a single movie ticket
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The movie ticket: Still an alluring purchase, even for a cash-strapped public

Everybody feels broke, everybody feels pinched, but U.S. box-office receipts are up, not down.

If you stop to think too hard about spending $10 for less than two hours of entertainment, it doesn't hold up all that well, compared to what Netflix costs, or what cable costs, or what books cost. (And those are just the standard options — obviously, you can use your local library or watch free stuff online or whatever.) Also, 10 bucks assumes you don't buy a four-dollar drink.