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Left to right: Wrath of Man (United Artists), Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.), Guy Ritchie (Shutterstock), Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels (Universal Pictures), The Gentlemen (Miramax)Graphic: The A.V. Club

Guy Ritchie’s two-and-a-half-decade career as a filmmaker has been a bit of a mixed bag, and that’s being generous.

Steven Spielberg’s Jaws is a tough act to follow. Not only has it come to define the entire shark horror subgenre, but this aquatic adventure movie also revolutionized the concept of the summer blockbuster as we know it today. It’s difficult to understate the film’s legacy. From archetypal characterization, iconic kills, ubiquitous catch phrases, and an incredible score, Jaws is a nearly flawless film that continues to terrify new audiences to this day. The same cannot be said for its sequels, however.

The underrated Jaws 2 feels a bit more like a slasher with its cadre of teens stranded in deadly water. The fourth installment, Jaws: The Revenge, is known for its implausible plot and Michael Caine’s hilarious yet dismissive comments. While the aforementioned sequels have their merits–and fair share of ardent supporters–when it comes time to defend Jaws 3D, few rise to the occasion.

Stars: Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren, P.H. Moriarty, Kevin McNally, Alan Ford, Dave King, Bryan Marshall, Derek Thompson, Eddie Constantine, Paul Freeman, Leo Dolan, Patti Love, Pierce Brosnan | Written by Barrie Keeffe | Directed by John Mackenzie

The gangster movie is a beast very like the gangs it is based on. Depending on the country of origin the crime organisations tend to have certain looks and style and a certain tradition that they cling to as their laws of how to do business. The modern gangster movies are definitely an example of this, but they also share one thing in common, they lend a lot from The Long Good Friday which gets the Arrow Video treatment with its new release on Blu-ray.

Harold (Bob Hoskins) is a British gangster with an eye to capitalism and being a successful business man. Seeing London as his empire he is taken aback at the incredulous...

I'm not the biggest gambler. Sure, I do it for fun every now and then when I'm passing through Vegas, and I always seem to come out ahead, but I don't want to push my lock, so I gamble sparingly. It's always fun when I do, though, and I love the adrenaline rush!

There have been some great scenes that revolve around gambling. I thought it'd be fun to point out awesome gaming scenes from ten different films. Not all of the films I pulled these scenes from revolve around gambling. This is just a collection of scenes that I've enjoyed watching over the years.

Look over the list and let us know what some of your favorite movie gambling scenes are!

Swingers

Vegas, Baby! One of my favorite scenes from Swingers is when Trent (Vince Vaughn) forces Mike (Jon Favreau) to go to Vegas to get him out of a funk.

Forgotten Classics is a recurring feature, a look back and reflection on great motion pictures that often slip under the radar and become under-appreciated, ignored relics of a previous era or simply damned by lack of face time in the spotlight.

The Long Good Friday

Directed by John Mackenzie

Screenplay by Barrie Keeffe

UK, 1980

The urge to remain topical while discussing the past can quite easily be met when it comes to film, such is the sliding wall of time, faces and names that retains connection. But sometimes such links aren’t of the happy variety, such as the case here. Bob Hoskins, renowned actor of burly, diminutive disposition and with occasionally overlooked raw talent and expressive style as a thespian, last month retired from the acting business after it emerged he is suffering from Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative disorder made famous by Michael J Fox’s diagnosis in the 1990’s.