Okay, are you ready for some Movie Night ideas? I mentioned a few blog posts ago when I gave you some Movie Night Discussion Questions, that a Movie Night theme for women’s ministry is one of the most requested themes that I get for the website. I’m talking for years, many of my followers have wanted this. So, I’m finally getting around to it. Hope it lives up to your expectations.
A big thanks to my daughter, Tara, for helping me with some of these ideas. She is the movie buff in the family.
I love a good Movie Night with family or with friends. It doesn’t even matter what the movie is. It’s that whole idea of experiencing something with other people, seeing how everyone reacts differently, and carries away different thoughts from seeing the same movie together.
Okay, ready? Let’s get going with those ideas!
Movie Theme Concept
—Posted July 3, 2020
—Updated July 21, 2020
The event themes on the website can be used for showers, parties, women’s ministry retreats and activities, or church functions. Each theme will have one or several possible spiritual applications. I give you lots of info and ideas—You pick just a few to enhance your event. More ideas can be used for showers and parties, but less is always more for ministry events.
Theme Title Ideas
- Admit One
- Award Winning Fun (watch award winning movies)
- Backyard Movie Night
- Beauty Queens & Movies (makeup party & a movie)
- Blockbuster Night
- Book Club Movie Night (watch a movie made from a book)
- Cinematic
- Chick Flick Night
- Coming Attraction
- Coming to the Big Screen
- Dinner & a Movie
- Drive In to Fun
- Family Movie Night
- In Focus
- Intermission (You need a break!)
- Lights! Camera! Action!
- Making it Reel (or Keeping it)
- Movie Night
- Movie Party
- Movie Under the Stars
- Now Showing (or Playing)
- PJ Pagent
- PJ’s & Movies
- Popcorn & Friends
- Popping up Some Fun!
- Quiet on the Set
- Red Carpet Movie Night
- Reel Time
- Retro Movie Night (older films)
- Rewind
- Show Time
- Slumber Party
- Spa & Movie Night
- Spotlight
- Taking Center Stage
- The Acclaimed Life (focus on Jesus)
- The Big Break
- V.I.P. Movie Night (everyone’s special)
- Watch Party
Spiritual Applications
- Focus on Jesus (the Acclaimed life—the life that deserves the acclaim.)
- Focus on Jesus taking center stage.
- Focus on the action we take as Christians.
- Focus on losing the drama from our lives.
- Focus on the true gift of family.
- Focus on the true gift of friendship.
Theme Verse Suggestions
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5:14 (KJV)
Devotional or Workshop Ideas
- Read my “Now Showing!” Devotional for Movie Night.
- Devotional “Starters” or ideas to get you started on a devotional are below.
Quiet on the Set!
Sometimes to actually live the Christian life to the fullest, we need to allow ourselves to be quiet. To do that “Be still and know” stuff that is the subject of so many Christian art signs, bracelets, and notebook covers—we have to stop talking about it, and actually do it. We need to allow the Holy Spirit full control.
Quiet on the set in movie language means for everyone to stop, be still, be quiet, and stop moving. That’s what we have to do. We have to let everything go to allow the important things to take place.
Coming Attraction
Jesus is coming back!
John 14:3
It’s a Tear Jerker
Psalms 56:8
Someone cares.
Please Admit One
Your invitation to Heaven.
John 3:16
Cut!
There are some things in our lives that don’t embellish our Christian lives. They don’t help our “movie”. It’s time to cut them out. In the movies, “cut” means to stop what you are doing. Sometimes that what we have to do, is just stop.
On the Editing Room Floor
In reality, most film work today is done on computers, but can you just imagine how years ago, film was done. It was sliced, put together,sliced some more, and so on. What wasn’t used was said to “end up on the editing room floor”.
Sometimes our lives just need to be looked at with a fine tooth comb. What stays? What goes? What needs cut out completely? Some things just need to be dropped right where they are for us to move on to a deeper Christian life.
In Need of a Voice Over
Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through you? For a Christian, life isn’t about self anymore.
Sharing Backstories
Many times our characters in our television shows and movies have backstories. Most of the time they are done with flashbacks. What the movie makers are trying to do is tell us more about the story of that character.
In reality, we all have backstories. We all have things in our lives that led us to where we are today. As Christians, we call those testimonies. We all have our own personal stories to share for Christ. We all have our story of what Christ has done for us. All of our backstories are different, but God’s grace is extended to us all.
Fitting Sound Effects
What’s coming out of your mouth? What do people hear from you? Do you sound like a Christian? Sound effects in the movie have to go in tune with the movie. They have to fit. Do the things you say go in tune with being a Christian?
Maybe you have some whining, complaining, or hateful words that just shouldn’t go in your script. You may be putting on a show at church, but the rest of the week there might be emotional explosions of anger or hate that just are out of place for your Christian character. Those are sound effects that just aren’t fitting the script.
Leaving the Drama to the Movies
Got too much drama in your life? Sometimes to leave that drama behind it requires learning to say “no” to people. Sometimes it requires you to keep away from certain people. Sometimes it requires you to keep your lips sealed. Sometimes it requires you to just not react to a situation (no matter how much you want to). Sometimes we are responsible for fanning the flames of a situation. Let’s keep the drama in the movies!
When Life Isn’t a Comedy, a RomCom, or a Fairy Tale
We all learned pretty early in life that life isn’t always pretty and it isn’t always fair. Sometimes it’s gritty, hard, and full of angst. We just have to learn to deal with life one day at a time. We have a great and powerful God to turn to that can help pull us up by our bootstraps. He is the One that helps us conquer that real life stuff.
Flashback Fever
Flashbacks are fine in movies, but in real life, if you keep living in flashback mode and in the past, you can forget to live in the present. Hold on to God’s forgiveness and grace and move on to joyful living.
Slow Motion Mania
Ever feel like your life is like a movie in slow motion? You are talking with that warbly sound and your body is moving just in prolonged increments? Maybe it’s time to get motivated physically and spiritually.
Are the thoughts above the leftovers from my Movie Night Devotional? Well, yes. yes they are. There were just so many directions to go along these lines. I probably could have written 10 devotionals with this, but that’s probably not going to happen, so I hope you don’t mind leftovers. Feel free to take any of the above thoughts and develop your own devotional or put some of the points together to come up with something. Enjoy the creative process! More devotional writing prompts are here.
Important Checks
Legalities
When showing a movie for groups or for the public, be sure to obtain the legal rights to do so. If you are a church leader and in charge of showing a movie, check to see if your church has a license to cover movies, and that the exact film you want to show is covered through their agreement. You can find a list of companies that offer movie licensing and more information here. (Building Faith)
Preview
If showing this to a group, such as a church or women’s ministry Movie Night, be sure to preview the movie. Watch all of it beforehand. Make sure if you need approvals through your church staff, that you get that beforehand.
Equipment and Outlets
Be sure to check your tv, dvd, or any sound equipment ahead of time. And check those remote batteries! Make sure you have plug outlets or the extension cords needed for anything that may need plugged in for your Movie Night.
Restroom Breaks
Having kids at your Movie Night? Make sure everyone goes to the restroom before the movie starts. (Sometimes we have to tell adults that too!) If you are showing a long movie, be sure to have an intermission so everyone can get a restroom break. Be sure your technician (or whoever is starting/stopping your movie) knows ahead of time at what point in the movie you will want to stop and take a break.
Choosing Movies
The BIG Inspirational Movie List
Over 100 movies on the list!
6 Movie Review Websites to Consider
Simple Decorating
If you are having this in your home for family and possibly a few friends, popcorn is probably all you are going to need for decoration. If it’s during the winter, you may want to have a few throws available. That’s it.
For a movie for a church gathering or group gathering, you can always throw a few decorations in if you want, but honestly, unless you are doing a lot aside from the movie, it will be dark, so nobody is going to care about decorations.
For colorful decor, use your snacks as the main centerpiece. Try a grazing board as I mention later in the Food and Serving Section.
If you are having this for a really special night, such as for a birthday, then by all means, go all out for your decorations. Birthdays are an occassion!
Ice Breakers
Discussion Questions
20 Movie Night Discussion Questions
You Are the Director
Download the Worksheet. (pdf)
Movie Prop Scavenger Hunts
2 versions available
2 Minute Mini Movies
Have your invited guests make mini movies on their phones. Video or still photos. Put the request inside the invitation. The movies can be about anything, but can’t go over 2 minutes.
State that they should give their movie a clever title and that they will be asked to share them during Movie Night. Example wording to add to invite… (You could make it like a flyer)
Please make a mini movie on your phone to bring with you on Movie Night. It cannot exceed a 2 minute time limit. It can be video or still shots. You can include speaking parts, narration, or subtitles. Make it any genre you want. Please give it a clever title and be ready to share on Movie Night!
If you have a really small group, you could extend the movie time from 2 minutes. 2 minutes just makes sharing go faster. Plus it’s hard to make a 2 minute movie, so they will be funny.
Movie Trailer Script Battle
Teams battle it out to make and perform the best movie trailer. Choose teams with at least 3 on each team if possible. Give each team a story from the Bible and the team makes up a movie trailer script for that story. The more exaggerated the better. Each team will be choosing someone from their team to be the voice of the trailer and read the script. Any extra members can be the sound effects if they want.
Pass out a clipboard with paper and pen to each team, along with a Bible story assignment (see list below). Give a time limit. Give direction that their script would go something like this.
Okay, pretend it’s in one of those deep trailer actor voices…
“In a world where….the team makes up something to go with their story here….One man (or woman)…Here the team makes up more sentences about the Biblical character of their story to make their trailer, using highlights from the actual Bible story. Stress adjectives! Coming to a theater near you!“
The point is to make the most dramatic movie trailer script that they can. Name the winning team by the amount of clapping or response from other guests during the team presentations.
Here are some biblical stories for consideration.
The story of Noah
The story of Joseph
The story of Job
The story of Samson
The story of David
The story of Daniel
The story of Jezebel
The story of Jonah
The story of Eve
The story of Hannah
The story of Esther
The story of Ruth
Movie Charades
Do a game of charades with movie titles. Pick movies that you feel your guests are familiar with as a whole. And FYI, you can also use the above list of biblical stories for a game of Charades.
Popcorn Prayer
Go around the room and have a quick round of Popcorn Prayer. Each person pops in a prayer for just ONE thing (or person) with just ONE sentence. It’s a one kernel at a time prayer.
Music
You aren’t going to need any music for this one, unless you want something fun playing while everyone gets settled. Try a movie soundtrack like “Chariots of Fire” or something with epic music.
Favors
Really I don’t think you need a favor for a Movie Night, but here are a few ideas anyway.
- For tear-jerkers – mini tissue packs to be used during the movie
- Goodies in small popcorn favor boxes.
- Container of popcorn flavoring powder
- Container of popcorn salt
- Box of movie size candy
- Beverage tumbler with lid and straw
Door Prizes
- DVD/Blu-ray (choose a good family friendly movie)
- Popcorn filled boxes. Fill with a few boxes of movie candy, snacks, etc. Here are some examples from Pinterest here and here. I know they show them more as party favors, but I think they would work well as door prizes.
- Box of specialty popcorn
- Huge size tumbler with lid and straw
- A container of Jiffy Pop tied up with a big bow on the handle
- A set of popcorn flavorings. See the Kernel Season’s Popcorn Seasoning Mini Jars Variety Pack (Amazon)
- Movie Bowl: A good movie on DVD, some microwave popcorn, regular popping corn, popcorn flavoring powder, popcorn salt. All in a big bowl popcorn size.
- Blanket throw
- Small basket of movie candy boxes of various kinds
- Remote control holder
- Set of drink coasters
- Chip and dip tray
- Gift certificate to a streaming service
Just for Fun
Movie Review
Have forms to give out to everyone to do a review on the movie. You could use them for discussion at your next get-together. I made a simple review sheet that you can download, but you could make up a more detailed one if you wished that covers plots and characters, etc. I didn’t cover that, but just the basics in my form.
Movie Review Sheet Download (pdf)
Movie Bucket Lists
Have your guests make a movie bucket list. The one I made for you has 10 slots for movies. Your guests take them home and fill in the dates over time as they watch each movie.
Movie Bucket List Download (pdf)
String Popcorn
If this is a Christmas movie experience, string popcorn for decorations while you are watching the movie.
You can also string popcorn for the birds. (Go Explore Nature)
Food and Serving
- Popcorn
- Hot dogs
- Nachos
- Movie candy (boxes)
- Grazing boards. Here are a few examples.
- Top 10 Tips for a Perfect Grazing Board (Chef Not Required Blog)
- Grazing Boards on a Budget (The Baker Mama)
Photo Source
Want the photo used at the top of this page? Find the original here on Pixabay.
Thanks for stopping in. Let me know if you host a Movie Night, whether as a church ladies group, as a family, or with friends.
Do you have anything special you do for Movie Night? I try to get everyone their favorite movie box snacks ahead of time for our Family Movie Nights. We make popcorn of course. We make sure the blinds are closed and every light in the house is off except for the light above the stove that filters into the living room just a bit. And I try to make sure all the throws from the living room that get thrown around and used frequently have all been washed and are fresh. That’s our routine. What’s yours?
Creative blessings,
Julia
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