Hollywood Stock Exchange

So it works like this: you get a load of pretend money that you use to buy stocks and bonds, only the stocks and bonds are movies and the stars that make 'em. Every one HSX dollar represents the one million dollars that you're betting the film will make in its first four weeks at the box office. There are all sorts of neat extensions to the analogy, like weekend opening gross predictions, Oscar picks, stocks based on the next American Idol, and derivatives based on what crappy thing Brian De Palma will do next (just kidding, that was for Hex).

It's a great lunchtime diversion for me, kind of a movie geek's fantasy football. And seriously, who doesn't want to say "I dumped Julia Roberts in favor of Keira Knightley. I know she's a little more expensive, but it just seems worth it to me right now, you know?"

PS - If you happen to sign up, tell 'em ClicheMonster sent you. I totally get more pretend money that way!