That odd place inbetween current pop-culture and our daily life

There are two basic needs the American public has for Hollywood and other forms of popular culture; reinforcement of their own importance and escapism.  Although an argument can be made for having both needs at any given moment, the definition of "reinforcement of their own importance" relies more on the current national identity than "escapism".   A review of the current movies (Early 2009) suggests that popular culture has not yet made the change from the excesses of the past decade and into the current cycle of economic helplessness.     

In the early 1980's there was a plethora of movies and music that allowed people to see themselves as unemployed, with the possibility of a better life just beyond their reach and their control.  There was a recurring theme of the perennial down and out trying to make a comeback.  In the movies this was reflected in "All The Right Moves", "Mr. Mom", "Flashdance", and "The Verdict".  In music this was popularized by Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A.  The commonly held belief that it is a celebration of American life is wrong, rather it is an acceptance of the downward mobility of life in America.  Billy Joel's The Nylon Curtain, like Born in the U.S.A., was written for an audience older than the typical pop-song target audience and dealt with the idea that America's best days may have passed the current generation behind.  The topics on these albums are decidedly not escapist.  

Another parallel between today's culture and the early 1980's recession was that as late as 1981 there was a reluctance to acknowledge that the American soldiers returning from Vietnam may actually have problems integrating back into society.   Unlike the soldiers that served in Vietnam, Iraq and Afganistan verterans do not have the stigma that the soldiers that served in Vietnam did.  The original version of First Blood had Rambo being gunned down in the building he was holed up in (suicide by cop), instead of the final scene with his commanding officer when he expresses disillusionment with America's view of his service in Vietnam.  Rambo is finally talked down which was a more popular ending with test audiences.  January of 2009 saw the largest number of soldiers commit suicide.  

Today's current culture does not yet reflect the economic collapse of the last quarter of 2008, with the exception of Slumdog Millionaire, a story of life in slums which are not in America.  In short, literature, movies, music, and even the online culture, with few exceptions, are not yet reflecting the anxiety of the middle class in America.  (Have you created a "25" list for facebook?)  But it will, if for no other reason than the fact that Americans will spend money to see a reflection of themselves.