Last weekend clearly proved that our nation's spiraling economy hasn't yet stopped parents from ponying up the cash to divert their kids' attention for a few hours. And what of Shia's two-week run with Eagle Eye? Well, clearly parents are also still dropping their kids off at the mall with cash for some much-needed peace and quiet on the home front.
But as the financial crisis continues to unfold, will moviegoers turn to less expensive forms of entertainment such as home video, television, or, gasp, going outdoors?
This weekend's offerings should be a strong indicator as four major offerings hit screens covering a broad base of the moviegoing public. For the family set, there's the fantasy City of Ember or the inspirational sports tale The Express. For the over-18 crowd, Hollywood power players Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe headline one of the first entries in the 
Oscar race, Body of Lies. And for those ready to get into the spirit of Halloween a few weeks early, there's Quarantine.
While none of these releases ignited the critical mass with overwhelmingly positive reviews, all scored in the mediocre to mildly positive range on Rotten Tomatoes.
If you've opted to stay home this weekend, check out Thomas Leupp's story on this week's DVD releases.