Rounders Review

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game left. Hello folks and welcome to M .Y .R.

Movie Weekend Review here on the GeekCast Radio

Network. I am your host TF2 and Mike. Joining

me once again for your second week in a row is

Dog Able. Hello sir. Hello. How are you? I am

doing pretty good actually. Yes and I'm betting,

I am betting folks this uh this 17 year old film

we're going to be talking about Today, I guarantee

you Doug hasn't seen it until right before we

did this podcast. Yes You bet and you got the

flop over on me or the whatever the hell You're

learning so In This actor's heyday in his early

days he uh... teamed up with uh... a future hulk

and a future ex -woman to do a movie about texas

hold 'em and you might be wondering what in the

hell are you talking about tfg and mike well

this goodwill hunting character was in a nineteen

ninety eight film called rounders matt damon

famke johnson uh... edward norton gretchen mahl

A whole bunch of other people we'll talk about

here in a bit. 1998's Rounders. I really enjoy

this film. I'm surprised that it only made...

It made 10 million dollars or roughly about.

The budget for the movie according to Wikipedia

was 12 million. And according to the US box office

in the US alone it made 22 .9. So it made money.

This is not a film folks that needs a sequel

at all doesn't need a sequel doesn't need a remake

there. There's so many There are so many movies

out there about poker and card playing and blackjack

and all this and all that so the rounders was

never meant to be a franchise starter at all

It was it seemed to me like when I watched it

that it was a And correct me if I'm wrong it

felt like it was just an indie film that some

guys got together from a film school and kind

of put together, but it was And I don't mean

that in a bad way because it was a decent film

it was you know was well written the actors were

good It just felt like it wasn't a big budget

Warner Brothers You know Disney Whatever pick

a pick a major studio MGM whatever it didn't

feel like something coming from them it felt

like something that was coming out of you know

the back room at Miramax because The Weinstein's

said oh, we'll throw some money at this and we'll

put it out there and you know here we go well,

it's funny you mention that because This is a

Miramax film Jesus It is the Weinstein's how

did I know? You know and if you look at their

If you look at their Releases, you know, I don't

know how far back. Okay. Let's look at their

1990 releases not the the decade of the 90s releases

for Miramax you had stuff like The grifters in

1990 Let's see. Mr. And Mrs. Bridge Paris is

burning in 91 The Reflecting Skin in 91, some

of a lot of these movies I've never heard of.

Several of the clerks films or or giving Kevin

Smith. Yeah, several Kevin Smith films. They

did Tom and Jerry, the movie in 93. I don't know

why, but they did The Crow in 94. Pulp Fiction,

Clerks, Sirens. Let's see Queen Margo ready to

wear So, you know from 95 on Muriel Muriel's

wedding the roadkillers Gordy yeah You know,

I mean they've had a lot of interesting films

but right around the time They had mighty Aphrodite

in 96. Oh Damn I know exactly what we're covering

for my birthday next year over on talking about

my generation because it'll be 20 years We've

got to cover beautiful girls Never seen it. I

may have to say okay on my birthday in 19 that

when I was 16 years old that movie came out I

had no idea it came out on my birthday Anyway,

that's a discussion for another day. So I mean

my point here folks is Miramax is oh my god.

They did Jane Eyre in 96 Train spotting You know,

my point here is, people, that they've done a

lot of, you know, in the 90s, they did a lot

of interesting films. Obviously, their biggest

one was probably, one of their biggest ones was

Good Will Hunting. Yeah. That whole fiction,

I'll put those up there. Yeah. Yeah. Jackie Brown.

Yeah. You know so I mean this is a a studio that

does have a really nice legacy of different films

The same year that rounders came out they also

had Life is beautiful the mighty Let's see down

in the Delta playing by heart children of heaven

you know so lord they did she's all that in ninety

nine but anyway rounders um... absolutely love

this film and this is one of those films where

for some odd reason one of the networks was like

doing a matt damon marathon or something you

know number of years ago and i always remember

watching this one and nowadays whenever i do

it's been a while it's It's currently on Netflix.

I don't know how long it'll stay there, but it's

currently on Netflix. I remember I had seen this

after I had seen X -Men and I'm like, hey, it's

Jean Grey. You know, she looked a lot better

in this than she did as Jean. I'll be honest.

Well, or if you if you really want to tie card

playing. and casino you know underground casinos

and and the spy world hey that's zinnia on the

top yes yes good old golden eye um basically

i don't even have to look at wikipedia folks

i need to be any of that basically this film

is about underground card playing it's about

this guy named mike who is going to law school

to become a lawyer But he is this super genius

card shark. Kind of reminds you of another super

genius character Damon played a year before.

But anyway. Yeah. you know uh... he's played

his traits and characters i guess i don't know

why i thought it kind of funny because he's a

boston guy he's it comes in these playing up

and he's talking about the yankees and being

it all that i i i i laughed when he walked into

the one groceries for the convenience store the

guy asked him the you know he goes hey so uh...

what do you think of a star better the yankees

you can get some of them and he was uh... i don't

know we'll get steinbrenner until third year

law Yeah, I just kind of like Wow, I thought

Boston people were supposed to hate the Yankees

Well, yeah, and we do But it's one of those things

where you can't always I mean, yeah You can't

always get the writers to write in a line like

Ben did in paycheck. I mean, come on Yeah, you

can't always get uh... basically uh... mike is

this super genius card player uh... or he he

thinks he is and he goes into titty k g b's place

uh... titty k g b played by mister john malgovich

himself uh... and he thinks he's gonna be able

to be the game and he's playing the game which

is no limit texas hold 'em poker uh... Teddy

wipes the floor with him and you know he lost

everything lost his tuition lost his you know

whatever he said seed money or whatever it was

I know it was tuition and something else to do

with his class that he was taking at the time

so you got Howard Cosell I'm sorry what the hell

is his name? Is there Agent Simmons there? Oh,

Christ. John Titoro, thank you. There we go.

So you got John Titoro's character coming in,

and Knish, and he's one of these guys who has

seen everybody fail at their big run, at what

they think is going to be their big run. So he

gives them this truck job. Slowly as the film

progresses we get to a point where Mikey has

to go pick up his buddy worm I don't get why

he had that nickname Just he should have been

snake, you know as slimy as cuz that's kind of

the feeling I got from him. Yeah, I Believe I

could be wrong, but I believe this was the first

film I had seen Edward Norton in And we'll talk

about that when we get to the cast and all that

stuff, but You know, I believe this is the first

one that I had ever seen him in like I said could

be wrong but You know, so he has to go pick up

warm and warm like Mike has Mike knows the rules

Mike knows, you know There's a certain elegance

to Texas Hold 'em As far as what you should do

and what you shouldn't do worm. He doesn't give

a shit. He'll hustle anybody. Yep And he doesn't

know when to stop that's that's another problem

now. Yeah, that's another one of his problems

He doesn't know when to stop and he um He you

know both of them nearly get beat to death by

a bunch of cops because they try to hustle a

cop game. Oh My god, yeah That was ugly and of

course, you know To make matters worse is that

Mike is telling him, no, just don't play it straight.

Stay out of the room. If you want to play for,

if you want to play straight for eight hours,

then you go in, I'll sit here and come back and

get you in eight hours. You do it, not me. And

he just didn't listen. He start, you know, that

whole dealing off the bottom of the deck and

throwing cards out and passing him good cards.

Matt knew what was going on you know Mike Mike

did Mike knew what was going on there, and he

just was like I don't get a good feeling about

this and Yeah, they deserve to get their asses

kicked for it So that happens and and worm is

one of these Worm is one of these characters

that he wants to you know being with the good

old days. He doesn't really Give a shit about

his friend's new life and how his friend is changed

since worms been in prison or whatever else he

he just wants you know a quick and fast buck

and you know, he's gonna get back in the game

and yeah, and Mike just doesn't want that he

you know eventually worm, you know worms his

way i guess uh... and and has my going after

all these things and and where himself is one

of a horrible horrible tab and under mike's name

is not a good idea yeah uh... i love the way

the film is paced i love the way you know the

scenes are the acting is amazing from ever you

get martin friggin land out in this movie i mean

i i looked i kinda went no This is the guy who

played Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood? Nah, no, and I

looked again. I'm like, holy shit. It is Martin

Landau. Damn. They got some good people in this

film. They really do. I just absolutely love

this one. I'm going to say my piece on it. but

like like i said before we're off air anybody

who's listening don't get me wrong the film was

good it's an excellent job excellent writing

you know well put together i myself had a hard

time watching it and the main reason for it is

that i am not a poker fan i never really have

been i'd sat down and tried to watch world series

of poker numerous times when it was on They had

in HD or whatever they had it on there, and I

was trying to watch it and see if I could understand

What was going on? I'm still lost. I don't understand

the damn game I understand that you bet you're

not betting against the cards you're betting

against the other people at the table. That's

about it Okay, so Just so Doug gets this You

understand the fact that everyone sitting at

the table gets dealt two cards each, right? Oh,

yeah Yeah, I mean I know the way and then told

him goes Right, but it's like, you know trying

to understand What the better hands are? For

you know, you get get a jack. Okay type thing.

Yeah, like right. Yeah, that's where I was lost

It's it's pretty the way I understand it again

without looking anything up because heaven forbid

I type or click my mouse on a podcast You know,

it's one of those things where The way I understood

it from watching the movie and listening to Mike

talk about it is every guy is dealt two cards

with those two cards you have to make the best

five card hand with the cards that are dealt.

On the table face up so it it's it's just another

way of it's just a different way of playing five

card draw or five card stud or whatever it it's

just a slightly different way of playing that

five card hand. For poker yeah, I Mean I enjoyed

it. I didn't really care too much about you know

About the actual card like the whole like I understood

the point of oh this beats that or that beats

that or whatever I mean yeah, I will admit it

is a little confusing at times, but like you

know the whole you know I mean if you get two

aces in your hand and A third ace comes up and

you get two nines there. It's like, you know,

you get aces over nines Yeah, you know, you got

a full house right now houses. Hi You're looking

good. I understand that yeah, so As the film

progresses as I said Mike, you know gets enough

money saved up and has to go to Landau's character

and ask him for help and and you know, he helps

him out and gets him back in the game and What

I love is when he goes in in the beginning of

the movie and when he goes to the judges game

I love that scene judge is like the fuck you

know what we all have and he's like calling it

out. He has their heads Well, god damn it sit

down Yeah, I just love that scene And then what's

even better? And they kind of set this up from

the beginning, but he doesn't notice in the beginning

With Teddy KGB his Oreos are his tail. Oh As

soon like because I haven't seen this movie and

at least five, six years. I mean, I love the

movie, but I just haven't seen it in a long time.

But when I watched it back, I remember, I'm like,

oh, yeah, as soon as Mike gets that look on his

eye when he's watching him with the cookies,

he's like, oh, right. And in the monologue there,

in the voiceover, he says, you never say anything

about a guy's title once you find out that, you

know, that's it. the way i look at this movie

is it's like that either you know old western

stare down before you draw Yeah. Or it's like,

you know, Triple H and Ric Flair, you know, nose

to nose, or Triple H and Sting to be more precise

for current WWE times. But anyway, you know,

when two WWE superstars go face to face, nose

to nose and just have the... That's the way I

saw this film is it's basically a silent stare

down between the players and you're trying to

figure out how are you going to beat this man

at this game. And I love the line. Eh, I flopped

a nut straight. I don't know why I love that

line. This is just one of those lines where,

and Teddy going off and off. He's like, check,

check, check. He trapped me. Oh God. I'll tell

you one thing, Malkovich, he's got a damn good

Russian accent when he, you know, when he's doing

his little acting job. Oh yeah. Absolutely amazing.

I love the guy for all the stuff that he's done.

He pulls it off so well and just the fact that

he was playing basically I Don't want to say

crazy because he's done crazy before so well

Mm -hmm, but he was perfect for this just everything

about him. I'm like the guy is scary as fuck

Yep, it's the beard. Yeah. Yeah So getting into

the cast here Actually, yeah, yeah, yeah getting

into the cast here You know, there's some people

in this cast that are just Like amazing actors.

I mean first of all just going down the list

Matt Damon. I mean, you know Boston bread Matt

Damon. Yeah Guy won an Academy Award for his

screenwriting skills with Ben, you know You know

the guy you don't win an Academy Award right

off the start unless you got something going

for you You know what his very first acting role

was feel the dreams No He was he was a steamer

in mystic pizza in 88. Oh good lord As you said

feel the dreams he was also in school ties he

was in Geronimo in 93 Courage under fire in 96

chasing Amy in 97 the Rainmaker in 97 goodwill

hunting saving private Ryan Obviously this movie

he was Loki and dogma. I loved him in that film

Especially when he's walking around the boardroom

at movies and he's holding the gun. He's yelling

at everybody Need to die you need to die, you

know, you're this you on the other hand you've

done everything right Just just his whole attitude

for that was great. I loved him. I Completely

missed him in in finding Forrester as Steven

Sanderson He was in all the pretty horses he

was Matt Damon slash Will Hunting uncredited

in J and Silent Bob Strike Back, Ocean's Eleven,

Twelve and Thirteen, The Majestic, he was on

an episode of Will and Grace, obviously the Bourne

films, he was the PR exec number two in Jersey

Girl. Yeah, and Kevin Smith, you know that Affleck

so you talk about a bad movie there you go right

there I don't know what's worse Jersey girl or

G Lee by far Jersey girl was Jersey girl was

at least tolerable because you had George Carlin

in it. He was about the only saving grace for

that film, but that's the discussion for another

day. Yes He was in The Departed as Colin Sullivan.

I love The Departed. That was a great film. And

that was a good movie. Oh, man He was in True

Grit in 2010 most recently He has been in he

was in Elysium in 2013 The Zero Theorem 2013

Monuments Men Coming up apparently he's gonna

movie called the Martian this year The Great

Wall is in pre -production and then obviously

the untitled born sequel Which is supposed to

be next year. So you got it back from Jeremy

Renner, huh? Decided that Jeremy Renner couldn't

pull it off He can pull off Hawkeye. He can't

pull off a born agent now Got 20 minutes into

the born Legacy and I couldn't it I I wanted

my dollar 20 back from red box. Oh God Seriously,

it was horrible For Gretchen mall 310 to Yuma

She's on from 2010 to 2014 she was on boardwalk

Empire Let's see here life on Mars 2008 Oh my

god, there is a scene in life on Mars, which

She is there like the guy who's in the movie

who's in the show He's dreaming and he's dreaming

that he's getting ready to have sex with her

and she's got her top completely unbuttoned and

she's still wearing her shirt, but just that

scene I was like, ah Yes, yes. Yes. Yes You know

what her debut was She was girl number 12 and

girl six Let's see she was in music for another

room she was uncredited an uncredited reporter

in 1998's Godzilla she was in uh... bleach uh...

in ninety eight uh... she was in cradle will

rock the thirteenth floor i i can't let go notorious

many page she played very page and get a wonderful

job at that if you ever was here topless that

probably one of the best place to see it uh...

so most recently apparently she is completed

anesthesia For this year, so there's that Hey,

I liked her in this movie in in rounders. I thought

she was a really really good actress I'm gonna

have to look at some of her other stuff. Yeah

So mr. Malkovich here he he's had a long and

storied career. Oh, yeah Oh my god, the man is

as such. He debuted as an actor, as an uncredited

wedding guest in A Wedding in 78. Let's see,

The Killing Fields in 84. American Playhouse

TV Series, 84 -86. You know, he was in Con Air.

He was in The Man in the Iron Mask. Played Athos

and that oh my god. That's right. I remember

that now Cyrus the virus and colony or I won't

forget that He was in the TV miniseries for Napoleon

in 2002 He was in Johnny English he was in being

John Malkovich, which I still have never seen

to this day He was in red Oh i'd love to be the

red movies something about those films yet something

about those shows a and i guess just because

it was a bunch of old parts who were you know

former c i a k g b f you know f b i type agents

you'll spy agent type things and he's in there

he's crazy and he built bombs what more do you

need from the man and Let's see here John Turturro

Sadly John Turturro has had a a career that involves

him being oh my god the the four films the four

main films that I am to be lists as his most

known for Oh Brother, where art thou from 2000?

Yeah 2011's Dark of the Moon, and No Kids, it

has nothing to do with Pink Floyd, and Transformers

2007, after that it's Barton Fink from 91. Jones

Atturo is one of those actors where I've seen

him in so many things, but I don't always, you

know, I never used to really remember him. Not

saying that the man is not memorable, but I'm

just saying that it's like it's like oh, it's

that guy He got his debut as the man at Webster

Hall table uncredited in Raging Bull in 1980

Okay He was on Miami Vice for an episode. He

was in desperately seeking Susan He was in let's

see here with Michael Keaton Yeah, he actually

has had a lot that I'm seeing and I'm like Jesus

Jungle fever do the right thing Now the reason

why I said that Howard Cosell was in rounders

is because Totoro actually played Howard Cosell

on Monday night mayhem, which is a TNT TV movie

in 2002. I Mean, no, no, I see it now Have you

ever seen that movie? No. Oh my God. If you know

what Howard Cosell was like watching this movie

and seeing Totoro as Cosell, you would have thought

that it was Howard Cosell. Oh, Jesus. He does

such an amazing job. He was in Mr. Deeds with

Adam Sandler. You know, I'm not seeing it here.

I'm looking and I keep looking for maybe I'm

not looking in the right spot Oh, there it is

98 my favorite role with him in it Jesus Quintana

in the big Lebowski When he's carrying his bowling

ball, he's doing the whole thing and he's rubbing

the ball between his nuts and then he goes he

goes to He goes to the other guys and he goes,

you know what? I'm gonna fuck you in the ass

Best part best lines. I've ever heard from John

Totoro Got to say I think my favorite performance

from him outside of the Monday night mayhem at

this point is Francesco Bernoulli and cars to

yes Francesco is triple speed My wife actually

picked up on that before I did and it was Part

of it. I think I was just trying to watch cars,

too And just you know try to get the story first,

and I'm hearing all these other voices, and I

just was like okay, whatever you know I Don't

get me wrong. I think that John's great and he

does a great voice, but it just I missed it.

My wife picked it up and I got it. I didn't.

So I think the last one we're going to bring

up here is Mr. Fight Club of American history

acts himself. Edward Norton, as I said earlier,

he was the Incredible Hulk at one point or another.

Thank God that didn't last. I thought he was

better than Ang Lee's. Where was it, Eric? Eric.

Eric Bana. So far, Ruffalo has them all beat.

The only one Ruffalo does not have beat is obviously

Lou Ferrigno, but when it comes to the actual

film Hulk versions, Ruffalo has them all beat.

So, Edward Norton debuted, credited as Ed Norton

in Only in America, which is a video, in 1994.

He was Aaron in primal fear in 1996. I remember

seeing that in the theaters Yes, I know it was

rated R. I don't care Okay You've never seen

primal fear. I Don't think I have I may have

picked it up like one night on Like TNT or something

like that when they were running it. I honestly

don't remember it it's Richard Gere, Laura Linney,

John Mahoney, Alfrey Woodard, Francis McDomid,

Edward Norton, Terry O 'Quinn. An altar boy is

accused of murdering a priest and the truth is

buried several layers deep. That's just the mini

-synopsis IMDB has for it. He was in the score,

he was in Keeping the Faith, obviously Fight

Club, and the funny thing is... And I know people

are going to kill me for this. I have never seen

Fight Club. Oh wow, this is almost as bad as

you not having seen The Lost Boys. Yeah, no it's

not. Just certain movies I just don't care. Obviously,

you know, we talked about over on Talking With

My Generation. He was in the Italian job as Steve.

More recently... As of last year he was in Grand

Budapest Hotel. He was Reverend Elijah Hooper

on The Simpsons in 2013. Apparently currently

he is filming Sausage Party which is supposed

to come out next year. Which apparently is some

sort of animated movie since it says he's gonna

be playing the voice of Sammy Bagel Jr. Oh Jesus.

I have no idea what that is. I don't know, but

I am going to bring up that for anybody who has

not seen Birdman, who plays an excellent role

in Birdman, go watch it. It's worth it. I've

heard that movie is crap. It can go either way.

I will say that. You have to have a certain mindset

in order to watch it. Okay. You know, enough

said. We'll just leave it at that. I'm just saying

there are several people that I know and talk

to that Absolutely hate that movie. I mean there

there are people that I know and talk to that

say oh my god The Academy Awards are just completely

horrible now. Yeah We obviously cannot go through

all of Martin Landau's Filmography, I mean the

man is the man did a ton of stuff He debuted

in the TV series The Goldbergs in 1953. This

has nothing to do with the 80s Goldbergs, folks.

No, this has nothing to do with the 80s Goldbergs

at all. He was on Maverick, the TV series. He

was on... Let's see here. uh... is on the twilight

zone for a couple of episodes actually was on

there for almost five years nineteen fifty nine

to sixty four i just noticing north by northwest

excellent uh... man from uncle in sixty six uh...

mission impossible as role in hand uh... sixty

six to sixty nine uh... space nineteen ninety

nine um his very last role because i'm wait what

he's still alive yeah i know i'm shocked i thought

i thought he passed away already i know i thought

everybody else's everybody else has passed away

so yeah um all right so apparently recently since

2011 he was uh the great remondo on the simpsons

he was in uh Dark Horse TV movie. Oh my god pranking

weenie. He was the voice of the of the science

guy who was helping Victor oh Yeah, Jay Howard

Marshall in the Anna Nicole movie from two years

ago In post -production he has without ward supposed

to come out this year. I guess He has pre -production

on a fighting chance 2014 So there is that i

mean these these actors this cast you know you

always hear about all this that this person was

originally supposed to be cast here and blah

blah blah and whatever else and sometimes i just

don't see it i'm glad that you know that the

cast that's there was there oh yeah uh... this

really uh... well this was a very very solid

cast and i was really surprised at how uh...

i honestly i kind of severe look at this and

go How did these guys get these actors to come

in and do this film? Because I'm sure that it

was not a you know, it wasn't a it was a low

-budget film in a sense How the hell did they

get him to agree to this? These are great actors

So the only other one I kind of want to bring

up here is Famke Johnson Did you know she was

a character on one episode of Melrose Place in

94? She played Diane Adams and I do not remember

the character at all She debuted as an actress

in Fathers and Sons in 1992. She was on Star

Trek The Next Generation in an episode in 1992.

She was Kamala in the episode The Perfect Mate.

Let's see, obviously we already mentioned Zinyana

Top and GoldenEye. She was in Monument Ave, she

was in Deep Rising, she was in Adventures of

Sebastian Cole, The Faculty, House on Haunted

Hill, Love and Sex, and then after that she was

in two or three episodes of Ally McBeal, 2000

and 2001, obviously Jean Grey in the X -Men movies

as we already said. She was in Don't Say a Word

in 2001. She was on nip -tuck from 2004 to 2010

She was in taken two. She was in Hansel and Gretel

witch hunter. Why okay? She was the best thing

about that film She looked she looked pretty

hot in that one, but I mean that was like I said

the best thing Jeremy Renner could not save that

film either She is currently well 2013 -2015

she was Olivia Godfrey on Emlok Grove in production

she's got Jack and Jack of the Red Hearts in

post -production Kickback in pre -production

and New Amsterdam in pre -production New Amsterdam

is supposed to come out next year Mean yeah overall

a really solid cast absolutely love it I love

the plot of the movie because it's not like 1998

you didn't I never saw a Lot of these kinds of

movies that focused on this specific subject.

I mean since then I've seen a million of oh,

yeah, obviously This is the sad thing is the

only other one I can think of off the top of

my head is 21 with Spacey and fish. Yeah, but

even then that was that black. Yeah, well and

it was it was more glitz and glamour of Vegas

and Atlantic City than this was this was this

was more the back room underground card rooms,

you know card clubs of The you know just the

average Joe is playing and the guys who actually

knew what the hell that they were doing These

aren't the guys that are out there doing the

world series of poker because they don't want

to be known like that That's the feeling I got

from this film Hmm So that's why it was brought

up in the film looking at some trivia for this

movie Matt Damon and Edward Norton played in

the $10 ,000 buy -in Texas Hold 'em Championship

event at the 1998 World Series of Poker in Las

Vegas. During the first of four days, Matt Damon

had pocket kings and was knocked out by former

world champion and poker legend Doyle Brunson

who held pocket aces. So that's why you brought

it up in the movie. Yeah. On a DVD commentary,

it is revealed that Edward Norton ad -libbed

a number of Worms lines. Among them was, She

crossed her legs too fast, which is a quote from

Chinatown in 1974. Oh, I heard that line. I just

started laughing. I'm like, oh god. That sounds

like something he would say. According to a Howard

Stern interview, the film is partially based

on comedian actor Norm MacDonald. Don't know

how the hell that fits in but okay. I'm afraid

if it's based on Norm MacDonald kiss What the

hell is he been doing? Yeah Despite the rise

in no limit Texas pulled no limit Texas Holden

poker interest in conjunction with this film's

release The characters play a wide variety of

poker variants. No limit. Hold 'em is played

with Teddy KGB at the beginning and end of the

film. The judges game is a seven card stud game.

The college boys are playing stud variants, notably

Chicago. When Warman might go to the Chesterfield

the first time, the game is forced rotation,

alternating hands of Hold 'em. Omaha Raz stud

is usually and stud usually Wyrm plays seven

card stud later at the Chesterfield in the Taj

Mahal game is limit hold them The Union game

is draw or stud game Mike plays draw or stud

it appears in the short scene With the Greeks

in the cigar club game is seven card stud high

low and the golf pro game is pot limit Omaha

stud so pretty much at this point they're just

playing poker it's not even no limit it's it's

not even a limit texas hold 'em so the only time

they really ever use this game is in the beginning

and end of the movie okay that's crazy Two crucial

scenes involve head -to -head poker games between

Matt Damon and John Malkovich. Damon and Malkovich

would each later play the character Tom Ripley

in The Talented Mr. Ripley and Ripley's Game

in 2002, respectively. The chip used in both

KGB's Place and the Chesterfield Club were made

by American Standard Moulding, which makes custom

chips for casinos and home games. Rounders was

set in New York City, but all of the law school

scenes were filmed in and around Rutgers Law

School in Newark, New Jersey. So yeah, I mean,

it is a very interesting movie. It's a very fun

movie. I absolutely love it. I think it's just

one of those movies that you can just kind of

sit down. I don't want to say it's a turn your

brain off movie because you do kind of have to

think and kind of pay attention to the whole...

the whole story, but it's a nice movie where

you can escape into the world of this guy. Oh,

yeah. And everything he has to go through to,

you know, I mean, technically, KGB is his is

his archenemy. If you really want to, you know,

if you really want to put put your finger. Yeah.

Well, I mentioned in the beginning of the podcast

that this is a movie that does not need a sequel.

This is not cited this is not cited It even says

this section, you know needs clarification for

reliable source, but according to Wikipedia When

asked in various interviews about the possibility

of a sequel, Matt Damon stated that there could

be a chance for that to happen, and according

to him, Norton Malkovich and himself would like

to reprise their roles. Miramax Studios made

a list of films which would be getting sequels

with Rounders 2 on it. And originally it was

slayed for release in 2012 however as of this

year No sequel has been made and there is no

news regarding rounders, too I don't think it

needs to be made. We do not need a second film

for this We just don't I mean the only thing

I think that we could have and I don't really

think it would even be a good story Would be

having something which has nothing to do with

matt damon malcovich you know michael spoli all

around and having a focus on edward norton's

character but even then you know what do you

do the guy just keeps you know he keeps growing

up and he's running so okay he hits rock bottom

and gets killed cuz he's still a year rock bottom

of this movie me still didn't learn you know

don't just leave alone Now you take something

like 21 That is a movie that could use us. I'm

not saying it needs a sequel But it's so it's

a movie that a sequel could be possible for how

they ended that oh, yeah you know but this movie,

it's the journey of Mike and and worm and Mike

is obviously on the path to success and worms

just gonna end up in a gutter somewhere um but

it's one of those things where it had a beginning

middle and end there's nothing in here to ever

suggest that these characters could come back

yeah and they should yeah they really shouldn't

they're just they're just some movies out there

folks that do not need sequels or multiple sequels

after the fact You know me personally, uh, we

haven't had a chance to talk about this here

on MWRE, but it's one of those things where they're

talking about a Kingsman sequel. I don't think

that needs a sequel. You know, you know Yeah,

yes and no. I mean, it's I mean just just from

having you know me watch the movie all is I'm

using that as a current film that's released

that in this day and age I'm sure because Kingsman

came from the comics. I'm sure you could make

it crap ton of sequels and they'll all be as

great as the first one. I'm just saying, you

know, from 1998 to today in 2015, Rounders and

Kingsman, in my personal opinion, are movies

that don't need sequels. What's another movie?

The Breakfast Club. Never should ever have a

sequel. St. Elmo's Fire should never ever have

a sequel. You know, it's just one of those things.

There are certain movies out there. that do not

need sequels. And some people just haven't learned.

Nope. We're gonna take a quick break, come back

with final thoughts and ratings after this. Hello

geeks. Want a podcast that covers a vast array

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Talking in Circles. So, Chuck, Greg, what are

you guys thinking for this week's show? Well,

Dan, how about we just talk about the things

that we've read or watched this week? We do reviews

like that every week, Chuck. How about a game,

like Fact or Fiction, or The Power of Names?

Those are great, and we're always coming up with

new ideas for games. And how about some top fives?

You know how I love my top fives. What about

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the guy with the creepy voice? The Powers of

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all have the power. Alright folks we are back

here on movie we can review and what would you

give rounders on a zero to five star scale sir?

I'm probably gonna take heat from you for this

but I would probably give it a three and a half

out of five only because some of the stuff it

seemed like you had to know about poker, you

had to understand some of the topic as to what

was going on, and some of it was kind of hard

to follow for me. Other than that, I thought

it was a great film. You know, the actors were

great, the story was pretty well put together,

you knew what was going to happen, even though

it wasn't telegraphed like some, you know, typical

blockbuster movies. It was still a great film

coming out of left field. For me, I'm gonna give

it a four out of five I wish there was something

like I know guys like like Norton's character

will never learn but I just wish that There would

have been something here that he kind of learned

his lesson not to show that he's going on the

straight and narrow but like I almost wish those

cops had beat him up obviously not the mic not

not Matt Damon's character, but just it's just

one of those things where I just wish there was

a little bit more closure on that character.

But overall, four out of five stars. I really

do love this movie. I love the music and the

narration from Damon in this. It's just so interesting.

It really was good. I mean, I was more surprised

by how smoothly it was. It didn't have the, you

know, the Boston accent, the Boston attitude

that he had in Goodwill Hunting. Yeah. Well,

you know, that's one of those things where we

can turn it on and turn it off I mean, you know,

yeah, you don't always have to pack in the car,

you know, and what I mean is that it wasn't this

You didn't get this attitude of You know, I'm

trying to just be this Scrape -it -by kind of

guy that he had in goodwill hunting that he could

do better But he just didn't want to you know

devil -may -care attitude in the way. This was

i'm gonna do it i know i'm good i want to still

go out and kick ass even though i probably should

have stopped at the beginning you know and that

was kind of feeling i got from it it was a lot

better than i expected and i think with damon

and even even ben affleck i mean once you take

the kid out of boston and you know for me You

know personally, you know, I've been living in

Kentucky almost Well 22 years now often on overall

22 years. I mean there was a couple of times

where I left 99 and to from 99 and 2003 but overall

I've lived here since 1993 and you know Everyone

under the Sun made fun of the Boston accent I

had for as long as I've lived here This wasn't

what I used to talk like 20 years ago. Oh, yeah.

I mean, I had a much heavier accent. So, you

know, with Matt Damon and and, you know, you

know, probably moved out to L .A. or whatever,

it's one of those things where once you live

in another place for a long ass time, your accent

is going to change because you're going to adapt

it to whatever. And that's what I like about

Damon and Affleck to to a lesser extent is that

they can go into movies and not have to use.

their boston accents they had that's that to

me is what makes them actors is that they can

find ways around you know fun ways around the

using their voices that is not just on from boston

you know this that i think everything else you

know so that to me is is really really well done

what do you have come up on talking about my

generation sir you know i'm sitting here looking

at some of the films that i've got Don't know

yet. I'm thinking I'm thinking we may have to

do Toy Story maybe because I know that this is

the 20th anniversary of Toy Story I know we've

got I know coming in July June July we've got

Back to the future because come on. It's finally

2015. We have to talk about it. Yeah, we have

And we still don't have a real hoverboard. I

know um... and and that shark still looks fake

that uh... so yeah we've got stuff coming up

on talk about my generation uh... i know that

i will be having uh... beetles diva uh... whatever

whatever she goes by i apologize to go Nicole

will be on to do an episode About lost boys with

me. That's a given I'm just not sure when yeah,

it's kind of it's kind of I have to work on when

she's available with me So that'll be coming

I've just kind of keep your eye keep yours out

folks and and check it out over at my generation

podcast calm And for us coming up here on M wire

and episode 119 I used to think this as a kid.

I used to think this movie was amazing Watching

it as an adult. I don't know what to think now,

but we're gonna cover cloak and dagger. Oh Dabney

Coleman Thomas yeah, I think It's good. It's

good. It's definitely an 80s film, but it's worth

it Yeah, it's a weird 80s film. Yeah It's out

there, folks. So that's gonna do it for us here

on MYR. Keep those film reels rolling and we

will catch you next time. Top two pair It's a

monster hand I'm gonna lay that down because

you got two four and I'm not gonna draw against

a made hand Lays down and monster Should have

paid me off on that The fuck did you lay that

down? Not hungry? Mr. Son of a bitch, let's play

some cards. The rule is this, you spot a man's

tail, you don't say a fucking word. I finally

spotted KGB's, and usually I'd have let him go

on chewing those Oreos till he was dead broke.

But I don't have that kind of time. I've only

got till morning. Not even Teddy KGB's immune

to getting a little rattled. Enough is enough,

Teddy. Finish the fucking kid off. Hanging around,

hanging around. Kid Scott alligator blood can't

get rid of him I'm not going anywhere and double

the blinds. Okay, I call Check Two grand? All

right, I'll call the two grand. I'll gamble.

Don't splash the pot. You're on a draw, Mike.

Go away. This one is not good for you. And in

my club, I will splash the pot whenever the fact

I please. OK. I'm a jack daddy. That's right.

Big daddy. Bits. The pot. That's $4 ,400. All

right, I'm gonna call ya. Or else I won't respect

myself tomorrow morning. Respect is all you have

left in the morning. List, card, coming. Check.

It hurts, doesn't it? You can't believe what

fell. All your dreams... Yes. ...hopped down

the fucking... Drain. Your fate is sitting right

beside you. That ace could not have helped you.

You're right that the ace didn't help me. I flopped

the nut straight. That's it. What the fuck are

you talking about? That's it. Take it back, Teddy.

No more. No. Not tonight. This son of a bitch

all night, he... Chick, chick, chick. He trapped

me. Well, are you feeling satisfied now, Teddy?

Because I can go on busting you up all night.

He beat me. Straight up. Pay him. Pay that man

his money. First, you can visit the website geekcastradio

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