Ideas, recipes and more on how to host the best movie night with your friends!

PICK A THEME
It’s fun to pick a theme and go with it! Once you have your theme down, get creative with drinks, food and movie selections.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun: If you’re planning on just having your girlfriends over, this is the obviously the best theme. The movies you’ll want to pick are romances, dramas and musicals – the best chick flicks. Grab Sex and the City, Mean Girls and The Notebook. And don’t be afraid to bring out the guilty pleasures: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Clueless and Bring it On.

And the Oscar Goes to…: Dedicate a night to finally watching those Oscar-winning films you never saw, and find out what makes them so good. Watch the recent best picture winners (Argo, The Artist), popular winners (Titanic, Forrest Gump) and the classics (Rocky, The Godfather).

Simply Sporty: Hollywood has released some epic sports-themed movies over the years: A League of their Own, Rudy, Jerry Maguire, Remember the Titans, Bend it Like Beckham, The Waterboy – the list goes on! Grab your favorite sports movies, whether they’re recent releases or from your childhood (Space Jam anyone??)

SERVE THE GOODS
No party is complete without great bites to eat!

Chocolate Fondue
Nothing is yummier (and easier) than chocolate fondue at home with your girls in front of the TV! Use this recipe from celebrations.com:

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh strawberries
Pound cake, cubed
Banana slices
Marshmallows

Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a glass bowl fitted over a pot of hot, but not boiling water. Slowly stir in your heavy cream. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is completely melted but relatively thick for about 5 minutes. Serve in a bowl over a hot plate immediately with fresh fruit, pound cake and other dippers.

Salmon and Caviar Blini
While watching your Oscar films, dine as if you and your guests are movie stars as well! This recipe from Serious Eats is fit for the rich and fabulous.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted (plus extra for buttering griddle)
pinch of salt
1 ounce caviar
4 ounces smoked salmon
1/2 cup crème fraiche

Combine flour, milk, 1/2 cup melted butter and pinch of salt, and whisk. Preheat griddle or skillet over medium high heat and brush with additional melted butter. Pour about a tablespoon of batter onto preheated skillet, flip once brown, and repeat with remaining batter. When ready to serve, distribute salmon, caviar and crème fraiche over all blini.

Manchego Cheese and Garlic Hot Dogs
Hot dogs are common at almost every sporting event. Give your average dog a twist with this recipe from Bon Appétit!

2 large heads garlic, top 1/2 inch cut off
5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup roasted red peppers from jar, drained and diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Coarse kosher salt
Pepper to taste
6 grilled hot dog buns
6 grilled all-beef hot dogs
2 ounces Manchego or hot pepper cheese
Sherry wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

To prepare the relish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place each head of garlic, cut side up, in center of square of foil; drizzle each with 1 teaspoon oil. Enclose garlic in foil. Place packets on oven rack; roast until garlic is tender, about 45 minutes. Open packets; cool 15 minutes. Squeeze garlic cloves into small bowl. Mash enough to measure 1/4 cup (reserve remaining garlic for another use). Transfer to bowl. Mix in 3 teaspoons oil, red pepper and parsley. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Arrange the hot dog buns on plates. Top each with grilled hot dog, cheese, garlic relish and drizzle of vinegar.

POUR IT UP!
And lastly, try fun and creative cocktails to pair with your theme.

Ciroc Sangre
Wine and chocolate always go together and are perfect for a girls' night in, but switch it up a bit – add vodka!

3/4 ounce Ciroc Vodka
3/4 ounce BV Napa Valley Port
Splash of Grand Marnier
Dash of fresh lemon juice

Shake all ingredients together with ice, and then strain onto fresh ice. Garnish with a slice each of apple and orange.

The Celebration Cocktail
Grey Goose ® came up with a 2013 Awards Season Collection, including this bubbly drink fit for the Oscars.

1 ½ arts GREY GOOSE® Cherry Noir
½ part ST-GERMAIN® Liqueur
½ part fresh Lemon Juice
1 part pomegranate Juice
1 splash champagne

Combine first four ingredients in a shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a champagne glass. Top with champagne and present with a cherry.

Beer
Seriously, just beer. You don’t need to get fancy for a sports movie-viewing party. Pick a great beer that you and your buds will love. Our recommendations: Corona, Red Stripe, Shocktop and/or Samuel Adams.