Sometimes it is difficult to think of a new idea for entertaining friends and family, especially when you want to keep it cheap.
Have you ever tried a movie night?
Most homes now have the equipment needed to show movies to a group of people, especially as televisions seem to be getting bigger! There are many options to showing movies, ranging from a television and DVD player through to linking your computer to the television and having a computer monitor through which you can show any new movie download you have found.
In any case it is likely you will have some means to entertain your guests but, even if you feel you do not have the facilities, perhaps you could persuade a friend to either host the party or provide the technology needed. For the purposes of this article however, I will assume you are entertaining at home.
What To Watch?
So the first consideration is what movies to watch. The essential need is to tailor the entertainment to the audience: especially if children will be present. In my experience, adults enjoy family friendly films as much as, if not more, than the children, so 'Nanny McPhee,' 'Toy Story' or a Wallace and Gromit movie will be more than acceptable.
Clearly showing adult movies to children is likely to be a risk that might give you more stress than you need. Play safe and remember the atmosphere of the party will be set by the genre of movie you choose. For that reason light hearted movies are probably best. Why not choose a good comedy?
Of course you need to find a good source of the movies to show. There are plenty around of course and you may have a large number of copies already. Otherwise there are lots of movies online to download. I would avoid acquiring questionable pirate copies or those illegally ripped from DVDs, as there are plenty of good value websites from which you can download legal movies.
The best online movie site will ask you to pay a small upfront fee and then will provide a good selection from which you can download legal movies. Find the ones you want and then download them. Some sites have stream downloads so you can watch as you download but many also have software to burn the movie to DVD, which might be better for your purposes.
If you find a selection of movies online to download, your guests can have a choice of viewing and the resulting good-natured discussion will get the evening off to a good start!
Organizing the Event
It is always better to invite people to come along well in advance of the date to ensure as many as possible turn up.
In any case, in my opinion, even if one couple turns up you can still have a good night. Be determined to enjoy yourself and be relaxed about it. If people do not come along do not take it personally! They may just have a crisis or a disorganized life.
Obviously it would be wise to invite the number of people appropriate to the size of room you have.
Think about where everyone will sit. It depends on the age and attitude of the guests but sometimes people will be happy sat on the floor or on beanbags. Such parties can be great fun if guests need to climb over others to get to the toilet. Ah, yes, ensure you have a toilet available too!
The party will go well with some light refreshments. Again, the preferences of the guests will tend to dictate what food and drink to offer but, given the nature of the party, cinema food such as popcorn, Coke and assorted sweets might do well. Most supermarkets can oblige.
If you are upmarket you might consider preparing some more ambitious food and drink but I would think easy to eat treats are more appropriate.
Be Relaxed And Have Fun
The idea is for everyone to enjoy his or herself - and this includes you. The best movie night in my opinion is the most relaxed.
You might have alternatives available in terms of movies and food so you can react to the way the evening is going. Never be too organized. The best parties are always those that never seem to be organized and appear to just happen by themselves.
You could even have a board or computer game waiting in the wings in case the audience becomes bored with movies. Always leave time for people to chat during the evening too.
Lastly, consider even having a theme to the night, especially if the choice of movie is easy. How about an Indian takeaway for 'East Is East' (or the forthcoming 'West Is West' sequel) or a Chinese theme for 'The Last Emperor, for example?' Be imaginative.
With a bit of thought a movie night can be a great success. You could introduce your friends to new movies and you might start a trend of similar evening. Who knows?
The key is to have fun. Enjoy yourself.
Have you ever tried a movie night?
Most homes now have the equipment needed to show movies to a group of people, especially as televisions seem to be getting bigger! There are many options to showing movies, ranging from a television and DVD player through to linking your computer to the television and having a computer monitor through which you can show any new movie download you have found.
In any case it is likely you will have some means to entertain your guests but, even if you feel you do not have the facilities, perhaps you could persuade a friend to either host the party or provide the technology needed. For the purposes of this article however, I will assume you are entertaining at home.
What To Watch?
So the first consideration is what movies to watch. The essential need is to tailor the entertainment to the audience: especially if children will be present. In my experience, adults enjoy family friendly films as much as, if not more, than the children, so 'Nanny McPhee,' 'Toy Story' or a Wallace and Gromit movie will be more than acceptable.
Clearly showing adult movies to children is likely to be a risk that might give you more stress than you need. Play safe and remember the atmosphere of the party will be set by the genre of movie you choose. For that reason light hearted movies are probably best. Why not choose a good comedy?
Of course you need to find a good source of the movies to show. There are plenty around of course and you may have a large number of copies already. Otherwise there are lots of movies online to download. I would avoid acquiring questionable pirate copies or those illegally ripped from DVDs, as there are plenty of good value websites from which you can download legal movies.
The best online movie site will ask you to pay a small upfront fee and then will provide a good selection from which you can download legal movies. Find the ones you want and then download them. Some sites have stream downloads so you can watch as you download but many also have software to burn the movie to DVD, which might be better for your purposes.
If you find a selection of movies online to download, your guests can have a choice of viewing and the resulting good-natured discussion will get the evening off to a good start!
Organizing the Event
It is always better to invite people to come along well in advance of the date to ensure as many as possible turn up.
In any case, in my opinion, even if one couple turns up you can still have a good night. Be determined to enjoy yourself and be relaxed about it. If people do not come along do not take it personally! They may just have a crisis or a disorganized life.
Obviously it would be wise to invite the number of people appropriate to the size of room you have.
Think about where everyone will sit. It depends on the age and attitude of the guests but sometimes people will be happy sat on the floor or on beanbags. Such parties can be great fun if guests need to climb over others to get to the toilet. Ah, yes, ensure you have a toilet available too!
The party will go well with some light refreshments. Again, the preferences of the guests will tend to dictate what food and drink to offer but, given the nature of the party, cinema food such as popcorn, Coke and assorted sweets might do well. Most supermarkets can oblige.
If you are upmarket you might consider preparing some more ambitious food and drink but I would think easy to eat treats are more appropriate.
Be Relaxed And Have Fun
The idea is for everyone to enjoy his or herself - and this includes you. The best movie night in my opinion is the most relaxed.
You might have alternatives available in terms of movies and food so you can react to the way the evening is going. Never be too organized. The best parties are always those that never seem to be organized and appear to just happen by themselves.
You could even have a board or computer game waiting in the wings in case the audience becomes bored with movies. Always leave time for people to chat during the evening too.
Lastly, consider even having a theme to the night, especially if the choice of movie is easy. How about an Indian takeaway for 'East Is East' (or the forthcoming 'West Is West' sequel) or a Chinese theme for 'The Last Emperor, for example?' Be imaginative.
With a bit of thought a movie night can be a great success. You could introduce your friends to new movies and you might start a trend of similar evening. Who knows?
The key is to have fun. Enjoy yourself.
