Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces is a 2006 British-American action-crime film written and directed by Joe Carnahan. It stars Jeremy Piven as a Las Vegas Strip magician turned mafia informant and Ryan Reynolds as the FBI agent assigned to protect him. The film was the debut of singer Alicia Keys and rapper Common as actors, and also starred Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Andy García, Ray Liotta, Taraji P. Henson, Chris Pine and Matthew Fox. The film is set in Lake Tahoe and was mainly filmed at the MontBleu casino, called the "Nomad Casino" in the film. The film grossed $57 million at the box office against a $17 million production budget.
Plot
A Las Vegas magician and wannabe gangster Buddy "Aces" Israel (Jeremy Piven) is hiding out in a Lake Tahoe hotel penthouse with his entourage. His agent, lawyer Morris Mecklen (Curtis Armstrong), discusses a potential immunity deal with FBI Deputy Director Stanley Locke (Andy Garcia). Agents Richard Messner (Ryan Reynolds) and Donald Carruthers (Ray Liotta) learn that ailing Las Vegas mob boss Primo Sparazza (Joseph Ruskin) has issued a bounty on Israel worth $1 million; a mysterious assassin known only as The Swede has sworn that he will bring Israel's heart to Sparazza. A number of assassins also seek the reward, including Lazlo Soot (Tommy Flanagan), who specializes in disguises and impersonations; Sharice Watters (Taraji P. Henson) and Georgia Sykes (Alicia Keys), two hitwomen hired by Sparazza's underboss, Victor "Buzz" Padiche (David Proval); Pasquale Acosta (Nestor Carbonell), a calm torture expert and mercenary; and the psychotic neo-Nazi Tremor brothers, Darwin (Chris Pine), Jeeves (Kevin Durand), and Lester (Maury Sterling).
Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball
Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball is a 2010 Canadian-American action crime film directed by P.J. Pesce and starring Tom Berenger, Vinnie Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Autumn Reeser and Ernie Hudson.
The film is a prequel to Joe Carnahan's 2007 film Smokin' Aces. The film centers on an FBI desk jockey who is targeted for murder by various hired assassins. The film was produced by Working Title Films, and was released direct-to-video on January 19, 2010 by Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
Plot
Set before the events of the first film. Walter Weed is an unassuming desk jockey at the FBI when the Bureau uncovers a plot to assassinate him. Mysterious Hal Leuco has hired several assassins to take out Weed on April 19 at exactly 3:00am. These include Ariella Martinez, a femme fatale who kills her victims with exotic poisons; Finbar McTeague who is also known as "The Surgeon", who brutally tortures his victims; the Southern Tremor family consisting of father Fritz and children; Lester, Kaitlyn, Baby Boy, and finally Lazlo Soot, from the first film, who is a master of disguise assassin.
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