We Still Like Movies, But The Way We Watch Them Has Changed

Americans have enjoyed motion pictures for more than a century. Movies have gone from a novelty to entertainment to an art form. They helped us forget our troubles during the Great Depression and our fears through the war years that followed. And, to this day, people can leave the real world outside while concentrating on what's happening on the screen. The question is where do motion pictures fit in today's lifestyles?

A recent Rasmussen poll shows that 55% of Americans rarely or never go to the movies. This is true for the majority of all age groups except for those 40 to 49 where the number drops to 48%. Among those 65+ the negative response jumps to 63%.

Occasional movie attendance, which means less than once a month, is 34% for the total sample. Those 40 to 49 are highest with 42% and New Seniors are lowest at 28%. Regular theater goers, once a month or more, represent just 10% of all respondents.

So who is watching movies and where? About 44% of the people are viewing movies at home once a week or more. Another 41% are doing this occasionally, and only 14% say they rarely or never watch movies in their homes. The 30 to 39 age group is most likely to do this (57%). Those 65+ are least likely (34%).

Excluding those who rarely or never watch movies at home, 59% say they watch it on a premium cable channel or regular network TV. The number is lower for the youngest age groups, 18 to 29 (35%), and increases with age, 65+ (65%). Conversely, 35% of the total rent movies for home viewing. Nearly half (47%) of the youngest demographic do this, while only 16% of New Seniors are renting movies.

What people watch also varies significantly by age. Comedies are twice as popular as any other film genre, with 37% of respondents preferring them compared to 19% for dramas. With those 18 to 29 this type of movie was selected by 42% while among New Seniors the category was only 29%. On the other hand, the older group selected dramas first with 30%, and with the younger audiences it was on 8%

Action films ranked third overall at 15%. As might be expected it was highest with the young crowd at 20%, twice that of the older demographic. Science Fiction was fourth with 10%, but 22% of the 30 to 39 group selected it. Musicals barely made the list; however, 13% of New Seniors chose them.

The survey did not ask about watching movies online, on an iPad or a smart phone. But it's safe to assume that this is a younger audience. The most important thing is there are cost effective ways to enjoy movies. But it is nice to go to the theater, buy some fresh popcorn and a soft drink then sit back as the lights dim and the curtains open to reveal characters that are literally and figuratively bigger than life. That's the way to lose oneself in what's playing on the screen. That's what the movies are all about.

Don Potter is a Philadelphia native and 50 year veteran of the advertising agency business. Now living in Los Angeles, he has written two novels in retirement and frequently writes and speaks on marketing issues. Potter is the founder and editor-in-chief of NewSeniors.com, the first online magazine dedicated to those 65+.

NewSeniors.com articles provide thoughts, comments and opinions designed to spark thinking, foster discussion and stimulate debate. The editorial content features general news and information as well as videos of interest to the burgeoning 65+ audience. A touch of nostalgia is also included. Learn more by logging on to http://www.newseniors.com/

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Like to Watch Movies Online? You Are Not Alone - That's the Latest Trend!

In the digital era in which we live, the old ways of doing things are almost anathema. No longer do people actually write paper checks, instead, they swipe their credit or debit cards to keep things moving. Convenience and speed have taken the place of hard copies and slowness. The same is true when it comes to watching movies at home. Rental houses like Blockbuster have seen a dramatic decrease in their profits since movies and the Internet joined forces. Today the easiest thing to do is to watch movies online.

There are a number of sources that allow you to see movies online. Some are free and some are paid services, but things they all have in common is the easy access, immediate gratification, and the total convenience they offer to consumers. While services that still rent physical DVD's still have a wide range of clientele continue to crop up, the future of movies at home has a direct connection to the Internet. While the cost savings for places like RedBox in not having a physical store that needs maintenance and employee staffing, it pales in comparison to the number of people that can be reached using the Internet. It is getting easier and cheaper all of the time, to watch movies online.

Netflix has risen to stardom in recent months because of the popularity of their streaming application. They saw record earnings in 2010 that placed them firmly at the top of the list of the best money making stocks of the year. They have announced that they plan to put a lot of money and work into the area of making more titles available for online streaming in 2011. The biggest complaint that people have with Netflix is the ability to watch movies online that are newly released. Netflix is aware of the issue and has plans to resolve it in the near future.

Another venue to watch movies online comes in the form of the networks themselves. It is now common to offer full episodes online on the network's site after they have aired on television. For many people who do not subscribe to the channels from a cost savings standpoint, if they watch the movies online, or in this case, watch TV shows online, it will give little reason for them to pay the exorbitant fees charged by the cable companies.

As the trend of watching movies online continues to grow, it is likely that we will see other venues arising yet to be imagined. The access most of the people in developed countries have to high speed internet make watching movies online more of a reality than ever before. People are realizing that watching movies online is quickly becoming the most preferred way to see movies at all.

It is hard to say what the future will hold for movies and the internet, but one thing that we can be sure of is that innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit will drive innovation to the point that will make it easier and more profitable for everyone involved. If you have not done so yet, you might consider trying it in the near future. You might just find yourself hooked enough to watch movies online from them on.

Top Ten 2009 Movies - Which One You Should Watch

Entertainment is a lifestyle that has been there with us since time immemorial and has only been made better in the present age as a result of technological development in information and communication technology. A majority of movie production houses have managed to incorporate the use of computer technology that has enabled them to simulate moves and other effects that would have otherwise been impossible in real life. In addition, distribution and access has been simplified by internet technology which facilitates download of newly released movies from the web.

Discussed herein are top ten 2009 movies that not only raked in billions of dollars in box office earnings but also left memories that would last a lifetime.

Top ten 2009 movies

a. The side of truth: Directed by Ricky Gervais and Mather Roinson: Written by Ricky Gervais and Mathew Robinson: Cast Ricky Gervais, Jenifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Jason Bateman, Christopher Guest, Tina Fey, Louis C.K., Jonah Hill and Jeffery Tambor.

For those who are not well versed with Ricky Gervais, he is a talented film maker cum actor. He is the person who created Office and Extras and has managed to star alongside other leading Hollywood movie stars. This is the first film that he has had a hand in directing, writing and staring.

b. State of play: Directors: Kevin Macdonald: Writters: Mathew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy and Peter Morgan: Cast: Russel Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel Adams, Helen Mirren and Jason Bateman.

We are all familiar with works by Russel Crowe and Ben Affleck. They have acted in some of the best box office movies and a movie that combines the two actors is just mind blowing. The story line is based on the mini series State of Play that features in BBC. The story line os about a high flying senator with presidential ambitions (Ben Affleck) who finds himself on the receiving end of reporters (Russel Crowe) and his political nemesis as soon as his mistress is found dead, a mirror of today's political landscape. To get a better view of what the movie has to offer, get a copy of State of Play DVD.

c. Up: Directors: Pete Docter and Bob Peterson: Writer: Bob Peterson: Cast: (voices) Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer an John Ratzenberger.

It was unlikely to have Ed Asner play the lead role in the movie but some how Up managed to gross more at the Box Office than other movies. Moreover, it won nominations at the Oscars. Up is a story line that revolves on a 78-year man, Carl Fredricksen who in his bid to evade being sent to a nursing home tethers his house to thousands of balloons.

d. Nine.

e. The informant.

f. Shutter Island

g. The lovely bones.

h. The road.

i. Watchmen.

j. Avatar.