Thursday, August 4, 2016

Thursday Movie Picks #108: Gambling



Hello there and welcome to Thursday Movie Picks a weekly series where you share three movie picks each Thursday. The rules are simple simple: Each week there is a topic for you to create a list of three movies. Your picks can either be favourites/best, worst, hidden gems, or if you're up to it one of each.For further details visit the series main page here.


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This week's Thursday Movie Picks is Gambling

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Hah! Another one of those what was I thinking? themes. I think I might have been watching The Gambler, the one with Mark Wahlberg when I came up with this theme. But of course by now I can hardly remember anything from that movie - it was pretty forgettable. I know I have watch a few gambling movies, most of them I can't remember much of the plot by now, so here are three that left me with a more lasting impression.

The Hustler (1961)
This was probably the first movie starring Paul Newman I had seen and it remains my favourite. Newman plays a pool hustler who after a big loss tries to regain his confidence and money to have a go at another big challenge.

21 (2008)
Based on a true story, it's about a group of college students that count cards at Las Vegas casinos. I didn't love love the movie, still it was an entertaining two hours or so of these kids trying to beat the big guys. If you like heist films, this is sort of made like it.

The House of Mirth (2000)
Gillian Anderson plays a young socialite who while financially dependent on income from her aunt accumulates a large gambling debt. Thus it becomes more imperative that she marry rich to clear her debt but her heart belongs to another who isn't. Lest you think it's a romantic comedy from the title and my very brief description, it definitely is not. Love this movie and Gillian Anderson is soo good. This and Bleak House, she should just do a lot of period dramas.
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8 comments:

  1. I still need to see The Hustler. I really wanted to see 21 when it first came out but over time its slipped away. But the fact its a true story might tempt me back. House of Mirth is beautifully shot, the costumes are amazing too but its quite sad towards the end. I had hoped it would turn around, but alas.

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    1. House of Mirth - yes the end is very bleak and the costumes I read somewhere they use actual clothes from the time,

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  2. I didn't love 21 either but it was entertaining after all. And I really need to see The Hustler. Can't believe I haven't seen it yet!

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  3. OMG THE HOUSE OF MIRTH! Gillian Anderson is so SO great in that. I almost chose The Hustler instead of 21 this week since I figured more people would pick the latter, but decided to go all contemporary.

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  4. This was a hard week for me too. I also chose 21 despite not really liking it.

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  5. The Hustler is an excellent film and Newman was so great in it. I enjoyed 21 but, you are right, I didn't love it. I have not seen your last pick but it sounds excellent and i remember Anderson getting rave reviews

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  6. Interesting choices. The Hustler is a very fine movie with great performances but it's a mean movie about rather despicable people except Sarah and she's so sad. Newman was exceptional at playing this type of role and at least Fast Eddie isn't the complete moral reprobate that Hud was.

    Kevin Spacey owns 21. His charisma wipes out all the younger blah actors whenever he shows up. A decent film but a stronger cast alongside Spacey would have made it better.

    House of Mirth is an intriguing way to look at the theme. It's expertly crafted with several super performances but I found it a chilly distant viewing experience.

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    1. House of Mirth - yeah my choices were limited. I don't think the movie even showed any of the actual gambling, we're just told that she has a huge debt because of it.

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