You're either in or you're out -- and, this week, "Ocean's Thirteen" is definitely in.

Starting today, the second sequel to the hit 2001 "Ocean's Eleven" remake returns for the first of two brief location shoots. (The second one takes place later next month.)

The production plans to pack a lot into this week's three-day visit, with scheduled locations ranging from Bellagio ("Ocean's Eleven's" primary setting) and Paris Las Vegas to McCarran International Airport and Strip construction sites.

"Everyone but Elliot Gould" will be making the location trek, reports executive producer Susie Ekins.

That includes such returning stars as George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and Andy Garcia, along with newcomers Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin. (Not to mention director Steven Soderbergh, working from a script by Brian Koppelman and David Levien.)

Gould may not be visiting Las Vegas this time around, but his character, old-timer Reuben Tishkoff, definitely figures in this latest caper -- with Ocean and Co. out for revenge when a nasty casino owner (Pacino) cuts Tishkoff out of a deal.

Most of "Ocean's Thirteen" is filming on a Hollywood casino set, but "there's some things in Vegas you can't capture anywhere else," Ekins acknowledges. "You have to have some element of Vegas exteriors to make a believable movie."

Cirque du "CSI": Starting Sunday, the MGM Grand theater that "Ka" calls home hosts "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

The first day's shoot will concentrate on the Cirque du Soleil production's battlefield segment -- in which the stage tilts vertically.

"CSI" regulars William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger and George Eads are expected in town Aug. 14-16 for additional location work at the MGM Grand, notes producer Louis Milito.

Hold 'em: It's the beginning of the end at the Rio, where final-table action at World Series of Poker is scheduled to start Thursday.

ESPN has exclusive rights to full tournament coverage, but TV crews from around the world -- Australia and Denmark, Poland and France -- are in town to report on the showdown suspense.

Casting corner: Award-winning local filmmaker Leonardo Portillo plans to make his feature debut this fall with "Freddy and Pacman," about the friendship between two Las Vegas boys: one from Cuba, the other a heavy-set Anglo loner.

First, however, Portillo needs to find boys (between 8 and 12 years old) to portray Freddy and Pacman. Submit photographs and contact information to Portillo at P.O. Box 50596, Henderson 89016-0596, or e-mail him at Maldito.Brothers@gmail.com.

Carol Cling's Shooting Stars column appears Mondays. Contact her at 383-0272 or e-mail her at ccling@reviewjournal.com.