Few people call Casino bad, so there is not much need to repeat the litany of what makes it great: Sharon Stone’s performance, the music, the lighting, Robert De Niro’s attention to detail, the way he pays a debt of honor to the great Ray Liotta in his portrayal of Henry Hill. But, mutatis mutandis, all of these elements could be found in any Scorsese film. What sets Casino apart from its rivals is the dichotomy between the two dominant narrators. While Goodfellas is often hailed as having one of the best, if not the best, narrators in cinema history, Casino has the same effect with its own pair of equally powerful narrators: Henry and Karen.

While it is easy to think that casinos are fun places to spend a Saturday night, most guests do not consider the many psychological tricks that are used to keep them spending and craving more, even when they know the house always wins. From elaborate light fixtures to endless rows of glowing slot machines, every detail is designed to make gamblers feel giddy and in control of their money, even though they are not. To learn more about how casinos manipulate their customers, read the article How Casinos Use Psychology to Trick You Into Spending.