A casino movie is only ever as good as its penultimate poker scene and let's face it there have been some shocking attempts at recreating the thrill of the game. However, there are a few select casino scene classics that managed to capture the game in epic proportions.
The best pick of the bunch includes the film 'Maverick' whereby Mel Gibson displays an impressive if ever so slightly unethical slowroll that is the envy of many of a poker player. Similarly, the best scene of the whole film 'Cool Hand Luke' arguably comes from a poker game played with stealth by the late Paul Newman. James Bond 'Casino Royale' 2006 captures the excitement of the poker game with a scene slick enough to go down in history that only a James Bond film could pull off, i.e. almost entirely unrealistic. Paul Newman gives another fantastic poker performance in the 1973 film 'The Sting' but although this is up there as an all time great, arguably the best poker scene comes from the film 'Rounders' during a clash between Matt Damon and John Malkovich involving Oreo biscuits. The glint in Matt Damon's eyes across from 'Teddy' and his terrible tell makes for one of the most intense poker scenes ever seen in a movie.