Chris Messina

First Official Synopsis for Ben Affleck’s ARGO

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 1st, 2011 at 11:36 am

Ben Affleck’s Argo began shooting today.  The film has a killer cast that includes Affleck, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, and John Goodman, Kyle Chandler, Rory Cochrane, Victor Garber, Richard Kind, and Michael Parks.  I don’t really care about press releases announcing that filming has commenced (what’s newsworthy is when it looks like filming will commence and then it doesn’t), but this press release includes the first official synopsis for the movie.  Check it out:

Based on true events, “Argo” chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis—the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades.  On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA “exfiltration” specialist named Tony Mendez (Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies.

Okay, so that doesn’t point out that his plan is to use a fake movie as cover for the operation, but that’s the hook.  Affleck co-wrote the script with Good Night and Good Luck. screenwriter Grant Heslov.  Hit the jump for the full press release which includes a rundown of the behind-the-camera talent.

Deborah Ann Woll, Steve Coogan, Elliott Gould and Chris Messina Join HE LOVES ME from LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE Directors

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 12th, 2011 at 6:39 pm

A number of actors have been added to the cast of Fox Searchlight’s He Loves Me. Heat Vision reports that Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood), Steve Coogan (Tropic Thunder), Elliott Gould (Ocean’s Eleven) and Chris Messina (Vicky Christina Barcelona). The film stars Paul Dano as a struggling novelist who creates his dream girl only to have her come to life. Annette Bening stars as Dano’s mother, with Zoe Kazan playing his dream girl.

Woll will play Dano’s ex-girlfriend, but there’s no word on who the other actors are playing. Kazan wrote the screenplay and Little Miss Sunshine directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are at the helm. Production is set to begin this month.

Emma Roberts, Chris Messina, and Ari Graynor Join CELESTE AND JESSE FOREVER

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: May 21st, 2011 at 10:49 am

Emma Roberts, Chris Messina, and Ari Graynor have joined the cast of the indie dramedy Celeste and Jesse Forever.  Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg star as “a young divorcing couple who try to maintain their long-standing friendship while living together and pursuing other relationships.”  According to Variety, Roberts plays a young starlet who hires Celeste to revamp her image when her career struggles.  Messina is a financial analyst who helps Celeste get over Jesse.  Graynor will play Celeste’s best friend who has trouble supporting her relationship with Jesse.

Lee Toland Krieger (The Vicious Kind ) will direct from a script Jones co-wrote with fellow actor Will McCormack.  After a prolonged development, the casting of Samberg in March advanced the process.  Filming should begin before Samberg shoots I Hate You Dad later this summer.  More after the break:

Jenna Fischer, Topher Grace, Malin Akerman, and Chris Messina to Star in THE GIANT MECHANICAL MAN

by Ramses Flores    Posted: November 5th, 2010 at 2:23 pm

Jenna Fischer (The Office), Topher Grace (Predators), Malin Akerman (Watchmen) and Chris Messina (Julia and Julia) have all signed on to star in The Giant Mechanical Man. The film will be a romantic comedy, which tells the story of “two outsiders — a misunderstood street performer (Chris Messina) and the soft spoken zoo worker who falls for him.”  Fischer will play the role of the zoo keeper, while Akerman will play her older sister, who pushes her towards dating a pompous motivational speaker (Topher Grace).  The film will be written and directed by acclaimed playwright Lee Kirk.  You can hit the jump to check out the full press release.

5 Movie Clips from DEVIL

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: September 15th, 2010 at 1:36 pm

Opening this Friday is Universal’s supernatural thriller Devil.  Produced by M. Night Shyamalan, the film stars Chris Messina, Geoffrey Arend, Logan Marshall-Green, Bojana Novakovic, Jenny O’Hara, Bokeem Woodbine, and Jacob Vargas.

As most of you know, the film is about a group of people trapped in an elevator and it turns out one of them is the devil.  While I’d love for Devil to be a reason to love Shyamalan again…I’m not giving this film any of my money until at least a few people have told me it’s worth seeing.

But since I know some of you are curious about Devil,  Universal has provided us with five clips and you can watch them after the jump.  I’m definitely curious if this film is going to open…

New High-Resolution Images from DEVIL

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: August 17th, 2010 at 2:20 pm

About a month ago we posted the first trailer, poster and images from Universal’s supernatural thriller Devil. The film is about a few people trapped in an elevator (with one of them being the Devil) and it stars Chris Messina, Geoffrey Arend, Logan Marshall-Green, Bojana Novakovic, Jenny O’Hara, Bokeem Woodbine, Jacob Vargas and it’s from a story by M. Night Shyamalan.  Of course when Universal decided to make Devil, Shyamalan’s name carried more weight.  But after The Last Airbender and Lady in the Water, I think Shyamalan’s name on a project is more of a liability than an asset.

But even though his last few films have been disappointments, I dug the trailer for Devil and think the film has a cool concept that if done right, might be pretty cool.  Also, Shyamalan only produced the film, as it was directed by John Erick Dowdle.  That means it might be good. Anyway, we’ve been given a ton of new images, so hit the jump to check them out.  Devil gets released September 17, 2010.

First Trailer, Poster and Images from DEVIL – From a Story by M. Night Shyamalan

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: July 13th, 2010 at 5:26 pm

The first trailer, poster and images from Universal’s supernatural thriller Devil have been released.  The film stars Chris Messina, Geoffrey Arend, Logan Marshall-Green, Bojana Novakovic, Jenny O’Hara, Bokeem Woodbine, and Jacob Vargas  and it’s from a story by M. Night Shyamalan.  Of course when Universal decided to make the project, Shyamalan’s name meant more than it does now (The Last Airbender).

Saying that, the trailer for Devil makes it seem like a pretty cool thriller about a group of people trapped in an elevator with the Devil.   But I’m not going to be fooled again by anything with M. Night’s name attached to it.  From now on, I’m of the opinion everything he does is crap until he makes a good movie.  If this works, I’ll take him off my shit list.  But if it’s bad….

Hit the jump to check out the trailer, images and poster.  Devil gets released September 17, 2010.

Indie Casting Call: Lawrence and Yelchin Lead LIKE CRAZY; Cardellini, Shannon, and Nelson to Star in RETURN; Moore Takes a MARGIN CALL

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: June 18th, 2010 at 10:31 am

We got two pieces of casting news for you this late morning/early afternoon.  First up, Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) and Anton Yelchin (Star Trek) will star in the indie romantic Like Crazy.  According to 24 Frames, the indie romantic drama centers on “young college students who fall in love at first sight. They then go their separate ways for years, before a dramatic (and complicated) reunion.”  The film also stars Felicity Jones (Cemetery Junction), Chris Messina (Julie & Julia), and Charlie Bewley (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse).

Hit the jump for news on Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon, and Tim Blake Nelson teaming up for Return, and Demi Moore joining Margin Call.

5 Movie Clips from Noah Baumbach’s GREENBERG Starring Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig and Rhys Ifans

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 27th, 2010 at 6:34 pm

Opening March 19, in limited release, is Noah Baumbach’s (The Squid and the Whale) Greenberg.  Starring Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Chris Messina, Greenberg is about trying to find your way in Los Angeles.  I saw a screening recently and loved it.  While the performances were great all around, it was the script and direction by Noah Baumbach that really got me.  He’s crafted an honest film populated with believable people and real life situations.  The movie actually feels more like a documentary than  a piece of fiction.  Trust me, it’s great cinema and something absolutely worth seeing.

This weekend I’m in NYC and got a chance to speak with the cast earlier today.  While I’ll have the interviews online closer to release, I was given 5 clips from the film and a bunch of high resolution images and wanted to share them with you tonight.  Hit the jump to check everything out:

New GREENBERG Featurette – Stars Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, Jennifer Jason Leigh in a Noah Baumbach Film

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 19th, 2010 at 1:29 am

Focus Features has released a featurette from Noah Baumbach’s (The Squid and the Whale) Greenberg.  Starring Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Chris Messina, Greenberg is about trying to find your way in Los Angeles.  While the movie doesn’t get released until March 26, I recently saw a screening and loved it.  While the performances were great all around, it was the script and direction by Noah Baumbach that really got me.  He’s crafted an honest film populated with believable people and real life situations. Since I don’t know how much more I can say…just know this is a film you should definitely be looking forward to.  Watch the featurette after the jump to learn more.  I’ve also provided the synopsis.

AWAY WE GO Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: November 9th, 2009 at 11:01 am

The journey of Sam Mendes is an awkward one. A talented stage director, his first film came to win best picture, and fueled a (not undeserved) backlash against him. His second film was coolly received, while his next two pictured showed a lessening presence. Revolutionary Road was delayed for a year and was not the academy bait that was hoped for. For the summer of 2009 his most personal, and most satisfying film was released, Away We Go, and it shows a mellowed director dealing with personal issue is a way more satisfying way. My review after the jump.

Chris Messina Will Shout at the DEVIL, M. Night Shyamalan, and the Dowdle Brothers

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 16th, 2009 at 12:40 am

Variety reports that Chris Messina (“Julie and Julia”) will star in the Dowdle Brothers’ (“Quarantine) “Devil” which is based on an M. Night Shyamalan story.  The script is by Brian Nelson (“30 Days of Night”) so Messina has really allied himself with a team of winners.  Details of the plot are being kept under wraps because it’s super secret and everyone wants to know what the movie is about because Shyamalan, Nelson, and the Dowdles are an artistic triumvirate unlike anything cinema has ever known.  Production on “Devil” is set to being in Toronto on October 26^th and hopefully no one will ever tell Messina about IMDb and how he might have to carry the entire movie.

5 Movie Clips and the Trailer – AWAY WE GO

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: May 12th, 2009 at 11:44 am

Opening on June 5^th is director Sam Mendes new movie “Away We Go”. Since all reviews are under embargo for a few more weeks, I need to be careful what I say.

However, I don’t think anyone at Focus Features will mind me saying that I loved the movie. Loved. “Away We Go” has a brilliant script, beautiful cinematography, great acting, and Sam Mendes directed this thing to perfection. While the film isn’t some big budget summer extravaganza, it’s a film absolutely worth checking out when it gets released. Especially if you’re in your twenties or thirties and still trying to figure life out.

Anyway, to help promote the film, we’ve been given 5 clips from the movie and the trailer, so check them out after the jump.

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