Affirming the view that movies not only survive but prosper in a recession, Irish cinema ticket sales for last month exceeded 1.7 million, the highest January admissions on record, according to data compiled by Nielsen EDI for Carlton Screen Advertising.

Leading the field with more than €3 million, and assured to make much more after its Oscar sweep, is Slumdog Millionaire. Completing the top 10 box office attractions from January 1st up to last Sunday are, in order of admissions, Role Models, Bride Wars, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Bedtime Stories, He's Just Not That Into You, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Valkyrie, Yes Manand Twilight.

Last weekend The Dark Knightbecame the fourth film in history to take more than $1 billion at the international box office, following an Imax re-release to coincide with its eight Oscar nominations. The other billion dollar movies are Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingand Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.