Unfortunately, when most people get stressed out, they need to do something to escape the stress. Movies are a cheap (*laugh*) way to do that, or at least, comparatively speaking. It's cheaper to go out to a movie than it is to pay for your car, even though paying off your car is the wiser move.

Remember, with the recession the way it has been, in the last year the renaissance festival saw more people on any given non-rainy day this year than they did on any non-rainy day last year. We're cheap compared to most forms of entertainment, and it helps them escape the everyday.