Mr. Sparks, 44, has written 15 novels, six of which have been made into movies-rather surprisingly embraced by many New Yorkers of the Transom's acquaintance eager for a good in-the-dark cry (also widely imitated; see films like Remember Me, with Robert Pattinson).

At its most basic, his formula involves two lovers running on a beach somewhere, separating due to a complication and later realizing their great affection for each another. But other factors also come into play. Herein, we break it down.

Dear John (2010)

The coupling: Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried

Beach setting: Charleston, South Carolina

Bonus elements: Long-distance letters, cancer, death, autism, war

Nights in Rodanthe (2008)

The coupling: Richard Gere and Diane Lane

Beach setting: Rodanthe, North Carolina

Bonus elements: Long-distance letters, storm, wild horses, death

The Notebook (2004)

Coupling: Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams

Beach setting: Seabrook Island, South Carolina, circa 1940s

Bonus elements: Long-distance letters, war, Alzheimer's, death

Message in a Bottle (1999)

Coupling: Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn

Beach setting: Cape Cod

Bonus elements: Love letters, death at sea, sailing, boat-building

1. Valentine's Day: $52.4 million ($52.4 million total)

If a movie called Valentine's Day didn't open at number one on Valentine's Day weekend, we're pretty sure the world would have stopped spinning on its axis. The definition of critic-proof—seriously, the Garry Marshall film had some of the worst reviews of the year, and that's saying something—Valentine's Day bowed to the third biggest February opening on record and just missed passing Sex and the City's romantic comedy opening benchmark of $57 million. Any bets on how much Valentine's Day crumbles next weekend? Throw us down for a 75 percent drop. 

2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief: $31.1 million ($31.1 million total)

And if a movie with Olympians didn't open at number two on the first weekend of the Winter Olympics... well, you get the idea. Not a juggernaut like Harry Potter or even The Chronicles of Narnia, the Chris Columbus-directed fantasy adaptation still performed quite well and should be a decent money returner for 20th Century Fox (The Lightning Thief was reportedly budgeted at $95 million). The film to keep in mind here is Bridge to Terabithia, which opened on this weekend three years ago with $22.5 million and wound up with $82 million. Should The Lightning Thief follow a similar path, it could wind up with somewhere around $120 million in total grosses.

3. The Wolfman: $30.6 million ($30.6 million total)

About the best thing we could say about the opening for The Wolfman was that it wasn't nearly the disaster many had anticipated. After nearly 18 months of delays, scoring an opening weekend north of $30 million feels like a major victory for the sputtering Universal. Of course, considering The Wolfman reportedly cost $150 million (and that doesn't include the massive marketing campaign), champagne corks probably aren't being popped on the studio lot today.

4. Avatar: $22 million ($659.6 million total)

Yawn. If we were to tell you that Avatar broke the record for the biggest ninth weekend on record (surpassing Titanic once again), would you even bat an eyelash? We didn't think so. That said: as boring as Avatar's runaway success has become, that it only dropped 4 percent this weekend is worth mentioning. People are clearly still rabid to see Pandora in all its 3-D glory over two months after the initial release.

5. Dear John: $15.3 million ($53.1 million total)

With the whirlwind that was Valentine's Day sucking up all the romantic comedy dollars a big drop from Dear John was certainly expected. The tear jerking weepy dipped 49 percent but still had no problem holding off The Tooth Fairy ($5.6 million/$41.5 million total) for fifth place and should end its run with $75 million. Considering other high profile films like The Lovely Bones and Nine couldn't even come close to a gross that large, this certainly qualifies as good news.

1. Dear John: $32.4 million ($32.4 million total)

The Super Bowl wasn't the only place to find an upset over the weekend. Chalk up the surprise success of Dear John to counterprogramming and the power of Twilight fans. While the boys were busy preparing for the big game (and not buying tickets for the red meat action provided by From Paris With Love), the girls rushed to theaters to see Channing Tatum romance Amanda Seyfried and shed some tears; a ridiculous 84 percent of Dear John's audience was female and 64 percent were under 21. Those percentages allowed the Nicholas Sparks adaptation posting the biggest Super Bowl weekend ever, topping the $31.1 million Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds grossed in 2008. Of course if all those girls knew they could get the same pang in their heart from the adorable Google commercial that aired during the Super Bowl, we have a feeling the results might have been a tad different.

2. Avatar: $23.6 million ($630 million total)

And so the reign of Avatar as the number one move in America has ended. Before you shed a tear though, remember that over the last eight weeks Avatar shattered the all-time domestic and international grosses held by Titanic and scored nine Oscar nominations. Heck, it even broke another record this weekend. Despite not finishing first, Avatar still scored the biggest eighth weekend ever, besting—you guessed it—Titanic. And in case you were wondering: it was Lost in Space that ended the historic 15-week run of Titanic back in April of 1999.

3. From Paris With Love: $8.1 million ($8.1 million total)

Disaster said what? Not only did From Paris With Love give John Travolta his worst opening since Lucky Numbers in 2000 (we don't remember it either), but it also grossed less than Battlefield Earth. Altogether now: bombs away!

4. Edge of Darkness: $7 million ($29 million total)

And speaking of bombs... those holding out hope that the word of mouth for Edge of Darkness would salvage its soft start can stop now. Down 59 percent, the Mel Gibson revenge flick was certainly not the image rehabilitating hit the former star needed. Also not image rehabilitating? Mr. Gibson calling a reporter an "asshole."

5. The Tooth Fairy: $6.5 million ($34.3 million total)

So this is happening, huh? For the second straight week, The Tooth Fairy showed remarkably solid legs and now looks poised to be a money maker for 20th Century Fox. Down an Avatar-like 35 percent, the Dwayne Johnson kiddie flick proved unquestionably that kids will indeed watch anything.

From Paris With Love

What's the story: Fun fact: While you may have thought last weekend's Edge of Darkness was the follow-up film from Taken director Pierre Morel, it wasn't! Instead the Luc Besson protégé returns this weekend with From Paris With Love. If it feels like this movie was produced back at a time when co-star Jonathan Rhys Meyers was on the cusp of acting greatness, that's probably because it was: The first trailer for From Paris With Love appeared online back in December of 2008, when memories of Match Point were still fresh. Oh well. Regardless, action junkies should line up for the mix of explosions, violence, car chases and a completely absurd-looking John Travolta, who goes all Broken Arrow in his role as a rogue C.I.A. agent. The reviews for From Paris With Love have been arsenic, though, so more refined palettes might want to stay home.

Who should see it: Nicolas Sarkozy.

Dear John

What's the story: Nope, not a big screen adaptation of the Judd Hirsch sit-com. This Dear John is actually an adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name. Channing Tatum (channeling his inner Josh Hartnett) stars as John, a soldier who falls in love with a small town girl (the always-on-the-cusp Amanda Seyfried) while on leave from the Army. Needless to say, letters are written and love is gained, lost, gained and ... well, like we said, it's an adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel. You know what to expect. Here's a hint: lots of tears.

Who should see it: Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. (There's still hope for them!)

Also opening: The best movie of the weekend? Try Frozen. The Open Water–meets–Okemo Mountain horror flick about three skiers trapped overnight on a chairlift has gotten rave reviews (Rex Reed called Frozen a "must-see"). Just when you thought it was safe to go back on the slopes ...