Comfortable seating, and plenty of it, is essential to a successful movie / TV night. If you're lacking in sofa space, be sure to clear out any tables to make room for extra chairs, ottomans and floor pillows. Set out dining room chairs, beanbags, or even lawn chairs to ensure that all your guests have a comfortable place to sit with a clear view of the show. If you're still short on seating, ask guests to bring a cushion or folding chair along with them.
If the films or TV shows you'll be watching have a clear theme, try pulling it into your party decorations. For instance, glow-in-the-dark star stickers on the walls and ceiling lend an outer-space touch to a Star Wars marathon. If your movies or TV shows don't have a particular theme, you can always hang movie posters around the house with "Now Playing" and "Coming Soon" tags underneath.
Your movie / TV night décor can also pay homage to the capital of entertainment: Hollywood. Roll a red carpet up to your front door and block off your entrance with a velvet rope. Station a guest at the door with a clipboard, checking the list before people enter.
Give your viewing party a little direction by choosing movies or TV shows with a common thread. This can be as simple as watching movies with a favorite actor or director, screening movies in a trilogy or series, or watching a season of a TV show.
Or for a less straight-forward approach, try one of these themes for your next movie / TV night:
• Screen a classic and follow it up by a recent remake (like Psycho or Lolita). • Have a before-they-were-stars party and watch George Clooney in Facts of Life and Leonardo DiCaprio in Growing Pains. • Narrow down a theme to a specific time and genre, such as Disney blockbusters from the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. You’ll marvel to think that the animation was actually done by hand. |
Your movies or TV shows are sure to be the main event, but not all life has to revolve around the television. Take a break between showings with a few games to keep people interested (and awake.)
Make your own trivia game about the movies or shows you’re watching. After each ends, quiz your guests on what they just saw. Make some questions obscure to ensure that your friends are paying close attention. This adds a new dimension of excitement to movies your guests have seen several times and fuels everyone’s competitive spirit. Hand out prizes after each round to reward those with a keen eye.
If you're screening cult classics, play a game of movie bingo: design your own cards, put famous phrases or expressions in different squares, and see who calls out "Bingo!" when they match four in a row. For example, if you're hosting a John Hughes marathon or simply screening Sixteen Candles, the squares can feature "geek," "dude," "underpants" and other quotables.
A movie without popcorn is like a day without sunshine. Let your guests customize their corn with a popcorn bar. Pop a few bags of plain popcorn, and set out various accompaniments like the standard melted butter and salt. Then display dishes or shakers of savory popcorn seasonings like sour cream and onion, ranch, or white cheddar salts. Grated parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and freshly chopped herbs add an offbeat, homemade touch.
For those who crave a little sugar, pop a batch of kettle corn for your bar. Include M&Ms, bits of toffee, and honey-roasted almonds and peanuts in the selection of toppings. A dusting of powdered sugar and chocolate sprinkles will satisfy any sweet tooth.
To capture the movie theater feel, use colorful paper bags or red-and-white cardboard containers to serve the popcorn. Set out plastic bags so that your guests can take a little of their favorite concoction home with them at the end of the night.
Featured Movie / TV Night Recipes from Epicurious.com
| Cuba Libre
• 2 oz. light rum
• juice of 1/2 limes
• Coca-Cola®
Mix rum and lime juice and fill up with cola. Non-Alcoholic - Ice cream floats or hot chocolate with cinnamon and whipped cream
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| 1. | Twist and Shout (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) / The Beatles |
| 2. | I'll Be There for You (Friends Theme) / The Rembrandts
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| 3. | Summer Nights (Grease) / John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
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| 4. | Footloose / Kenny Loggins
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| 5. | Jump in the Line (Beetlejuice) / Harry Belafonte
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| 6. | Where Everybody Knows Your Name (Cheers Theme) / Gary Portnoy
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| 7. | Bohemian Rhapsody (Wayne’s World) / Queen
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| 8. | In Your Eyes (Say Anything) / Peter Gabriel
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| 9. | The Fresh Prince of Bel Air (Original Theme) / DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
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| 10. | Old Time Rock and Roll (Risky Business) / Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
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