Easy A makes the grade at weekend box office

The weekend estimates are in, and Easy A looks to clean up nicely at the box office, coming in at #2 with a 3 day take of just over $18 million. This is a great open for a teen comedy, and it was budgeted at just $8 million. Factor in the generally positive reviews, and Easy A looks like a hit for all involved.



Update (9/20/10): Actuals totalled a little lower than expected (which is normal) so Easy A opened with $17.7 million!

Amanda after Easy A

Entertainment Weekly's Popwatch blog posted a fantastic article in which they hope Amanda chooses to not retire. Amid the great reviews she's gotten from Easy A, (nearly all of them are positive), the blog author hopes Amanda sticks around because she shows more promise than other performers her age.

I hope [deleting her Twitter] doesn’t mean that she’s un-un-retired. I think that would be a shame.

Especially in this weekend of Yet Another Disappointing Headline Concerning Lindsay Lohan, I find myself respecting the way Bynes has conducted her transition from child star to young adult: no scandals, no arrests, no embarrassing boyfriend drama, just the one Maxim cover (on which she’s practically swaddled in fabric) and a very select smattering of well-played parts. I’m fairly certain she still lives with her parents, which I find adorable. And while it is her right to decide what to do with her own future — especially after nearly two decades of the Hollywood grind life on screen [better, readers? - WP] — I wish she wouldn’t give up on making people laugh. We’ve got waaaaay too many generic ingenues around here already.

Check out the rest of the article here, and don't forget to see Easy A in theaters!

Easy A is in theaters now!

Almost three years to the day, Amanda Bynes is finally back on the big screen co-starring as uber religious high schooler Marianne Bryant in Sony Pictures' Easy A, also featuring Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Cam Gigagnt, Alyson Michalka, Stanley Tucci, Dan Byrd, Patrica Clarkson, and Thomas Hayden Church.



The film revolves around a girl who lies about being promiscious in order to help social outcasts become accepted.

Budgeted at $8 million, the ensemble comedy is predicted to rise to the top of the box office class this weekend.

What the critics are saying:

A strong cast of actors such as Bynes, Lisa Kudrow and Thomas Haden Church portray the witty dialogue of a well-written script by Bert V. Royal in this Will Gluck film....“Easy A” is a must-see movie.
- Collegiate

Marianne [is] played with butt-clenching perfection by Amanda Bynes...
- Variety

Gluck was really fortunate that this cast came together, because they're all so relaxed with each other, all so funny, and they all know exactly what tone to use to play this material. And with the young cast, everyone seems on their game. Speaking of Bynes...she was pitch perfect in "Hairspray," and she pins down a very different character here, making her Marianne a nice example of curdled Christianity.
- Hitflix

Hopefully, the impending success of Easy A will bring Amanda Bynes back out of retirement fully and will lead to more projects.

After you see the movie, leave comments below or Tweet your thoughts!

Welcome back, Amanda!

Catch up on everything Easy A here and check out the official site.

Easy A likely to top weekend box office

Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider press has released its box office predictions for this weekend and places Easy A at the top of the pack estimating the movie to score in $18 million range:

Teen girls haven’t had something to sink their teeth into since Twilight. And while I’m not even considering comparing Easy A to the vampire juggernaut, I do think this PG-13-rated teen flick does have the ability to spark with its intended demographic. How high it gets is going to be predicated based on how many teenage girls are available for movie-going this weekend. If they love it, which I predict they will, then word-of-mouth could give the Screen Gems flick a hefty opening frame. It would also mean the Sony subsidiary scores its third No. 1 film in three weeks, after Resident Evil and Takers.

The Associated Press predicts the movie to open even higher, in the $30 million range.

Easy A is generating tons of positive reviews and praise for not only Emma Stone, but the entire cast. Will the positive press and a high outcome in receipt totals convince Amanda to come back to acting full time? What do you think?

See if Amanda lives up to the hype in theaters Friday!

Easy A B-Roll

Movie Jungle has posted some interviews and B-Roll footage from Easy A. Check out this one, where Amanda is featured at 2:03. It's mildly spoilerish, so don't watch if you'd rather be surprised when Amanda pops up in Easy A.

More comments from Easy A director Will Gluck on Amanda's retirement

Easy A director Will Gluck did an interview with Comingsoon.net about the movie and Amanda's retirement.

CS: I don't know if you've been asked this already, but what on earth did you do to Amanda Bynes to make her want to retire?
Gluck: (Laughs) Well, here's my answer to this. I don't think that she's retiring yet.

CS: No, I didn't think so either.
Gluck: Here's the story. The story is that three years ago she woulda said it to a friend and that woulda been it. Nowadays, because of the Twitter and the social networks she said it, and 10 million people know what you're doing. So it's beyond just an impulsive thought and now it gets broadcast to everyone. You can't take it back. It's very much like this movie, that rumors now travel at the speed of light. If three years ago, something happened, it would take three weeks for it to get around and by then it could've been repudiated or whatever. Now, it's instant. I mean, literally there's a shot I did when she looked and it goes through all her school and comes all the way back. That was in real time, six seconds, everyone knows about it. That's the kind of thing with the Amanda Bynes Twitter thing. That's the story there I think.

Read more of the interview here.

We're only ONE WEEK away from seeing Amanda on the big screen! Who is excited?

Reviews for Easy A

Here is will I post significant reviews of Easy A! We're only a week away everyone!

Blogcritics:

This movie rocks...Whether you’re 17 or 85, guy or girl, Easy A is for you. This is one of those films that transcends barriers and will keep audiences laughing for years to come.

- The Collegian:

A strong cast of actors such as Bynes, Lisa Kudrow and Thomas Haden Church portray the witty dialogue of a well-written script by Bert V. Royal in this Will Gluck film....“Easy A” is a must-see movie.

- Variety:

Marianne [is] played with butt-clenching perfection by Amanda Bynes...

- Hitflix:

Gluck was really fortunate that this cast came together, because they're all so relaxed with each other, all so funny, and they all know exactly what tone to use to play this material. And with the young cast, everyone seems on their game. Speaking of Bynes...she was pitch perfect in "Hairspray," and she pins down a very different character here, making her Marianne a nice example of curdled Christianity.

Film School Rejects

The most fascinating stand out is now-retired actress Amanda Bynes who, as the school’s know-it-all evangelical Christian, can manage a serious crying scene and then go right back into the walking stereotype that she’s created. It’s the sort of foot stomping, face clenching performance she’s delivered before, but this time it includes a few sober acting moments that fit easily into the tone of the rest of the film.

Get more reviews from Rotten Tomatoes.

Easy A premiere

If you follow Amanda Bynes News on Twitter, you would have been one of the first to know that the Easy A premiere is being held September 13th at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. Hopefully Amanda will attend and we'll get some pictures!

Follow Amanda Bynes News on Twitter!

Easy A's first review

Easy A is a special presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival next week, and the website already posted a small review. It was given three and a half stars out of four and billed as "the freshest, funniest teen comedy in many a semester."

The article says that Emma Stone is surrounded by great actors and mentions Amanda!

When will you see Easy A? Vote in the poll!

You can check out more information on the TIFF here.

Amanda Bynes and Aly Michalka on Easy A

Check out 1:20 in this video below for some insight from Amanda on her character and the movie Easy A!



Also, you can now vote on whether you like each story and share it with your friends, so do it! :)