It’s no secret that 2011 was the worst year for movies at the box office since 1995.

What we don’t know is how to solve the problem.

Is it lower ticket prices? Better quality of films?

Unlike many of my friends, I live for going to the movies. I don’t need to download it on my laptop, or watch it from my cell phone, or even wait till it comes out on Blu-Ray. Going to the movies is some of the last magic we have left in the entertainment business.

Legendary director Billy Wilder said that “a little bit of magic” makes movies unforgettable. A true movie lover can remember the theater they saw their favorite movies in, the people they went with, the popcorn and candy they tasted.

My first movie memory was being 4 years old and my mom taking me to see E.T. As I grew into the movie fanatic I am today, there are some films that still stand out and have remained with me and will forever. I can remember all the small details about going to see Saving Private Ryan or The Talented Mr. Ripley or every 007 flick I have seen in a theater since 1983′s Octopussy.

Best of times, worst of times, going to the movies is always an option for us. It’s our escape. An emotional scene, a long piece of dialogue from a performer, can both entertain us and make us think. Movies make us laugh as well as make us the opinionated people we are. Movies haven’t lost their magic. They have just lost an audience that has become less intelligent and more cynical.

MY 5 EASY STEPS TO CURING THE BOX OFFICE BLUES…

1) Reduce Ticket Prices-  Hey, I get it. Movies are expensive. There should be a set national price. Matinee’s $7. Evening showings $10. Flat rate. For those who would still complain? I know you waste $10 on less entertaining things.

2) Less 3D, More IMAX-  Movie screens aren’t big enough. I’ve only seen 3 movies on an IMAX screen in the last 5 years. It’s breathtaking and needs to become more mainstream. I don’t understand the 3D appeal. I find it distracting to have effects pop out at you while trying to follow a movie. All I want is a huge screen. If you are going to pay so much for a movie ticket, don’t you want a screen the size of a huge wall?

3) Less Limited Releases- Every Friday, you can count on 1 good movie and 3 bad movies to get a full weekend release. There is no excuse to have intelligent, award worthy films like The Artist, A Dangerous Method, The Iron Lady, Shame, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, be forced to open in NYC and LA first. Studios need to trust the intelligence of the American movie-going public. I know, I sometimes doubt them also.

4) Bigger Multiplexes, More Seats- The best feeling for me is when it seems like I have the theater all to myself. All theaters need at least 50 more seats. Also, the days of the 8 or 12 movie theater houses are dead. They should all be 20+. If they stay at 8 or 12, make those theaters for the smaller independent films I mention in point #3.

5) Crack Down On Movie Piracy- If you are ok with illegally downloading a movie to watch on your laptop or cell phone, you are not a movie lover. When people download music illegally, they take 2 or 3 songs off a 15 track album. That’s bad. When you steal an entire movie, that’s worse.