Nicolas Cage has a distinguished Glitter City history, from his Oscar-winning dramatic turn in "Leaving Las Vegas" to the comedic "Honeymoon in Vegas" (remember the Flying Elvi?) and the action of "Con Air."

This week, Cage returns in the futuristic thriller "Next," playing a man with the gift of "precognition" -- the ability to see, and affect, the future -- who's hiding in plain sight as a Las Vegas magician.

That in turn makes him a target of the FBI, which wants him to use his abilities to stop a terrorist threat.

Based on a short story by Philip K. Dick (whose works have inspired big-screen standouts from "Blade Runner" to "Minority Report"), "Next" plans a two-day shoot with locations ranging from the Fremont Street Experience to Red Rock Canyon.

Cage, Julianne Moore (who's not expected on this end-of-production road trip) and Jessica Biel (who might be on hand) co-star for director Lee Tamahori.

"Grand" times: Meanwhile, downtown at the Golden Nugget, the big-screen comedy "The Grand" continues a "mockumentary" look at tournament poker "that's almost a satire of the World Series of Poker," according to writer-director Zak Penn.

Penn "was looking to do another improvisational comedy" (following his 2004 directorial debut, "Incident at Loch Ness") and seized on an idea from longtime poker buddy Matt Bierman, one of "The Grand's" executive producers.

Although "it's never a good idea" to make a movie "just because you happen to like the subject matter," Penn acknowledges, a poker movie offered "built-in stakes" and "a contained set of locations."

To say nothing of the fact that "it attracts people with outsize personalities."

Including those who wind up at "The Grand's" final table: characters played by Woody Harrelson, Dennis Farina, Cheryl Hines, Chris Parnell, David Cross and Richard Kind.

"House" closing: After six weeks, the WE cable network's "She House Cinema" wraps up this week as local designers Teresa Keegan and Jaquylyn Guevarra oversee the transformation of a North Las Vegas residence.

Starting in August, WE viewers will have the chance, during movie breaks, to watch the dream house taking shape -- and enter a contest to win it.

Quick takes: As the World Series of Poker rolls on at the Rio, so does "That's Poker," a documentary scheduled to follow players in (and outside) the casino through Aug. 13.

And an eight-part Sundance Channel documentary series, "Sin City Law," continues its focus on the Las Vegas justice system -- from the attorneys' perspectives -- through the end of the year, reports producer Annie Wong.

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