Six of the top 10 movies this year are comedies, including animated pictures. Last year, only four comedies cracked the top 10. And in 2007, just two made the cut.

This year's comedies are taking in serious money. The Hangover is the highest R-rated comedy on record at $277 million. The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock– which earned recommendations from just 44% of the nation's critics, according to RottenTomatoes.com – raked in $164 million.

Even the widely panned Couples Retreat (which earned a thumbs up from 14% of critics) has done $99 million and will become an official blockbuster this week.

"People need something to take their mind off things, and comedies do that," says Nikki Rocco of Universal Pictures, which released Retreat.

"It's interesting how things are going in the world and in America," says Robin Williams, who stars in the comedy Old Dogs, which opens Nov. 25. "Laughter is getting people through it."

Williams says that "as things get stranger in the world, people want to laugh as a release. It reaffirms our humanity."

Not that any comedy works. Adam Sandler's Funny People flopped at $52 million. All About Steve, also starring Bullock, became all about recouping losses after the film did only $34 million.

"Comedy is still king," says Dogs co-star John Travolta. "But it's highly competitive. It's hard to get the ante up on comedy. You can't be flat."

Williams says he hopes the surge in comedies will make the genre, long ignored by awards circles, legitimate in critics' eyes.

"Comedy built this industry," he says. "But it's treated like it's damaged. All we have, really, is the Golden Globes (which honors comedies and musicals). Usually we have to sit at the children's table."

Seth Green, who also stars in Old Dogs, believes what audiences are ultimately seeking is a human connection.

"Audiences have become so savvy, and they don't accept the same type of performance," he says. "No matter how broad a comedy gets, its story still has to ring true."

Enlarge Larsen and Talbert Photography "Laughter is getting people through," says Robin Williams, who stars with Seth Green and John Travolta in the comedy Old Dogs, due Nov. 25.