...of a novel. Sounds like a can't miss proposition, right? Well, actually it did miss -- three years ago. "The Da Vinci Code," despite being one of the best-selling novels of the last 2,000 years turned out to be a ponderous and anticlimactic...

When the original "National Treasure" film came out a couple of years ago, I remember being incensed that it was essentially trying to pull the rug out from under "The Da Vinci Code," releasing an American version of the story before the real one made it to the big screen. This criticism was totally valid, but since "Da Vinci" didn't end up being much to write home about, the point is moot. "National Treasure," on the other hand, was a huge success and spawned an inevitable sequel, this time drawing on the titular "Book of Secrets" to flesh out the action.

'The Day the Earth Stood Still'