SOUND MIXING: “War Horse”

SOUND EFFECTS: “War Horse”

ORIGINAL SCORE: “War Horse” – John Williams (including this year, Williams has been nominated for an Oscar 47 times! He’s actually competing against himself this year with “War Horse” and “The Adventures of TinTin”).

ORIGINAL SONG: “Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets

Check back on Monday for my thoughts on the winners and losers!

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Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: 84th, academy, annual, awards, scenes

Go Behind the Scenes of America’s Most Trusted News Source “Page One: Inside The New York Times”

GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF AMERICA’S MOST TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE

PAGE ONE: THE INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES

The Revealing Documentary Arrives On Blu-ray Disc And DVD On October 18 From
Magnolia Home Entertainment Under The Magnet Label

“A potent and provocative documentary…Page One is a vital, indispensable hell-raiser.”
Rolling Stone

“Page One offers a respectful, most flattering glimpse inside the Times newsroom…”
–Variety

“Slick, fun, and surprisingly sexy”
–Vanity Fair

“An important document of the paper of record at a crucial, make-or-break juncture in its long, glorious history, and a love letter to the dying art form that is the great American newspaper.”
– The Onion’s AV Club

“Something akin to The Social Network for the news business” (Reuters), Page One: The Inside The New York Times hits stands on Blu-ray and DVD on October 18 from Magnolia Home Entertainment under the Magnet Label. The “riveting film,” (Slate) gives viewers an inside look at one of the country’s most well-known newspapers in a time where print media is dying and the Internet news business is booming. Through interviews with notable journalists such as Brian Stelter, Tim Arango, Bill Keller, Bruce Headlam and David Carr, the film “effectively brings us all around the campfire” (Los Angeles Times) to reveal the inner-workings of The New York Times newsroom.

From Andrew Rossi, the director of HBO’s Le Cirque: A Table In Heaven, Page One:The Inside The New York Times follows the reporters for The New York Times Media Desk as they work through a tumultuous time in journalism and face new players and platforms such as WikiLeaks, Twitter, tablet computers and more. Editor David Carr “steals the show” (The Village Voice), while offering unprecedented access to the inner workings of the newspaper as well as his personal life. New-media wunderkind Brian Stelter plays the “stolid Sancho Panza to Carr’s Don Quixote” (Slate) and shows the importance of having the ability to straddle the worlds of both old and new media, while colleagues Bruce Headlam, Bill Keller and Tim Arango fight to hold onto the solid reputation of The New York Times.

Page One: The Inside The New York Times Blu-ray Disc and DVD offers even more insightful commentary and extended interviews and will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98 and $26.98, respectively.

Synopsis
Page One: The Inside The New York Times deftly gains unprecedented access to The New York Times newsroom and the inner workings of the Media Desk. With the Internet surpassing print as our main news source and newspapers all over the country going bankrupt, Page One: The Inside The New York Times chronicles the transformation of the media industry at its time of greatest turmoil. Writers such as Brian Stelter, Tim Arango and, and the salty but brilliant David Carr track print journalism’s metamorphosis even as their own paper struggles to stay vital and solvent. Meanwhile, their editors and publishers grapple with existential challenges from players like WikiLeaks, new platforms ranging from Twitter to tablet computers, and readers’ expectations that news online should be free.

Bonus Features

Extended Interviews

Commentary

 

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Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: americas, news, page, scenes, source, times, ...
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