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Gil Bellows Movies

Gil Bellows worked steadily in film throughout the mid-'90s before he achieved TV fame on the whimsical Fox comedy Ally McBeal. Born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Bellows left Canada to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Southern California. He then headed East, appearing in New York theater as well as on TV's Law & Order. Though he made his film debut in Frank Darabont's acclaimed prison drama The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and co-starred alongside Sarah Jessica Parker in Miami Rhapsody (1995), Bellows followed more in the direction of his first starring film, Love and a .45 (1994), appearing primarily in independent features. After a supporting role in The Substance of Fire (1996), Bellows starred in the British-Canadian adaptation of Bernard Malamud's The Assistant (1997) and the Canadian romantic comedy Dinner at Fred's (opposite indie queen Parker Posey), as well as the French supernatural romance Un Amour de Sorcière (1997). It was TV producer/writer David E. Kelley's innovative Ally McBeal, though, that made Bellows a well-known presence after the series debuted in 1997. As Ally/Calista Flockhart's ex-love-turned-law colleague, Bellows' Billy was a bastion of relative normalcy (at least until the third season) among the eccentric staff populating the series' fictional Boston law firm and stoking Ally's neuroses. Though Billy was supposed to last only one season, Bellows stayed for three, leaving in 2000. Bellows is married to actress Rya Kihlstedt and has one daughter. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi
2010  
 
Add Temple Grandin to Queue Add Temple Grandin to top of Queue  
Director Mick Jackson teams with screenwriters Christopher Monger and William Merritt Johnson to tell the story of autistic icon Temple Grandin, a woman who refused to let her disorder limit her true potential. Adapted from Grandin's own writings, the film allows the audience to experience the world much like she does while recounting her colorful life and remarkable achievements from childhood to adulthood. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
Claire DanesJulia Ormond, (more)
 
2010  
R  
Add Unthinkable to Queue Add Unthinkable to top of Queue  
Armed with the knowledge that their suspect has planted three nuclear bombs in three U.S. cities, black ops interrogator H (Samuel L. Jackson) and FBI Agent Helen Brody (Carrie-Anne Moss) resort to extreme methods to get the confession that could save millions of innocent lives. A former nuclear expert, Younger (Michael Sheen) has turned against his country. Shortly after Younger plants his bombs, he's apprehended by the nation's top anti-terrorism task force. But while Younger is in custody, the FBI can't get him to reveal where the nukes have been hidden. H may be able to get an answer, but once Agent Brody gets a glimpse of his tactics, she begins to wonder whether the good guys have finally stooped to the level of the terrorists, or if H is truly justified in fighting fire with fire. Unthinkable co-starsBrandon Routh, Martin Donovan, and Stephen Root. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
Samuel L. JacksonCarrie-Anne Moss, (more)
 
2008  
R  
A young science wiz and an ambitious reporter make a connection between a popular vitamin drink and a highly infectious alien virus in this sci-fi thriller starring Gil Bellows and Isabella Rossellini. If you live in Boston, odds are you're guzzling Hydropure by the gallon; it's the latest health drink craze, and it's flying off of the shelves. Even the mayor has a taste for Hydropure. But when the mayor is assassinated and the triggerman slips reporter Ben (Bellows) evidence of a Hydropure conspiracy, the race is on to stop our species from being taken over from the inside. Convinced that something ominous is afoot after his colleague offers scientific proof that Hydropure is infecting humans with an alien virus, Ben and fellow reporter Lisa (Maxim Roy) set out on a mission to stop the virus from spreading and save the human race. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
Gil BellowsMaxim Roy, (more)
 
2008  
R  
Add The Promotion to Queue Add The Promotion to top of Queue  
A war of wills takes place between two men who want to run the same grocery store in this offbeat comedy from writer and director Steven Conrad. Doug (Seann William Scott) is a seemingly ordinary guy who works as the assistant manager of a supermarket near Chicago. When the owners of the market announce they're opening a new branch near Doug's neighborhood, he applies to become manager of the new store, and both he and his wife (Jenna Fischer) assume he's a shoo-in to get the job. But Richard (John C. Reilly), a gregarious recent hire at the store who has relocated to Illinois from Canada, announces he's also applying for the management position, and a keen rivalry develops between Doug and Richard even as they strive to act like friends on the surface. As the competition grows between the two, their personality flaws become increasingly evident -- Doug's short temper, Richard's history of drug abuse -- and when Richard's wife (Lili Taylor) leaves him, the contest starts taking an uncomfortable turn. The Promotion also stars Fred Armisen, Gil Bellows, and Bobby Cannavale. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Seann William ScottJohn C. Reilly, (more)
 
2008  
 
Add 24: Redemption to Queue Add 24: Redemption to top of Queue  
A made for TV movie that provides a bridge between the sixth and seventh seasons of the hit FOX action series 24, 24: Redemption features series star Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer. As the program opens, Bauer spends his time doing missionary work in Africa, laying low while the United States government attempts to capture him. His work leads him into contact with an evil warlord who maintains a loyal army by constantly brainwashing children into joining him. Bauer risks his freedom in order to stop the warlord. Redemption co-stars Oscar winner Jon Voight, Gil Bellows, and Robert Carlyle. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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Starring:
Kiefer SutherlandCherry Jones, (more)
 
2006  
 
Add Final Days of Planet Earth to Queue Add Final Days of Planet Earth to top of Queue  
Daryl Hannah, Campbell Scott, and Gil Bellows star in an end-of-days sci-fi thriller about a rogue archeologist who stumbles onto a terrifying alien conspiracy. Lloyd Walker scours the globe in search of answers to mankind's greatest mysterious, and what he's about to discover with forever change the fate of the human race. A series of strange events have been occurring all over San Francisco, and the only one who can make sense of these seemingly unrelated incidents is the archeologist with a bad reputation. Deep within the doomed Pericles space mission, in the enigmatic Room 86, dwells a secret that will illuminate a diabolical plan. A race of alien insects is preparing to enslave all of mankind, and the only one with the power to stop their nefarious mission of the man known as the "keeper of dead civilizations." But will Walker be able to act in time, or is it already too late for the citizens of the third rock from the sun? ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
Daryl HannahGil Bellows, (more)
 
2005  
PG  
Add Sweet Land to Queue Add Sweet Land to top of Queue  
A European exile finds herself a stranger in a strange land when she comes to the United States in this independent romantic comedy-drama. As a man ponders what to do with his family's estate after the death of his grandmother, he thinks back to how she first came to America shortly after World War I. Olaf (Tim Guinee) is a Norwegian-American farmer looking for a wife to share his home on the Minnesota prairie, and with eligible women in short supply locally, he sends away for a mail-order bride. Inge Ottenberg (Elizabeth Reaser) soon arrives at Olaf's doorstep, but while she's pretty, smart, and amiable, he's taken aback to discover she's not Norwegian but German, which after several years of anti-German propaganda does not make her popular with her new neighbors. Inge isn't very good with English, making it even harder to keep her background a secret, and the local pastor, Rev. Sorrensen (John Heard), is so outraged at the presence of a presumed Hun he refuses to perform their wedding. But Inge struggles to make friends with her new neighbors, in particular Olaf's best friend, Frandsen (Alan Cumming), a gadget fancier whose wife, Brownie (Alex Kingston), is better with mechanical items than he is. In time, Inge's cheerful nature and love of music begin to make an impression on the community as she shares her favorite tunes on her ever-present gramophone. Sweet Land was the first feature film from writer and director Ali Selim. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Elizabeth ReaserTim Guinee, (more)
 
2005  
R  
Add The Weather Man to Queue Add The Weather Man to top of Queue  
A man struggles to get a grip on a life that's spinning out of control in this emotional comedy drama. Dave Spritz (Nicolas Cage) is a television weatherman on a high-profile Chicago news program. Professionally, Dave is doing just fine -- he makes great money for a job that demands little effort, and he has a shot at an assignment with a network morning news and chat show. But Dave's personal life leaves a lot to be desired -- his father, respected author Robert Spritzel (Michael Caine), is in failing health, he's divorced from his wife, Noreen (Hope Davis), and his relationship with his children is tenuous at best, especially his overweight daughter, Shelly (Gemmenne de la Pena). If Dave is to land his new job, he'll have to move to New York City, and with his time in Chicago running short, he dedicates himself to trying to salvage his ties with his family before it's too late, though he discovers this is even harder than he imagines. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Nicolas CageMichael Caine, (more)
 
2004  
PG  
Add A Bear Named Winnie to Queue Add A Bear Named Winnie to top of Queue  
Discover the true story behind author A.A. Milne's beloved children's character in this tale of the remarkable friendship between a Canadian soldier, and the cub that stood as a symbol of friendship and hope in a world plagued by war. It was during the early days of World War I that 34th Fort Garry Horse Division veterinarian Lieutenant Harry Colebourn (Michael Fassbinder) purchased a small bear cub and named her Winnie after his hometown of Winnipeg. Though Coleburn's fellow soldiers repeatedly warn the Lieutenant against taking Winnie with him to the gathering point in Valcartier, Quebec where Canadian soldiers are gathering to be shipped overseas, the presence of the young cub among the troops serves as a ray of hope to the soldiers faced with the prospect of war. After traveling with the soldiers to Salisbury Plain in England, Winnie is placed in the care of the London Zoo when Harry's regiment is shipped off to fight in France. As the specter of war looms heavy in the conscience of the citizens and children of London, Winnie becomes the star attraction at the zoo. When a man named A.A. Milne brings his young son to visit the zoo, the story of the bear and her friendship with a far away soldier inspires him to create one of the most beloved characters in the history of children's literature. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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2004  
R  
Add Blind Horizon to Queue Add Blind Horizon to top of Queue  
A man with no memory struggles to make sense of the troubling details that are still stuck in his mind in this psychological thriller. Frank (Val Kilmer) wakes up in a small town in the New Mexico desert with a severe head wound and most of his memory wiped away. However, Frank is somehow convinced that someone is planning to assassinate the President of the United States, and that Chloe (Neve Campbell), the woman who is claiming to be his girlfriend, is some sort of imposter. When Frank learns that the president is indeed passing through town that day, he tries to warn Sheriff Kolb (Sam Shepard) that something sinister if afoot; as it happens, Kolb believes him, though he's more than a bit busy dealing with a hard-fought election campaign against former Deputy Cash (Noble Willingham). Blind Horizon was screened at the 2004 South by Southwest Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Val KilmerNeve Campbell, (more)
 
2004  
R  
Add Keep Your Distance to Queue Add Keep Your Distance to top of Queue  
A man who lives what many would consider to be the perfect life begins to see the cracks forming on the surface of his porcelain smooth façade in director Stu Pollard's paranoid tale of deception and betrayal. David Dailey (Gil Bellows) has a picture-perfect home, a career with a promising future, and a key role in the community -- but all of that is about to change. With the sexual obsessions of his lusty wife Susan (Kim Raver) gradually taking their toll on David and his longtime assistant blatantly setting his sights on the established professional's job, the stress of his personal life eventually drives David into the arms of beautiful stranger Melody Carpenter (Jennifer Westfeldt). Despite outward appearances, Melody's charming and rich ex-boyfriend Sean (Christian Kane) hasn't taken too warmly to her new relationship with David and sets into motion a devious plan to win her back at any cost. Meanwhile, Sean's powerful and overprotective father (Stacy Keach) has hired a sexy spy (Elizabeth Peña) to keep close tabs on all involved. As the relationship between David and Melody grows increasingly intense, so do their mutual suspicions of being watched, and David soon realizes that the only thing worse than having nothing at all is having it all swept out from under your feet when you least expect it. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Starring:
Gil BellowsKim Raver, (more)
 
2004  
R  
Add Pursued to Queue Add Pursued to top of Queue  
In this thriller, Ben Keats (Gil Bellows) is a top executive at a leading information technology firm. Ben is happy with his job and doesn't want to leave, but that isn't about to stop Vincent Palmer (Christian Slater) from trying to lure him away. Vincent is a head-hunter who recruits personnel for leading companies and earns a seven-figure salary for getting whoever his clients want, no matter what it takes. Vincent starts with the traditional offers of more money, more power, and better perks, but when Ben refuses to be swayed, Vince starts playing hardball with his tactics escalating into violence and death threats against Ben's family. Will Ben fight fire with fire or will he be forced to do Vincent's bidding? Pursued also stars Michael Clarke Duncan, Conchita Campbell, and Estella Warren. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Christian Slater
 
2004  
 
Add EMR to Queue Add EMR to top of Queue  
The low-budget indie feature EMR weaves several of the most notorious and oft-told urban myths into the narrative of a single thriller. It begins with Englishman Adam (Adam Leese) regaining full consciousness after a seizure - tens of thousands of miles from home - only to discover that someone has surgically extracted one of his kidneys. All roads lead to a shady drug company called Phenal, which Adam believes is plotting against him, systematically. As Adam's paranoia builds, he realizes that no one around him can be fully trusted. Gil Bellows, Guy Henry and Whitney Cummings co-star; newcomers James Erskine and Danny McCullough co-direct. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

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Starring:
Adam Leese
 
2004  
R  
Add Childstar to Queue Add Childstar to top of Queue  
Childstar concerns an egotistical 12-year-old named Taylor who has skyrocketed to fame at that young age. His relationship with his driver, Rick, takes a turn when Taylor confides in him about the problems of celebrity and the fears of his impending teenage years. When Taylor disappears one day, Rick attempts to find the boy and help him through this troubling period. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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Starring:
Don McKellarMark Rendall, (more)
 
2003  
R  
Add First to Die to Queue Add First to Die to top of Queue  
The scene is San Francisco, where a diabolically crafty serial killer is preying on newlywed couples, killing the groom before the bride and then removing both wedding rings. Assigned to track down this maniac is homicide inspector Lindsay Boxer (Tracy Pollan), who, despite the usual quota of false clues and red herrings, seems more than prepared for the biggest challenge of her career. But Lindsay is not prepared for facing her own mortality: She has been diagnosed with a blood disease that nearly always proves fatal and may not live long enough to bring the honeymoon killer to justice. Based on a novel by James Patterson (as indicated by the film's "official" title), First to Die debuted February 23, 2003, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Tracy PollanGil Bellows, (more)
 
2002  
 
In 1980, Clarence Brandley was an African-American janitor who was convicted of the murder of a 16-year-old white high school student in the city of Conroe, TX. James Keeshan, a powerful local prosecutor, handled the case and was able to obtain a death sentence against Brandley, even though the practical evidence against him was slim. Don Boney, a human rights activist from Houston, was convinced something was not quite right about the Brandley case, and persuaded young attorney Mike De Geurin to look into the matter. As De Geurin spent more time looking into the particulars of the case and Brandley's trial, he became convinced that an innocent man was on death row, and De Geurin and Boney began a campaign to uncover the truth behind the murder (and the plot to railroad Brandley) before Brandley faced the executioner. Whitewash: The Clarence Brandley Story is a made-for-cable movie based on Brandley's true story. Courtney Vance stars as Brandley, with Eamon Walker as Don Boney, and Gil Bellows as Mike De Geurin. The film premiered on the Showtime premium cable network on April 21, 2002. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Courtney B. VanceErik Walker, (more)
 
2002  
 
Add Second String to Queue Add Second String to top of Queue  
This made-for-cable "feel good" picture begins with a "feel-bad" moment, as the entire first-string offensive squad of the Buffalo Bills football team falls victim to food poisoning. With no other option, the Bills' ulcerated coach Ditcher (Jon Voight) must rely upon the team's second-string benchwarmers. Among these also-rans are aging reserve quarterback Dan Heller (Gil Bellows), a longtime thorn in Ditcher's side, and overeager but undertalented wide receiver Gerry Fuller (Richard T. Jones). Miraculously, Heller, Fuller and the rest of the misfits pull themselves together to the extent of qualifying for the playoffs--and, eventually, the Super Bowl. A veritable feast of sports-movie cliches and strenuous overacting, Second String first aired December 18, 2002, over the TNT cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Gil BellowsJon Voight, (more)
 
2001  
R  
Add She Creature to Queue Add She Creature to top of Queue  
A couple running a rideshow discover the find of a lifetime, only to realize it could well be the death of them in this horror story. Angus Shaw (Rufus Sewell) and his wife, Lillian (Carla Gugino), run a travelling carnival which barnstorms the countryside in the early 1900s. The Shaws' circus includes a sideshow which promises much in the way of monsters and human oddities, but for the most part delivers second-rate actors dressed up in costumes or using smoke-and-mirrors effects to fool the customers. Lillian herself offers the most spectacular illusion, posing as a fake mermaid. One night, Angus offers a helping hand to an aging sailor (Aubrey Morris), and the old salt offers to show Angus and Lillian something truly amazing -- a real, honest-to-Pete mermaid (Rya Kihlstedt). Astounded by what he's seen, Angus decides the fortune he could make exhibiting a real mermaid is too great to resist, and he steals the creature from the sailor. Angus and Lillian waste no time booking passage to the United States with their find, but en route to America they discover this mermaid is hardly a benign creature -- she has a taste for human blood, and soon the ship's crew is shrinking at an alarming rate. Lillian also finds herself developing a strange psychological bond with the mermaid, a connection more powerful than her vows to her husband. She Creature was produced for the Cinemax premium cable service as part of a series of "Creature Features" produced by special effects wizard Stan Winston and former American International Pictures head Samuel Z. Arkoff, most of which were inspired by horror films AIP made in the 1950s. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Rufus SewellCarla Gugino, (more)
 
2000  
PG13  
Add The Courage to Love to Queue Add The Courage to Love to top of Queue  
Vanessa L. Williams stars in this made-for-TV drama as Henriette Delille, a woman born in New Orleans before the abolition of slavery. Delille refused to accept the narrow boundaries society attempted to impose upon her as a mixed-race woman (who are routinely married off to wealthy European visitors). While Gerard Gaultier (Gil Bellows), a successful French doctor, attempts to win her hand, Henriette instead pledges herself to serve the community, opening a combination school and medical clinic to look to the needs of the city's black community. While set in Louisiana, The Courage to Love (also shown as The Quadroon Ball) was shot in another place with a rich French heritage, the Canadian city of Quebec. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Vanessa WilliamsGil Bellows, (more)