Without a doubt, some casino movies (and casino games for free) are simply better than others, with certain titles having won a special place in the hearts of millions of viewers. These days it seems as though a newly released casino movie comes out every year, with heist flicks, slick card counting movies and the like continuing to appeal to audiences across the globe.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the top casino movies of all time, the creme de la creme of the casino flick roster. So, without further ado, let’s begin with perhaps the best casino film ever made…
Casino (1995)
Not just the indisputable king of the casino movie, Casino is arguably one of the greatest movies ever made – period. With stellar turns from a star studded cast including Robert DeNiro, Sharon Stone and a viciously good Joe Pesci, this is a true modern classic from mafia movie don Martin Scorsese.
The action centres around Ace Rothstein, a mafia associate who is sent to manage a casino in Las Vegas and his subsequent rise and struggles with success. These come not least at the hands of his friend Nicky, played by Pesci and his girlfriend, Ginger, played by Stone.
A meditation on money, power, friendship, love and, ultimately, American culture, Casino is a tour de force that beautifully captures the Vegas casino experience of the age.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
First created in 1960, the heist movie Ocean’s Eleven is a bonafide classic of the casino genre and since the initial iteration it has been remade on numerous occasions. For the purposes of our list, we are referring to the 2001 remake featuring George Clooney in the lead role as heist master Danny Ocean and Brad Pitt as his right hand man Rusty Ryan. With the help of a rag-tag band of talented crooks, the pair seek to pull off a casino heist of the most epic proportions.
With an ensemble cast featuring ace turns from the likes of Matt Damon, Andy Garcia and Julia Roberts, Ocean’s Eleven is a true blockbuster of the early noughties that wonderfully encapsulates the casino environment. From acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh, Ocean’s Eleven is without a doubt one of the top casino movies of all time.
Casino Royale (2006)
In this, Daniel Craig’s first outing as James Bond, the action centres around a high stakes poker game at the Casino Royale. Bond’s mission is to stop the villainous Le Chiffre, a banker of the criminal underworld, from winning the game. Sounds simple enough, right? Except this is a James Bond movie, and things are never that easy. With some quintessentially over the top fighting and car chase scenes, this movie is one of the best bonds of the modern era and without a shadow of a doubt, a truly top casino movie.
Mads Mikkelsen shimmers as the evil Le Chiffre whilst Craig shows serious promise in his first Bond movie and potentially the best of his tenure to date.