Forget soaring epics and steel yourself for the next epic failure…or so goes the credo of the movie fan circa 2009. Pardon the cynicism, but having been weaned on films that tended to star Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones’ withered resurrection last year was a final shot to the heart and a triumph for the Hollywood hype machine.

Given several worrying signs - notably, the movie’s reliance on CGI aliens, clunky dialogue, and obsessive attention to mammary glands - I was among many hopeful fans with serious concern (or twisted desire?) that James Cameron’s $380 million film would join the great Hollywood busts; Slate even speculated “is Avatar destined to flop?”

We’ve got a clear answer: The film’s among the highest-grossing movies of all-time (and yes, it’s awesome). Avatar’s total U.S. box office receipts topped $250 million on its 11th day of release; it’s also made more than $475 million abroad. 

What’s really interesting, though, is how the film is making its money.   Read more…

Cultural catch-all