4 Ideas for Spicing Up Your Next Movie Night

You’re likely well aware of the disastrous effect that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the film industry. People essentially stopped going to theaters in 2020. Things didn’t improve a great deal in 2021. 

While the average American viewed 4.8 films in theaters per year before the pandemic, the current figure is hovering around 1.4 films per person per year. Americans are watching more movies at home than ever before. 

Because of this, there’s a good chance that you’ve already been hosting movie nights at home for quite a while. Maybe you’re even finding at this point that the experience has started to become a bit stale. That’s why this article exists. If you’re looking for ways to spice up your next movie night at home with friends and family, we have got some killer ideas for you.

Order a Catered Snack Spread

Who doesn’t love some popcorn, soda, and candy while they watch a movie? Food and beverages are the cornerstones of a great movie viewing experience. Everyone has his or her favorite movie snack. Prior to the pandemic, it was even becoming popular for theaters to double as full-service restaurants and offer things like steak and beer. 

Are you missing the classic theater food experience? If you’re getting tired of serving microwave popcorn and bowls of chips on your movie nights, try ordering a catered snack spread instead. 

The ideal snack spread for a movie night is something that can be kept at room temperature for a while with no loss in quality and doesn’t require reheating. For instance, you could order a large sushi platter, a sandwich spread or a cheese and charcuterie plate. 

During the age of COVID, ordering catered food is easier than ever and may not even require a phone call. Many restaurants now offer online ordering, even for catered food. Some eateries work with delivery services enabling you to have the food delivered directly to your door. It’s also become very common for restaurants to offer curbside pickup services. Plan ahead, though, because some restaurants may require you to place your order a day or two in advance.

Would you like to make the food selection for your next movie night even more special? Try combining the catered food platter with a selection of popular movie candies and local beers. You can pick the beers up from a microbrewery, and movie candy assortments are easy to find on websites like Amazon.

Try Some Delta-8 Gummies

Cannabis makes movie nights more fun. The film is better, the snacks are tastier, and you’ll feel more relaxed. You can enhance your movie night with cannabis even if you’re in a state where marijuana isn’t illegal. Just try Delta-8 THC! 

Delta-8 is related to Delta-9 THC, which is the main psychoactive component of cannabis and is a controlled substance. Delta-8, however, isn’t controlled at the federal level because it’s hemp-derived. The 2018 Farm Bill federally legalized hemp across the country.

So, what’s the difference between Delta-8 THC and Delta-9 THC? The main difference is that Delta-8 is only two-thirds as potent as Delta-9 THC, so its effects are milder. Because it has milder effects, its perfect for movie night, ensuring everyone enjoys the film but no one gets locked to their seats craving nachos. 

You’ll love what Delta-8 gummies can do to spice up an evening of comedy films. You’ll also love the fact that – unlike smoked cannabis – the gummies won’t leave your home theater smelling skunky when the party is over.

Upgrade Your Audio Setup

Ownership of enormous high-definition TVs has become increasingly common over the past few years as prices have dropped rapidly. The makers of large-screen TVs are now offering smart features powered by operating systems such as Android. That’s enabling the manufacturers to collect and sell user data, which is even more profitable than the hardware itself in some cases – and TV prices have dropped as a result. Regardless of how you may feel about that business practice, the end result is that you’re much more likely to own a large-screen TV today than you were a few years ago.

As great as a big TV can be for enhancing the visual aspect of your movie nights, you can make your favorite films even more immersive with an upgrade to your sound system. Modern TVs often have excellent sound capabilities considering their extremely thin profiles, but that’s nothing compared to the experience you’ll have with upgraded speakers. You’ll have the best experience with a surround system designed around a subwoofer that’s placed near the TV and small satellite speakers that are placed on stands or mounted on the wall around the viewing area. 

As an alternative, though, you can also buy a sound bar for placement under your TV. Although a sound bar won’t give you true surround sound, it’ll still be a massive upgrade over your TV’s internal speakers.

Install Ambient Movie Lighting

If you’ve already tried all of the suggestions in this article and are still looking for ideas that can help to take your movie nights to the next level, it’s time to consider installing a smart lighting system in your viewing room. 

With smart lighting systems, you can surround your home theater in ambient lighting that automatically reacts to what’s happening on the screen by changing in color and brightness. 

A smart lighting system can elevate your movie nights by providing an experience as immersive as what you’d enjoy in a traditional theater. Ambient lighting also serves a second important purpose by allowing your guests to see what they’re doing without creating a distracting glare on the screen. 

Lights, cannabis, snack spreads! With these creative ideas you can make your next movie night extra special. Who needs movie theaters when you home theater can be this fun?