How to hold an at-home cinema party
If you’ve been missing going to the cinema during the coronavirus lockdown, then American Independence Day 2020 on July 4th provides a great excuse to have some fun by turning your living room into a home cinema for the night. Pick a classic US movie, whip up a load of yummy snacks and decorate your front room for a glam night at the movies…
How to turn your living room into a home cinema
Your local cinema might have seen better days but, when creating your at-home version, go the extra mile to make it a venue worthy of a Hollywood premiere. If you have children, ask them to set up the sofa and armchairs with cushions and rugs for a super comfy watching experience. They could even make some tickets to hand out and then take on the role of ushers before the lights go down. Finally, roll out a Party Pieces red carpet for the finishing flourish.
At-home cinema snacks and drinks
A trip to the movies wouldn’t be the same without a pit stop at the foyer refreshment stand and, as we’re going for an American theme, heat up some tasty hotdogs for a pre- or post-film snack, and use our retro hot dog trays to add that authentic ‘at the movies’ touch. While the film is rolling, popcorn is, of course, the go-to grub. Buy the ready-made stuff, or cook some up yourself. It’s easy to make and fun to do with kids. The BBC Good Food website has a recipe for a classic sweet popcorn and another for a brown sugar and cinnamon glazed variety. Serve up your finished popcorn in these Hollywood Party popcorn boxes. If pick ‘n’ mix is more your thing, then go for our cones stuffed with sweets and, to keep your drinks chilled without you having to go to the fridge during the movie, get yourself set up with one of our pineapple ice buckets.
Watchalong from a distance
For those who can’t be with certain family members or friends because of social distancing rules, then use the Netflix Party function for a watch-a-long. As well as popcorn boxes and sweet bags, send them a selection of our other Hollywood-themed products – we’ve got table runners, star plates, napkins and plenty more – so you can feel as if you are all at the cinema together.
Films to watch
Finally, you’ll need to choose what film to watch, and, if you’ve got a whole family to keep happy, that can be tricky! Luckily, we're here to offer some advice: An American blockbuster, such as ET, The Wizard of Oz or, if you can face it, High School Musical are all worth considering. Superhero films are about as American as you can get, so either go for Pixar's The Incredibles or one of the many Avengers movies. For the latter, pick up some Avengers decorations, such as our party sets and bunting, to make the Marvel fans in your household very happy.
For older teenagers, go for a cult classic – The Goonies, Stand by Me or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off would all be a treat for yourself as well as them. If you are doing film night minus kids, then you are spoilt for choice. To Kill A Mockingbird, Goodfellas or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are all, in their own way, quintessentially American. Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, starring Daniel Day-Lewis as the legendary US president, would be another appropriate choice, as would Forrest Gump, which sees Tom Hanks’ naïve title character inadvertently on the scene of a number of key moments in 20th century American history. Finally, seeing as Saturday is July 4th, Will Smith’s Independence Day is an obvious choice!
To see all of our Hollywood themed supplies click here. Don’t forget to tag us into your photos on social media @partypieces