News for Amanda

'Evil' Resides at No. 1
24 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The Resident Evil franchise seemed far from extinct this weekend as Resident Evil: Extinction, starring Milla Jovovich, opened with a better-than-expected $24 million, making it the highest grossing debut of the series, according to studio estimates. It topped 2004's Resident Evil: Apocalypse by some $1 million. The original movie grossed $17.7 million in 2002. In second place, the comedy Good Luck Chuck managed to take in about $14 million in its initial outing, performing about as analysts had expected. But the David Cronenberg-directed Eastern Promises had a less-than-promising opening, with just $5.7 million to place fifth, and the Amanda Bynes' teen comedy Sydney White, a take-off on the Snow White tale, appeared to have been cursed by the evil queen, taking in only $5.3 million to place sixth. Last week's top film, The Brave One, starring Jodie Foster, dropped 45 percent as it racked up $7.4 million in ticket sales, landing in third place. And the previous week's No. 1 film, 3:10 to Yuma was on track to take in $6.4 million, to land in fourth place. For the second week in a row films opening in limited released performed exceptionally well, despite otherwise near-vacant theaters at some multiplexes. The Sean Penn-directed Into the Wild opened in just four theaters with an impressive $206,596, or $51,649 per theater. (By comparison, Resident Evil: Extinction wound up with about $8,500 per theater.) And The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck, earned $144,000 in five theaters, or an average of $28,800 per theater. However, Sony Classics' The Jane Austen Book Club attracted few members, taking in only $141,000 in 25 theaters or just $5,600 per theater.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Resident Evil: Extinction, $24 million; 2. Good Luck Chuck, $14 million; 3. The Brave One, $7.4 million; 4. 3:10 to Yuma, $6.35 million; 5. Eastern Promises, $5.7 million; 6. Sydney White, $5.3 million; 7. Mr. Woodcock, $5 million; 8. Superbad, $3.1 million; 9. The Bourne Ultimatum, $2.8 million; 10. Dragon Wars, $2.5 million.

Movie Reviews: 'Sydney White'
21 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Sydney White, described as a contemporary retelling of Snow White, starring Amanda Bynes, is receiving some grumpy reviews. In fact, Ty Burr in the Boston Globe spends the first paragraph of his review focusing on Bynes tan (he returns to it at the end, too), writing, "The star's skin tone is a dark orange fake-and-bake marvel not found anywhere in or near nature. Did they take Bynes out back and lacquer it on? Did she suffer an accident in a Cheetos factory? ... Doesn't matter: It's mesmerizing, and one of the worst makeup jobs ever seen in a studio film." (So much for "the fairest of them all.") And Walter Addiego in the San Francisco Chronicle doesn't bother much with the plot of the movie or the performances, either, focusing on the title. "The picture was going to be called Sydney White and the Seven Dorks, which at least suggests a takeoff on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," he writes. "Maybe the studio thought 'dorks' would turn off some potential ticket buyers, but the new, shrunken title conveys nothing." A few critics do bother to comment on the film, mostly dismissively. Like Ann Hornaday in the Washington Post who describes it as a "completely ersatz movie that flattens everything, including its star, with a generic look and assembly-line sensibility."

'Hairspray' Says Goodbye to Baltimore
20 July 2006 (WENN)
The producers of much-anticipated movie musical Hairspray have upset film fans in Baltimore, Maryland by deciding to shoot the project in Canada. The original Hairspray movie and hit Broadway musical were set in Baltimore, where quirky film-maker John Waters, the creator of the concept film, hails from. It even features the song "Good Morning, Baltimore." But the new movie, starring John Travolta, Queen Latifah and Amanda Bynes, will turn its back on Maryland and take advantage of tax breaks and studio space in Toronto, Canada. Producer Craig Zadan says, "No offense to Baltimore is intended." Zadan tells newspaper the Baltimore Sun that he had hoped to shoot parts of Maryland for background shots in the film, but that was abandoned and now the US city will be rebuilt on a sound stage in Toronto. Waters, who is a consultant on the new movie, says, "Do I wish the film was shot in Baltimore? Yes. But I'm not going to go against the film because of that... They certainly didn't change the name of the song to Good Morning, Toronto." Meanwhile, blonde actress Brittany Snow has been added to the star-studded cast. Michelle Pfeiffer was also added earlier this week.

Pfeiffer Set To Sing in 'Hairspray'
18 July 2006 (WENN)
Michelle Pfeiffer has joined the cast of the forthcoming big screen version of Hairspray as villain Velma Von Tussel. The star joins John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes and newcomer Nikki Blonsky, who'll play Tracy Turnblad. Pfeiffer will play the former Miss Baltimore Crabs beauty queen-turned-bitter Baltimore, Maryland TV station owner in the film based on the hit Broadway, New York City play. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman are writing new songs for their Tony-Award-winning score, including a new tune for Pfeiffer. She last sang in the film The Fabulous Baker Boys, which earned her a Best Actress Academy Award nomination. Plans to shoot the film in Baltimore have been scrapped - it will now be shot entirely in Toronto, Canada starting in September. Director Adam Shankman says, "Not only do we have her singing, which she hasn't done in a long time, but she's been a delicious villain in roles like Catwoman. Velma is this amazing mess of contradictions. I'm going to dress and wig Michelle to death on this one!"

Unknown Teen Lands 'Hairspray' Lead
12 June 2006 (WENN)
Unknown teenager Nikki Blonsky has landed the role of a lifetime - as the chubby star of the Hairspray movie remake. The 17-year-old New Yorker will play hefty heroine Tracy Turnblad in the star-studded new film, in which John Travolta will play her mother. Billy Crystal and Queen Latifah have already signed on for the project, while teen queen Amanda Bynes will play Turnblad's best pal Penny Pingleton. Blonsky is well known in her native Great Neck, where she often performs the National Anthem at local sports meetings, but her biggest role to date is in the hometown musical Hair. The actress was discovered during a nationwide casting search to find an unknown to play Turnblad. She'll quit her job as an ice-cream store employee to play the part. Rikki Lake played Turnblad in the original 1988 Hairspray, directed by John Waters.

PG-13 Films Among Nickelodeon Winners
14 April 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Critics who have complained about what they call the "juvenile" humor of Mike Myers and Adam Sandler found themselves in the unanticipated company of the voters for the Nickelodeon channel's 16th annual Kids' Choice Awards Saturday. Meyers' Austin Powers in Goldmember (rated PG-13) was voted favorite movie of the year and Sandler was named favorite movie actor. (He also won for favorite voice from an animated film (the PG 13-rated Eight Crazy Nights.) Amanda Bynes won the favorite actress award. Twenty-two million children participated in the voting on Nickelodeon's website and by phone, according to the channel.

'Phone Booth' Packing
7 April 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Bringing to mind the '50's craze, Phone Booth packed 'em in at the box office over the weekend as it debuted in the top position with $15 million. Actually, few theaters were packed as the box office overall turned in its worst performance since Super Bowl weekend when Darkness Falls led with $12 million. The Amanda Bynes comedy What a Girl Wants opened in second place with $12.1 million. Both films had received mixed reviews. A third entrant, the Vin Diesel starrer A Man Apart, which took a universal drubbing from critics, placed third with $11.2 million. The top 12 movies grossed just $84 million, 10 percent less than the comparable weekend last year. It marked the fourth straight weekend of declining ticket sales.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Phone Booth, $15 million; 2. What a Girl Wants, $12.1 million; 3. A Man Apart, $11.2 million; 4. Head of State, $8.8 million; 5. Bringing Down the House, $8.5 million; 6. The Core, $6.3 million; 7. Basic, $5.4 million; 8. Chicago, $5.3 million; 9. Agent Cody Banks, $3.7 million; 10. Piglet's Big Movie, $3 million.

Warner's Won't Give Peace (Sign) a Chance
1 April 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Concerned that a "V sign" that star Amanda Bynes is seen flashing in ads for What a Girl Wants might be interpreted as an anti-war display, Warner Bros. on Monday yanked the ads and replaced them with a retouched substitute in which her hand is moved to her hip. During World War II, the sign was meant to designate victory over America's enemies, but it has come to be associated with peace protesters. A spokesperson for Warner Bros. said Monday that the movie, which opens on Friday, has nothing to do with politics or war. The original photo will continue to appear on billboards and theater displays.

Movie Reviews: Big Fat Liar
8 February 2002 (StudioBriefing)
During a lackluster period for the box office, the studios are releasing what critics suggest are three lackluster (at best) movies. Big Fat Liar, starring Frankie Muñiz of Malcolm in the Middle fame and Amanda Bynes of Nickelodeon's The Amanda Show, is receiving the most positive notices, but no raves. Daphne Gordon writes in the Toronto Star: "Big Fat Liar is big fat fun. Admittedly, it's not much else, but there's something to be said for a funny flick that doesn't pretend to be more than it is." After applauding the performances of the two young stars, Stephen Holden comments in the New York Times, "It's no surprise, alas, that Mr. Muñiz and Ms. Bynes seem considerably smarter than the frantic knockabout comedy in which they find themselves trapped." Steven Rea in the Philadelphia Inquirer calls it "a harmless and mildly amusing family comedy." On the other hand, Jami Bernard in the New York Daily News remarks: "There are lame comedies, and then there is Big Fat Liar, which is so lame that it merits its own reserved parking space." And Lou Lumenick in the New York Post dismisses it as "a big, fat waste of time."