Y’all, I did the craziest thing on Monday. I saw a movie. At the theater. During the day! Crazy, right?! Having a toddler makes going to the movie theater pretty tough, and I typically dedicate my days off to housework and running errands. This time, though, I decided to take a little time for myself and go see a movie with a few girlfriends … and it was glorious. (We saw On the Basis of Sex, FYI, and it was pretty good!)
Jimmy and I love going to the movies, but since babysitters aren’t cheap and we’re not made of money, we have movie date nights at home pretty frequently. It’s honestly one of the best ways to unwind and relax after a long work week, and you can wear your old worn-out sweatshirt with holes without feeling judged for it. I know other mamas are in my same shoes, so I wanted to share a few tips and ideas on having an at-home movie night!
MUSTS:
If you’re not going to be in an actual movie theater, it’s important to set the scene and behave as if you are. It allows you to get the full experience without leaving your home!
- Turn off the lights. Light a candle and let that and the screen be your only source of lighting.
- Turn off your phones, computers and all electronics. It’s way too easy to pick it up and become distracted, which takes you out of the moment.
- Prepare in advance your favorite movie snacks and drinks. Order a pizza, or pop a big bowl of popcorn! POP SECRET®P has a Movie Theater Butter style popcorn and it’s honestly the closest to the real deal that I’ve ever had (and we eat a lot of popcorn in our house.) To make it even better, you can order it online here and have it shipped to your door for free through Prime, so you can skip having to run to the store. YASSSSS! You can also buy the flavored salts and butters to top off your popcorn at home if you’d like, and M&Ms make for a delicious popcorn topping, too.
- Shhhh! No talking. Don’t ask questions, don’t go off on tangents, don’t talk about the kids … just enjoy the movie in silence, just like you would in the theater.
PERKS:
Of course there’s nothing like seeing a movie on the big screen, but there are several perks to watching it from the comfort of your own home. Here are a few:
- You can pause the movie when you need a potty break, instead of missing the most dramatic scene.
- You can refill your wine and popcorn at your convenience!
- There are no restrictions on what you can and can’t take to your movie.
- You’re not dropping $25 on concessions alone.
- You can snuggle up and get comfy! Pick your favorite spot on the couch or in your bed, grab a comfy blanket, cuddle with your guy (or your pup!), wear your elastic-waist pants, take off your bra and your makeup, and enjoy the judgement-free zone.
WHAT TO WATCH:
Between Netflix, Hulu, Prime, On Demand and Red Box, there’s no shortage of movies to watch. Here are some suggestions if you’re stumped, inducing some that we’ve recently seen along with a few that my Instagram fam suggested (those are marked with a *).
- Bird Box (it’s all over the Internet. Strange, but worth seeing.)
- Dumplin’ * (My BFF said it’s so good!)
- Marvel Punisher *
- When We First Met (It was a cute little romcom)
- Vice *
- Avengers: Infinity War (A fun one to turn up loud and let it entertain you.)
- The Favorite *
- Mary Queen of Scots *
- A Simple Favor *
- Bad Times at the El Royale *
- The Green Book *
- If you’re more of a show kind of person and prefer to binge-watch series after series, check out: You, Haunting of Hill House, Schitt’s Creek, Narcos, Bloodline, Ozark, and Good Girls. All SO good.
Oh! And in case you’re wondering, wine and popcorn pair perfectly together :). Don’t forget to order your popcorn now while you’re thinking about it!
Enjoy our movie night in, and let me know what you end up watching!
This post is sponsored by POP SECRET® but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
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