Best Casino Movies of All Time

Casino movies have long been some of the most enthralling examples of media. People want to see the glitz and glamour of the casino world and some of the stories that are told are incredible. It can be difficult to choose which ones to watch, especially as there are so many of them now. That’s why we have done the hard work for you and put together our list of the best casino movies of all time. Strap yourself in and get ready to discover which casino movies you should be watching!

Casino

This is a movie that often gets left behind Goodfellas when talking about Scorcese movies. That’s extremely unfair as in the opinion of many people Casino is actually the better of the two movies. It sees Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro combining once again, along with Sharon Stone being added to the cast. All three deliver incredible performances to make sure that you really care about all of the characters in the movie, even if they’re not always the most pleasant of people.

It’s a story of a former Mafia member who is brought in to run a casino in Vegas. He wants to run it in a legitimate manner, but the mob links get too much and the much more unsavoury characters start to get involved. This is a movie that’s full of glitz and glamour but also has the dark undertones of violence added to the overall story. If you enjoy mob movies and want to experience some of the fun of casinos at the same time, then Casino is one of the very best casino movies ever made.

Ocean’s 11

The Ocean’s movies often get a bit of a bad name. A lot of this is due to Ocean’s 13 and Ocean’s 8, both of which weren’t great examples of movies at all. However, the first release from the franchise, not including the original rat pack movie, is without a doubt a top class example of storytelling. It has an all-star cast which instantly gets some name recognition. Clooney, Pitt and Roberts are three of the biggest movie stars in the world, but they’re all fantastic actors as well. But this movie is more than just a collection of excellent actors, it’s got a superb script and the budget ensures that nothing looks cheap here.

The story is all about a heist. Danny Ocean and his crew want to knock off a casino. Without giving away too much, there are a lot of twists and turns along the way which keeps you guessing all of the way to the end. This is an excellent casino movie and it shows off some of the most impressive aspects of the Vegas strip. Ocean’s 12 is a good follow up as well, so if this leaves you wanting more the first sequel is definitely worth watching. We’d still recommend that you don’t watch Ocean’s 13 or Ocean’s 8 though, they did ruin the legacy of the franchise somewhat.

The Hangover

This is one of the funniest movies of all time. Ignoring that it’s a casino movie for a second, this is just a top class comedy movie. It was arguably Bradley Cooper’s big break as a leading man and led to a short while where he was the most in-demand actor in all of Hollywood. Part of this is down to just how good The Hangover is. It takes everyone on a journey through some of the most ridiculous situations imaginable and provides a huge amount of fun along the way.

The scenes in the casino are amongst the best in the movie and it definitely provides some of the biggest laughs. Everyone knows the scenes with Mike Tyson as one example of just how far this movie takes things. If you want something a little bit lighter for your casino movie night, then The Hangover is the right choice.

Rain Man

Hoffman and Cruise are incredible in this movie. It’s one of the most critically lauded movies of all time and for good reason. At its heart it is a tale of how family and love can melt the heart of even the most cynical and ruthless of people. This is the oldest movie on this list, but that’s no reason to think any less of it. It’s won many awards over the years, and with good reason.

It’s the story of a man who discovers that he has a long lost brother and he sets out to find him. Although he has ulterior motives at first, he soon finds that his connection with his brother means more to him than money. It’s a heartwarming movie that’s based on people that the director knew in his own life. It also shows some fantastic casino scenes, where the brothers win money at the Blackjack table.

Casino Royale

Would it be right to make any list of casino movies without covering a James Bond movie? Known for his prowess at the Blackjack and Baccarat tables, Bond is a fixture in the casino world. While there have been many Bond movies that spend time in casinos, there’s really only one that stands out above them all. Without being disrespectful, the Bond movies of the past were a little bit cheesy. That’s not something that can be said about the Daniel Craig entries in the franchise. These are gritty and realistic examples of the spy genre.

Casino Royale was the first in the reboot of the Bond movies and it really set the standard. It’s based on the first of the Bond books and it is one of the most interesting and enjoyable movies around. This is a movie that shows the luxurious nature of the casino world in all of its glory. It also showcases just how good the character of James Bond can be when there’s a good script and a good actor. This is a little bit different to most other movies on this list, but it’s still well worth watching.