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. Joint venture with Curzon could deliver earnings of £3m. UK cinema admissions increased 1% to 164m in 2008'It's like two of your best friends getting married,' gushed Four Weddings and a Funeral director Richard Curtis. 'Can't think of a better combination,' enthused Stephen Fry.At advance screenings last week, actors and Hollywood glitterati gave rave reviews to a partnership between HMV and cinema operator Curzon that could create a new national chain.The joint venture is part of HMV chief executive Simon Fox's plans to turn the retailer into an entertainment group for all seasons.It taps into a rich vein, as cinemas are booming. The downturn, and cheap DVDs at the supermarket, have not deterred cinema-goers, with the industry enjoying increases in box office and admission numbers. There is also a buzz around a new wave of 3D films thanks to the cartoon Up and James Cameron's hotly anticipated Avatar. 'Cinema tends to be recession resistant as it offers inexpensive escapism,' says

Home Theater - What's Hot and Not For The Holidays - Home Theater Holiday Shopping Trends. Check out my quick list of what's hot and not in home theater products and shopping trends for the Winter holiday shopping season.

The generally listless pre-holiday season overseas wound down over the weekend with 'Up' claiming the No. 1 spot on the foreign circuit for a fifth time this year.