180+ Best Movies to Watch with Your Buddies

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Plus, tons of fun facts from a film expert

Co-authored by Klarissa Beckstead and Dev Murphy, MA

Last Updated: September 22, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Movies about Friendship
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• Comedy
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• Romance
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• Horror
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• Classics
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• Cult Classics
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• Feel-Good
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• Kids' Movies
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• Video
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• Expert Q&A
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• Tips

|Show more |Show less

Hooray, movie night with the besties! Now to spend 40 minutes scrolling through Netflix and Hulu for something to watch (meanwhile, your popcorn's getting cold). Sometimes, having soooooo many options makes it harder to pick something—so we've done the hard work for you and narrowed down the thousands of films you could watch with your buds to more than 180 of our faves, from the feel-good to the feel-scared and everything in between, with commentary (and a few fun facts) by writer, editor, and film content creator Lexi Amoriello. We've included a few classics, but be prepared for some flicks you're not likely to find on other watch lists….

Our Favorite Movies to Watch with Friends

• Movies about friendship: Bottoms, Frances Ha, Friendship
• Comedy movies: The Big Lebowski, What About Bob?, Clueless
• Horror movies: Halloween, Candyman, Get Out
• Romance movies: When Harry Met Sally, Pride & Prejudice, Past Lives
• Cult classics: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Lisa Frankenstein, Donnie Darko
• Old classic movies: Casablanca, Psycho, Arsenic and Old Lace
• Kids' movies: Tangled, Babe, Spirited Away

Steps

Section 1 of 8:

Movies About Friendship to Watch with Pals

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   Shaun of the Dead (2004, dir. Edgar Wright) — This comedy-horror rode in on the wave of 2000s zombie flicks and has maintained cult classic status since. Comedic duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost play deadbeat besties who must fight off the growing army of undead that have begun to infiltrate London—it's the perfect silly (and gory) movie for BFFs to enjoy together.

   • Are zombie comedies your jam? Here are some other flicks you might love:
     • Zombieland
     • Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Lexi Amoriello is a writer, editor, and film content creator, as well as the founder of Movie Recs By Lex, where she specializes in personalized movie recommendations.
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   Superbad (2007, dir. Greg Mottola) — A classic coming-of-age buddy comedy, starring Michael Cera and Jonah Hill as codependent besties on a mission to throw an unforgettable graduation party…but separation anxiety (and a couple of cops) interfere.

   • Already seen Superbad a million times? Here are some movies with similar vibes:
     • Good Boys
     • Adventureland
     • Step Brothers
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   Frances Ha (2012, dir. Noah Baumbach) — A cozy, clever coming-of-age comedy…about people in their late twenties. Frances (played by a charming and pretentiously unpretentious Greta Gerwig) hops from apartment to apartment while looking for stable work as a dancer—and maybe true love. Meanwhile, she and BFF Sophie (Mickey Sumner) drift in and out of each other's lives. (With the bonus appearance of Adam Driver.)

   • Love Frances Ha? You might love these movies, too:
     • Mistress America (another Gerwig-Baumbach collab)
     • 20th Century Women (also stars Greta Gerwig!)
     • Lady Bird (directed by Gerwig)
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   Bottoms (2023, dir. Emma Seligman) — This unhinged and raunchy teen comedy tracks two high school lesbians and BFFs (Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri) who decide to start a girls' fight club as a scheme to meet and lose their virginity to hot cheerleaders.

   • Can't get enough of Bottoms? Try these movies with similar feels:
     • Shiva Baby (an earlier Seligman-Sennott collab)
     • Book Smart
     • Drive-Away Dolls
     • Broad City (OK, it's technically a TV show, but you'll probably dig it)
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   Friendship (2024, dir. Andrew DeYoung) — A24 doesI Think You Should Leave, essentially. The comedy-horror about male friendships in modern society (starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd) is so cringingly hilarious, it'll have you and your friends dying with laughter—and also wincing, probably?

   • Fun Fact: Though the jokes in the movie are sooooo Tim Robinson-coded, he actually had nothing to do with the script! Writer and director DeYoung did have him in mind when he wrote it, though.
   • Was Friendship right up your alley? Try these flicks next:
     • Beau Is Afraid (another deeply unsettling A24 horror-comedy)
     • The Banshees of Inisherin
     • I Love You, Man
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Section 2 of 8:

Comedy Movies to Watch with Friends

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   The Jerk (1979, dir. Carl Reiner) — The dumb-funny classic comedy stars Steve Martin as Navin, a less-than-intelligent man who grows up believing he is Black simply because he's been raised by a Black family—but he's actually white. When he realizes he's been adopted, he sets out to find himself. Chaos ensues.

   • Love Steve Martin in The Jerk? Make sure to add these movies to your list:
     • Roxanne
     • Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
     • Parenthood
   EXPERT TIP

   

   Lexi Amoriello

   Movie and Film Content Creator

   Lexi Amoriello is a writer, editor, and film content creator, as well as the founder of Movie Recs By Lex, where she specializes in personalized movie recommendations. Lexi has provided customized movie recommendations to over 4,000 people, based on their four favorite films on Letterboxd. She also reviews new releases, does deep dives about classic films, and creates a variety of film-related content. She studied screenwriting at the University of the Arts and earned a BA in English with a concentration in writing and a minor in film studies from William Paterson University. She also founded the New Jersey Film Critics Circle and was nominated for a Webby Award in 2025.

   

   Lexi Amoriello
   Movie and Film Content Creator

   I would definitely choose comedies with friends. Choose a movie that has a ton of jokes so if you miss one because someone's talking or laughing too hard, it's fine. I go for movies that are really rewatchable, like The Jerk.
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   The 'Burbs (1989, dir. Joe Dante) — When bored suburbanite Ray (Tom Hanks) suspects his new neighbors may be serial killers, he enlists his local bumbling buds to help him investigate, much to the chagrin of his wife (Carrie Fisher). It's kooky, it's dumb, and it's perfectly '80s.

   • This one almost made it to our "movies about friendship" category, since a central theme of the film is male friendships—and what it means (and doesn't mean) to protect your own.
   • If '80s and '90s comedies starring Tom Hanks are your thing, try these flicks:
     • Joe vs. the Volcano (another collab with Dante)
     • The Money Pit
     • Big
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   What About Bob (1991, dir. Frank Oz) — The inimitable Bill Murray stars in this goofy comedy about a jovial, quirky hypochondriac (Murray) who follows his egotistical psychiatrist, Dr. Marvin (Richard Dreyfuss) on a family vacation, unaware that his doctor wants nothing more than to be rid of him. Meanwhile, everyone else falls head over heels in love with Bob—including Dr. Marvin's wife and kids.

   • Did you love What About Bob? Try these similar films:
     • Death at a Funeral (another Oz comedy)
     • Groundhog Day (starring Murray, of course)
     • Scrooged (Murray again—it's technically a Christmas flick, but it's v watchable year-round)
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   Clueless (1995, dir. Amy Heckerling) — Based on Jane Austen's novelEmma, Clueless is a savvy contemporary (as of the '90s, anyway) take on a classic. Heckerling's coming-of-age comedy follows rich, shallow, and popular high schooler Cher (Alicia Silverstone), who decides to take new student Tai (Brittany Murphy) under her wing (read: give her a makeover and play matchmaker). Her plan backfires when Tai's popularity begins to overshadow Cher's own…and when Cher begins to fall for her holier-than-thou former step-brother, Josh (Paul Rudd).

   • Are contemporary comedies loosely based on classic lit your thing? Be sure to watch these:
     • 10 Things I Hate About You (based on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew)
     • Bridget Jones' Diary (based on the books by Helen Fielding, which were inspired by Austen's Pride and Prejudice)
     • She's the Man (based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night)
     • Anyone But You (based on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing)
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   The Big Lebowski (1998, dir. Joel and Ethan Coen) — Just about every "great films" list includesThe Great Lebowski, but we couldn't not include it on ours: it's got everything! Suspense, great acting, perfect writing, and of course, hilarity. The film follows chill burnout The Dude (played by Jeff Bridges) as he takes a reluctant journey through the LA underworld—all because he happens to share a name with a millionaire whose wife owes a lot of bad people a lot of money.

   • Fun Fact: Glenn Frey of the Eagles does not abide The Big Lebowski—or how the film turned his band into a punchline. Oops.
   • Do you abide The Big Lebowski? Try these other Coen films next:
     • Burn After Reading
     • Fargo
     • O Brother, Where Art Thou?
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   Nacho Libre (2006, dir. Jared Hess) — It was either this or Jared and Jerusha Hess'Napoleon Dynamite, but we felt we had to include their collab with The White Lotus' Mike White (as writer) and Jack Black (as the lead). Nacho Libre is the moving/dumb tale of a cook (played by Black) in a Mexican Catholic monastery who starts moonlighting as a luchador in order to raise money for the orphans who call the monastery home. Because fighting is forbidden by the church, he must keep his alter ego a secret.

   • Fun Fact: In case you couldn't tell, Jack Black completely improvised the song Nacho sings at the party.
   • Can't get enough Nacho Libre? Try these movies with similar vibes:
     • Napoleon Dynamite (obviously)
     • School of Rock (another White-Black collab)
     • Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
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Section 3 of 8:

Romantic Movies to Watch with Friends

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   When Harry Met Sally (1989, dir. Rob Reiner) — Based on the screenplay by Nora Ephron,When Harry Met Sally is widely considered to be the film that ushered in the most recent age of romantic comedies. It seeks to answer the question: Can men and women ever just be friends?

   • Love this movie? Check out these flicks with similar feels:
     • Serendipity
     • Moonstruck
     • My Best Friend's Wedding
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   You've Got Mail (1998, dir. Nora Ephron) — It's fun, it's flirty, it's nostalgic. No, we're not going to just fill out the romantic genre section of this article with Ephron movies, but wecould. You've Got Mail is an enemies-to-lovers rom-com about one woman's (Meg Ryan, obviously) efforts to save her indie bookstore when a big box store (Helmed by Tom Hanks) takes up shop a few blocks away.

   • You've Got Movie Suggestions! If you love You've Got Mail, try these:
     • The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch's 1940 film that inspired the Ephron classic)
     • Sleepless in Seattle (another Ephron-Ryan collab)
     • Notting Hill
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   Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, dir. Michael Gondry) — "It’s such a creative and emotional movie," Amoriello says of the Charlie Kaufman-written sci-fi romance. "It really hits when you’re going through a breakup and makes you appreciate the memories rather than wishing to erase them. But it also shows how we can be doomed to repeat mistakes."

   • Love Eternal Sunshine? Try these must-watches:
     • Being John Malkovich (another Kaufman classic)
     • Adaptation (also by Kaufman)
     • I Heart Huckabees
     • Everything Everywhere All at Once
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   Pride & Prejudice (2005, dir. Joe Wright) — Jane Austen's swoonworthy 1813 novel has not only inspired countless movie and film adaptations (the 2005 is our favorite); it's also responsible for numerous other romance classics, likeYou've Got Mail, The Philadelphia Story, Bridget Jones' Diary…basically, any enemies-to-lovers rom-com.

   • Mr. Darcy is often considered one of the hottest fictional characters in all of literature or film—if you haven't read Austen's classic novel or seen one of the many films, you're missing out!
   • Love Pride & Prejudice? Check out our other fave Austen adaptations:
     • Pride and Prejudice (1995—we know, it's a miniseries, but we can't not mention it)
     • Northanger Abbey (2007)
     • Persuasion (2007)
     • Emma (2020)
     • Austenland (not a direct adaptation of any Austen work, but delicious and frothy fun for any fan—and it guest-stars Jennifer Coolidge)
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   Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019, dir. Céline Sciamma) — This romantic drama is another of Amoriello's go-tos. Portrait of a Lady is the story of a young daughter of a countess in 1770s France who enters a relationship with the female artist commissioned to paint her wedding portrait.

   • Enjoyed this movie? We think you'll also love these:
     • Ammonite
     • Disobedience
     • Collette
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   Past Lives (2023, dir. Celine Song) — A dreamy romantic drama about the choices we make—and the ones we leave behind. Song's debut stars Greta Lee as Nora, a young South Korean woman who loses touch with her childhood sweetheart after her family immigrates to the U.S.—only to be reunited decades later for a single week, in which they reflect on notions of fate, destiny, and soul mates. Have tissues ready for everyone.

   • Loved Past Lives? We think you'll love these other movies:
     • Materialists (Song's sophomore film—and it's a romcom, sorta)
     • The Before series (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight)
     • Moonlight
     • The Theory of Everything
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Section 4 of 8:

Horror Movies to Watch with Friends

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   Halloween (1978, dir. John Carpenter) — Jamie Lee Curtis stars in her debut film about a babysitter who's stalked by a psycho killer in a mask: the infamous Michael Myers. If you're feeling particularly ~spooky~ and you've got loads of time on your hands, why not watch all 13 movies in the franchise?

   • Fun fact: Amoriello shares, "The Michael Myers mask in Halloween was originally a Captain Kirk mask—probably William Shatner as Captain Kirk—painted white."
   • Love Halloween? Already watched the sequels and spin-offs? Already seen A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Scream? Try these spooky-fun flicks:
     • Drag Me to Hell
     • Black Christmas
     • The Monkey
     • Heart Eyes
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   Alien (1979, dir. Ridley Scott) — The one that kicked off a whole decades-long franchise! Sigourney Weaver is a bad*ss in this suspenseful sci-fi-horror movie about a commercial starship crew who are awakened from cryo-sleep when they hear a distress call from another ship. All they find on the ship is a nest of alien eggs—and when one of them hatches, the real trouble starts.

   • Are space horrors your jam? Try these movies (after you complete the Alien series):
     • Solaris (1972)
     • Sunshine
     • Moon
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   Candyman (1992, dir. Bernard Rose) — Clive Barker's horror-dramaCandyman tells the story of grad student Helen Lyle, who's writing her thesis on urban legends and folklore—including the legend of the Candyman, the hook-handed ghost of an African American artist and son of a slave, who was murdered in the late 1800s…and who is said to appear whenever his name is recited five times in front of the mirror. If you're feeling brave, try chanting his name yourself (or dare your friends to do it instead).

   • Fun fact (and possible spoiler): "Tony Todd earned $1,000 for every bee sting he got while filming Candyman," Amoriello tells us. Apparently, he was stung 27 times!
   • Love this movie? Check out these other spook-tastic films:
     • The Frighteners
     • Talk to Me
     • The Invitation
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   Black Swan (2010, dir. Darren Aronofsky) —Black Swan is "a psychological horror film about a woman named Nina, a perfectionist with an overbearing mother," Amoriello explains. "She’s cast as the lead in Swan Lake and wants to perfect both the white swan and black swan roles…. [T]he whole movie is essentially her having a psychological breakdown in her pursuit of perfection. It’s mostly a metaphor—or an allegory—for that breakdown."

   • Can't get enough? Try these movies that have similar vibes to Black Swan:
     • Mother
     • I'm Thinking of Ending Things
     • The Killing of a Sacred Dear
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   Get Out (2017, dir. Jordan Peele) — In this horror-comedy, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a young Black man, is invited by his white girlfriend on a weekend getaway to visit her entire family. Sound awkward? Just you wait. The microaggressions Chris notices and brushes aside early on in the visit compound and become increasingly disturbing, culminating in a truly chaotic and shocking finale.

   • Did Get Out thrill and spook you? Try these other Peele creations:
     • Nope
     • Us
     • Candyman (2021—Peele didn't direct, but he produced it)
     • Key & Peele (for levity)
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Section 5 of 8:

Classic Old Movies to Watch with Friends

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   It Happened One Night (1934, dir. Frank Capra) — Commonly cited as the mother of all romcoms, this enemies-to-lovers classic stars Claudette Colbert as a young, spoiled heiress who impulsively marries a scheming man her father disapproves of. When he separates the two, she must travel back roads to reunite with her new husband—alongside a cynical, down-on-his-luck reporter (played by Clark Gable), who agrees to help her on the condition that she let him write an exclusive story on her. Naturally, sparks begin to fly between them.

   • Fun Fact: It Happened One Night was the first of only three films (including #One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Silence of the Lambs) to win all five major Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
   • Bonus Fun Fact: The way Clark Gable eats a carrot in this movie served as the inspiration for Bugs Bunny—and led to the myth that rabbits love carrots.
   • Did this movie check your boxes? Try these similar flicks:
     • The Philadelphia Story
     • You Can't Take It With You
     • Roman Holiday
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   Casablanca (1943, dir. Michael Curtiz) — "This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." This moving romantic drama—commonly listed as one of the greatest films in history—stars Humphrey Bogart as American expat Rick, a cynical night club owner in WWII-era Morocco (filmedduring WWII, too). When his old flame and her rebel husband, a Czechoslovak resistance leader, show up with Nazis on their tail, he's forced to choose between his love for her and helping her husband.

   • Casablanca might be one of the best movies ever made—but these other Bogart classics come pretty close:
     • The Maltese Falcon
     • The Big Sleep
     • Key Largo
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   Arsenic and Old Lace (1944, dir. Frank Capra) — Cary Grant stars in this chaotic farce about a man who ties the knot on Halloween—and when he visits his sweet but eccentric elderly aunts to deliver the news, he discovers a dead body in their window seat. Who put it there? With his serial killer brother, his brother's henchman, and his insane uncle breathing down his neck, not to mention his two sweet but unhinged aunts, he finds it hard to keep the truth from his new wife: his family is crazy.

   • Pro tip: If a movie's old, it might be available to stream free on YouTube. "I definitely don’t look for new movies on YouTube," Amoriello says. "The links are always fake. You can usually tell by the thumbnail. But there are lots of older movies available for free. Just type the name in, and it’ll probably be one of the top results."
   • "Check that the video is over an hour," she continues. "If the thumbnail looks too perfect, it's probably fake. If it looks like it’s just from the middle of the movie and they didn’t upload a custom thumbnail, those are usually real. I don’t know why that is."
   • Loved Arsenic and Old Lace? Try these other Cary Grant comedies:
     • Charade (with Audrey Hepburn—a perfect film)
     • Bringing Up Baby (with Katharine Hepburn!)
     • His Girl Friday
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   Psycho (1960, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) — This drama-thriller follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a woman on the lam after stealing $40,000. She stops at the empty old Bates Motel in the middle of the night, where she meets the polite but tense proprietor, Norman Bates—who has an unusual relationship with his mother. Cue the shrieking strings. If you haven't seen this one, you mightfeel like you don't need to—it's been referenced and parodied to death. But we're telling you: you need to see it.

   • Fun Fact: "Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho was the first American film to feature a flushing toilet on screen," Amoriello says. So there you go.
   • Have you seen these other Hitchcock classics?
     • Rear Window
     • Shadow of a Doubt
     • The Birds
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   Irma La Douce (1963, dir. Billy Wilder) — A bawdy, unhinged (and mostly family-friendly, despite the plot) rom-com about a disgraced former police officer (played by Jack Lemmon) who falls in love with a Parisian sex worker (Shirley MacLaine) and must devise a way to keep her all to himself—going so far as to disguise himself as a wealthy old man who becomes her sole client. Naturally, trouble ensues.

   • Love Irma La Douce as much as we do? These other movies might be worth checking out:
     • The Apartment (another Wilder-Lemmon-MacLaine collab, though this one is notably less unhinged)
     • Some Like It Hot (another Wilder-Lemmon collab—and it's just as kooky as Irma)
     • Avanti! (another Wilder-Lemmon collab)
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Section 6 of 8:

Cult Classic Movies to Watch with Friends

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   The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975, dir. Jim Sharman) — The mother of all cult classics!Rocky Horror is a bizarre comedy-musical about two innocent sweethearts, Janet (Susan Sarandon) and Brad (Barry Bostwick), whose car breaks down, leaving them forced to seek refuge in the spooky mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a transvestite scientist and inventor: his latest creation? A very muscular man named Rocky. Sound weird enough yet? Trust us, it gets weirder—you'll just have to watch it (if you haven't seen this classic already).

   • Rocky Horror is one of a kind—but these movies might scratch a similar itch:
     • Repo! The Genetic Opera
     • Death Becomes Her
     • Clue (if you need more Tim Curry in your life)
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   Labyrinth (1986, dir. Jim Henson) — Jennifer Connelly and David Bowie in a Henson-directed fantasy-musical—need we say more? Fine: Connelly stars as an imaginative teenager who, frustrated with having to babysit her baby brother, wishes the goblin king (Bowie) would come and take him away. And then…that's exactly what happens.

   • If you're a Labyrinth stan like we are, you'll probably love these movies too:
     • Legend
     • The NeverEnding Story
     • Howl's Moving Castle
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   The Princess Bride (1987, dir. Rob Reiner)— This funny, romantic, magical, and ultimately genre-defying movie based on William Goldman's novel is a huge crowd pleaser. It follows a beautiful woman (Robin Wright) in a mythical kingdom who must reunite with her true love (Cary Elwes)—and then battle various evils in order to stay together.

   • The Princess Bride is what brings us together today…but these films are also worth your time:
     • Robin Hood: Men in Tights
     • A Knight's Tale
     • Stardust
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   Donnie Darko (2001, dir. Richard Kelly) — This quirky, funny, and mind-bending drama-thriller stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a jaded teenage boy who survives a freak accident—and finds he now possesses hidden knowledge of the universe, including the power to control time and alter fate.

   • Love Donnie Darko? Try these films next:
     • Triangle
     • Interstellar
     • It Follows
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   Lisa Frankenstein (2024, dir. Zelda Williams) — Is it presumptuous to call a movie from 2024 a cult classic? We don't think so. This teen horror-comedy—the directorial debut of Zelda Williams (aka, Robin Williams' brilliant daughter) and written byJuno and Jennifer's Body screenwriter Diablo Cody—serves as a parodic homage to '80s and '90s teen flicks, but the result is something totally original and, frankly, unhinged. Don't miss this one.

   • If you loved LF, resurrect these timeless classics that inspired it:
     • Heathers
     • Edward Scissorhands
     • Beetlejuice
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Section 7 of 8:

Feel-Good Movies to Watch with Friends

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   Practical Magic (1998, dir. Griffin Dunne) — This perfectly whimsigothic comedy-drama stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witches living in a sleepy seaside town—what more could you ask for? The two play sisters Sally (Bullock) and Gillian (Kidman) who avoid practicing their craft…until Gillian's boyfriend dies unexpectedly, and they must resurrect him from the dead to keep the hot investigating police officer's (Aidan Quinn) suspicions at bay.

   • Need more feel-good fantasy flicks? Try these next:
     • Matilda
     • Bewitched
     • Ella Enchanted
     • The Witches of Eastwick
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   The Parent Trap (1998) — Let's be real, this whole list could be Nancy Meyers films, but we're being selective.The Parent Trap is not only a cozy feel-good movie, it's also fam-friendly and features a young Lindsay Lohan acting her heart out as a pair of separated-at-birth twins who must persuade their parents to give love another go. You thought Rob Pattinson was good in Mickey 17? Just you wait.

   • Bonus: The Parent Trap soundtrack is just chef's kiss. You and your friends will be singing Nat King Cole's "L-O-V-E" for the rest of the week.
   • L is for the way we look at these movies with Parent Trap vibes:
     • It Takes Two (basically the same movie, but with the Olsens)
     • Life-Size
     • Freaky Friday
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   The Devil Wears Prada (2006, dir. David Frankel) —DWP often gets erroneously lumped in with the romcoms, when there's really very little rom (but there's a whole lot of com). Everyone's fave, Anne Hathaway, stars as Andy, a recent grad looking for a career in journalism…only to be hired as assistant to the diabolical head of Runway magazine, Miranda Priestly (played by the fab Meryl Streep). Will she survive a year as Miranda's whipping girl?

   • The Devil Wears Prada? Groundbreaking. Try these similar flicks next:
     • 13 Going on 30
     • Two Weeks Notice
     • The Proposal
     • The Intern (basically DWP, but more subdued and with an older Hathaway)
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   Julie and Julia (2009) — OK, we spoke too soon when we said Nancy Meyers could make up this whole list, because Nora Ephron is right up there with her. The comedy-dramaJulie and Julia is one of the coziest movies ever created (as basically any movie about a writer living in NYC in the 1990s or 2000s is).

   • Plus? There's Meryl Streep as Julia Child. Plus plus? There's lots of cooking. Can it get cozier?
   • Love this movie? Try these other cozy food-related films:
     • The Taste of Things
     • Chocolate
     • Chef
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   The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) — Ben Stiller stars in this cozy comedy-adventure-fantasy about a guy who's worked for decades in a dull job atLife magazine—surviving his daily monotony via his vivid daydreams. When he misplaces a photo for the magazine, he's forced to travel the world to find the photographer and actually become the man he is in his daydreams.

   • Did you like this one? Try these other movies with similar vibes:
     • Big Fish
     • Midnight in Paris
     • Eat Pray Love
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Section 8 of 8:

Kids' Movies to Watch with Friends

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   Hook (1991, dir. Steven Spielberg) — What if Peter Pan grew up…and became a lawyer? This magical family film stars Robin Williams as a middle-aged Peter Pan who must return to Never Land to rescue his own son and daughter, who have been abducted by Captain Hook (played by Dustin Hoffman).

   • Try these other magical children's movies with similar vibes:
     • Peter Pan (2004)
     • The Secret Garden
     • The Borrowers
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   Babe (1995, dir. Chris Noonan) — Sweet, silly, heartfelt, and super cozy. (It features a talking pig, come on!) The story: sweet Farmer Hoggett wins a piglet at the fair. The piglet—Babe—avoids being eaten for Christmas dinner when Hoggett decides to show him at the fair the following year. But after Babe bonds with a motherly border collie named Fly, he learns he might actually make a pretty good sheepdog. But will the sheep—not to mention the other animals on Hoggett's farm, and Hoggett himself—accept Babe's new role?

   • Need more movies like Babe in your life? Try these other '90s animal classics:
     • Mouse Hunt
     • Black Beauty
     • Fly Away Home
     • Stuart Little (fun fact: the screenplay was written by none other than M. Night Shyamalan!)
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   Spirited Away (2001) — Commonly cited as one of the greatest films of the twenty-first century, Hayao Miyazaki'sSpirited Away is a cozy, family-friendly movie that's gorgeously animated. It tells the fantastical coming-of-age story of a young girl, Chihiro, who must summon all her courage and wits to navigate a spirit bath house so she can free her parents, who have been turned into pigs. As one does.

   • Love Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli? Try these other animated masterpieces:
     • Kiki's Delivery Service
     • Princess Mononoke
     • The Boy and the Heron
4. 
   4
   Night at the Museum (2006, dir. Shawn Levy) — This family-friendly comedy-adventure stars Ben Stiller as a semi-deadbeat dad who lands a job as a night guard at the Museum of Natural History—only to realize the exhibits come to life at night. Bonus: Robin Williams stars as Teddy Roosevelt (rather, a Teddy Roosevelt figure)!

   • Enjoyed this one? We think you'll like these too:
     • National Treasure
     • Scooby Doo
     • Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
5. 
   5
   Tangled (2010, dir. Nathan Greno) — Disney's take on Rapunzel follows a handsome bandit named Flynn Rider who hides out in an old tower—only to be taken hostage by its inhabitant, Rapunzel. Rapunzel wants nothing more than to be free from her tower—so the two strike a deal. It's fun, it's musical, it's pretty to look at, and it includes a sassy romance. What more could you want?

   • Fun Fact: In order to guarantee Flynn Rider was as handsome as possible, the animators held a "hot man meeting," where they invited women from all over the studio to weigh in on different character designs.
   • Did you know that Tangled's Flynn Rider is one of wikiHow readers' top "hear me out" characters? Check out our breakdown of the most popular "hear me out" characters, according to wH users—or complete the analyzer yourself to have your votes counted!
   • Love Tangled? Try these similar movies:
     • Frozen
     • Brave
     • Moana
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• Question

  How do we decide on a movie to watch?

  

  Nicole Favarelli
  Film and Video Director and Branded Content Creator

  Nicole Favarelli is a film and video director and branded content creator based in London, England. With over 6 years of experience, Nicole specializes in blending psychological horror with emotionally driven storytelling. Nicole’s work explores trauma, isolation, grief and more. Some of her award-winning shorts include Chocolate Tronchetto (2022), The Boogeyman (2021), and Vakuum (2019), and her work has screened at festivals including the BAFTA-qualifying Bolton Film Festival. Nicole also has diverse experience in digital and branded content creation, delivering end-to-end campaigns for platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. In 2021, Nicole received her BA in Directing for Film and Television from MetFilm School in London.

  

  Nicole Favarelli

  Film and Video Director and Branded Content Creator

  Expert Answer

  I think the best way to pick a movie is to consider the mood or theme of the night. Is it Halloween? Then let's go with a classic haunted house film. Is it Christmas? Something heartwarming. Or is it just a regular Friday night? That's where I try to be more strategic. I'll ask my friends for their top three favorite movies. That gives me a good idea of their taste. If they mention introspective Russian cinema, I know I can suggest a more layered psychological film. But if they're more into something like 'Top Gun' or 'Mean Girls,' my suggestions would be totally different. It's about finding that common ground and making sure everyone has a good time!

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• Every hangout is more fun when there's a theme—so why not center your movie night around the flick you're going to watch? For instance, have your guests come in fantastical costume for a Labyrinth or Princess Bride viewing, or serve a Julia Child recipe for a Julie & Julia night.
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