|
1 Rounders
Rounders has, since it opened on the cinemas in USA in 1998, been a favourite among poker players and we wont make an exeption.
Rounders invites you to filthy illegal clubs, dreams of Las Vegas and huge amounts of money. Matt Damon is good as the dreamer
Mike, Edward Norton is excellent as the impulsive Worm and John Malcovic is absolutely exceptional as the shady Russian Teddy
KGB. The director John Dahl takes the audience a long way from the internet glorified presence of poker today and that is
why it is so good. Rounders is without doubt the best poker film in history.
>2 Casino
Ok, Martin Scorseses masterpiece Casino isn’t really that much about poker but we would still like to rank this brutal
and fascinating film about Las Vegas as the second best Poker film made. The city Las Vegas is oozing of poker and when Joe
Peschi reaches his climax as hysterical and aggressive mob boss you will start wondering if it wasn’t actually better
in the good old days. Casino is a really well made film about drugs, gambling and corrupt mobsters. No matter how little poker
the film actually contains it’s a gambling teaser like none else.
3 One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stu Ungar
The documentary about Stu “The kid” Ungars life, One of a Kind: The Rise and Fall of Stu Ungar, is a insightful
view on the life of the worlds best poker player of all times. The film gives you exclusive footage from WSOP 1981 (when Ungar
won the competition for the second year in a row). You get to hear Mike Sixton tell about Ungars next to supernatural skills
in reading his opponents and we get to take part in “The kids” cocain marked life in the eighties. The title is
deadly accurate in describing the film. The Rise and Fall of Stu Ungar is 40 minutes of documentary of the poker in the eighties
and a fascinating story of the rise and fall of a genius.
4 Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is both intelligent and breaking new grounds. The film is packed with Anglophilism, quick
clips, bizarre action and really strong poker scenes. That Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels as an exception from all other
films is about true losers gives it an extra edge. The film validates the myth that poker on film isn’t exciting without
drugs, violence and large amounts of cash.
5 The Cincinaty Kid
The Cincinaty Kid is a classical American drama where the action hero Steve McQueen plays the central figure and to tell the
truth it’s not a very good film. The film is neither chocking, fascinating nor original but it is actually very entertaining.
A good example is when McQueens extremely cool and talented poker player Eric “The Kid” Stoner challenges the
crook Lady Fingers and the film takes the audience to the time when taking a seat at a pokertable was risking your life. One
of the more questionable aspects is the poker. In the last hand Eric Stoner bets all on a Royal Straight Flush draw and in
the spirit of Hollywood he hits it. The Cincinaty Kid is entertaining, exciting and funny but far from the much better Rounders.
|
