The Best Movies to Have Playing During a Party

Ranker Film
Updated September 15, 2023 1.6K votes 309 voters 26.2K views
Over 300 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Movies to Have Playing During a Party
Voting Rules
Films that are great to have on at a party

The party movie. While similar in concept to a movie good for drinking games, it is an altogether different animal (though there are some crossovers that play to both). It is a fine art to choosing a flick to play in the background of your party, and there are many factors to consider. For starters, what movies play well without sound (or drowned out by music and party chatter)? What movies have you and your guests seen so many times that they know them by heart?

Sometimes a party needs a movie. What type are you throwing? Theme, frat, or holiday? Consider your guests. Are they friends and family, or co-workers and acquaintances? Teens? Adults? Frat guys? What vibe do you want for the party? Comedy? Introspection? Class? Nostalgia?

As you can see, there are endless variables to weigh when choosing the right party movie for your big shindig. This list of the best party movies should help get you started. Vote up the films you think are best for parties or add one you always put on during a big bash.
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  • Ferris Bueller's Day Off
    1
    • Actors: Matthew Broderick, Jeffrey Jones, Jennifer Grey, Kristy Swanson, Ben Stein
    • Directed by: John Hughes
    A definitive high school film, for the nostalgic half-watching party-goer.
    In the classic comedy, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) is a high school senior who decides to play hooky for a day. He cleverly manipulates his parents, outwits his sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey), and convinces his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) to join him. They embark on an unforgettable adventure in Chicago, involving a vintage Ferrari, the Sears Tower, and a local parade. Meanwhile, their suspicious principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) is determined to catch Ferris in the act. This film explores themes of friendship and rebellion against societal norms without resorting to heavy drama or violence.

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  • Ghostbusters
    2

    Ghostbusters

    1984
    40 votes
    • Actors: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis
    • Directed by: Ivan Reitman
    Bill Murray. Bill Murray at every party. The rest of the cast is pretty amazing, too.
    In the 1984 classic, Ghostbusters, three quirky parapsychologists - Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) - find themselves out of work. Unfazed, they establish a ghost removal service in New York City. When Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) reports a supernatural entity in her apartment, the Ghostbusters are thrust into a paranormal storm, battling an ancient Sumerian god, Gozer. The film is a delightful blend of comedy and supernatural thriller, with remarkable special effects for its time. It bagged two Oscar nominations for Original Song and Visual Effects.

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  • Airplane!
    3

    Airplane!

    1980
    38 votes
    • Actors: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Peter Graves, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges
    • Directed by: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
    Steve Martin in his heyday. Comedy gold.
    In the 1980 comedy Airplane!, ex-fighter pilot Ted Striker (Robert Hays) finds himself thrust into an unexpected role. When food poisoning incapacitates the flight crew, including his ex-girlfriend Elaine Dickinson (Julie Hagerty), Striker must overcome his crippling fear of flying to land the plane safely. The film, directed by Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers, is renowned for its rapid-fire humor and satirical take on disaster films. Leslie Nielsen plays Dr. Rumack, a character whose deadpan delivery became iconic. Despite its comedic nature, Airplane! won a BAFTA award for Best Screenplay.

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  • Fight Club
    4

    Fight Club

    1999
    18 votes
    • Actors: Brad Pitt, Ed Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf, Jared Leto
    • Directed by: David Fincher
    In the gritty urban drama Fight Club, Edward Norton (the unnamed protagonist) finds himself spiraling into the underbelly of his own psyche. Stuck in a monotonous job, he meets Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a soap salesman with an unconventional philosophy. Together, they form an underground fight club as a radical form of psychotherapy. As their nocturnal activities escalate, so does their bond. But when Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter), a fellow support group crasher, enters their lives, things start to unravel. Directed by David Fincher, Fight Club is a jarring exploration of masculinity and identity that won't soon be forgotten.

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  • National Lampoon's Animal House
    5
    • Actors: John Belushi, Kevin Bacon, Donald Sutherland, Karen Allen, Tim Matheson
    • Directed by: John Landis
    THE classic party movie, plain and simple.
    In the raucous comedy National Lampoon's Animal House, party-crazed fraternity Delta Tau Chi, led by Bluto Blutarsky (John Belushi), is in a constant state of war with the college administration, personified by Dean Wormer (John Vernon). The film, set in 1962, navigates through wild parties, pranks and chaos. As the Dean plots to expel the fraternity, the misfits plan their revenge. A mix of slapstick humor and social satire, this John Landis directed movie remains a classic in its genre. It won People's Choice Award for Favorite Non-Musical Motion Picture.

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  • Happy Gilmore
    6

    Happy Gilmore

    1996
    44 votes
    • Actors: Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, Frances Bay, Carl Weathers
    • Directed by: Dennis Dugan
    We miss this Adam Sandler so much, take a trip down memory lane to the glory days of Sandler comedy.
    In Happy Gilmore, the title character, played by Adam Sandler, is a failed hockey player with an uncanny talent for golf. His powerful swing, honed from years of hockey playing, propels him into the professional golfing scene. As he battles to win the championship against his arrogant rival Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald), Happy also fights to save his grandmother's house from foreclosure. This sports-comedy flick, directed by Dennis Dugan, presents an unconventional approach to golf and life, showcasing Sandler's knack for physical comedy amid heartfelt moments.

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