People going more often to the movies this year say it's because of the social experience, according to a new survey from the NPD Group, a market research firm.

Other findings in NPD's "Entertainment Trends in America" reinforce the idea that the film biz tends to do well in tough economic times, since movie tickets are less expensive than other outings, such as sports and theme parks.

NPD's survey of 11,000 people showed that 80 percent of frequent moviegoers plan to see as many films as they did last year, or more.

"Nothing is completely recession-proof, but movies are one of the ultimate social experiences," says NPD Group entertainment analyst Russ Crupnick. "Despite the fact that more Americans now have high-tech entertainment equipment in their homes, nothing beats seeing 'Dark Knight' in a theater." 

For a full look at the report, click here http://www.npd.com/.