Unless you really love déjà vu experiences, there’s no legitimate reason to sit through National Treasure: Book of Secrets in a theater. The first film didn’t exactly break new ground, but at least it was a fun romp through history that sort of made a twisted kind of sense if you didn’t analyze it closely. A straight-to-DVD sequel released theatrically on the strength of the cast (Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren’s even in this one), this second National Treasure movie attempts to cash in on the goodwill the original film built up by imitating it as closely as possible, right down to a nearly identical finale. Read On...

• Justin Bartha Returns as Sidekick in National Treasure 2


• National Treasure: Book of Secrets Trailers and Video Clips


• Photos from National Treasure: Book of Secrets

_{(Photo © Walt Disney Pictures)}

New on DVD: Eastern Promises
Viggo Mortensen reunites with his A History of Violence director David Cronenberg for another engaging thriller. Eastern Promises is an incredibly riveting film and would be a real must-see drama even without Mortensen, naked, fighting Russians in a bath house. Eastern Promises DVD Review

• Eastern Promises Photos


• Eastern Promises Movie Review

_{(DVD Art © Universal Studios Home Entertainment)}

Box Office Report - Dec 21-23
I Am Legend was still red-hot its second weekend in release, however it was no match for the National Treasure sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets. The original National Treasure opened with $35 million; its sequel surpassed that by $10 million.

Meanwhile, none of the other new releases were able to pass the $10 million mark. Even the star power of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts in Charlie Wilson's War wasn't enough to set the box office on fire. Also failing to catch on was the Judd Apatow-produced laffer, Walk Hard. It walked very, very softly into theaters.

Top 10 Films for Weekend Ending 12/23/07 (Estimates):
1) National Treasure: Book of Secrets - $45,500,000
2) I Am Legend - $34,200,000
3) Alvin and the Chipmunks - $29,000,000
4) Charlie Wilson's War - $9,600,000
5) Sweeney Todd - $9,300,000
6) P.S. I Love You - $6,500,000
7) Enchanted - $4,100,000
8) Walk Hard - $4,100,000
9) The Golden Compass - $4,000,000
10) Juno - $3,400,000
_{(Photo © Walt Disney Pictures)}