Despite tough economic times, one entity that appears to be keeping its head above water is the movie box office.

The obvious question is: But how? Part of the speculation keys in on the fact that despite $10-plus ticket prices in some markets, a movie is still viewed as a relatively cheap -- and escapist -- form of entertainment

In September, box office tracker Media By Numbers reported that movie ticket sales between the first weekend in May through Labor Day totaled about $4.2 billion, up from $4.18 billion during summer 2007. Of course, there are a couple of factors to take into account here. Generally, ticket prices rise annually, meaning that the numbers between 2007 and 2008 somewhat amounts to apples and oranges. Plus, there's no question that this summer's box office was rescued by "The Dark Knight," which with a running box office total of $525 million, injected a healthy shot into movie theater coffers.

Unfortunately, not every movie is rescued by a (dark) knight in shining armor. Some, despite enormous promise like Robert De Niro and Al Pacino's "Righteous Kill," simply fail to live up to expectations. So if you're looking to save a few bucks, here are some tips to help you make an informed decision on which movies are worth spending your money on.

Cautiously Approach Criticism: While there are some critics out there who do their job and inform their readers and viewers about the movies they are writing about, a large number of them simply like to hear themselves speak. I won't name any critics specifically, but you know who they are. They craft cutesy reviews and attempt to cleverly slam review subjects. They also forget about whom the movies are intended for, by judging kid movies on the same plane as "Citizen Kane."

But through all the muck, they're forgetting something: Their job is not to be entertaining (although the review needs to be well-written), it is to report. (In all fairness, I'm a reviewer, too, please send me your feedback, good and bad).

So, if you're wary of a specific critic's word on a film, then the best approach is to get a consensus from critics. The Web site RottenTomatoes.com is one of the best resources, since it features film reviews from critics across the board, from the critical elite to the everyday Joe and Jane movie critics.

The reviews, stewed together, are represented by a "Tomatometer." Essentially the meter reveals, by percentage, "Fresh Picks" or "Rotten Tomatoes." And what are you going to pick up at the market?

Don't Take Box Office Numbers As Gospel: One of the biggest misconceptions about this weekly report of film receipts reported by movie exhibitors is that the top movie, by virtue of the money it has made, is the "best." That's certainly true in some cases, but often it's not.

The bottom line is that many media outlets report the numbers only. What you're not seeing are factors like, per-theater averages. In other words, a film in limited release can't be considered a "bomb" if it wallows somewhere in the top 20 in its first couple weeks in theaters. To offer an example of this perspective, while action-thriller "Eagle Eye" debuted at No. 1 over the weekend with a $29.2 million box office, the period drama "The Duchess" actually fared better in the No. 18 slot (which took in $575,000) with its overall per-screen average.

Sites like BoxOfficeMojo.com break these numbers down on a daily basis. Specifically breaking down this weekend's numbers, the site reported that "The Duchess" won the per-theater average box office crown, pulling in an average of $10,455 in the 55 theaters it played in. "Eagle Eye," which earned an average of $8,319 in each of the 3,510 theaters it played, actually came in third in this particular box office race, behind the $10,357 per-theater average the Western "Appaloosa" made in 28th place in 14 theaters. Of course, there's a strategy behind such limited releases as "Appaloosa" and "The Duchess": building a word-of-mouth following from its limited audiences as the films expand to more theaters.

Listen To Your Friends: There's a lot to be said about word-of-mouth marketing. People see the movies, and if they're great, they tell their friends. Generally, people are friends with others because they share common interests. And then you spread the word to other friends about the "great" new film, and they tell their friends. When word-of-mouth spreads like wildfire, you come up with big hits in small films like "Juno," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." If the word-of-mouth is bad, keep the pocketbook shut.

Read What Other People Think: If you don't want a consensus of critic picks, there are countless Web sites available where the viewers rate the films. Among the most well-traveled is the Internet Movie Database, which displays, among a myriad of other facts and figures, viewer ratings of a movie from 1 to 10. Who's better to trust than your fellow moviegoers?

Trust Your Gut: Perhaps the biggest factor that should determine whether you should spend or save your movie dollar is your instinct. If a trailer or television spot doesn't strike your fancy (where you whisper to yourself, "That looks dumb"), then don't go.

On the flipside, be willing to detract negative observations about your favorite performers and film genres. If you're into action-adventure movies, which generally get slammed for being "dumb," forget about what everybody else says, just go. Everybody has an opinion, and if a certain genre or performer makes you feel good, then that's all that matters.

There are many reasons movies are made. They can inform and they can inspire, but any director will tell you that first and foremost, the first thing they want their movies to do is entertain their audiences. Movies are for your enjoyment. And you can take that to the bank.