Throw This Party: Movie Night

by KatieWalsh

This post is welcomely sponsored (again) by Skinny Cow.

There are many different ways this can be executed, so let’s break it down into the types of guests you’re going to invite over, and then, the most important thing, what you’re going to watch.

But first: do you have a TV/DVD Player? Living room? That would be helpful, but maybe you have a great backyard or giant wall and access to a digital projector? Rig up a screen out of a sheet, sail, white wall, or just about anything to pull it off. Just please don’t invite a bunch of people over to watch a movie on your laptop. That’s a two-person affair, and even then, it’s pushing it (constant tilting the screen back and forth — “can you see?”). Make sure you have ample seating in the form of couch, chairs, big pillows, blankets — let’s get cozy, people.

Now that the technology is in place, a couple of ground rules. Nothing exceeding two hours and nothing boring. GUYS, this is movie night. You don’t want to have to peel your semi-conscious friends off the floor because you made them watch a three-hour 1950s Russian-directed film about the Cuban revolution or a four-hour Bollywood film about cricket (Soy Cuba and Lagaan are AMAZING, but not for movie night). You don’t want to show anything depressing, boring, or that’ll bring the mood way, way down — ultimately, it MUST be entertaining.

1. Group of girlfriends

There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned slumber party-ish movie night to set you right. You could kick it straight middle school style and watch a horror flick (It anyone?), or the movie you quoted incessantly in eighth grade (Empire Records, The Princess Bride?), but I think movie night should be about exposure to new things. If you’re in the mood for a rom-com, go to the beginning of the genre: a 1930s screwball comedy. These films stand the test of time, and feel as fresh and witty as any contemporary flick. My favorite star of this era is William Powell, so forget Gable and Grant, swoon over Powell’s suave witticisms in the Depression-era My Man Godfrey, or in the classic The Thin Man, which stars Powell as Nick and Myrna Loy as his wife Nora, the hard-drinking, fast-talking married detectives. Look for something dated pre-1934 for all that sexy, naughty pre-Code goodness. If it’s more Girl Powah! on your agenda, look no further than All About Eve. Bitchy fights, erudite gays, and Bette Davis living the definition of FIERCE is better than any ANTM marathon you could ever get your hands on.

2. Large group of friends

Movie night can be tough with too many people. Too much talking, fidgeting, and sometimes your guests would rather just talk to one another anyway. In this case, may I suggest throwing on a concert film? Instant playlist, something to look at, but you don’t have to pay too much attention to the plot/details/etc. There are so many great concert films, depending on your taste in music, but Jonathan Demme’s Stop Making Sense, featuring the Talking Heads, will likely give you a booty-shaking dance party in minutes.

3. Halloween

Spooky scary! You could (duh) watch Halloween in one of its various iterations: the Jamie Lee Curtis original, the Rob Zombie remake, or the hilariously bad Halloween H20 with Josh Hartnett, Michelle Williams (The Dawson’s Creek Years), LL Cool J, and mother-daughter duo of awesome Jamie Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh. But, I really think the correct choice here is Sleepaway Camp. Right? Right.

4. Date

Date night movie night? Perfection. Choosing the film? Argh. Please don’t go for something overly romantic (The Notebook is for crying alone). Pick something slick and sexy that you both will enjoy, perhaps a Film Noir? I’d suggest Double Indemnity, but it’s about killing husbands, and ahh. How about Pickup on South Street? It’s short, action-packed, and devastatingly sexy — the chemistry between Richard Widmark and Jean Peters is blisteringly hot. I predict you’ll be making out before it’s over. If black-and-white isn’t your thing, go for a contemporary noir like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. Funny, mystery, action. Something for everyone.

5. Nerds/Film Snobs

In the event you have film snobs coming over, put on anything foreign/from the 1960s. If you REALLY want to go for it, I suggest the 1929 Russian Constructivist silent documentary Man With a Movie Camera by Dziga Vertov. Boom. It’s relatively short, the Alloy Orchestra score is a blast, it’s visually bananas and highly entertaining. Maybe you’ve got more of the nerd version of the snobs. Can’t go wrong with Walter Hill’s The Warriors, about colorfully dressed NYC gangs doing battle in the street. And plus, young James Remar, rowr. But if you want to impress, choose Hill’s lesser-known ’80s flick Streets of Fire, starring an insanely hot and badass Diane Lane as the lead singer of a band who gets kidnapped by Willem Dafoe IN VINYL COVERALLS and Rick Moranis as her dorky boyfriend. The Fire, Inc. songs will instantly go on your running mix.

6. Babysitting

Stuck watching a bunch (a bunch equals more than zero) of kids? Their parents probably want you to organize some educational activities that will stimulate their tiny brains. Know what’s gonna stimulate their brains? Hook. You can claim it’s exposure to a literary classic. And with Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Maggie Smith, and Julia Roberts, it’s not terrible for you to watch either. RU-FEE-OHHH.

And, of course (although maybe not for No. 7), put out the wine, cheese, and chocolate (okay, and popcorn with Parmesan cheese and/or nutritional yeast).

Katie Walsh has spent too much time in film school to not be able to assemble this list. She also reviews films for The Playlist.

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