Create the Perfect Movie Night
Most movie theaters are closed across the US. Those that are currently open aren’t exactly showing the best movies. You might find one that’s playing a movie that was released last year, but you’ve probably already seen it. And who wants to spend 2+ hours watching a movie with a mask on… not taking into account that movie theaters are still charging you full price for admittance. Where’s the fun in that?
Like most of us, staying home all of the time is starting to wear on you. The same four walls are starting to melt together, much like all the days of 2020. You want to do something fun, something exciting, something… far, far away. Unfortunately, it’s just not safe to venture out into the world. So, instead of staring at the walls this Friday night, why not change it up?
MOVIE PROJECTORS
There are many ways you create the perfect movie night. To start, how about a movie projector? Movie Projectors not as expensive as you might think. There are many movie projectors available for under $100. Screens can range from $30+ and can either be wall-mounted or used on a stand. When the average movie ticket costs $18 + a family of 4, you can have your own movie theater for less than the cost of going to the theater twice. Don’t have any space in your living room for the screen? You can always move the screen into the dining room or bedroom. Movie projectors are even great to use in your backyard or on your garage door. I’ve even used it against an RV while out camping. You don’t always need a screen either. Any decently sized smooth backdrop can work.
POPCORN
What makes the perfect movie night experience? Think about the first thing you smell when you walk into a movie theater. Popcorn! Popcorn is what makes movie theaters feel like an experience. You can find “movie theater” popcorn in the microwavable bags, and it’s sort of the same. Oh, who kidding who? Bagged popcorn is a sad excuse for real, authentic theater popcorn. But you’re in luck. Depending on how much space you have available, you can purchase your own popcorn machine for the full movie theater experience. Living in small accommodations like the rest of us 85%? Don’t worry. There are alternatives. The true secrete of great tasting movie theater popcorn is in the Flavacol. What is Flavacol, you may ask. It’s a special salt that theaters add to popcorn to make it taste like theater popcorn. You can buy it separately or buy a kit that includes everything you need, which can come in rather handy. You can use just about any kind of popcorn machine to achieve great tasting movie theater popcorn, and at $1 per kit, you’re saving a bundle!
CANDY
What’s the best thing about going to the theater? Okay, other than the popcorn and the movie itself… it’s candy! Those big boxes of movie theater candy are always fun to share… maybe. You can order those same big boxes online by the case and ultimately save a bundle! Most of the time you can find deals through Amazon or even Dollar Tree to have a case delivered, sometimes for less than a buck a box. (Image Candy)
(Bon Bon recipe here)
MOVIES
Okay, we have the screen, the snacks, all we need is the movie. In an age of Netflix and chill, many of us are well aware of paid streaming content. Netflix, Hulu, Disney +, Apple, Amazon, and HBO have cornered the market on subscription-based content. But… during this time many of us are just trying to scrape by. Being able to afford $100 in subscriptions went out with buying a Soy Chai Latte for breakfast every morning. There are many free alternatives though that have pretty decent movie options. You might have to watch a couple of commercials, but it’s well worth the savings.
IMDB TV
TUBI
PLUTO
Crackle
PLEX
Also, keep your eyes open for special deals for free 1-3 month memberships. In October of 2020, Apple TV offered a 3-month trial offer to their service.
BEFORE THE MOVIE
Make movie night more fun by playing movie trivia. TRIVIAWELL is just one of many websites that offered free movie trivia. If you have children, have them color fun movie posters or create their own to hang around the room.
Make sure to silence your cell phones, kick off your shoes, turn off the lights, and cuddle up under your favorite blanket. Let the movie … BEGIN!