The Hollywood brain trust is trying to figure out why millions of people prefer to see the talking dogs of Disney flick "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" to "Body Of Lies," an Important Movie about terrorism starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe that got murdered a the box office. The working theory: Everyone is depressed from the near-total-collapse of the Western economic system, and canine dancing helps them forget. So studios are now rushing out escapist movies, according to the Times. Including musicals! Also, to give the foreclosed-upon middle class some catharsis, screenwriters are fast-at-work on Wall Street villain characters:

"Overnight, it was like the script [for a movie about 'the entitled rich and their limousine culture'] had been written two years ago," said Arturo Interian, Lifetime's vice president for original movies.

Mr. Interian is still keen on the movie, with one major revision: fewer discussions about stock, more about playing it safe with bonds. And how about throwing in a pariah chief executive?

Good luck selling ads against that one!