11 Easy Ways to Fake a Movie Theater in Your Living Room
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Before having kids, a night at the movies was a go-to date for my husband and me. Now that we have two little ones, it’s pretty tricky to make it out to the theater, but our love for watching a flick with a giant bowl of popcorn is just as strong as ever. That’s why we’ve come up with 11 ways to fake a movie theater in our living room to recreate a movie night that’s twice the fun and a fraction of the price of the real deal.
Rearrange the Furniture
If your living room isn’t already set up with movie theater-style seating, move the couches and chairs to face the screen for the best possible viewing experience. One of the advantages of watching a movie at home is having the option to get as cozy as you want to, so come wearing your comfiest clothes, and bring a blanket and pillow to create a movie theater seat that can’t be beat!
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Hang Up a Poster of the Feature Film
Whether your family has chosen your movie together or it’s been kept a surprise up until movie night, hanging up a poster of the film will get everyone in the family excited for what they’re about to see.
Take Tickets
Make tickets by hand, find a roll at your local party supply store, or print your own from the Internet. Having a ticket to rip makes the experience feel even more real (and the best part is, you don’t have to actually pay for it).
Make Sure the Screen Is Larger Than Life
A projector screen is a sure-fire way to take your living room movie theater up a notch or two. If you don’t have a screen already, try stringing up a white bedsheet or rolling out some art paper and taping it to the wall. Check your local listings for projector rentals or consider purchasing one — chances are, once you’ve enjoyed a night at your home movie theater, your kids will be begging for another one soon!
Queue Up Some Trailers of Your Family’s Must-Sees
Had a hard time choosing which movie would be your family’s feature film? Find trailers for the runners-up on YouTube and put them in a queue to watch before the full-length movie begins. You could also pick some of your family’s past favourites or find out what trailers are actually playing in theatres — the options are endless! Just like in the real theater, this is the best time to get your popcorn before the lights start to dim.
Pop a Giant, Buttery Bowl of Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn
No movie theater experience would be complete without the smell of salty, buttery popcorn wafting through the air. Before the trailers start to roll, recreate the sounds and smells of the theater by preparing some of Orville Redenbacher’s high-quality, perfect pop microwave popcorn. Regardless of which variety you choose (Extra Buttery is our family’s favorite!) you can enjoy every handful knowing that each bag is made with 100 percent whole-grain popcorn that contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn is also a high fiber, gluten free treat, so everyone in the family can feel good about going back for seconds.
Serve Your Popcorn in Custom Bags
To make the theater experience feel more like the real thing, give each person their own paper bag to munch out of. If you really want to get creative, have everyone in the family decorate their bag to look like the ones at the theater ahead of time.
Have a Selection of Candy to Complement Your Popcorn
If you’re looking to take your treat experience to the next level, pour some candy-coated chocolates, chocolate covered raisins, and gummy bears into your freshly-popped bag of popcorn for the perfect mix of melty, salty and sweet deliciousness. Create a mini candy bar on the counter and let everyone in your family choose a few of their favourites to take into the “theater”. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could even create price tags for all of your treats and ask your patrons to pay for them using real or play money.
Break Out the Sparkling Water and Soda
A fizzy drink is the perfect sidekick to a hot, buttery bag of popcorn. Whether your family is partial to sparkling water or soda, treat yourself to the full movie experience with a special drink. If you’re not keen to give soft drinks to your kids, try mixing a little bit of juice in with some sparkling water.
Turn the Lights Down Low and the Volume Up High
Once the previews have ended, make sure that your living room is nice and dark. Turn up the volume (you are at the movies, after all) and get ready for showtime.
Prepare for Lights, Camera, Action!
It’s time to enjoy your family movie night! Snuggle in with the ones that you love, enjoy the crunch of your delicious popcorn, and get ready for an evening that’s destined to become a family tradition.
This post was created by SheKnows for Orville Redenbacher.
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