Elliott Gould
- 2008
When a whistleblowing executive at an international energy firm prepares to expose his company's corrupt practices in Latin America, he secretly hires a private detective to track his every move for fear that he will be killed for his bold transgression. Jimmy Stevens (Frank Langella) has had enough of the lies and deception, and now he's going to something about it. He also knows that chances are good he'll pay the ultimate price for doing what he's about to do, so as a form of insurance Jimmy hires private detective Frank Turlotte (Elliot Gould) to keep a close tab on him. But Frank doesn't realize that the man who hired him and the man he was told to trail are one in the same, and as the paths of the two men begin to intertwine, the secrets of the past offer clues to the mysteries of the future. Mulholland Drive star Laura Harring co-stars in a twisting neo-noir thriller from A Hole in One director Richard Ledes. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Langella, Elliott Gould, (more)
A well-meaning but self-centered newspaper columnist learns the importance of placing career before family when her sister dies and she brings her late sibling's five Amish-raised children to live with her in the big city. There was a time when Sarah Cain was one of the city's best-known writers, but these days she seems to have lost her touch. When Sarah's sister Ivy dies and the writer is suddenly saddled with five children who aren't accustomed to city life, her editor urges her to document the unique experience in her column. As a result, Sarah once again finds the success that has eluded her for so long - but her time in the spotlight yields some unexpected consequences. When the children find out that Sarah has exploiting the situation to bolster her readership, they feel so devastated and betrayed that they demand to be placed with a new foster family. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lisa Pepper, Tom Tate, (more)
One of the most fabled stories of the Old Testament gets a new interpretation in this CGI-animated feature. When the Pharaoh of Egypt sentences Hebrew children to their death, the mother of baby Moses floats the child down the River Nile in a basket, hoping he will be found by people who give him a chance at a better life. The baby is found by the Pharaoh's daughter, and is raised as an Egyptian prince. However, when the true heritage of Moses (voice of Christian Slater) is discovered, he is banished from Egypt. As Moses wanders through the desert, he encounters a burning bush, from which the voice of God (voice of Elliott Gould) can be heard. God tells Moses it is his destiny to lead the Hebrews from slavery to a new life in the Holy Land. With the power of God as his ally, Moses confronts the Pharaoh Ramses (voice of Alfred Molina) and demands freedom for his people. Ramses scoffs at Moses, and with the help of the Lord the Hebrew messenger brings a series of plagues down on the Egyptian people as he repeats his demand for freedom for the Jews. The first feature-length directorial credit for Bill Boyce and John Stronach, The Ten Commandments also features the voice talents of Ben Kingsley as the story's narrator. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christian Slater, Alfred Molina, (more)
Cinema icon Al Pacino joins a powerhouse cast headed by of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, and series newcomer Ellen Barkin for this, the third installment of director Steven Soderbergh's popular series of glitzy crime comedies. The only hotelier in Las Vegas who can claim that each and every one of his establishments has earned the Royal Review Board's Five Diamond Award, Willy Bank (Pacino) has made more than his share of enemies during his impressive ascent. While most of Bank's adversaries amount to little more than the occasional nuisance, however, this powerful player is about to find out that picking your enemies in Las Vegas can be a true gamble. In betraying Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould), Bank has finally crossed the one man who could bring his entire empire crumbling to the ground -- Danny Ocean (Clooney). Now Reuben is in critical condition, and Ocean is determined to strike back at the man who nearly murdered his mentor. Bank may have taken down one of the original Ocean's Eleven, but his efforts only managed to unite the remaining ten closer than ever before. As the opening of Bank's newest casino draws near, Danny and the crew set into motion a bold plan to humiliate the cocksure casino owner and forever tarnish his spotless reputation. It won't be easy, but if Ocean and his team can get their elaborate plan together in time for the opening of The Bank, they just might be able to deliver some serious Las Vegas justice. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Clooney, Brad Pitt, (more)
- 2006
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The battle of the sexes turns to all-out war in director Joe Dante's season-two episode of Showtime's Masters of Horror series. Based on a story by author Raccoona Sheldon and adapted for the screen by Sam Hamm, The Screwfly Solution tracks the progression of a vicious virus that transforms average men into murderous maniacs who impulsively attack every woman who crosses their path. When a suburban housewife and her teenage daughter set out in search of sanctuary, it doesn't take long for them to realize just how difficult it will be to escape an entire gender of homicidal psychopaths. Jason Priestley and Elliott Gould star as devoted scientists racing to find a cure for the virus before it's too late. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Priestley, Elliott Gould, (more)
Mia Goldman's psychological drama Open Window stars Joel Edgerton and Robbin Tunney as a husband and wife who have intense professional lives, but are able to rely on each other during their time together at home. One night the wife is raped, sending her into a depression that threatens to crumble the marriage. Elliott Gould and Cybil Shepherd portray the wife's parents. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robin Tunney, Joel Edgerton, (more)
After pulling off the heist of their lives, Danny Ocean and his pals unexpectedly find themselves back in harness in this sequel to 2001's blockbuster hit Ocean's Eleven. After robbing a cool $160 million from the Bellaggio Hotel Casino and winning back his former wife, Tess (Julia Roberts), from Bellagio owner Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is living quietly on the lam in Connecticut when he's unexpectedly approached by Benedict. It seems Benedict has tracked down Danny and the ten men who helped him pull off the seemingly impossible robbery, and Benedict offers them a proposal -- if they can repay the $160 million in two weeks, he won't have them killed. As it turns out, both Danny and his best friend, Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), haven't been doing so well in terms of money management and could use some cash, so they set out to plan a robbery to recover the loot, with the same crew helping out -- Linus Caldwell (Matt Damon), Frank Catton (Bernie Mac), Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle), Saul Bloom (Carl Reiner), Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould), Livingston Dell (Eddie Jemison), Yen (Shaobo Qin), Virgil Malloy (Casey Affleck), and his brother Turk (Scott Caan). Danny and Rusty discover that an incredibly rare Fabergé egg is being displayed at a museum in Rome which would fetch the price they need, but they soon discover a notorious cat burglar, François Toulour (Vincent Cassel), is also after the egg, and it turns into a race to see who can claim it first. Adding to the intrigue is Isabel Lahiri (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a woman Rusty used to be involved with who is now a top agent with Interpol and is after both Toulour and Ocean's crew. Shot on location in both the United States and Europe, Ocean's Twelve was, like its precursor, directed by the stylish Steven Soderbergh, who also photographed the picture under his nom de lens, Peter Andrews. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Clooney, Brad Pitt, (more)
When a tough-talking FBI agent goes undercover to infiltrate a mob loan-sharking operation in the Big Apple, a fling with his informant's sister threatens to derail the entire investigation in this dark crime comedy from veteran film and television director Adam Bernstein. A streetwise agent who knows how to talk the talk and walk the walk, G-man Mike Tozzi (Chris Noth) is hot on the trail of high-ranking mobsters "Buddha" Stanzlone (Elliott Gould) and Tommy "Bells" Bellavita (Robert Patrick). Though Tozzi and his partner, Cuthbert Gibbons (Colm Meaney), are well on their way to finding the evidence they need to break the case, a severe lapse in judgment finds the womanizing Tozzi entering into an ill-advised fling with his informant's alluring sister, Gina (Dagmara Dominczyk). As the disastrous romance draws the FBI agents and the mobsters into a deadly game of cat and mouse, the only thing that's certain is that viewers will have a pulse-pounding good time finding out who will come out on top. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 2003
Emma's first birthday is the occasion for a big party, complete with a bunny-shaped cake. The trouble begins when Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) decides that the cake -- which is in a "shape" all right, but is nothing like a bunny -- would be more appropriate for a bachelorette party. As it happens, the party may never come off, since none of Rachel's friends have shown up, preoccupied as they are with either working or trying to avoid work. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elliott Gould, Christina Pickles, (more)
- 2002
Based on the best-selling novel by Irish comedian Spike Milligan, Puckoon is a political satire about a town cut in half by the partitioning of Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in 1924. The action takes place in a town known as Puckoon where an ordinary fellow named Dan Madigan wakes up one day to find barbed-wire fences running right through his neighbors' houses. All at once, Madigan's friends begin altering their personalities to suit the side of the fence they've found themselves on. So it's up to Madigan, the last sane man in town, to restore order. Originally written in 1963, Puckoon is considered the forerunner of anti-humor comedy which became the staple of shows like Monty Python and Saturday Night Live. ~ Connor McMadden, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Hughes, Elliott Gould, (more)
- 2002
Season nine of Friends begins a mere few seconds after the end of season eight, with brand-new mother Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) under the assumption that she is engaged to Joey (Matt LeBlanc) -- as Ross (David Schwimmer) heads to her hospital room intent upon proposing himself! An already confusing situation is made even more so by the well-intentioned interference of good old Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow). Meanwhile, back in the tiny hospital closet where Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) had sequestered themselves for a "quickie," the prying eyes of a third party may mean big trouble in future episodes. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elliott Gould, Cleo King, (more)
- 2002
Never mind that every other TV sitcom about a talking baby had been virtually strangled in its crib: CBS boldly went forward with yet another variation on the theme, Baby Bob. The title character was a six-month-old infant, who, with the aid of voice-over artist Ken Hudson Campbell and Clutch Cargo-like special effects, was gifted not only with the power of speech, but also with the ability to crack wise and insult his elders. Baby Bob's mom Lizzy (Joely Fisher) would have loved to tell the world about her miracle infant, but dad Walter, a neurotic PR executive, was determined to keep Bob's loquaciousness a secret -- especially from his dour father Sam (Elliott Gould) and his flighty mother-in-law Madeline (Holland Taylor). Even so, Baby Bob regularly carried on spirited conversations with his babysitter Teala (Marissa Tait), who figured it was best not to tell anyone about her new "pal." Baby Bob first gurgled onto the airwaves on March 18, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adam Arkin, Joely Fisher, (more)
- 2001
To fully appreciate the title of this episode, one must understand that "Rosita" is the name Joey (Matt LeBlanc) has given to his beloved -- and rather run-down -- easy chair. As Joey mourns the loss of his favorite piece of furniture, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) settles into her new job as a telemarketer, only to find that she must play nursemaid to her first customer, a high-strung office manager named Earl (played by Seinfeld's Jason Alexander), who threatens to kill himself after hearing Pheeb's sales pitch. And the old "mom always loved you best" routine plays itself out between siblings Ross (David Schwimmer) and Monica (Courteney Cox). This episode originally ran 40 minutes (with commercials) when it aired on NBC. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jason Alexander, Elliott Gould, (more)
- 2001
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The lives of college students attending a beachfront university in California become mingled -- and mangled -- when the deranged former husband (Jack Scalia) of the beautiful former fashion model/pro volleyball player Stacy (Jacqueline Collen) finds her living on the campus. Meanwhile, Randy (Casper Van Dien), whose grades are suffering from his fixation on several lovely co-eds (Denise Richards among them), has been caught cheating on a test by his professor (Sally Kellerman) who threatens him with expulsion, despite the fact that Randy's father (Elliot Gould) is a major contributor to the school. What's worse, the big beach volleyball tournament hosted by the on-campus bar is threatened when a sponsor pulls out, unless something can be done to draw attention to the event... Perhaps having an assassin in the bleachers will do it. ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, (more)
- 2001
In the second of Friends' four special 40-minute episodes which originally ran in February 2000, the magic number is not "40" but "30," as Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) becomes the last of the friends to hit the big three-oh. This sets the others to reminiscing about their own "milestone" birthdays, replete with embarrassing flashbacks. And there's something else: thanks to her redoubtable twin sister, Ursula, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) discovers that she's slightly older than she ever suspected. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elliott Gould, Christina Pickles, (more)
- 2001
Season seven of Friends comes to an unforgettable close as Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) prepare to march down the matrimonial aisle. In the first half of the two-part season finale (originally telecast as a single one-hour special), everyone gathers for the ceremony, including Chandler's transvestite dad (played by Kathleen Turner) and his no-doubt-it's-a-woman wife (Morgan Fairchild). Meanwhile, Joey (Matt LeBlanc) is having trouble getting off of the set of his movie in order to attend the wedding, due mainly to a somewhat "juicy" co-star (Gary Oldman). But this complication pales in comparison to events that occur during the rehearsal dinner -- namely, the sudden disappearance of bridegroom Chandler, who has literally "choked up." ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Oldman, Kathleen Turner, (more)
A rag-tag group of con artists and ex-cons team up for the heist to end all heists in this high-profile remake of the 1960 Rat Pack favorite. As with its predecessor, Ocean's Eleven opens with its titular hero Danny Ocean (George Clooney stepping into the Frank Sinatra role) eager for a new challenge. The similarities to the original end there, as Ocean conspires with his old pal Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) to rob 150 million dollars from an underground vault that serves three of Las Vegas' biggest casinos. Between the two of them, they recruit nine other men, each with his own criminal specialty, to assist in the mission: moneyman Reuben Tishkoff (Elliot Gould), card dealer Frank (Bernie Mac), pickpocket Linus (Matt Damon), aging con artist Saul (Carl Reiner), British explosives pro Basher (Don Cheadle), techie Dell (Eddie Jemison), rude-boy brothers Virgil (Casey Affleck) and Turk (Scott Caan), and professional acrobat Yen (Shaobo Qin). What Ocean doesn't tell the group is that there's another reason he's coordinating the heist: the three casinos they're robbing are all owned by ruthless gambling mogul Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), who just happens to be married to Ocean's former love Tess (Julia Roberts). Ocean's Eleven was updated by scribe Ted Griffin and marked the third feature shot by director Steven Soderbergh under the alias Peter Andrews. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Clooney, Brad Pitt, (more)
- 2001
The second half of Friends' seventh-season finale (originally telecast as a single one-hour "special") finds Joey (Matt LeBlanc) still stuck on the set of his movie -- in a World War I uniform -- even as his presence is desperately required at the wedding of Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry). Worse still, Chandler has completely vanished, a fact that the other friends are frantically trying to keep secret from Monica. So -- is that the big season-ending cliffhanger? Not quite -- especially after Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) happen to find a positive pregnancy test. And who are the lucky mom and dad? Well.... ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Oldman, Kathleen Turner, (more)
A crime of passion unwittingly leads to a "miracle" in this satirical comedy. Tex (Woody Allen) is a butcher who is married to Candy (Sharon Stone), a former exotic dancer who has no skill or enthusiasm for fidelity. Unhappy with her extramarital affairs, Tex kills Candy while performing a "sawing the woman in half" trick with her during a magic show. Tex tries to bury the pieces of Candy's body on the outskirts of town before anyone can find out the trick was real, but he makes the mistake of losing one of Candy's hands along the way; a blind woman happens upon it, and when she can suddenly and miraculously see, she's convinced she's found the hand of the Holy Virgin. Father Jerome (David Schwimmer), the priest of the local Catholic church, isn't so sure, but the town's mayor (Cheech Marin) is more than happy to have hundreds of tourists coming into town to see a holy relic, and word of the miraculous hand spreads like wildfire. However, Sheriff Bobo (Kiefer Sutherland) is convinced the severed hand appeared through foul play, and Tex is eager to retrieve it before anyone finds out who was once attached to it. Picking Up the Pieces, which also features Fran Drescher, Eddie Griffin, Andy Dick, and Elliott Gould, had its American premiere on the Cinemax premium cable network after the film's controversial themes prevented it from getting a distribution deal with a U.S. studio. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Woody Allen, David Schwimmer, (more)
- 2000
Hoping to reproduce the "secret" cookie recipe handed down to Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) by Pheeb's grandmother, Monica (Courteney Cox) makes a somewhat disillusioning discovery. Elsewhere, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) goes into full control freak mode while teaching Joey (Matt LeBlanc) how to sailboat. And an embarrassed Chandler (Matthew Perry) inadvertently performs a "lap dance" with future father-in-law Jack (Elliott Gould) -- while both men are naked in a steam room. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elliott Gould
- 2000
Friends opens its seventh season with two prime episodes, originally telecast back-to-back. In the second episode, Joey (Matt LeBlanc) makes a shocking discovery about Rachel (Jennifer Aniston): she has a fondness for extremely erotic reading material. And in another development, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), preparing to shoulder her responsibilities as a bridesmaid for Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry), temporarily moves in with Rachel's erstwhile boyfriend Ross (David Schwimmer) -- who is none too thrilled that "Pheeb" has brought her massage business along in the bargain. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elliott Gould, Christina Pickles, (more)
Claire Goldstein (Alicia Witt) is a 23-year old classical pianist and student in San Francisco who gets dumped by a boyfriend, is evicted from her home following an earthquake and rejected by a major music competition, and becomes romantically involved with a charming two-timer (Ivan Sergei). But her troubles are just starting: she's forced to move back in with her parents (Elliott Gould and Marlo Thomas) while she attempts to make an emotional recovery from all the sudden turmoil. But the spiral continues downward, and before long she's even disappointed her faithful teacher, Bennett (Harvey Fierstein). Can Claire be redeemed? ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alicia Witt
One of America's most respected and acclaimed directors, Robert Altman has brought such cinematic masterpieces as Nashville, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, and The Player to the silver screen. This video profile charts Altman's long and prolific career, featuring interviews with Glenn Close, Shelley Duvall, and Jack Lemmon. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
