For weeks, the film industry has debated what kind of movie would knock Avatar off the number one spot at the box office–the film had already survived vengeful angels, tooth fairies, and an angry Mel Gibson.
This weekend, the blue-skinned aliens were replaced by an unexpected contender–an adaptation without a single spaceship or fantastical mythology. In a shocking twist of fate, Avatar was topped by Dear John, a low-budget romance picture based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks.
Here’s more about the book: “An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life–until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who has captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else.”