Your Guide to a Fun Movie Night IN!
By Janelle Martel
In need of a fun night in to relax by yourself, spend time with your family, or connect virtually with friends? A movie night is a perfect way to do this. Rather than just scrolling through Netflix, make it an experience with a little set-up. We promise it’s worth it.
Set a Theme
Rather than just mindlessly scouring through your streaming channels to find a movie you’re in the mood to watch, make it a true experience by setting a theme to settle in for a movie marathon. Choose a classic theme to stick to like your favorite series, slapstick comedies, sports movies, westerns, action flicks, or animated films. You can also get creative and choose movies that take place in a certain time or era like celebrating movies of the ‘80s or ‘90s, or opt for films featuring a favorite actor, or within a certain theme, like natural disasters or royalty movies. Once you have your theme, head over to Pinterest and start planning out fun food that goes with your theme, festive decor, or even brainstorm costume ideas.
Create a Comfy Space
One of the best parts about watching a movie at home is the ability to get truly comfortable. Grab yourself all the comfy pillows, super soft blankets, and tidy up a little (or move any clutter to another room) so that you can truly relax and sink in for the movie. Consider also turning off the overhead lights and shutting the curtains to truly set the mood, or take things up a notch by lighting candles or hanging fairy lights. Don’t forget about what you’re wearing either: change into your comfy sweats or PJ’s so that you’re all set to get cozy. You can even toss all your blankets, duvets, and pillows onto the floor to create a movie watching space that is easy to curl up in. If you plan on having plenty of movie nights, consider investing in poufs, bean bag chairs, or weighted blankets to get even cozier. Big movie watchers might also consider investing in a projector (which can make for awesome outdoor movie nights) or speakers.
Choose Your Movies
Sometimes picking your movie selection can be the hardest part of planning the night! Setting a theme is a great way to help you to narrow things down and, if you’re totally stuck, stick to a trilogy. If you’re planning on a movie night with friends and family, you can also ‘crowdsource’ suggestions and vote on them to select your flick. If you’re completely strapped for choices, try a website like AGoodMovietoWatch.com, which allows you to search by categories like genre, mood, country, and release date to make it easy to find movies that suit your theme. Or, if you want something completely new that takes the decision making out of your hands, try Netflix Roulette, which allows you to choose a genre and rating and presents you with your movie option for the night.
Grab the Snacks
What’s a good movie night without awesome snacks? Order take-out from your favorite local spot and get the popcorn poppin’. For something sweet, opt for your favorite edible cookie dough flavor or choose one that matches the theme of your movie selection: we recommend S’more Please Edible Cookie Dough for outdoor movie nights, Classic Chocolate Chip Edible Cookie Dough for ‘90’s movies marathons, or Snicker-Dude Edible Cookie Dough for romcoms. You can also get creative with what you make: for example, for movies taking place in a cold environment, whip up a frozen treat like these Paleo Ice Cream Sammys.
Ask Questions
Sometimes what truly makes a good movie night is the discussion afterward. If you’re having a group movie night, consider asking inspiring questions about who your favorite character was, what your favorite scene was, or how you might have shot the movie differently. If you’re sticking to something solo, consider keeping a movie journal where you give the movie your own rating and even sharing it on social media to recommend a good flick to your friends - or warn them to stay away.
Take it Online
In the time of social distancing - or maybe you just want to connect with friends and family from afar - an online movie night can be a great option. Teleparty is a great way to share Netflix, try Hulu Party or Amazon Prime Watch Party. If you’re wanting to hear your friend’s voice, screen sharing on Discord is a great option - and you can even invite your friends to dress up with the theme in mind and hop on video chat to see everyone’s creativity. And don’t forget sharing snacks just because you aren’t in person - getting everyone their own Dough It Yourself Kit to create their own edible cookie dough treat makes a creative and fun movie night activity.