Anna Faris Movies
Difficult to recognize in her natural blonde state following her turn as a raven-haired Neve Campbell knockoff in Scary Movie (2000), Anna Faris made her professional acting debut at the tender age of nine at Washington's Seattle Repertory Theater. Refining her skills in improvisational theater, Faris later found roles in commercials and small local productions, though her future as an actress came into question as she pursued further education and a move overseas.Faris was raised in Seattle and studied English Literature at the University of Washington after high school, later moving to London to begin working and writing. Longing to return to her childhood love of acting, Faris took a role in the run-of-the-mill teen slasher pic Lover's Lane (1999). Making the move to Los Angeles in order to pursue an acting career full time, Faris' previous improvisational experiences would soon come in handy as she landed her breakthrough role in the popular Scream-slanted spoof of teen slasher pics, Scary Movie. Of course that role was only the beginning for young Faris, and after returning in Scary Movie 2 the following year she portrayed the co-worker and love interest of the titular character in director Lucky McKee's offbeat sleeper May. A supporting role in the Rob Schneider comedy The Hot Chick was followed by the little-seen Sheer Bliss in 2002, and the following year Faris once again scored a hit with her portrayal of a self absorbed starlet in Sofia Coppola's critically acclaimed Lost in Translation. Though it may have been something of a given that Faris would return to the screen for Scary Movie 3 in 2003, many longtime fans were surprised to see her sporting her original blonde locks - a move that effectively banished the previous installments' Neve Campbell connection and forced audiences to take Faris' finely honed comic abilities on their own terms. In 2004 the talented comic actress would make a series of appearances on the hit sitcom Friends. 2005 found her yet again being the very best aspect of an otherwise underwhelming comedy, Just Friends. However her few scenes in the multiple Oscar winning Brokeback Mountain showcased her remarkable skills, and allowed her to be funny while still showcasing her in a more dramatic context. She returned to the Scary Movie franchise for a fourth time in 2006, but she also showed up to support Uma Thurman, Luke Wilson, and Rainn Wilson in Ivan Reitman's comedy My Super Ex-Girlfriend. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Ang Lee's adaptation of E. Annie Proulx's story Brokeback Mountain stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as young cowboys named Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar. Each of them is hired to corral sheep on the title location and they soon bond very closely. Their platonic relationship explodes into a physical one, but eventually the two are separated when their job comes to an end. Although the two follow different life paths -- one becoming a father of two and the other marrying into a successful business -- they have a reunion years later. Each is affected profoundly by the rekindling of their old feelings for each other. Those feelings lead each to consider what continuing their hidden relationship would cost them. The screenplay was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, (more)
Inspired by Ron and Judi Barrett's beloved children's book of the same name, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs follows inventor Flint Lockwood (voice of Bill Hader) and a brainy weathergirl (voice of Anna Faris) as they attempt to discover why the rain in their small town has stopped, and food is falling in its place. Meanwhile, lifelong bully Brent (voice of Andy Samberg) relishes in tormenting Flint like he did when they were kids, and Mayor Shelbourne (voice of Bruce Campbell) schemes to use Flint's latest invention -- a device designed to improve everyone's lives -- for his own personal gain. Mr. T voices by-the-books cop Earl Devereaux, and James Caan voices Flint's technophobe father, Tim. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Hader, Anna Faris, (more)
- 2009
After cutting his teeth on a number of television projects for the BBC, director Gareth Carrivick makes his feature debut with this off-beat sci-fi comedy. A normal trip to the pub turns into anything but for a trio of mild-mannered blokes (Chris O'Dowd, Marc Wootan and Dean Lennox Kelly) when a woman from the future (Scary Movie's Anna Faris) shows up and plunges them into a predicament involving space and time. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Chris O'Dowd, (more)
- 2004
Originally running 65 minutes (and later re-edited as two separate programs for syndication), the final episode of Friends finds Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) on the verge of leaving New York for her new job in Paris. Just before the big departure, stalwart "coffee guy" Gunther (James Michael Tyler) lets slip to Rachel that Ross (David Schwimmer) is still madly in love with her. Meanwhile, Mike (Paul Rudd) informs his new bride, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) -- already the mother of triplets -- that he'd like to start a family. And as Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) prepare to move into their new Westchester home, adoptive birth mother Erica (Anna Faris) gives birth to twins. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Rudd, Anna Faris, (more)
- 2004
Upset over her dad's heart attack, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) comes on to Ross (David Schwimmer) -- but he refuses to rekindle their romance under such circumstances, no matter how much he wants to. Meanwhile, adoptive birth mother Erica (Anna Faris) informs Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) that the father of their soon-to-be-adopted baby may well be the infamous "shovel killer." And, just as the episode's title reveals, Joey (Matt LeBlanc) takes French lessons from Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) in preparation for a movie audition. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Ron Leibman, (more)
- 2004
Not wishing to make a mass goodbye to her friends before leaving for Paris, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) gives individual farewells to everybody -- except Ross (David Schwimmer). He is understandably put out until he learns the reason for Rachel's apparent snub. Meanwhile, Erica (Anna Faris), the mother of the Bings' soon-to-be-adopted child, goes into labor, making Monica's (Courteney Cox) plans to move to Westchester even more problematic. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris
- 2004
Anna Faris makes her first series appearance as Erica, the Ohio woman whose baby Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) hope to adopt. Alas, the first meeting between Erica and the Bings turns into a not-so-comic comedy of errors when she mistakes the couple for a doctor and a minister. Meanwhile, back in New York, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) gets her shopping bags confused when she selects an outfit for Ross (David Schwimmer); and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) is bothered by his latest date's table etiquette -- or lack of same. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Annie Parisse, (more)
A hotshot thirtysomething record executive tries to win over the girl who once liked him only "as a friend" in this slapstick comedy. In high school, Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) was an overweight, maladroit teen who spent every waking moment with his co-ed pal Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart). On the verge of graduation, Chris is humiliated when his yearbook confession to Jamie -- that he wants to be more than "just friends" -- is read aloud. Jamie is flattered, but rebuffs his advances, and Chris spends the next decade transforming himself into a buff, callous ladies' man. Assigned by his boss to sign his pop star ex-girlfriend Samantha James (Anna Faris), Chris finds himself stranded in New Jersey for the holidays, where he promptly sets out to find Jamie. But winning back the love of his life proves difficult, as Chris not only has to get back in touch with the sensitive teen he once was, but also fend off competition from another former geek, the guitar-playing Dusty (Chris Klein). ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, (more)
- 2008
Topher Grace and Anna Faris star in It's All Gone Pete Tong screenwriter/director Michael Dowse's coming of age comedy drama concerning a rowdy group of recent college graduates who venture out for one last night of fun before accepting the responsibilities of adulthood. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Dan Fogler, (more)
After making a striking directorial debut with her screen adaptation of The Virgin Suicides, Sofia Coppola offers a story of love and friendship blooming under unlikely circumstances in this comedy drama. Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is a well-known American actor whose career has gone into a tailspin; needing work, he takes a very large fee to appear in a commercial for Japanese whiskey to be shot in Tokyo. Feeling no small degree of culture shock in Japan, Bob spends most of his non-working hours at his hotel, where he meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) at the bar. Twentysomething Charlotte is married to John (Giovanni Ribisi), a successful photographer who is in Tokyo on an assignment, leaving her to while away her time while he works. Beyond their shared bemusement and confusion with the sights and sounds of contemporary Tokyo, Bob and Charlotte share a similar dissatisfaction with their lives; the spark has gone out of Bob's marriage, and he's become disillusioned with his career. Meanwhile, Charlotte is puzzled with how much John has changed in their two years of marriage, while she's been unable to launch a creative career of her own. Bob and Charlotte become fast friends, and as they explore Tokyo, they begin to wonder if their sudden friendship might be growing into something more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, (more)
The most romantic place in town becomes the scene of a bloodbath in this grisly horror story. Mandy Anderson (Erin J. Dean) is a pretty teenager who has more than her share of emotional baggage to deal with. When she was five years old, Mandy's mother was killed by a psychotic who tore her apart with a metal hook. Adding shame to Mandy's shock, her mother was murdered at a notorious local make-out spot with her lover, while her husband, Tom (Matt Riedy), was the police officer sent to investigate the murder -- and young Mandy was with him while he was on patrol. Thirteen years have passed, and Mandy is attending high school along with Michael Lamson (Riley Smith) and Chloe (Sarah Lancaster). Mandy isn't especially close to either Michael or Chloe, as she's still trying to keep an emotional distance from the trauma of her past, but they're forced to come together when Mandy learns the man who killed her mother has escaped from a mental hospital and is on the loose. Incidentally, if you think the actress who plays Mandy's mother bears a striking resemblance to Erin J. Dean, there's a good reason -- she played both roles, crediting herself as Ann Jeider for the flashback at the beginning of the film. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Erin J. Dean
Jeff Daniels, Jon Heder, and Diane Keaton star in director Tim Hamilton's domestic comedy concerning a slacker who finds his status as man of the house challenged when his single mother begins dating a self-help guru. As the influence of youth gradually gives way to the wisdom of age, the stage is set for a confrontation from which only one side can emerge victorious. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jon Heder, Diane Keaton, (more)
A young social outcast goes to great measures to find the perfect friend in this debut horror feature from director Lucky McKee. Set apart from her peers as a child due to her lazy eye, May's only friend and confidant was a delicate doll encased in glass. Though as a young adult May has learned to control her lazy eye with glasses and contacts, her introverted tendencies always seem to hinder her search for the perfect friend. Walking down the street one day, May happens across a young man tenderly caressing the damage of a wrecked car and falls in love with his seemingly perfect hands. As May and Adam (Jeremy Sisto) begin to spend more time together, the quirky couple seem to have much in common, and May believes that she might have finally happened across the perfect boy. Her deep-rooted psychological problems slowly surface, however, and Adam is gradually driven away, leaving the vulnerable May in the company of amorous co-worker Polly (Anna Faris). It soon becomes obvious to May that, though various acquaintances seem to have perfect traits, they never add up to a perfect whole -- leading the creative and demented young girl to her own unique method of creating the perfect friend. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Angela Bettis, Jeremy Sisto, (more)
A regular guy finds out just how hard breaking up can truly be when attempting to call it quits with a clingy female crime fighter who doesn't want to let love die in director Ivan Reitman's super-powered romantic comedy. Matt Saunders (Luke Wilson) was looking for love when he first met pretty brunette Jenny Johnson (Uma Thurman), and at the time it seemed as if he may had finally actually found it. Jenny isn't just your typical girl, though, because despite her outwardly normal appearance she is actually a powerful superhero dedicated to ridding the streets of crime. Her outward strength betrays a deep-rooted insecurity, too, and when Jenny begins to become a bit too possessive for Matt's laid-back taste, the troubled boyfriend does his best to end the relationship amicably. They say that breaking up isn't easy to do, however, and when your girlfriend is a superhero, that sentiment holds twice the truth as it does under any normal circumstances. Matt is determined to get on with his life, though, and as his budding romance with beautiful co-worker Hannah (Anna Faris) begins to get serious, jealous Jenny scornfully slips into G-Girl mode to prove that hell hath no fury like a woman superhero scorned. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Uma Thurman, Luke Wilson, (more)
The Foot Fist Way director Jody Hill takes the helm for this Seth Rogen comedy concerning an ambitious mall cop who competes with a seasoned detective to bust an elusive flasher. Make a wrong move at Forest Ridge Mall, and you'll have to answer to no-nonsense security head Ronnie Barnhardt (Rogen). Ronnie sees skateboarders as the blight of society, and any shoplifter unfortunate enough to summon his wrath will be promptly busted and booked. Sure, Ronnie may suffer delusions of grandeur when it comes to his job, but perhaps with a little effort he'll eventually get to trade in his flashlight and patch for a gun and a badge. When a flasher begins tormenting the shoppers at Forest Ridge Mall, Ronnie seizes the opportunity to showcase his detective skills and impress gorgeous makeup counter girl Brandi (Anna Faris), who can't be bothered to give him a second glance. Perhaps by catching the culprit, Ronnie will finally earn himself a prized position over at the police academy. But the one thing Ronnie hadn't counted on was competition, and when Detective Harrison (Ray Liotta) of the Conway Police makes it his personal mission to nab the flasher, the two rivals begin working around the clock to crack the case before their counterpart. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, (more)
- 2008
This 2008 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Anna Faris and features musical guest Duffy. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Duffy, (more)
After parodying the blaxploitation films of the 1970s in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Keenen Ivory Wayans takes aim at slasher films of the 1980s and 1990s in this raunchy satire, which was produced under the clumsy but inarguably appropriate title Scream If You Know What I Did Last Halloween. As you might expect, a group of teenagers -- not-terribly-bright Buffy (Shannon Elizabeth), her best friend Brenda (Regina Hall), stoner Shorty (Marlon Wayans), fey football player Ray (Shawn Wayans), loudmouthed Greg (Lochlyn Munro), sexually overexcited Bobby (Jon Abrahams), and his prim girlfriend Cindy (Anna Faris) -- are on the run from a maniacal killer who is looking for revenge after the kids accidentally kill a man following an auto accident. They also find themselves having to contend with intrusive reporter Gail Hailstorm (Cheri Oteri) and eccentric high school principal Squiggly (David L. Lander). Incidentally, the title Scary Movie is something of an inside joke: it was the working title for Scream, the movie that kick-started the mid-'90s slasher film revival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, (more)
This sequel to a box-office sleeper hit that spoofed teen slasher flicks takes its cues from haunted house and possession films, particularly The Haunting (1999) and The Exorcist (1973). Although many of the first film's main characters were homicide victims, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Anna Faris return anyway to "re-possess" their roles for this follow-up in which four students are invited by their professor (Tim Curry) to his haunted mansion, Hell House, for a weekend sleep-deprivation study. Providing the sleep deprivation, however, is a series of murderous, supernatural goings-on. Scary Movie 2 co-stars Tori Spelling, Andy Richter, Christopher Masterson, Kathleen Robertson, James Woods, Chris Elliott, and Natasha Lyonne. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, (more)
While star Anna Faris returns for the third film in the Scary Movie series, the power behind the camera has shifted from the Wayans brothers to one of the Zucker brothers. The Zucker in question is David Zucker, and he's brought along his partner in movie-parody crime, Leslie Nielsen. This time around, aim is taken at such horror blockbusters as Signs and The Ring, while films of other genres, including Independence Day, 8 Mile, and The Matrix, are also lampooned. The plot finds Cindy (Faris) trying to help the president (Nielsen) thwart an alien attack while also facing crop circles and a mysterious video tape. In the spirit of the two Matrix sequels, Scary Movie 3 was shot back-to-back with Scary Movie 4. Queen Latifah, Charlie Sheen, and Eddie Griffin also star. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Anthony Anderson, (more)
Spoof series torch-bearer and Airplane! mastermind David Zucker steps back into the captain's chair for yet another round of cinematic shenanigans in the latest installment of the Scary Movie franchise, this time mocking such frightful blockbusters as Saw, War of the Worlds, The Village, and The Grudge. An alien invasion threatens to wipe out the entire human race, but not if Cindy Campbell (Anna Faris) and her nymphomaniac pal Brenda Meeks (Regina Hall) have any say in the matter. With the clock counting down for all of humankind and the extraterrestrial invasion about to begin, the fearless but slightly dunderheaded heroines are joined by a series of celebrity guests including Dr. Phil, Carmen Electra, Chris Elliot, Shaquille O'Neal, and, of course, Leslie Nielsen in ensuring that the planet remains free of the alien menace and prepared for yet another installment in the over-the-top, pop-culture deflating satire series. Although two versions of this film officially exist (a PG-13 one and an "Unrated and Uncensored" one - evidently they skipped the R version) the unrated cut only reportedly features about 3 extra minutes of screen time, devoted to jiggling and bouncing breast implants. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Regina Hall, (more)
One woman's day goes all to pot in this resinous comedy from independent filmmaker Gregg Araki. Jane (Anna Faris) is a college dropout and aspiring actress who suffers from a certain lack of ambition, doubtless reinforced by her fondness for marijuana. One morning, Jane wakes with a busy day ahead of her -- she has a big audition, she has to pay the electric bill on her apartment to prevent the power from being shut off, and she needs to pick up some pot after paying her debt to her dealer -- and decides to take the edge off her anxieties by getting a little stoned. Under the influence, the cupcakes her roommate Steve (Danny Masterson) has made for his friends to enjoy at the weekend's Sci-Fi convention look too good to resist, and she gobbles them down. What Jane doesn't realize until it's too late is that the baked goods were laced with some especially strong marijuana, and what starts as a pleasant buzz turns into a world-class high that refuses to go away. As Jane struggles to make her way through the day, fate keeps throwing her into strange and surreal situations involving police officers, Steve's lovesick best friend, and a rare original manuscript of The Communist Manifesto. Smiley Face also stars Adam Brody, John Krasinski, Jane Lynch, Michael Hitchcock, John Cho and Roscoe Lee Browne. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Roscoe Lee Browne, (more)
Laff-fest sensation and parody queen Anna Faris (of the Scary Movie series) appears vis-à-vis Laura Breckenridge and Justin Chambers in Southern Belles, written and directed by Paul S. Myers and Brennan Shroff. Faris and Breckenridge play Belle and Bell, two trailer-trash Georgian zeroes. Desperate for adventure, and craving a move to urban Atlanta sprawl, the women hatch a nutty get-rich-quick scheme. Their plans appear poised to succeed -- until one of the girls threatens to upturn everything by falling for a policeman named Rhett Butler. Frederick Weller and Heather Goldenhersh co-star in this guffaw-a-minute farce, an official selection at the 2005 Atlanta Film Festival. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Laura Breckenridge, (more)
A carefree young woman wakes up to discover her greatest nightmare is a reality -- she's become trapped in the body of Rob Schneider -- in this shape-shifting comedy. Jessica (Rachel McAdams) is a beautiful teenager whose life would be the envy of any high school student -- she's head of the cheerleading squad, her boyfriend, Billy (Matthew Lawrence), is the quarterback of the football team, and she's pretty and popular enough to get nearly anyone to do what she wants. However, Jessica is soon to find out how the other half lives, in more ways than she counted upon; she shoplifts a pair of earrings from an shop specializing in African curios run by Mambuza (Angie Stone), unaware that they carry the curse of Princess Nawa. Thanks to the curse, the next morning Jessica awakes to find that her spirit has entered the body of Clive (Rob Schneider), a sweaty and hirsute small-time crook. As Jessica tries to figure out how she can return to her old body, she has to lead the cheerleading squad to victory and attend her senior prom while looking like a less-than-handsome 30-year-old man. Billy is understandably puzzled by the changes in Jessica, while her best friend, April (Anna Faris), finds her feelings about Jessica change a bit once she volunteers to be her prom date. The Hot Chick is the first theatrical feature for director Tom Brady; Brady co-wrote an earlier Schneider vehicle, The Animal, and was on the writing staff for his television series Men Behaving Badly. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rob Schneider, Anna Faris, (more)
When Playboy playmate Shelley (Anna Faris) is unceremoniously evicted from Hugh Hefner's lavish mansion in order to make room for some younger beauties, her quest for employment finds her serving as den mother to an unpopular L.A. sorority in this Happy Madison production directed by Fred Wolf. Colin Hanks, Rumer Willis, Katharine McPhee, Monet Mazur, and Beverly D'Angelo co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Faris, Colin Hanks, (more)
