I saw this and thought it was really pretty interesting even though it is not about us actually gambling, lol.
Top-10 gambling box-office hits
17 March 2008
Gambling seems like a natural fit for Hollywood. It's filled with drama, emotion, and sometimes, sex and violence. But movies with gambling themes have seen mixed reviews at the box-office. Some movies, like Rain Man, become big hits and generate millions in revenue. Others end up like Shade, which grossed $33,000.
So with the 21 just two weeks away from wide release, we poked around to see what it had to earn to be among the top-grossing gambling movies. We used U.S. gross box-office numbers because worldwide figures were not available for each movie. Box-office takes from classic gambling movies like Casablanca or The Hustler were not available either.
M = million
10. The Cooler 8.2M
William H. Macy plays Bernie Lootz, the unluckiest man in Las Vegas. In fact, he's so unlucky that a casino pays him to spread his bad luck across the gambling floor. But when he falls in love with a cocktail waitress (Maria Bello), everything changes.
9. Rounders 22.9M
Classic poker movie. Matt Damon plays a reformed gambler who puts his relationship with his girlfriend (Gretchen Mol) on the line when he starts playing high-stakes poker again to help his friend (Edward Norton) clear some debts. Features great quotes like: "Listen, here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker."
8. Honeymoon in Vegas 35M
This movie features a flying Elvis team, a funny Asian Elvis and Nicolas Cage losing his fiancee in a poker game and Mr. Myagi. It doesn't get funnier than that for romantic comedy.
7. Leaving las Vegas 40M
Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue are brilliant in this movie that captures the darker side of Las Vegas.
6. Casino 42.4M
You can't go wrong when you mix casinos, the mob and a stellar cast. Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci are mob-connected best friends in Las Vegas and Sharon Stone is the woman who is in the center of all the action. This intense movie is typical Scorsese and definitely worth watching.
5. The Color of Money 52.3M
Martin Scorsese directs this follow-up to The Hustler. Newman reprises his role as "Fast Eddie" Felson and takes young player under his wing and tries to show him the ropes in competitive pool. Newman won an Oscar for his role in this movie.
4. The Sting 156M
One of the best "big con" movies of all time. Henry Gondoff (Paul Newman) and Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) run a magnificent scam on Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw) to avenge the death of a friend. This movie so much fun you'll want to watch it over and over and over again.
3. Casino Royale 167M
This is one of the better Bond films in recent memory. Sure, the poker scenes are unrealistic. But it's still fun to watch James Bond (Daniel Craig) come up with a straight flush to beat two full houses. The best part of the scene below is the way the showdown is handled. Rather than all the cards being turned up at once, we get to see them one at a time, allowing the suspense to build. And even without the backstory, you can feel the tension in this clip.
2. Rain Man 172.8M
Dustin Hoffman is brilliant as the autistic Charlie Babbitt in this 80's classic. And Tom Cruise is watchable as the older brother trying to take advantage of Charlie's ability to complex math and count cards in the blink of an eye. The scene with Hoffman and Cruise cleaning up at the blackjack table is worth the price of the DVD.
1. Ocean's Eleven 183.4M
A fun heist movie with some good casino scenes. George Clooney plays Danny Ocean, an ex-con who wants to rob the safe that holds the money to the Bellagio, Mirage and MGM Grand. An impressive cast, including Brad Pitt, Bernie Mac and Julia Roberts joins Clooney in this fun, fast-paced movie.
Top-10 gambling box-office hits
17 March 2008
Gambling seems like a natural fit for Hollywood. It's filled with drama, emotion, and sometimes, sex and violence. But movies with gambling themes have seen mixed reviews at the box-office. Some movies, like Rain Man, become big hits and generate millions in revenue. Others end up like Shade, which grossed $33,000.
So with the 21 just two weeks away from wide release, we poked around to see what it had to earn to be among the top-grossing gambling movies. We used U.S. gross box-office numbers because worldwide figures were not available for each movie. Box-office takes from classic gambling movies like Casablanca or The Hustler were not available either.
M = million
10. The Cooler 8.2M
William H. Macy plays Bernie Lootz, the unluckiest man in Las Vegas. In fact, he's so unlucky that a casino pays him to spread his bad luck across the gambling floor. But when he falls in love with a cocktail waitress (Maria Bello), everything changes.
9. Rounders 22.9M
Classic poker movie. Matt Damon plays a reformed gambler who puts his relationship with his girlfriend (Gretchen Mol) on the line when he starts playing high-stakes poker again to help his friend (Edward Norton) clear some debts. Features great quotes like: "Listen, here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker."
8. Honeymoon in Vegas 35M
This movie features a flying Elvis team, a funny Asian Elvis and Nicolas Cage losing his fiancee in a poker game and Mr. Myagi. It doesn't get funnier than that for romantic comedy.
7. Leaving las Vegas 40M
Nicolas Cage and Elisabeth Shue are brilliant in this movie that captures the darker side of Las Vegas.
6. Casino 42.4M
You can't go wrong when you mix casinos, the mob and a stellar cast. Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci are mob-connected best friends in Las Vegas and Sharon Stone is the woman who is in the center of all the action. This intense movie is typical Scorsese and definitely worth watching.
5. The Color of Money 52.3M
Martin Scorsese directs this follow-up to The Hustler. Newman reprises his role as "Fast Eddie" Felson and takes young player under his wing and tries to show him the ropes in competitive pool. Newman won an Oscar for his role in this movie.
4. The Sting 156M
One of the best "big con" movies of all time. Henry Gondoff (Paul Newman) and Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) run a magnificent scam on Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw) to avenge the death of a friend. This movie so much fun you'll want to watch it over and over and over again.
3. Casino Royale 167M
This is one of the better Bond films in recent memory. Sure, the poker scenes are unrealistic. But it's still fun to watch James Bond (Daniel Craig) come up with a straight flush to beat two full houses. The best part of the scene below is the way the showdown is handled. Rather than all the cards being turned up at once, we get to see them one at a time, allowing the suspense to build. And even without the backstory, you can feel the tension in this clip.
2. Rain Man 172.8M
Dustin Hoffman is brilliant as the autistic Charlie Babbitt in this 80's classic. And Tom Cruise is watchable as the older brother trying to take advantage of Charlie's ability to complex math and count cards in the blink of an eye. The scene with Hoffman and Cruise cleaning up at the blackjack table is worth the price of the DVD.
1. Ocean's Eleven 183.4M
A fun heist movie with some good casino scenes. George Clooney plays Danny Ocean, an ex-con who wants to rob the safe that holds the money to the Bellagio, Mirage and MGM Grand. An impressive cast, including Brad Pitt, Bernie Mac and Julia Roberts joins Clooney in this fun, fast-paced movie.