PHP Presents: Movies to Watch Before Going to Vegas

When preparing for a trip to Sin City it is important to get the right mindset, the right mood, to prepare yourself for the trip and the adventure that you are about to have. Once you've graduated past all the stop by the M&M store and see the fountains shit that first timers are required to do, now it is time to finally enjoy what the city has.

There is so much more to do than gamble. There are restaurants, there are shows, clubs, site seeing, people watching, museums, concerts, sporting events, and the weather is pretty decent most of the year.

How do you prepare? Well one way that we at Possessed Hand recommend is a week of movies to get yourself right. These are newer movies and older movies but they help get your mind right so that when you hit the town, hopefully you've had a few drinks on the plane and you are ready to use every moment in Vegas that you have.

The Hangover

Maybe from the fact that you get Usher's Yeah in the first fifteen minutes of the movie which is definitely a Vegas song if we ever heard of one, or from the fact that they spend time in so many different casinos, or maybe since one of the Possessed Hand Crew, on a guy's trip actually did get lost for almost 24 hours, this is one to watch when starting to get yourself into a Vegas mood. It makes sure you understand that when you are in Vegas, go all out, you may create some lifelong friendships and lifelong memories.

Casino

Casino makes you appreciate the beauty of Vegas. The people who helped build the town. Even little scenes like where Deniro is trying to make sure the right amount of Blueberries go into each and every muffin, you can appreciate seeing what every little detail has been thought about to make sure that you enjoy your time and have zero problems spending your money and then coming back to do it again.

Oceans 11

The update with Clooney and Pitt, even though a couple of decades old now, show you the style of Vegas. How they dress, how they talk, how they appreciate the little nuances of the town as they spend so much time in the Bellagio but also all over town.

Oceans 11

To truly appreciate Vegas you have to know the classic Vegas. Back when the strip was just a highway in the desert with some hotels along side of it. Sinatra, Martin, and Davis were as responsible for Vegas booming as the mob was in the 30's, 40's, and 50's. They made Vegas not just a place to go to try win your fortune, but a place to go if you were cool. If they do it, and they are cool, then if you think you are cool, you gotta go too.

Oceans 13

More Pitt, more Clooney, more Vegas......

Swingers

Another guy's trip movie. If you watch this it's impossible to not hear in your head Vince and Jon screaming 'VEGAS' when you land in the airplane.

Vegas Vacation

A warning to those who can get carried away by gambling too much.....but also a lot of cool scenes around the Mirage.

Showgirls

Some good scenes of Vegas from the 90's and you can see how much the town has changed. Just a reminder that this town was built as much on girls as it was gambling.

21

The fun of Vegas, the fun of being able to have the odds on your side instead of the house. Living Vegas to its full potential.....that's at the heart of this story between all the getting beating up by Morpheus shit.

The Cooler

A cool premise of a movie and a good mixture of people who love classic Vegas and how the new Vegas taking over may not be the Vegas they want it to be. A lot of walks around Vegas and plenty of scenes of casinos and the strip.

Honorable Mention

Leaving Las Vegas

A lot of Guerilla shooting in the streets but pretty depressing.....

Con Air

Only a Vegas movie at the end

Rain Man

Just skip to the part with the Caesars Palace suite and the card counting.

Last Vegas

Gotta watch for the Redfoo scene alone

Rocky Balboa

Most of the movie is in Philadelphia, but lots of cool shots of Mandalay Bay at the end.

Best of the Best 2

Nothing cooler than a bad guy played by Wayne Newton in Vegas.

Knocked Up

Quick scene when the boys go to Mystere at Treasure Island

Now you see Me

When you get done seeing this you will want to see a Chris Angel or David Copperfield show. Maybe even visit the magic shops scattered all around the town.

Honeymoon in Vegas

Classic 90's Vegas with a young Bruno Mars as the world's youngest Elvis impersonator.....lots of Elvis songs.....and a few dozen Flying Elvis's

There........there are lots of Vegas films but this will get you going. Watching these will help feed the beast build you up into a lather where you jump off the plane and hit the town running! Good luck and always split aces.

PH