20 Best Movies to Watch with Friends in 2023
We all love watching movies, so it is a great idea to call your friends and organize a watch party. After you have decided who to call, you need to arrange what to eat and drink, and after that, the most important and probably hardest part comes – movies. But don’t worry, we got you covered because, in this article, we have made a list of the best movies to watch with your friends.
We got you covered with comedy movies to cry your eyes out from laughing, zombie/comedy combinations that don’t need a lot of thinking, just blood, gore, occasional jump scare, and fun, some mind-bending movies, the best party superhero movies, some epics and the real horror deal to sh** your pants off.
Without further ado, choose your poison from below and have fun at your watch party.
List of Best Movies to Watch with Friends
The Hangover (2009)
Starsky & Hutch and Old School director Todd Phillips is behind this hilarious comedy that shows us the aftermath of a crazy weekend in Las Vegas. Former boxing star Mike Tyson also appears in one of the smaller roles.
Two days before his wedding, Doug (Justin Bartha) goes to Las Vegas with his two best friends Phil and Stu (Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms) and future brother-in-law Alan (Zach Galifianakis) for a crazy bachelor party that all four swore to he will never forget her. However, when the three guys wake up the next morning with an unremembered hangover, none of them can remember anything. Their hotel suite is completely destroyed, and the groom Doug is literally nowhere to be found!
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
First of all, it is hilarious and crazy fun. Second, well those are four friends that have lost one partying like crazy. If that is not enough for you, The Hangover has an amazing cast, luxury locations, tiger, and if we didn’t mention it, they party like there is no tomorrow. Also, if you and your friends find it good for a party watch, you can always continue with its two sequels.
Zombieland (2009)
Zombieland, a post-apocalyptic horror comedy with a fantastic cast set by Woody Harrelson, is the feature debut of director Ruben Fleischer. The screenplay for the film was written by longtime collaborators Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.
The plot of this horror-comedy follows two men who have found a way to survive in a world flooded with zombies. Columbus is a big puss – but when you are in danger of being eaten by zombies, fear can save your life. Tallahassee, an aggressive zombie killer, has only one wish – to eat the last chocolate bar on Earth. When Wichita and Little Rock join them, who themselves have found unique ways to survive in the zombie empire, they will have to decide which is worse – help each other or surrender to zombies.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
One more hilarious film on our list, this time full of zombies, gore, and even some scares from time to time. It is a great watch with friends. You will either be laughing out loud, shudder at the bloody scenes, or even be scared sometimes. What more would you need from a watch party.
Pirates of the Caribbean (Movie Series)
Pirates of the Caribbean is a multi-million dollar Disney franchise that includes a drive of the same name at Disneyland Park, a series of movies, books, comics, as well as several video games. There are five movies in the Pirates series – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017).
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
Pirates of the Caribbean is an amazing movie series as well as one of the most fun adventures ever. It would be an amazing watch party to go with your friends on a Pirate adventure. Start with the first one, and see where this amazing cast, lead by the one and only “Captain” Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) will lead you. Great cast, fun adventures, very funny, and with some great visual and audio effects.
The Fast and the Furious (Movie Series)
The Fast and the Furious is a media franchise focusing on a series of action movies that have started around illegal street racing, heists, and spies, but went much, much further. The franchise also includes short films, a television series, live shows, video games, and theme park attractions.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
Fast cars, hot men and women, action all around, what’s not to love. That said, I would keep myself only on the first part from 2001. Still, all the movies offer amazing fun and action, and if you and your friends have time, go all the way! Who knows when and where it will end (a party and the movies).
Project X (2012)
We can expect only the best entertainment from the Hangover director. This time they take us into the world of the craziest teenage parties. Three high school seniors are throwing a birthday party to make them popular. As the night progresses, things spiral out of control, and word of a good party spreads quickly.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
Well, this is almost everything every teenager wants! And hope it never ends. One of the funniest movies ever. It has a lot, and I mean a lot of booze, horny teenagers, crazy party, midget, and who knows what else! This is a great choice to watch with your friends.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
This terrifying story of a serial killer who finds new prey in his dreams is the first part of a cult horror series that has won audiences around the world. Director Wes Craven (“Last House on the Left,” “Hills Have Eyes”) created one of the most famous villains of all time, Freddy Krueger.
Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) notices that she, like several of her friends, is increasingly having frightening nightmares in which she is chased by an unknown man armed with a glove with sharp knives. When the first victims begin to appear, Nancy realizes that the unknown killer is becoming more and more powerful, so she decides to pull him out of a dream to finally stop him.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
This movie is scary as it is fun to watch. When it got out, it was really scary, now, it is more a fun to watch with friends. You have one of the best horror villains of all time, Freddy Krueger, stocking teenagers in their dreams. They will do anything not to fall asleep! Gather your friends, make popcorns, ready some drinks, and remember, don’t fall asleep, because some scary things could happen!
Also, don’t forget, there are multiple sequels if you wish for more.
Scream (1996)
The movie Scream debuted in theaters in 1996, directed by horror master Wes Craven. Before the release of the film, no one could have imagined that this film would become one of the most successful horror films of all time.
Campbell’s mother was killed a year ago, but now two more similar murders are taking place, and she is beginning to suspect that they are the same killer. Everyone is in fear because the killer can be anyone and anyone can become the next victim. Campbell becomes the target of a serial killer who terrorizes his victims through phone calls. The main reporter is determined to find out the truth. In his research, he concludes that this is the same killer who raped and killed Campbell’s mother a year earlier. Her boyfriend becomes the prime suspect.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
One more amazing slasher horror on our list. Again, teenage friends are in trouble, this time from something more real, a crazy serial killer. They all seem guilty, but can you guess who is behind the mask? This tense movie will keep you and your friends on your toes the whole time.
What’s even better, if you liked it, and want more, there are multiple sequels, parodies, and similar movies, like I Know What You Did Last Summer and its sequels.
The Dark Knight Trilogy
Bruce Wayne, also known by his vigilante persona Batman, is a fictional character who is the main protagonist in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy of superhero films, based on the DC Comics character of the same name, created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.
The Dark Knight trilogy offers a full realistic arc of the character and this is just the way the director Christopher Nolan wanted to show probably the most popular superhero of all time.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
If you and your friends have time and love superheroes, then this trilogy is the right choice for your watch party. By far the best Batman movie ever, and for me the best Bruce Wayne ever, and certainly one of the best superhero movies ever made (some would say for The Dark Knight that it still is the best). Full of action from beginning to end, it is ideal to keep you awake for a long time.
The Lord of the Rings (Extended Movie Series)
The Lord of the Rings is an American film fantasy-adventure series filmed in three parts and shown in cinemas between 2001 and 2003.
The series is a film adaptation of the sci-fi novel The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien which also consists of three parts: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return of the King (2003). The film adaptation follows the plot of the novel, but there are also some deviations from the literary template, which aimed to retain the dramatic charge, a broader profile of some characters (Arwen, Saruman), and the realization of the linearity of the plot.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
Well, it is probably the best movie trilogy ever made. If you are in the mood to watch something really amazing, even though you have probably watched it multiple times, then go with LOTR, and choose the Extended version. Still, be aware, that you will need a really long time to watch all Lord of the Rings movies, especially the Extended edition.
Deadpool (2016)
He is a superhero… but a different kind of superhero. The sci-fi action-adventure DEADPOOL is based on Marvel’s most unusual antihero Wade Wilson!
Deadpool began life as Wade Wilson, an elite Special Forces operative who turned into a mercenary. When he discovers his own disease is in the terminal phase, he decides to access a secret experimental program. Subjected to an experiment that should not have happened, Wade discovers his new super-powers of accelerated healing and becomes his alter ego Deadpool. Armed, with newly acquired skills and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool sets out in search of the man who nearly destroyed him.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
Well, Deadpool is a superhero movie made for parties, full of laughs, action, and Merc with a Mouth! It is all fun and action from the beginning to the end. It won’t ever leave you out of action and sleepy. And if one Deadpool is not enough for you, there is a sequel to continue the party.
Love Actually (2003)
The new British Prime Minister, bachelor David, falls in love with assistant Natalie. The Prime Minister’s older sister Karen is aware that her husband Harry has an affair with a colleague from work, the young and seductive Mio.
Karen’s friend Daniel has remained a widower, and his 11-year-old son Sam wants to know all about love because he likes the girl from school. The writer Jamie leaves the girl when he catches her cheating on him and travels to France to write in peace but falls in love with a housekeeper, the Portuguese Aurelia, who does not know a word of English.
Harry’s secretary Sarah is extremely shy, and she desperately wants a relationship with a colleague from the office, the young and handsome Karl. Jamie’s friend Juliet has just married Peter, but Peter’s best friend Mark is behaving very strangely. Eccentric rock star Billy Mack is in an unusual relationship with his manager.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
“Love Actually” is a charming and intelligent love comedy, without a cynical twist, intended for romantics who never have too many happy endings. Love in many of its forms and excellent actors and interesting characters from the beginning to the end of the film intrigue and attract the viewers, drawing them into the magical world of love.
Richard Curtis, the screenwriter of the most successful contemporary British comedies (I Believe in Love, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Mr. Bean, The Black Snake, Bridget Jones 1 and 2), is responsible for the sharp and finely nuanced humor.
If you and your party of friends are more into romantic comedies, then Love Actually is the right movie for your watch party.
The Goonies (1985)
A great adventure film, a lavish spectacle for children and the whole family that enchants the imagination, extremely tense, fun, and witty. Otherwise known as the director of the big action hits “Deadly Weapon” and the horror “Premonition”, Richard Donner excelled in the role of director of a children’s film, which is not so unusual because this, like all Donner’s stories, is actually a story about a good fight. and evil.
Mikey and Brandon Walsh are brothers whose family, along with others from the neighborhood, will soon have to move because the land has caught the eye of greedy corrupt people from a corporation that wants to do golf at the site terrain. When Mikey and his friends find an old dusty map in the attic, it turns out that it is real and can indeed lead them to a missing treasure that belonged to the cruel pirate One-Eyed Will back in the 17th century.
Driven by the idea that with this money they could save the neighborhood from demolition, they go in search and find the entrance to the cave, which is located just below the house where dangerous criminals are hiding, the Fratelli family.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
This movie is firstly made for kids and families, so if you and your watch party belong to one of those two, then this movie is an amazing adventure that you just need to see if you still haven’t.
Still, even if you are older, this movie is a fun adventure to watch, especially if you have watched it as a kid. There are soma amazing characters in the movie, and it is great to see the big bad of the MCU, Thanos itself, when he was young.
Superbad (2007)
Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin) and Evan Goldberg (Knocked Up) bring us another hilarious comedy in their distinctive style. Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) has joined the duo again but this time as a film producer.
Two high school students Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill) try to get with the girls before they graduate. The opportunity for that is given to them when the most popular girls at school invite them to a party on the occasion of finishing school. But on one condition, they require the two of them to get booze which is a problem because they are both minors.
They are helped by their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), an even bigger nerd than the two of them who gets a fake ID. But while he is buying booze, a thief bursts into the store, the police arrive and problems begin that dangerously threaten Evan and Seth’s plan to lose their virginity.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
Extra horny teenagers called to a party and only need to get the booze, well what could get wrong?! You will cry laughing while watching this crazy party movie. If you want crazy fun and hilarious teen movie, look no further.
Bridesmaids (2011)
Produced by Judd Apatow, who has brought us some of the best comedies of the last 10 years or so, another fantastic comedy with heart and soul arrives that was a big hit when it hit theaters.
Annie is in her late 30s and – unmarried. After her confectionery business failed, she lost all her property, and soon her boyfriend. She is now forced to sell jewelry and live with unbearable roommate Gil and his sister Brynn. After a business collapse, Annie no longer harbors hope that one day she will revive her dream business. Her love sympathies are now turned to Ted, who is so preoccupied with himself that he barely notices her.
The only light in that life tunnel is her best friend Lillian, who just got engaged and asked Annie to be her godmother. At the engagement party, Annie also meets the bridesmaids – the cynical cousin Rita, the naive friend Becca, the vulgar sister of the groom Megan, and the rich and beautiful wife of the groom’s boss, Helen.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
Bridesmaids is fun from beginning to end. You will laugh your ass out. You can call this a women version of The Hangover. The cast is amazing, the characters are great, so many jokes and everything in between. An amazing movie to watch with your friends, and don’t think it is only for chicks, men will also spill tears from laughing.
Harry Potter (Movie Series)
Harry Potter is a movie series based on the novels by J. K. Rowling. The series is distributed by Warner Bros. and consists of eight fantasy films, beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) and culminating with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). A spin-off prequel series that will consist of five films started with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), marking the beginning of the Wizarding World shared media franchise.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
You can’t go wrong with any of these amazing magic movies to watch with your friends. It would probably be best to start with an amazing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and to follow the gang from their beginnings. Harry Potter’s Wizarding World is one of the best adventures ever made, both on paper and on the screen, and almost every watch party would enjoy it. Also, there are a lot of movies, so you can try and watch them all together, or have materials for more watch parties.
The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon join forces and bring us a film that, according to many critics, has brought a much-needed change to the stale horror genre. A few friends, two of whom are girls and three guys with a camper go on an exciting weekend to a hut on the lake. Like it or not, they will reveal the terrible secret that this hut hides in solitude.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
The Cabin in the Woods is some crazy horror movie. It will bring you fun, scares, and gore, and at the same time some of the best surprises ever seen on the screen. Oh, some crazy sh** is going on in this movie. If you or your friends haven’t watched it before, you are in for some crazy ride.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Inspired by Romero’s trilogy (Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead), Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright wrote the screenplay for their debut film “Shaun of the Dead”, a genre amalgam of horror and comedy, an ie splatter of a zombie film and spicy romantic comedy. always with original, British humor.
Although his girlfriend Liz would like a slightly more serious relationship, Shaun still lives by his “style”. He shares the apartment with the ambitious Pete and the lazy Ed, after a boring job he spends his free time in his favorite pub drinking beer, and at home, he plays a PlayStation. Soon she has enough of him, he forgets about dinner with Liz and she leaves him. After a drunken night, Shaun realizes he has to bring Liz back. Wandering hungover through the streets of London at first he does not notice that the city is full of zombies. After the zombies attack them, Shaun and Ed make a plan.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
One more great zombie comedy on this list. Fun action with pretty stupid characters and a lot of blood and gore. You can’t always tell, who is more stupid, two main characters or the zombies attacking them. Still, there are a lot of laughs, occasional jump scare, and a lot of fun. Not a lot of thinking though, and you really don’t need it for a great watch party.
The Exorcist (1973)
““The Exorcist” by the famous American director William Friedkin (French Connection) is a cult horror film, an adaptation of the novel of the same name (and screenwriter) by William Peter Blatty, whose theme is the horrific case of a girl of faith which body is obsessed by the devil and who thus intends to embody his evil on Earth. Full of frightening scenes, tense situations, and seemingly hopeless situations, the film still leaves enough room to think about the strength of human faith and man’s relationship to evil.
Chris (E. Burstyn) is a movie actress who recently came to Washington on business. Suddenly, she begins to notice unusual changes in the behavior and appearance of her twelve-year-old daughter Regan (L. Blair). Although everything seems like an outburst of schizophrenia – the girl throws herself on the bed, screams, and hits the wall, psychiatrists, horrified by the case, fail to help her.
As the unusual disease progresses, desperate Chris decides to forget the doctors and seek help at church. Namely, it seems to her that this may be a case of a demon or devil entering the human body, and perhaps the priests could have the answer. She thus befriends a young priest from a nearby place, who is also struggling with his personal problems.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
If you want to take this watch party to the next lave, and scare the living sh** out of them, you will show them The Exorcist. The only real horror movie on our list, and one of the scariest horror movies in history (to me personally the scariest). Be aware, this movie is not for the faint of heart.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
The times when only men were allowed to host TV shows and deal with serious topics are far behind us. Women have long since ceased to be just a lovely ornament, but it is quite clear that it was not easy for men to come to terms with it! The hilarious side of the story from the seventies about the entry of women into “male” territory is treated by the comedy “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”.
The esteemed San Diego TV journalist, the popular Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), is a naughty womanizer whose intellectual abilities are not exactly at a satisfactory level. His place as the undisputed king of small screens is threatened by his new, ambitious, young editorial colleague Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate).
At first, he is not worried about his colleague’s reports from fashion shows for cats, cooking shows, and similar not very important tasks. But Veronica, who really knows something about journalism, refuses to accept a supporting role, which starts a real battle for the microphone. It’s no longer just a conflict between two people with a really good haircut – it’s a war!
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
Old school fun comedy without restrictions. Nothing is taboo and everything is allowed. Dirty comedy without much thinking to do, with some amazing acting. This is probably the best there is from Ferrell, and you need to see him with the Jazz flute.
The Matrix (Movie Series)
The Matrix is a sci-fi action trilogy created by Lana and Andy Wachowski. The film series began with The Matrix (1999), followed by two sequels, The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003). The characters and environment of the film are further elaborated in other media in the same fictional universe, including animation, comics and video games. The series includes a cyberpunk story that contains references to numerous philosophical and religious ideas. Other influences include mythology, anime, and Hong Kong action movies (especially so-called heroic bloodshed and martial arts movies).
The series depicts a dystopia in which the Earth is ruled by conscious machines that were created at the beginning of the 21st century and that rebelled against humanity. At one point, people tried to block the solar energy source of the machines by covering the sky with thick, storm clouds. However, machines have invented a way to extract human bioelectricity and thermal energy by growing humans in cocoons, while their minds are controlled by cybernetic implants that connect them to virtual reality, the so-called Matrix.
The virtual world was first introduced in the first part of the trilogy, The Matrix. The short film “The Second Renaissance” from the compilation The Animatrix and the comic show how the initial conflict between humans and machines arose, and how and why the Matrix was created. Its history and purpose are further explained in the second part of the trilogy, The Matrix Reloaded.
Why is it a great movie to watch with friends
The Matrix was such an amazing and revolutionary movie when it came out. It is still an amazing movie, full of crazy, but believable concepts, action, and a love story. It features such an amazing cast, and almost even better characters. It has so many fun fighting, iconic scenes, and a mind-bending world. Even if you have watched this movie(s) many times, there is always something new to see. If you and your watch party want something heavier, then The Matrix is a great choice for you.