(Martin Scorsese, US 1995, 182 min.)

Five years after Goodfellas, director Scorsese reteamed with that film’s co-screenwriter (Nicholas Pileggi) and two stars (Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci) for another gangster epic, this time set in the devil’s paradise of Las Vegas. Casino recounts the true story of Ace Rothstein (DeNiro), an obsessive gambler and control freak sent by the mob to take control of a Vegas resort. Though at first enormously successful, Ace’s downfall is assured by his intense loyalty to his thuggish pal Nicky (Pesci) and his hustler wife Ginger (Sharon Stone, in an Oscar®-nominated turn). The hypnotic camera work, brilliant narration, and eclectic rock soundtrack make this a movie to get lost in.