Top 5 Vegas Movies
In honor of the Epic-ness that is Las Vegas, here are my top 5 Vegas films:
5. Leaving Las Vegas – I’m a little hesitant to start the list off with a movie that makes me not want to go to Vegas, but a great movie none the less. When you finish this movie you become so depressed that you basically just need to watch 2 hours of the Powerpuff Girls just to get your equilibrium back.
4. Honeymoon In Vegas – Another Nick Cage film. Along with Con-Air, this is the only actor this side of Elvis to have a Vegas trilogy. I’ve always had a soft spot for this movie, and James Caan is the man in this movie. Besides…it’s got flying Elvis’ what more could you ask for?
3. Very Bad Things – How many times has this happened? You find yourself in Vegas with a dead hooker in the bathroom. Critics hated this movie, but I found it to be a fantastic dark comedy. The entire Vegas sequence in particular really sticks out as classic (taking a chainsaw to a Asia Carrera…that’s class).
2. Ocean’s 11 – You wish you could be this cool. No movie has made Vegas look like a cooler place. Who doesn’t look at the fountain at the Bellagio and not think of this movie? This is probably the best heist/caper film to come out in my lifetime. Everything about this movie was cool. The dialog, the characters, the clothes, you name it.
1. Swingers – Ocean’s 11 may be the king of cool, but Swingers was money baby! The lingo of this movie will stick with Sin City forever (“Vegas baby!”). Hell, my best friend is nick-named Double Down. And if you say you haven’t glanced twice at the “Dorothy’s” at the MGM, you’re a liar. This movie is where it’s at when it comes to Vegas. And this is probably the most realistic. A bunch of average Joe’s trying to look money and be someone they’re not for a few days (“Excuse me darling. I want you to remember this face here, Okay, this is the guy behind the guy behind the guy). Of course in reality, we all probably look like jokers (“I’ll have a scotch. Glen Livett, uh…and Glen”)
Honorable Mention:
Casino – Joe Pesci’s finest hour.
Train’s Honorable Mention (I’m dead serious):
3,000 Miles To Graceland – Train’s spent the last half hour trying to convince me that this terrible movie is actually awesome. But whatever, he liked "White Chicks".
5. Leaving Las Vegas – I’m a little hesitant to start the list off with a movie that makes me not want to go to Vegas, but a great movie none the less. When you finish this movie you become so depressed that you basically just need to watch 2 hours of the Powerpuff Girls just to get your equilibrium back.4. Honeymoon In Vegas – Another Nick Cage film. Along with Con-Air, this is the only actor this side of Elvis to have a Vegas trilogy. I’ve always had a soft spot for this movie, and James Caan is the man in this movie. Besides…it’s got flying Elvis’ what more could you ask for?3. Very Bad Things – How many times has this happened? You find yourself in Vegas with a dead hooker in the bathroom. Critics hated this movie, but I found it to be a fantastic dark comedy. The entire Vegas sequence in particular really sticks out as classic (taking a chainsaw to a Asia Carrera…that’s class).2. Ocean’s 11 – You wish you could be this cool. No movie has made Vegas look like a cooler place. Who doesn’t look at the fountain at the Bellagio and not think of this movie? This is probably the best heist/caper film to come out in my lifetime. Everything about this movie was cool. The dialog, the characters, the clothes, you name it.1. Swingers – Ocean’s 11 may be the king of cool, but Swingers was money baby! The lingo of this movie will stick with Sin City forever (“Vegas baby!”). Hell, my best friend is nick-named Double Down. And if you say you haven’t glanced twice at the “Dorothy’s” at the MGM, you’re a liar. This movie is where it’s at when it comes to Vegas. And this is probably the most realistic. A bunch of average Joe’s trying to look money and be someone they’re not for a few days (“Excuse me darling. I want you to remember this face here, Okay, this is the guy behind the guy behind the guy). Of course in reality, we all probably look like jokers (“I’ll have a scotch. Glen Livett, uh…and Glen”)Honorable Mention:
Casino – Joe Pesci’s finest hour.
Train’s Honorable Mention (I’m dead serious):
3,000 Miles To Graceland – Train’s spent the last half hour trying to convince me that this terrible movie is actually awesome. But whatever, he liked "White Chicks".
posted by Casey at 12:47 PM
14 Comments:
3000 Miles To Graceland is possibly one of the worst movies ever made. And I'm dead serious. TeePee, thanks for the Train desk-update. That made the post.
3000 miles to graceland = Pile of Hurl
I wonder if Kevin Coster says "Do you know who I am? I was in 3000 miles to Graceland"
those are the insight's we're looking for...never saw 3000 Miles...I did see Rainman...that had a good Vegas scene in it...what about Diamonds are Forever?, one of the best classic Bond car chases with by far the best American chase car ever made...also, whenever you give props to Oceans 11 2.0 please remember to spread the love to the original 4 guys who were and will always be the coolest f'n group of celebrities of all-time in the history of America...seriously here's to The Chairman, Dino, Bish and Lawford...and my apologies to MCP(I'm not jumping on the TeePee bandwagon)....
The fact that the greatest movie/book about Las Vegas wasn't even given a mention diminishes your fading qualification as the Lodge's Gene Siskel:
how about giving a little love to a Terry Gilliam directed, late HST written story delivered by two primo actors on top of their game: Tom Hanson and Benny the Bull...along with cameo's gallore...it not only tops a list of Vegas movies, but tops my list of all-movies...
While I enjoyed Honeymoon in Vegas back when a spry-SJP had it working...it by no means deserves to be on the top 5...that's just my take...
Fear and Loathing is one of those films that is so far beyond a Vegas movie, that it lowers itself being put in such a list.
Fear and loathing is bigger than just a Vegas List, it's bigger than a Johnny Depp list. It is it's own entity altogether.
As for Diamonds are Forever, I have to make a confession, I'm just not a Bond guy.
However, having said that, I'd totally be willing to give a shout out to a Bond film that will never be made. A couple of years ago Quentin Tarintino got the idea to make "Casino Royale" with Pierce Brosnan. He talked a lot about he had a really great idea on how to do a Bond movie that would be fresh and original. However, the producers of the Bond film had zero interest in handing over Bond to Tarintino (although they liked the idea about doing "Casino Royale", that they're doing that themselves) or in bringing back Pierce Brosnan, that they never pursued it. Tarintino is still publicly bitter about it to this day.
Can you image just how great that movie would have been? Sadly, we will never really know.
NOT A BOND GUY - Look I don't know this guy anymore... Jayne? never heard of him....
That is like saying no I'll pass on a hummer.
What can I say. I don't have a whole lot of respect for a series of 21 (or 22 depending on how you count) movies that are basically just the exact same thing over and over again. That's why I'm especially bummed about the Tarintino thing.
I'd love to see a film maker really take a new look at the now stale series.
Can you imagine a Robert Rodriguez Bond? Or a Fincher? Or a Proyas?
Something like that would be totally fascinating. But no, MGM plays it safe and always chooses a director who will just mimic what has come before.
TeePee, from someone who A) Admits not being a Bond guy, and probably, B) Has never seen all or probably half of the Bond films, your opinion's value is next to none and barely qualifies. As much as I agree that Tarantino would have made (and still could make in the future) a terrific Bond director, you are dead wrong on the Bond series as a whole.
No, MCP... I expect you to die!
Actually, my previous job ensured that I saw just about every single bomd film, INCLUDING offshoot films like "In Like Flint", the comedy version of "Casino Royale" and "Living Daylights".
Just because I don't like it doesn't mean I don't know it. Furthermore, just about every single director that's done a Bond picture has gone on to do crap...what does that tell you?
Granted you might not like the movies but then again you don’t really enjoy many mainstream popcorn movies i.e.: a Bond Film… Yeah, I have to say the movies jumped the shark right after R. Moore left and Tim Dalton appeared in the living daylights… only high light of the film is the song done by OMD. Everything else about the movie should be burned… Goldeneye was a nice saving grace to a dying franchise then Hollywood went John Woo crazy and decided that everything should have a slow motion action montage ….”everyone needs a montage- even Rocky had a montage…..God I love South Park… chance to make a mainstream movie and you get utter poop like Die Another Day… The World is not enough (mike Apted, directed nothing expect Nell, Thunder heart and Gorillas in the mist)… I digress the original films with Connery and Moore is the Canon and should be enjoyed for the campy action and plot lines… How can you not enjoy a movie that has a 5’2” asian man throwin’ hats around or Donald Plesance as Blofeld. The list is endless.. oh, and the names given to the Bond Girls. That is what it was about.. Being a shovenust pig and loving it. He wasn’t saying Bond, James Bond for his health he was looking to bag a few chicks at the Bacharact table, all the spy stuff just got in the way…
I would love to see a REAL Director make a BOND film… A Fincher Bond would be dark and have a twist ending that would include something like Judy Dench’s head in a box….
“Ok, Ok, Ok…. If I directed Bond you’d have Sam Jackson play the villain…ok,ok,ok.. There’d be some crazy spy action with that midget guy from Sienfeld playing villain sidekick with a huge kung fu grip… ok,ok,ok…so somehow we would get Jackie Brown to play the vixen all the while we would have the movie set in 1972 Harlem except Travolta would be president… Ok,ok,Ok.”. – I can just imagine that’s the pitch Tarintino gave to MGM
It’s just not going to happen MGM and Brocolloi want to much say and no real director wants any part of that. But it would be awesome to think about
Well, the director of the soon-to-be filmed and aformentioned "Casino Royale" is the same director as Goldeneye, the same movie you mentioned as a saving grace to the past few installments of the franchise. I agree that since Moore, the movies as a whole stalled, but Goldeneye did stand up to the rest.
Tarantino was true to a classic filmmaking form in Kill Bill Vol. 2 and I think he proved with that film that he could be trusted with the franchise. I think we are all in agreement and all hopeful that the Bond franchise will see the light and turn to Hollywood's new breed of directors. That said, I'll be seeing "Casino Royale" during opening weekend later this year for the same reason I own every 007 film to date. There is nothing like hearing 007 spit the answer to his identity with, "Bond... James Bond."
Train...good call on the Quentin dialogue...and for me the series really ended with The Man with the Golden Gun...Hervé Villechaize really set a bar that could never be reached again...and MCP...although you are correct that FLLV compares to Empire in that it shouldn't be listed on any list ever...it still deserves a shout out...you owe HST that much don't you?
I still hate Very Bad Things, the movie may have a been a dark comedy but there was very little to laugh at. I was surprised the FLLV didn't even make a mention but I guess each their own.
I'd just like to point out that the Sonics won by 9 points at home against Orlando on Wednesday night. Hopefully Goose was able to place my bet. Because the Sonics were able to win at home dispite "Ray-Ray" Allen getting tossed for fighting at the start of the 2nd Quarter.
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