Going out all the time can quickly be really expensive, and sometimes, especially when the weather outside isn’t too great, all we want to do is curl up and have a cosy and relaxed night in anyway. Movie nights are definitely some of the best evenings in you can have and a great way to spend quality time with your friends and family. Here are a few quick tips for the perfect movie night in.
1. Pick Out Great Films That Everyone Will Enjoy
The key ingredient to a perfect movie night is of course going to be the films themselves. Watching a bunch of terrible films isn’t going to equate to fun in anyone’s books, although it can be difficult to decide on particular films if everyone has different tastes. If the group is small enough, let everyone pick out one film that they really want to watch, or maybe put things to a vote if there’s a fair few of you.
If you’re going to be renting a film or buying your movies on DVD, then definitely take time to read through the reviews beforehand to double check its actually worth paying for. But, if you’re using a streaming service like Netflix or Prime Video, you can obviously afford to chop and change around a bit more if you accidentally put something on that’s actually pretty rubbish.
2. Play Some Games
To make your movie night in even more fun, there are some great games you can play alongside your viewing. Of course if everyone is over eighteen, then movie drinking games are always a lot of fun. There are drinking game rules out there for practically every popular film you could think of. For example, if you were watching Harry Potter, you might have to take a sip everytime someone casts a spell, or everytime Ron gets a little too scared.
If everyone at your movie night isn’t eighteen, or if you’d just prefer a sober one, then there are also loads of great online movie themed bingo games out there. Spending some time on online bingo is definitely a lot more fun than you might initially expect, especially so when you're playing along with a great film and your mates. You can find downloadable cards for plenty of popular films and TV series with a quick search on Google, from Game Of Thrones bingo to Zootopia bingo. There’s something going for everyone.
3. Tasty Snacks
You just can’t have a movie night without great snacks. Delicious food to munch whilst you watch a great film is practically an essential. Make sure there’s something for everyone, whether your friends and family are vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free or simply trying to watch their weight with no carb snacks. Popcorn, crisps, veggie sticks with hummus, choc-chip cookies, chocolate dipped strawberries and of course sweets are all make great movie snacks, but of course there’s an endless list of tasty treats you could munch. You could even organise a potluck and get everyone to bring their favourite movie snacks round to share.
4. Give It A Theme
If you want to make your movie night even more exciting and memorable, then why not give it a theme. Immersive cinema experiences are all the rage these days, but you don’t necessarily have to put a dent in your wallet, or leave the house, to enjoy one.
From 1920s cinema, to superheroes, to your favourite cartoon characters, there’s loads of themes to pick from. You could even get everyone to dress up according to your chosen theme, which would be especially exciting and great fun if you have little ones. They’d definitely love dressing up in a hula skirt, whilst sipping on a tropical virgin cocktail and watching Moana for probably the 56th time! Or, you could have them dress up as oompa loompas and enjoy snacking on some sugary treats whilst watching Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. There are loads of great options when it comes to different themes.
5. Get Cosy
Being super comfy and cosy is an absolute must for any movie night. Get plenty of blankets out for everyone to snuggle up in, or even hot water bottles if it’s especially cold outside. You could decorate the room with fairy lights, light some scented candles too, and turn the main lights off to make things extra cosy. Having hot drinks, hot chocolate in particular, would also be a lovely, extra cosy touch to the evening.
If you’re looking to save some money by staying in rather than going out, or whether you just fancy a relaxed night in with your favourite people, movie nights are always a winner.