Daily Archives: September 4, 2021

As the world struggled to get to grips with a pandemic that kept us indoors twiddling our thumbs, thousands of new hobbies came out, while some old favorites rose from rekindled ashes. Watching movies and visiting online casinos topped the list of preferred pastimes, and the 2008 movie aptly called 21 brings both of these together.

For those of you still in the dark, 21 is another name for blackjack, a popular casino card game requiring some skill, and the inspiration behind the title. Ive tried my hand at blackjack a few times myself with dismal results, so I reckoned watching six MIT students younger than myself become millionaires playing it might teach me some tricks. In fact, after finishing the film, I can recommend that nowadays you can just try this blackjack strategy from home in online casinos. My second reason for watching was Kevin Spacey (who Ive been in love with since American Beauty) and his performance as Mickey Rosa, the genius mastermind behind the whole plot, certainly doesnt disappoint. Hot on his heels comes Jim Sturgess, who plays the lead (Ben Campbell), a broke MIT student who is refused entry to Harvard Medical School due to impossibly high tuition fees.

Based on a true story (the novel Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich), the plot is tight and slick as the game itself from the moment Rosa, Bens somewhat eccentric math professor, introduces the lad to a small group of students who he is training to count cards in blackjack. Spotting a way to pay off his school fees, Ben joins the group for a travel to Las Vegas, for beating the house and making millions with their practised strategy. The ending is rather disappointingly foreshadowed by one of Bens card-counting partners, who predicts that Ben will eventually be overcome by greed and this is exactly what happens. Enter Cole Williams; villain extraordinaire (Laurence Fishburn), whose hatred for Rosa leads him to attempt to ruin all the group has worked for, and youve got a movie that has you forgetting where youve put your popcorn.

Skill and high stakes abound in this movie where the accuracy of the portrayed characters is usurped only by the thrilling Las Vegas ambience. The action at the table is fast-paced and smoother than you would ever see it, hoisting the game of 21 high into realms of richness and mystery. The story is based on real events, and what happens onscreen is not as far removed from real life as others have been. Add the romantic love interest (for what hero could do without one?) and the movie ticks all the boxes.

For me, the best parts all revolve around the table when action was fast-paced and the characters pulled off their best poker faces, although I wished it couldve started off earlier. As a personal fan of The Big Bang Theory, the dialogue was pleasingly geeky, but generally free of jargon, with the soundtrack falling just a little short.

Is 21 worth watching? In a word, yes (if only to watch Kevin Spacey). But, all jokes aside, though 21 may fall short in some areas, the acting is great, the plot interesting, and the blackjack thoroughly exciting. So, even if youre just in it for the cards, thats certainly reason enough.

Originally posted here:

The Story Behind the Movie 21 - Film Threat

While discussing his new film The Card Counter in an interview with Deadline, filmmaker Paul Schrader presented a paradox, both railing against the supposed insidiousness of cancel culture while decrying peoples strong aversion to personal responsibility. What I was trying to capture from this moment, he explained, is this lack of responsibility people seem to have. I didnt lie, I misspoke, I didnt touch her inappropriately, I made a mistake. Nobody is really responsible for anything.

What Schrader fails to realize is that cancel culture is most often invoked by those wishing to evade responsibility (its the culture thats toxic, not me!), and while context is indeed important, it doesnt grant you an indulgence. I am reminded of Bob Baffert, the legendary horse trainer, who blamed cancel culture when his Kentucky Derby-winning horse was found to have tested positive for steroids.

This is all, of course, germane to Schraders latest, which centers on a mysterious card counter by the name of William Tell (Oscar Isaac, more brooding than ever) who, after a ten-year stint behind bars, drifts from casino to casino across the U.S. winning small sums of money at blackjack and Texas hold em. An early sequence sees William pocket $750 counting cards at blackjack before booking a cheap motel room, removing the artwork and devices, and covering all of the furniture in white sheetsfor he is a ghost who lives an ascetic life of cards, sleep, and the occasional glass of whiskey.

Like many of Schraders antiheroes, from Taxi Drivers Travis Bickle to the eco-conscious Pastor Ernst Toller of First Reformed, William is a haunted diarist in search of absolution. And he believes hes found it in Cirk (Tye Sheridan), another lost soul whom God dealt a terrible hand. So, he hatches a plot to make things right: get staked by La Linda (Tiffany Haddish), who bankrolls a stable of card sharks; win a few high-stakes poker tournaments; pay off Cirks debts; and reunite him with his estranged mother.

It is fascinating that the aughts poker boom, ignited by Chris Moneymakers storybook win at the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event, has yet to inspire a single decent poker film (a few eye-hemorrhaging scenes in Casino Royale notwithstanding). The Card Counter wont change this, as it is far more concerned with the burden of guilt than what happens on the feltand because of this, its OK to overlook some of its slip-ups when it comes to the world of gambling, such as misdescribing prize pools, extolling roulette odds, and failing to so much as mention the importance of timely aggression in poker or what makes William such a gifted poker player in the first place other than his steely edge.

Early on in the film, we learn that William Tell is a cutesy alias; his real name is PFC William Tillich, and he served that lengthy prison sentence after he was found to have tortured detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. In maze-like, washed-out flashback sequences shot with a fisheye lens, we see PFC Tillich brutalizing his prisoners and giddily posing with them, a la Lynddie England (who only ended up serving a year and a half behind bars). That PFC Tillich arrived at Abu Ghraib a softer man and was hardened under the tutelage of a Major John Gordo (Willem Dafoe), a sadistic civilian contractor specializing in torture, begs the question of whether he also fell victim to a corrupting systemthough, as Tillich asserts, Nothing can justify what we did.

Schraders film poses intriguing questions about redemption and self-reproach. Given the extreme nature of Tillichs crimes, is he redeemable? Has he served his penance? Should we allow his guilt to consume him, or is he, too, worthy of a helping hand? Isaacand his beautiful head of graying hairdoes a fine job of stirring up pity for Tillich, another of Gods lonely men bearing the weight of our collective sins on his shoulders. His chemistry with Haddish, who provides another way out of his misery, is powerful, culminating in a hallucinatory stroll through a neon-lit park, captured on high by a roving drone. But The Card Counter tips its hand when, during a pool-side tte--tte with Cirk, Tillich draws a parallel between a poker player going on tilt (or becoming consumed by emotion and making a series of bad plays) to force drift, a phenomenon whereby torturers no longer see their captives as human and apply more and more pain. In what world are these two even remotely the same?

See the rest here:

'The Card Counter' Asks Whether an Abu Ghraib Torturer Is Worthy of a Second Chance - The Daily Beast

Some people gamble for the thrill of it and dont care about the odds. Others actually like the idea of beating crazy odds for even crazier pots. However, most of us like to get out of the casino with more than we went in. While casino games are about luck, there can still be an element of strategy, and the first trick is knowing which games give you the best edge. Lets take a look at some of the games of chance that offer the best odds.

Roulette might be seen as the quintessential game of chance, but its actually one of the games where the house has the slightest edge. However, you should know that the style you pick will make a huge difference.

For instance, American roulette gives the house a 5.26% edge, which is not very great. European roulette, on the other hand, gives the house only a 2.7% edge. The reason for this is because the American version has a double-zero pocket whereas European roulette doesnt.

Some people still like playing all variations, but they can be difficult to find at your average casino. If youre one of these people, playing online could be a great option. If youre worried about the odds, know that there are plenty of casinos where you can play live roulette. This way, youll be 100% sure that youre getting the same odds as you would in any casino.

Poker is the best game of chance for people who hate gambling. In reality, poker is a game of skill with an element of chance, not the other way around. This is why you have professional poker players that win tournament after tournament or always end up on final tables. That couldnt happen with something like craps, for instance.

There are many ways that you can improve your poker game as well. People attend boot camps to refine their skills, but there are tons of manuals with just as many techniques that you can use. Playing online is also a great way to refine your skills. This will also give you the fundamentals and allow you to play in a controlled environment before playing live.

After poker, Blackjack is the most popular game for players who like to use their skills to increase their chances of winning. Blackjack is one of the games that give the house the lowest edge at around 1%. But some experienced players can reduce that edge to 0.5%.

This is because there are many strategies that you can apply here, and were not talking about card counting, even though its perfectly legal. The best players try to not only get the highest count, but also understand the odds of the house going bust, and use this to their advantage. Blackjacks rules and structure make it a popular game for advantage play, and it has many vulnerabilities that can be exploited by savvy players with good mathematical skills.

Craps may look like its pure luck since youre betting on a roll of a dice. However, what makes craps a great game for odds is the number of side bets you can make. You dont necessarily have to bet on a roller getting a 7 or an 11. You can also bet against the shooter to increase your odds. So, you should spend time learning the rules of the game so you can maximize your chances of winnings.

If you are looking for casino games that give you a real chance to win and apply a little bit of strategy, these are all great choices. The most important strategy you can use, however, is solid bankroll management, so make sure you have that down first.

View post:

4 Games of Chance with the Best Odds - San Diego Entertainer Magazine

Its hard to imagine any celebrity having the moment to play games when theyre jetting off to remote islands to work on their next blockbuster, but somehow these picks manage it.

Did you know a surprising number of celebrities are avid gamers? You have to assume the lure of playing comic book and gaming characters intrigues them enough to have them reaching for the controller. Read on for the stories behind our top picks for celebrity gamers.

If youve ever been shot in the head by a guy in a check print suit, congratulations, youve met Chandler Bing, or Benny as his friends in New Vegas know him.

Yes, you might already be aware that the 90s funniest awkward friend was featured as the prime villain in Obsidians 2010 spin-off to the Fallout franchise: New Vegas, but you might not know this happened because he was a huge fanboy of the series.

After telling Ellen that he played so much Fallout 3 that he began to feel the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome take over, and then handing her a signed copy of the game, apparently word got to the team at Obsidian.

Obsidian was famously left to their own devices by Bethesda who didnt think much of the new addition, but with supreme writing, a few gameplay tweaks to elevate the experience and now with Chandler Muriel Bing as the main villain (that isnt a complex ideology anyway) Obsidian released what has been called the best Fallout game in the franchise.

Ah, the woman who doesnt shower, as Mila Kunis will now forever be known, was actually too busy playing World of Warcraft. The Thats 70s Show alum has expressed an addiction to the game that could only be quite cold turkey, by moving on to Call of Duty.

In a 2008 interview she told Jimmy Kimmel that at the height of her addiction she was an active member of several World of Warcraft guilds and that she even had to quit one because a fan in the guild recognized her voice.

It makes you wonder who else is really on the other end of that sword

Oh yes, Jason Bourne is a gamer. Matt Damon let his knowledge of games slip on a recent episode of Hot Ones, saying that he turned down a bunch of money to reprise his role as Americas answer to James Bond in game form.

Damon refused apparently because he wanted the game to not just be a first-person shooter, and that he wanted it to be more like Myst, a graphic adventure puzzle game rife with lore and beautiful locations.

Of course, the game was released without the voice or likeness of Damon in 2008, as a third-person shooter, thank you very much, Matt. It received average reviews, so maybe they should have listened to him.

Matt Damon is also a fan of lady luck, having been known to spend his nights as a professional poker and blackjack player. Most of Matts favourite Blackjack and poker games can be found at NewCasinos, the place where you can enjoy outstanding new casino sites.

Apparently Shazam actor Zachary Levi now has his eyes on the gaming adaption corner of Hollywood. Specifically, hes looking at two stars of the Naughty Dog development company: Uncharteds Nathan Drake and Joel from The Last of Us.

Levi told Brazilian website Cinema com Rapadura that he thought Nathan Drake would make for a very fun role, calling him the next Indiana Jones.

Unfortunately, both The Last of Us television show and the Uncharted film series have now been cast with The Red Viper of Dornes Pedro Pascal playing Joel and Marvels Spiderman, Tom Holland, playing Nathan Drake. But you never know. Maybe Ellies actor will have to drop out?

Vin Diesel is famously a gamer, and as proud of it as you can get, which always brings a chuckle when you consider his brand of muscle-bound, punch your problems away mentality his characters seem to have.

But the family-oriented Fast and Furious star is a big fan of role-playing games, be that on video games like World of Warcraft or with the tried-and-true dice in Dungeons and Dragons.

After lending his voice and likeness to two The Chronicles of Riddick games and a Fast and Furious spin-off game in 2020, he has even gone so far as to put his name as executive producer to video game Ark 2, which is a follow up to Ark: Survival Evolved, an action-adventure survival game set to be released in 2022.

He has even spearheaded a movie based on his own D&D witch hunter character called The Last Witch Hunter, with a sequel confirmed in 2020.

See the rest here:

The Top 5 Actors Who Game When Offstage - Film Threat

T

he iGaming content aggregator and solutions provider, Slotegrator, announced Thursday that it has entered into partnership with iGaming studio Rhino Gaming.

Rhino Gaming currently offers 13 titles, with new releases added every two months. Its best known products are its slots, with games such as Classic Triple Seven, Diamonds Wild, and Supaball, plus the Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild poker titles.

Rhino Gaming also offers a selection of tables and card games including blackjack, roulette and baccarat.

Operators will also be able to acquire Rhino Gamings set of retention and marketing tools, aside from its back office solution enabling advanced performance tracking.

In an official press release, Henrik Svensson, CEO at Rhino Gaming, commented on this new integration and said: We are excited to be partnering with Slotegrator and believe that our portfolio will perform very well on their vast distribution network.

View post:

Slotegrator adds studio Rhino Gaming to its distribution network - Yogonet International