How to Host the Ultimate Movie Night
Anyone can pop a bag of popcorn and invite a few friends over for an Avengers marathon, but putting together a fun movie night every week takes patience, dedication and a fair amount of finesse. Is it worth the effort? After six years of hosting one myself, I can say with some confidence it most certainly is. If you've been dying to deliver a regular dose of good films in good company lately, here are a couple of basic tips to help you get started.
Choose your movies carefully.
Confidence in the compatibility of your movie night picks is key, especially in the beginning. Be sure to do your research and make sure the films you're showing work well together. Also, it's best to limit the number of feature-length movies you show to two with a 10-15 minute intermission.
The fun is in the food.
One of the most popular features of our horror movie night is the food themes we coordinate with our weekly picks. For example, on the anniversary of Paul Morrissey's Flesh & Blood, we served only red cocktails from novelty vampire goblets. Take advantage of the internet's seemingly endless pool of free recipe web sites and get creative with your snacks.
Don't do it alone.
Having at least one co-host can be a huge help if attendance at your movie night grows beyond about a half a dozen people. Sharing the work load allows for better planning and reduces stress. Also, while you're in the kitchen prepping the aforementioned food at intermission, your co-host (or hosts) can keep everyone engaged with casual trivia games and conversation.
Photo courtesy of kirikata.com.