Movie nights are fantastic. There’s no doubt about it. Gathering your best friends and snacking, while watching some of your favorite movies is a great way to have a lazy night over a weekend. If you want to still have a fun time like you would if you were downtown Iowa City at the bars, it’s easy to find a drink that fits into the genre of movie that you’re all watching. Check out the pairings below to start planing your next movie night.
Horror Movies: Chianti or a Bloody Mary
In honor of Silence of the Lambs, chianti–an Italian red wine–is on this list. As Hannibal Lector explains to Clarice, “A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.” It’s an iconic quote from an iconic horror movie, and this wine will go well with whatever horror movie you’re watching (especially if it’s Silence of the Lambs).
However, if you’re not in the mood for some wine while huddling under your blankets in fear, go for a Bloody Mary. I mean, come on. It has “bloody” in the name.
Classic Movies: Manhattans
Classic movies have a certain charm about them: there’s fancy dresses, musical numbers, dancing, basically everything you dream your real life could be. Manhattans also feel overly fancy because of their association with New York City and living a rich life. You can learn how to make one here.
Action Movies: Martinis
You can’t watch an action movie without paying homage to one of the genre’s best-known characters: James Bond. Even if you don’t want your martini shaken like he does, they’re still delicious and will make you feel like a high-end spy. Check out how to make a martini here.
Sport Movies: Beer
Who doesn’t love a good underdog story, and who doesn’t want to watch a team win? Drinking beer while watching a sports movie is kind of like tailgating on your couch, and you don’t really have to socialize (everybody wins!).
Romantic Movies: Red Wine
Red wines, in my opinion, are the more serious and “adult” wines, and will go perfectly with the seriousness of many different romantic movies. With a red wine, you can cry when the main character gets her heart broken and you can rejoice when the couple finally admits their love for each other.
Comedies: Flavored mixed drinks
Who doesn’t love a good laugh? Many people feel like everything’s a little bit funnier after they’ve had a drink or two, and, when they’re fun drinks, like a flavored vodka lemonade or something similar, you’ll feel good the entire time you’re drinking it and watching the movie. It’s a win-win situation.
Romantic comedies: White Wines and Rosé
Like I mentioned above, red wines feel more serious and adult, while white wines feel more fun and young, which goes perfectly with rom-coms. Even though there are still many romantic aspects of rom-coms, you’ll still find yourself bursting into laughter at all the mayhem that occurs during the movie.