WE’RE flocking to the flicks and casting our credit crunch cares aside.

More than 55 million cinema tickets were sold in the first four months of this year, up 14 per cent on the same period last year and the highest number for seven years, according to the Cinema Advertising Association.

Last year, British cinemas enjoyed their best summer for 40 years, with the Film Council saying big-screen escapism was an antidote to recession blues.

The most popular films, unsurprisingly, were romantic comedies. Coming soon to a screen near you...

Love Actually, with Sean Connery as Gordon Brown and Barbara Windsor as Hazel Blears. A tale of love and political intrigue in steamy Westminster. Gasp as Hazel’s cheque bounces and marvel as Gordon does that funny thing with his mouth. There won’t be a dry eye in either House. Co-starring Andrew Sachs as the foul-mouthed spin doctor and Jude Law as the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr Bean Goes on Holiday, with Rowan Atkinson as Alistair Darling bumbling his way around France, unable to tell his Arles from his Evian. (“Laugh?! I thought I’d never start,” enthused the Daily Telegraph critic.) Trains, Planes and Automobiles with Ray Winstone as union leader Bob Crow and Michael Caine as intrepid metropolitan mayor Boris Johnson, thrown together as unlikely travelling companions trying to make their way home from an England football match during a Tube strike.

Brief Encounter with Meryl Streep as Susan Boyle and Ross Kemp (in his first major movie role) as Piers Morgan. Thrown together by a reality TV show, they knew they were powerless to resist the magnetic attraction that was slowly but surely pulling them towards each other. Also starring Samuel L Jackson as the evil Simon Cowell, who dared to deny their love.

Field of Dreams – dusky heart-throb Antonio Banderos plays Lord Seb Coe, bravely battling the doubters who scoffed at his dreams of making London a suitable venue for the 2012 Olympics. Also starring Sylvester Stallone as cycle ace Sir Chris Hoy, and Beyoncé Knowles as Dame Kelly Holmes, who comes out of retirement to win gold in the prestigious Harrod’s trolley dash. The Sound of Music, starring Lisa Riley (Emmerdale, You’ve Been Framed) as larger-than-life singer who soars from obscurity to win a TV talent show and then goes on to even bigger things, such as switching on the Ayr Christmas lights. With Alan Rickman as Simon Cowell, Helen Mirren as Sharon Osbourne and a guest appearance by Jonathan Ross as Shaz’s forthright hubby, Ozzy.