Black Friday

This weekend, a smackdown at the multiplex is shaping up between The Black Dahlia (reviews) and a film that has Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, taking on a more "serious" role

In one corner...Ian Mohr of Variety writes in his article, B.O. in for noir war:

After specialty arm Focus Features sent out the noir pic "Hollywoodland" last weekend to gain pole position in fall's derby for more serious films, parent studio Universal is rolling out its own Hollywood Babylon tale, "The Black Dahlia," on 2,228 screens.

Two pics about mysterious Hollywood crime cases may seem like a hurdle for "Dahlia," but the film is said to be tracking quite well, particularly with women and with males over 25. That demo could conceivably give "Dahlia" a shot at a No. 1 finish with a tally in the mid teens...

Josh Hartnett And Aaron Eckhart Go a Few Rounds Before

Working The Black Dahlia Case

And in the other corner... Entertainment Weekly's Joshua Rich believes the football drama Gridiron Gang (reviews) will win the weekend.

Needless to say, I'm very curious to see Monday's final numbers.

Who knows? It may be that one of these other new releases will end up in first place--when all the receipts are counted.

The Last Kiss (reviews) is another chance for actor Zach Braff to shine on the big screen. The film boasts a screenplay from Oscar winner Paul Haggis...Shock Jock Howard Stern's pal hits the screen in the comedy Artie Lange's Beer League (reviews)...and finally, there's Everyone's Hero (reviews). An animated feature co directed by the late Christopher Reeve and featuring an all star cast of voices. The beloved actors' late wife Dana Reeve and the couple's young son Will Reeve can be heard in the film as well...A fitting way to celebrate the Reeve legacy...