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In an environment as volatile and prone to bullshit as the film business is, we tip our caps to the guileless souls who keep it real when things are looking down. Particularly people like MPAA president Dan Glickman, who, when asked by Time Magazine how the industry's '08 crop of retreads, sequels and adaptations might weather the sluggish economy, steadfastly refused to toe the company line:

"When times are bad, our business seems to buck the trend," says Dan Glickman. ... "The movies are great therapy. It's a lot cheaper than a psychiatrist." ...

At an average of less than $7 a ticket, compared to $23 for a Major League Baseball game and more than $50 for a concert, "movies are still a good value," says Glickman. "There's still this great desire to go on dates and have a social experience and a communal experience."

Indeed, there is something almost spiritual about sharing unintentional laughs with your fellow Indiana Jones 4 viewers, or the firefly-esque light show of watch- and phone-checking accompanying Get Smart. Author Rebecca Winters Keegan likewise notes the historical trend in grosses to rise during economic slowdowns like the energy crisis of the '70s and the dot-com crash. Of course, those were the days before Netflix, YouTube, iTunes, affordable home theaters and other, more personalized entertainment options, but who cares, says Encino's resident number-cruncher quote-whore Paul Dergarabedian: "That makes it a little harder to predict. But I still think the recession will have a negligible effect. If anything, you might see people cutting back on concessions." Just add a little recession-friendly alcohol behind the counters, though, and hear those cash registers sing.