Posts Tagged ‘The Town’

Hey folks! Looking for a fun, free, film event in Boston this weekend? Check out the screenings going on this weekend at the Brattle Theater being put on by the creator of the Filmshift Festival.

The event will feature the world premiere of a short film written, directed, and edited, by award-winning filmmaker Jeremy “Jed” Hammel. A Little Push< stars Rapper Skinny Cavallo, with cameos by Slaine (The Town, Gone Baby Gone, and Killing Them Softly), and Jay Giannone (from Safe and The Departed).

Next, the film The Legacy, which stars Paul Butcher, the star of the Nickelodeon show, “Zooey 101” will be featured. The picture won Best Comic-Related Film at Comic Con and screened at the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner earlier this year.

Finally, there will be a screening of a drama called Once Again. It stars Dennis Hurley from Improv Boston’s “1.21 Gigawatts” and “The Albino Code.”

In between the screenings will be music performances from Skinny Cavallo, Carlos V. Ramos, and Nikolas Metaxas, to keep the crowd pumped up and entertained.

The event runs tomorrow, November 10, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge. The event is free, though donations will be accepted at the door for the Rich Cronin Hope Foundation for Leukemia.

Our good ol’ Boston boy, Ben Affleck, is at it again. Spotted sporting what could best be described as a “Justin Bieber at 40” haircut for the latter part of last year, is now being explained with the release of the first production stills from Warner Bros., the studio releasing his latest feature, Argo.

The movie is based on the 2000 memoir by Tony Mendez entitled The Master of Disguise. Mendez helped create the fake “Studio Six,” complete with Hollywood offices and employees, a vital part of making the plot to pitch to the Iranian government that their hostages were actually just Canadian film workers, not diplomats. Mendez even worked in part out of offices that had just been vacated by Michael Douglas’s film China Syndrome. Affleck plays Mendez in the film. 

Argo hits theaters in September, and costars Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Tate Donovan, Victor Garber, and Kyle Chandler. This is Affleck’s 3^rd directorial project. Unlike his first two, Gone Baby Gone, and The Town, this movie was not shot in the Boston area, but rather shot on location in LA, Washington D.C., and Istanbul, Turkey starting this past September. The film is produced by Oscar winner George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Affleck.

What’s old is new with this just spotted limited edition Banana Republic “Mad Men” Collection inspired by the costume designer of the hit series Janie Bryant. Are you a glam Betty or an independent Peggy? Perhaps a suave Don Draper with a slim cut suit? Banana Republic and “Men Men” are fresh this season with this pop Virtual Casting Call looking for all “Mad Men” want to be’s!

AMC’s Banana Republic Casting Call is looking for “Mad Men” worthy photos of you in your sleek suits, crisp white shirts,  floral dresses with matching headbands and stylish duos right now to enter the chance to win a walk on role to the sultry Mad Men series plus a $1000 shopping spree at Banana Republic.

It’s easy. Once you snap your 1960’s pose, upload and get all your cyber friends to VOTE. New England Talent and Crew is certainly hamming it up. It’s your turn to not only be the talent but to cast who you think will be able to compete at the Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency located on the posh Madison Avenue.

It was just a couple of summers ago when the handsome Jon Hamm was spotted all over Beantown trying to catch Affleck and his gang in the The Town. Season 5 of the AMC’s “Mad Men” series won’t be pumping till twenty-twelve but Don Draper will have a new job.  Hamm will be behind the camera to direct the premiere. He never did catch Affleck but he caught his directing act. While the Hamm was in The Town, Boston dot com spotted him buying two copies of “Mad Men” on DVD at the Borders on Boylston Street.  Now that’s smooth Don.

Want to get caught on Mad Men too? You have nothing to lose by submitting to this stimulating cast.  We submitted.  Will you? Post your picture on the HEC FB page to let us know!

Matt Damon stands up for teachers!

2010 has been a big year in Hollywood East, with many made in Massachusetts films coming to the big-screen with much fanfare and success, as other future TV and film projects went to work in the Bay State, ensuring more New England flavor will be infused into Tinseltown’s productions for years to come. We took a look back at some of the major stories that you wanted to know about.

The Company Men, starring Ben Affleck, debuted at the Coolidge Corner Theater in February as part of the Sundance Film Festival. Writer/director John Wells sat down and talked to us about his film, which also co-starred Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner, and Massachusetts native Chris Cooper, as a group of executives who were laid off in a corporate down-sizing. The movie had filmed in Boston and surrounding suburbs in late spring and early summer 2009.

Also in February, we got an update on the Plymouth Rock Studios, where we found out that the studio had been downsizing and moving ahead with financing efforts in an attempt to get the construction of the project successfully off the ground. Not much else has been heard from the studio since then.

In March, the Massachusetts state legislature made several attempts to cap the successful  film tax credit program, putting various versions of the bill with amendments to vote, before finally laying it to rest in favor of the notion that capping the bill would limit film-making in the state, negatively affecting potential job creation that occurs as a result of these films.

In May, filming began of the romantic comedy, What’s You’re Number, starring Anna Faris and Chris Evans. Numerous casting calls were held in advance of production, calling for both union and non-union extras that were needed to fill the various wedding and crowd scenes in the film. Filming continued throughout Boston’s neighborhoods, including the North End, Back Bay, Financial District, and waterfront from mid-May to mid-July.

This summer and fall, we saw the first of a number of made in Massachusetts flicks get released, including Furry Vengeance, Knight and Day, Grown Ups, and The Social Network. Many of these films were shot in the area during the spring and summer of 2009.

In July, we spoke to Christopher Murphy, Film and TV Development Executive at MyTV New England, who formally announced a new distribution program that would help bring locally made TV shows and films to broadcast TV through branded entertainment and budgeting made in-line with already acquired funds. This new type of programming has already helped bring viewers around New England Debra Crosby’s Talent Quest TV show, and a new independent film series that will be debuting in February.

In September, Ben Affleck’s second directorial endeavor, The Town, debuted in theaters, co-starring Blake Lively and Chris Cooper. Affleck, who also starred in the movie, filmed the movie throughout Boston and Charlestown in the summer of 2009. The film is based on the book of the same name, and is set in Charlestown.

In October, the state of Connecticut announced formal plans to break ground on a $50 million studio sound stage that will also include a hotel, restaurant and shopping complex, and will create as many as 500 union construction jobs over the next year.

Earlier this month, The Fighter debuted at theaters, instantly garnering award-season buzz, starting out with 6 Golden Globe nominations. Starring Dorchester’s Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, the real-life story of fighter Mickey Ward was filmed in the greater Boston area in the late spring and early summer of 2009, and will continue to be a favorite as Oscar season draws nearer.

This month also marked the end of Nick Paleologos’s tenure as  executive director of the  Massachusetts Film Office, as a recent bill passed in August that reorganized the duties of the office, and a new agency called the Massachusetts Marketing Partnership was created which will be responsible for the development and promotion of film and sports events in Massachusetts from 2011 onward.

Overall, 2010 marked a great year for Massachusetts, and Hollywood East in general, and we look forward to bringing you all the excitement to come in 2011!

The New York Post reported on October 8, Oscar winners, best friends, and Boston-area-born boys Ben Affleck and Matt Damon will reunite on the big screen for a new film based on, the Yankees, of all things. The film, titled The Trade, follows the true story of two Yankee pitchers from the 1970s who swapped spouses. While the irony of two die-hard Sox fans taking helm of a story that already raises eyebrows could potentially lead to explosive results, Affleck insists via MTV News:

“It’s a pre-Steinbrenner Yankees, so it’s a different club.” but quickly adds “As an institution, disdain. Contempt.”

Though the pair first caught Hollywood’s eye as the Academy Award winning pair who brought us Good Will Hunting, short of a few cameo appearances, the two have not worked together on a film for over nine years. Affleck is currently in the process of rewriting the script with his brother Casey. Both Ben and Matt will be involved either in starring roles or behind the camera. Ben Affleck’s most recent movie, The Town, has proven to also be his most successful turn as a director to date.

Coincidently, Damon turned the big 4-0 the same day the Post broke the news. Damon also recently broke headlines when it was announced that he and his wife of 5 years are expecting their third child together, a daughter. No due date has been released. The Cambridge born star will be back on the big screen later this month when he stars in the film Hereafter. The film is currently in limited release and will open nationwide on October 22nd.

★ Car-tastrophes all around; Patriots star Tom Brady was involved in a car accident in downtown Boston, and Andover grown Jay Leno’s super rare antique car breaks down.

★ ‘Body Snatchers’ actor Kevin McCarthy dies in Hyannis at age 96.

★ Boston Magazine talks to Mark Wahlberg and Wellesley chef Ming Tsai, the host and creator of the cooking show “Simply Ming”.

★ The Improper Bostonian features cover model, “Grey’s Anatomy” actress, and Boston University graduate, Kim Raver.

★ Ben Affleck reveals he’s been dying his hair since movie directing turned him gray. It was worth it though; The Town opened to take the number one spot at the box office in its first weekend.

★ Connecticut born John Mayer talks about why he quit Twitter.

★ Ex-super model Stephanie Seymour calls off her divorce and reunites with her husband in Connecticut.

★ New Celtic Shaq makes his presence felt in Beantown already and crashes a Boston wedding.

★ Lady Gaga holds a rally in Maine to support the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”.

★ Maine resident Kara Dioguardi is leaving “American Idol” while Mass native and rock star, Steven Tyler becomes a new judge.

★ “True Blood” stars come to The Estate in Boston.

★ Celebrity Chef Tour pics at Boston Magazine.

★ Jerry Seinfeld appearing at the Wang Center for two shows on September 11.

★ TBS inundates baseball fans with promos for Conan O’Brien’s new show.

★ Star of the Food Network, Bobby Flay, comes to Connecticut to judge a healthy grilling contest sponsored by Aetna insurance.

★ Boston Common magazine features The Town star Rebecca Hall on their cover.

★ The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH gives you highlights from the Telluride film festival (which was at one time held in Portsmouth).

It was a year ago when The Town took over Boston neighborhoods as filming took place in the North End, Charlestown, and Kenmore Square. You might remember hearing gun shots echoing from Hanover Street, nuns with guns running down Lansdowne Street, or even high speed chases throughout the city boarders. The all-star crew includes homeboy hunk Ben Affleck, the beautiful Rebecca Hall, the spicy Blake Lively, the ever so handsome Jon Hamm, and Boston’s own Chris Cooper.

The Town—based on Massachusetts native Chuck Hogan’s heist novel Prince of Thieves—is Affleck’s second directorial debut since Gone Baby Gone, which was wicked good.  The screenplay, adapted by Peter Craig and Affleck, follows a group of ruthless blue-collar Charlestown robbers who see nothing wrong in stealing and seem to always find their getaway car.

As always Affleck loves bringing revenue to his native roots and now to one of his favorite places in Boston, Fenway Park. Three days before The Town debuts nationwide, the film will be hitting some homerun’s at Fenway Park on September 14th for a red carpet premiere, a trusted source tells HEC.

Check out HEC video below of Affleck and crew in action last year and become a fan @ www.facebook.com/TheTownMovie. Help make The Town the next blockbuster to come out of Beantown and stay tuned for our coverage of the premiere at Fenway!

On Sunday evening, the 62nd annual primetime Emmy awards were hosted by Jimmy Fallon. Before the music-laden presentation even got underway, the Hollywood East Connections were commencing on the red carpet, as Medford, MA’s Maria Menounos helped host the pre-show with her fellow “Access Hollywood” co-anchor, Billy Bush.

Once the designer-dressed ladies and gentlemen took their seats inside the Nokia Theatre in downtown L.A., Brookline’s John Hodgeman, also known as the “PC” guy from the infamous Apple ads, played narrator. “Mad Men”s John Hamm, who is about to star in the soon to be released The Town appeared in the pre-taped opening number. Speaking of The Town, which HEC readers are already well-aware of the fact that it was filmed in Boston, commercials and promos for the movie ran throughout the 3 hour long broadcast.

Other New England connections came sprinkled throughout the evening. Newton’s Brad Falchuk, co-creator of the comedy hit, “Glee” appeared on a clip montage for best comedy writing, though the show did not win. Star Jane Lynch did walk away with a trophy of her own for best supporting actress. Though not from the area, the openly gay actress got married in Massachusetts earlier this year.

Burlington’s Amy Poehler lost for lead actress in a comedy series, as did Concord’s Steve Carell for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series. Newton’s John Krasinski and Boston’s Maura Tierney both helped present awards during the show. Though not a native of New England, “Cheers” alum Ted Danson made his way to the stage amidst the familiar theme song jingle to present the award for Best Comedy series to “Modern Family”.

A bearded Conan O’Brien (who originally hails from Brookline, MA) gave a strained smile in the audience as the butt of one of Fallon’s opening jokes, and also lost the Emmy for best variety show for the short-lived “Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien”.