Staff Picks: House ‘Party’ Movies

Your friend is throwing a party this weekend, but you’ve made plans with your couch and your flatscreen. Sometimes it’s time to pump the brakes on a wild night out, and carry that spirit instead into your home. A “house party” movie is the perfect accompaniment for your night in. These movies will get you pumped up in the comfort of your own home — pumped for love, that sweet two-day weekend and the obscene amount of popcorn you’ll make to watch them.

10 Things I Hate About You (Disney+) // Julia DiPietro, Staff Writer

Whether you’re looking for a nostalgic ‘90s romance or lighthearted comedy relief, “10 Things I Hate About You” is a classic movie option for any party gathering. This film stars Julia Stiles, Larisa Oleynik and Heath Ledger. The story follows Kat (Stiles) and Bianca (Oleynik) Stratford, two teen sisters who could not be more different from one another. The one thing they have in common is their strict and overprotective father, who forbids them from dating in high school. The only way around this rule is if Bianca can set up her sister with someone, but Kat is feared by every guy in her grade for having a feisty and aggressive reputation.

The solution is to secretly pay “bad boy” Patrick Verona (Ledger) to go out with her, but the situation only spirals when emotions get involved. This movie features a great soundtrack with songs such as “Hypnotize” by The Notorious B.I.G. to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli. And of course what teenage movie would be complete without a chaotic house party or prom scene? The next time you’re grabbing the popcorn with friends, give this hit classic a watch.

White Chicks (HBO Max) // Diana Velasquez, Culture Editor 

Oh, to be 13 again watching “White Chicks” in my friend’s sweaty confetti-plastered basement on New Year’s Eve. While that might not be the activity of choice for many on New Year’s, my friends and I had a blast because this movie is absolutely ludicrous in the most uncouth way possible. I doubt it would have gotten the green light to be made today. Two Black guys running around in cosmetics and mini-skirts pretending to be white girls? There’s a lot to unpack, but I’m not going to get theoretical with you — instead, let’s enjoy ourselves.

“White Chicks” stars Marlon and Shawn Wayans as the Copeland brothers, FBI agents who moonlight as the spoiled white socialites Brittany and Tiffany Wilson in the Hamptons for a week, in order to win back the favor of their boss. In truth, the plot of the movie makes barely a lick of sense but it more than makes up for it in laughs, from the iconic “A Thousand Miles” car ride scene to Terry Crews’ performance as dogged basketball player intent on romancing white girls. The movie feels like it should be offensive, and I’m sure there are some people that think it is. But I think it’s a well-done comedy that turns icky stereotypes into fun laughs — a perfect fit for a casual night in with friends.

Mean Girls (Paramount+) // Katelyn Kruszewski, For The Pitt News

If you’re looking for a quotable film with some hilarious one-liners, be sure to check out the e

arly 2000s hit, “Mean Girls.” A teen comedic classic, “Mean Girls” is a film that most of us grew up with, making it a perfect conversation starter at parties and gatherings. The film features a younger Lindsay Lohan as the protagonist versus antagonist Rachel McAdams. Written by star Tina Fey, the movie focuses on the challenges of high school cliques, bullying and mean girls. The plot centers around sheltered Cady Heron (Lohan) as she navigates an American high school after years of homeschooling in Africa.

Cady is soon taken in by The Plastics, a popular clique led by the infamous queen bee Regina George (McAdams). Chaos ensues as Cady tries to infiltrate The Plastics and proves that we can all be a little bit mean despite our best intentions. The movie features an excellent cast of characters such as Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Amanda Seyfried and Lacey Chabert. “Mean Girls” is the perfect pick for your next movie night, providing a heartfelt comedy that’s fun for everyone.

Booksmart (Hulu) // Maria Scanga, Staff Writer

Sometimes it feels like I’m the only one at this school who would prefer just about everything else over going to a party. Lucky for me, I know I’m in good company. The two main characters in “Booksmart,” Molly and Amy, find themselves on the eve of their high school graduation wishing they hadn’t wasted so much time being pretentious academics. When they find out about a massive graduation party one of their friends is hosting, they decide to prove to themselves and their peers that they can be fun and chill too. Of course, they don’t attend just with the goal of seeming cool, they go for the chance to get closer to their crushes.

To their surprise, everyone at the party is really glad to see them there, but the pair are far too inexperienced for the party to be a success for them. After awkward kisses in the bathroom, vomiting on other people and getting busted by the neighborhood cops — which, notably, Molly ends up taking the blame for, letting her classmates run free. The pair then realize getting close to a crush isn’t worth your social dignity. But most importantly, there’s a lot more to life than parties. So next time you and your friends find yourselves choosing a classic night in over a night out, put “Booksmart” on for laughs and solidarity.