Seeking the silver-screen lining

Last month, on an email group I am on, we had a discussion regarding whether there is a correlation between the recession and people having kids. Something more easily corroborated with data perhaps is the question - do people seek escapism and see more movies during a recession*? This data seems to suggest so...

In Downturn, Americans Seek Silver-Screen Lining

Hollywood could get used to this recession thing.While much of the economy is teetering between bust and bailout, the movie industry has been startled by a box-office surge that has little precedent in the modern era. Suddenly it seems as if everyone is going to the movies, with ticket sales this year up 17.5 percent, to $1.7 billion, according to Media by Numbers, a box-office tracking company.

And it is not just because ticket prices are higher. Attendance has also jumped, by nearly 16 percent. If that pace continues through the year, it would amount to the biggest box-office surge in at least two decades.

Phew...that explains my average of 2+ movies per week since 2007. I'm in a depression, of sorts! Actually, I do not think it is part of the above mentioned trend but I have seen more movies in the theater in February than I did in all of 2008 (and maybe even equal to 2007 and 2008 combined!). I have been to the theater twice in 2 weeks in February - to see Slumdog Millionaire and then Delhi-6. But this weekend, I'm just watching movies at home, as is the case usually. Saw City Lights (Charlie Chaplin) yesterday and today I'm going to watch 2046, which I have longed to watch for a long time -- ever since I saw and enjoyed Wong Kar Wai's In the Mood for Love, one of my favorite movies of all times!