Uncut Gems

Released in 2019, but set in 2012, Uncut Gems is a crime thriller directed by the Safdie brothers, Benny and Josh, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Ronald Bronstein. Adam Sandler stars as the tragic hero, Howard Ratner, a fast-talking Jewish-American jeweller and compulsive gambler. Ratner is the proprietor of KMH, a jewellery store in the Diamond District of Midtown Manhattan, which sells rare, expensive precious stones.

Nevertheless, Ratner is indebted to his brother-in-law Arno Moradian (Eric Bogosian) to the tune of $100,000, but seeks to repay that debt, and others, by smuggling a rare, uncut black opal into the country from Ethiopia. Ratner expects the opal to fetch $1,000,000 at auction but, on its arrival, it takes the eye of Boston Celtics’ basketball star Kevin Garnett (himself). Garnett considers the opal a lucky talisman and, offering his NBA Championship Ring as collateral, insists on keeping it for his upcoming basketball match.

Ratner immediately pawns the ring and places a bet on the aforementioned match, which would have won $600,000, but for being stopped by Moradian, who takes exception to Ratner gambling with what is, effectively, his money. After further tribulations, Ratner retrieves the opal and takes it to auction, only for his father-in-law, Gooey (Judd Kirsch), who he persuades to bid up the price, to place the winning bid.

Ratner finally offloads the opal to Garnett for $165,000 in cash but, instead of paying his debts, asks his girlfriend, Julia De Fiore (Julia Fox), to place a further bet on a Celtics’ basketball match. She narrowly escapes the clutches of Moradian and his henchmen, Phil (Keith William Richards) and Nico (Tommy Kominik), whom Ratner imprisons between the security doors at KMH. The bet wins, earning Ratner $1.2 million but, when he releases his prisoners, Phil shoots him in the head, killing him instantly.

Big Money Frenzy Slot by Blue Print Gaming

Introduction

There is no better online slot than Big Money Frenzy slot game by Blue Print Gaming if you are a fan of shiny objects. There are 10 active paylines in this 5×3 video slot, and the RTP is 95.00%. You can also choose from a range of values between 0.10 and 50.00.

In the base game, you’ll see Mystery Symbols that fill the entire reel to reveal identical symbols for big win potential. The Money Spins bonus round can be triggered by collecting question mark icons, and the Frenzy Spins bonus round can be triggered by collecting special symbols. You could even win 50,000x your stake.

Features

Whenever three or more question marks (?) appear, the Money Spins will trigger. As you are rewarded with 3 respins, the question marks will transform into cash prizes. Whenever a new question mark icon appears on the reels, these will reset back to 3 respins. You will receive your total prize when the respins have reached zero.

Frenzy Spin symbols have another surprise in store for you if you land special symbols during this bonus round. The reels will change once more before returning to the base game of the Big Money Frenzy slot machine. As you collect Frenzy Spin symbols, you’ll have a chance to play one game per symbol. Similar to Money Spins, you won’t receive additional spins in this round. At the end of the round, you will receive your total reward.

Final Thoughts

You shouldn’t miss out on playing the Big Money Frenzy video slot. There are 10 paylines in Blueprint Gaming’s latest release, along with an interactive soundtrack and graphics. There are great features such as Mystery Symbols, two free spin rounds, and a chance to win up to 50,000x your stake in this medium-to-high volatility slot with a 95.00% RTP.

The Hustler

Released in 1961, to critical acclaim, The Hustler is a drama based on the 1959 novel of the same name written by Walter Tevis. Filmed on location in NewYork City and directed by Robert Rossen, The Hustler stars Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, George C. Scott and Piper Laurie.

‘Fast’ Eddie Felson (Newman), is a minor-league pool hustler, who travels the country with his equally immoral manager Charlie Burns ( Myron McCormick), but seeks to abandon his anonymity by challenging the legendary Minnesota Fats (Gleason). After boasting that he will win $10,000 from Fats, he is $1,000 ahead when he suggests raising the stakes and requests Preacher (Stefan Gierasch) to fetch him some bourbon. Preacher also notifies Fats’ backer, Bert Gordon (Scott), a cold, vicious gambler, who nonetheless quietly pays out as Felson keeps on winning.

However, having been $18,000 ahead at one stage, Felson conspires to lose all bar $200. Thereafter, Felson starts a relationship with Sarah Packard (Laurie), a vulnerable, crippled girl, whom he later discards with tragic consequences. Indeed, in the final scenes, he tells Gordon, ‘I loved her, Bert. I traded her in on a pool game.’

Felson returns to New York to face Minnesota Fats for a second time and wins easily. He tells Fats, ‘Fat man, you shoot a great game of pool’, and Fats replies, ‘So do you, Fast Eddie’. By now his manager, Gordon requests his 75% cut of his winnings and, when Felson refuses, begrudgingly agrees, but warns him never to set foot in a pool hall in the city again.

The late Robert of the Chicago-Sun Times wrote, ‘The Hustler is one of those films where scenes have such psychic weight that they grow in our memories.’ His sentiment was reflected by the fact that all four leading actors, Newman, Gleason, Scott and Laurie, received Academy Award nominations.

Beat the Bank Slot by WGS Technology

Introduction

You will feel like a professional bank robber in WGS Technology’s Beat the Bank video slot game. Get ready to face some of the most sophisticated security systems and potentially steal all the gold from the vaults in the heist of the century.

Symbols

Beat the Bank slot has 25 paylines and 5 reels. The first category of symbols consists of the classic card icons, starting with the number 9 up to the Ace. To trigger cash prizes, you must line them up from left to right. They are worth anywhere from 5 to 200 for these symbols.

Next up are the bank’s blueprints, CCTV cameras, diamonds, and security guards. Despite these rarities, players can still win up to 5,000 credits with Beat the Bank, as the game offers a lot of features.

Bonus Features

Beat the Bank’s thief symbols can be used to replace all of the symbols listed above, making them the wild card of the game. It is only possible for the thief to appear on reels 2 – 4.

In addition to 15 free spins, you also win 3 wilds at the same time. All subsequent wins you make with wilds are tripled automatically during these free games.

Also, the safe symbol pays in any position on the reels as a scatter symbol. Besides a small cash prize, three or more safes trigger the Beat the Bank feature. To double your current wager, choose the right safe on the screen, and keep playing as long as you like.

Verdict

When you consider the free spin feature, the fact that this game offers a variety of bonus features and generous potential payouts to players, you come to a verdict that this video slot is an enjoyable game to play with some great potential for its players.