Where did you see all the movies you saw this year? Years ago the obvious answer was the movie theater but now there are all sorts of other ways to get in your movie desiring fix. Many people are outfitting their homes with really large televisions and changing that spare guest bedroom into the home theater room equipped with sound systems and comfy chairs. Tell the guests to leave and get a hotel room. Make the popcorn.

Yet the movie industry is doing really well. Isn’t it? The Oscars made it seem that the industry is alive and well. Of course there are people everywhere that track everything. There are people that track the box office sales too. At hollywood.com they do just that. They reported that last year showed the lowest attendance in 15 years at the movie theaters.

The economy is one of the first reasons the seats are empty at the theater. Who can afford the high price of ticket sales along with the high price of snacks especially if you don’t have spare cash for anything? People are having a hard time filling their wallets so they also have to pick and choose what they will spend their precious cash on.

In the pre TV glory days, the theater was the only choice. There was a thrill of shared emotions. To hear others laugh or cry over the same scene was part of the fun process. Back in 1946 it is reported that at that time was the best time for movies. About 60% of all Americans went to the theaters about once a week. You remember the theater right there in your neighborhood where you looked forward to seeing the one movie they showed for that week . No multiplex places where you can choose from 12-16 movies.

Today there are countless ways to get your movie fix. There is a must read blog called The Wrap which is a must see place to get the scoop from Hollywood insiders. People don’t even need a movie to get their movie fix on. They can go to their video games, You Tube, spend time on Facebook Net flex, and the internet all for their entertainment and we cant forget about 499 channels on your cable TV. So, lets stay home gas prices are too high to even get the car to the theater.

Renting movies seem to be popular lets say, to go to the movies in Mississippi costs $8 dollars a ticket where as, it is $1.50 to rent one at your local Red Box vending machine. Who even thought you could get a movie at a vending machine? Those things used to be for cigarettes and candy in the year one. And now you can see it in your stretchy pants in the comfort of your own home. Get yourself that big screen TV throw the kids out and the guests and you got room for your very own theater.

Some theater owners picked up on the idea and tried to give you the comforts of home there. Big reclining seats, waiter service, great food brought right to your seat even a blanket. Hey I just want to see the movie, don’t treat me like I am a patient in a hospital. This seems to be the only way attendance was up for theater owners that provided the service. The waiters are like Ninjas trained to move in the dark.

Ultimately, it has to be the quality of the movie that will keep audiences interested. Joe Picarillo is a former studio executive, independent movie producer and the undergraduate lead of film and TV at New York Universities’ Tish School. He knows that the first lesson of hollywood is profit, and successful box office results trumps any movie review from a lone person over time.

So, lets look at the numbers of worldwide gross for the Oscar winners this year.

The Artist $73 Million dollars

Hugo $107 Million dollars

The Descendants $ 144 Million dollars

We all know that the movies that appeal to all ages are the ones that bring in $300 Million dollars like Avatar. This past year, there weren’t enough blockbuster movies. But, people now live it up for the weekend by going to the movies.