Fanboys Anonymous

There are certain movies that certain people simply need to see. For example, if you love baseball, you can't be on this planet if you haven't seen Field of Dreams, The Natural, and perhaps Major League. If you are into boxing, there's Rocky and Raging Bull. If you're big into arm wrestling, there's Over the Top and… well... pretty much just that one. The point is, you can't consider yourself a real fan of something if you don't know the Hollywood vernacular.

The same is true for gambling. If you're an avid game-player—whether you actually go to casinos or just enjoy playing online—there are a few movies you need to know about. If you haven't seen these, find a way to watch them immediately.

Casino

Of course, a movie named Casino has to be included here, as it makes pretty much every list, such as this one. But aside from the obvious connection, this is a terrific film. If you don't know, Casino is based on two real-life guys: Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal and Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, played by Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, respectively. If you think of it as Goodfellas in Vegas, you're not far off.

The Cincinnati Kid

If you're a poker player, you'll like this one. Starring Edward G. Robinson, Ann-Margret, and Steve McQueen as the titular character, the film is about a young hotshot poker player whose trials and tribulations eventually lead to a high-stakes game with a legendary champ.

California Split

If there is such a thing as a buddy-gambler movie, this is it. A down-on-his-luck gambler played by George Segal meets rambunctious Charlie (Elliott Gould) and the two embark on a betting tirade that leads them to a huge poker game in Reno. If you haven't heard of this one (and chances are you haven't), you should read more about it in this review.


The Gambler

A little more somber than the previous examples, The Gambler is still a fine film worth a look. It stars James Caan who, when he's not teaching Dostoyevsky in his college class, can be found at a blackjack table.

Rounders

A guy named Worm has a big debt and he turns to his old friend Mike to help pay it off. Things don't go as planned (they never seem to in the movies) and the only way to save Worm is for Mike to beat a Russian gangster in a high-stakes poker game.

The Cooler

Everybody at one point or another has experienced "that guy" who seems to able to turn a hot streak into a cold one just by walking into a room. Well, Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is that guy, and he uses his special ability at a Vegas casino. But what happens when love affects his cooling abilities?