Movies for Grown Ups?

Unbelievable that studios could even consider the value and existence of the post-25 market, but USA Today presents a fairly detailed analysis (especially for them) of this summer's movies that attracted older audiences (see article).
So why should the young-run studios focus on older audiences? Money!

Yet shifting demographics, economics, politics and consumer tastes...are prodding studios to offer more adult-themed summer choices and get them on more screens than ever before. These plot- and character-driven films, which often eschew overblown action scenes, computer-generated effects and implausible story lines... Unlike blockbusters that open big and fade fast, many have staying power. "Fahrenheit [9/11]", "[The] Notebook" and "De-Lovely" are currently posting higher weekly grosses than "Shrek [2]", "[Harry] Potter" and other early summer biggies.

The article focuses on three factors that may have driven this past summer's senior oriented lineup: cheaper costs for higher profits, the rise of older women, a shortened awards season. The first is straight forward, the theory being that older audiences need less expensive fare to enjoy a film and arrive in droves. Frankly, it would be interesting if Hollywood could adopt this message for more films (see the success of "Napoleon Dynamite" and "Garden State").

The second is the most pointed, that there are hordes of older woman with purse strings and disposable income that are willing to plunk it down on a ticket when attracted by a film. And the third is interesting in that with the Oscars earlier and studios not wanting to dump product in December to get lost among the flotsam and jetsam there appears to be an effort to push movies more evenly across the year.