Who would have guessed all it took to slay box office's dragon (Avatar) would be a "Dear John" letter? Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum's Dear John–based on the Nicholas Sparks' novel–earned $32.4 million, knocking Avatar to No. 2 with $23.6 million. READ MORE

When buying a ticket to a movie with “Paris” in its title, filmgoers typically expect to see one of the most exquisite cities in the world captured by the most expensive cameras under the Hollywood sign. We expect grand aerial views of the Champs Elysees, the Louvre bathed in afternoon sunshine and the Eiffel Tower looming brilliantly in the night. This ironically named film takes a been there, done that approach to conveying the intoxicating beauty of Paris, and instead replaces the beloved cliché of Parisian romance with automatic weapons and the allure of lights along the Seine with automotive explosions. While this film is neither a tourist’s brochure for France’s capital nor a specimen for film historians to extol in years to come,  From Paris With Love is well worth your francs.

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In a joint interview for Backstage with her Dear John costar Channing Tatum, the subject of Amanda Seyfried's short-lived stint as Lucy on As The World Turns came up.

Seyfried: I'll be honest, I was pretty bad starting out. When I was 15, I was on "As the World Turns," and I was so bad they had to ship my character off.

Back Stage: Are you sure it was because of you—it wasn't a story-line decision?

Seyfried: It was absolutely, without a doubt, because I was that bad. I was so uncomfortable. I had it in me, but if you aren't comfortable, you can't access your skill.

Now that's what I call self awareness!

Photo by PR Photos>

Despite Hollywood’s recent attempts to inject the rom-com genre with a dose of pizzazz by showing off exotic locations, i.e., Alaska (The Proposal), Ireland (Leap Year), and now Rome, the flare of foreign places is simply not sufficient enough to keep the films afloat. All of the necessary ingredients for a foolproof, frothily fun romance are present in When in Rome: attractive couple, wacky, less attractive friends and sidekicks, and stubborn roadblocks in the way of a fairytale ending. However, the best recipes require time and attention, two components this film neglected to mix in – or even sprinkle on.

Kristin Bell is Beth, a hardworking curator at the Guggenheim Museum who, you guessed it, is disillusioned with love. When in Rome for her younger sister’s wedding, she is bewitched by a Prince Charming of a best man, Nick, played effortlessly by Josh Duhamel. The sparks bouncing between them just minutes into the movie may make one wonder what could possibly go wrong, but with three acts left to fill, a little magic is all it will take to muck things up for the pretty pair. READ MORE

Though very much a challenge of humanity’s understanding of God, Legion is a good action film. Starring Paul Bettany (A Knight’s Tale) in a brilliant performance as the angel Michael. With Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson, Charles Dutton and Lucas Black as mostly supporting cast members, Legion manages to both thrill and challenge while never really reaching its promise.

Paul Bettany is the Archangel Michael, instructed by God to destroy the unborn child destined to lead the world out of darkness, a darkness so profound that even God has lost faith. Michael refuses and takes up arms; his only purpose to find the child and defend him against the armies of heaven. Oddly, the armies of heaven consist of hordes of malformed demon-like angels, think George Romero only more attractive, and the angels are easily destroyed by heavy weaponry. READ MORE

Dare to mock a child’s belief in tooth fairies and you could find yourself sporting a pink tutu, matching tights and a fluffy pair of wings whilst being ordered around an enchanted depot by a gangly, bespectacled Brit (Stephen Merchant) and his benevolent CEO. Such an emasculating transformation is what befalls floundering hockey star Derek Thompson (Dwayne Johnson), followed by fanciful fun, particularly for those audience members still retaining baby teeth. READ MORE

Based approximately 30 years in the future, The Book of Eli envisions a world destroyed by a holy war. As a result, humans rid the world of all evidence of God, including each of the holy books. Only one is left in the possession of an anointed guardian played by Denzel Washington. That book is called The Book of Eli and Carnegie (Gary Oldman), the leader of a small surviving community, is desperately looking for it. His goal: to use the holy words to manipulate his followers. Eli must pass through the evil man’s territory in his journey to the west coast, a task he was assigned to by God, at least so he says.

In The Book of Eli, the Hughes brothers manage to mix the practical with the spiritual to make the film puzzling and yet strangely challenging. There’s a clever combination of gritty apocalypse and hope for a bright future in the film, but more: the sense that something great must be involved. READ MORE

The cardinal rule of “show, don’t tell,” when writing or moviemaking is unfortunately the one Peter Jackson decided to boldly break while directing this much-anticipated film. The Lovely Bones, based on Alice Sebold’s bestselling novel, was more of a disconnected smorgasbord of genres, themes and tones jumbled together within a monstrous montage than a movie. Perhaps Ms. Sebold will find it flattering that the writers tried desperately to not merely adapt the novel, but transfer it onto the big screen; audiences, however, will find it overwhelming.

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