Murder Mystery Movies are my favorite genre at the moment and they are having their moment in Hollywood at the moment as well. In this blog post, I will make recommendations on how to host a killer Murder Mystery Movie Night and give suggestions for the best movies and tv shows to watch right now.
Decorations / Hosting
Here are some ideas for decorations:
- Crime Scene Tape
- Murder Mystery Photo Booth Signs
- Mugshot sign for photo booth
- Evidence Markers
- White Tape to make a body silhouette on the floor
- Notepads for the detectives (movie watchers)
Drinks:
- Fruit Punch or wine, just anything red to resemble blood. You can also add red food dye to any clear drink to make them red. You can also make a drink of the night called the killer cocktail.
Movies To Watch
Clue (1985) – trailer
This is a cult classic. Clue was based on the classic board game Clue. Although the reception when this movie was originally released was not great, recently, the movie has become popular with this generation. The movie has a star studded cast of comedians that make the movie one of my favorites. When originally released in theaters, the movie had three different endings! So depending on which theater or theater room, you could have seen a completely different ending from a friend that also saw that movie. Many critics back then did not like the concept and called it gimmicky. Now when you rent the movie, all 3 endings are shown and you can decide which ending you like best.
Knives Out (2019) – trailer
This is one of the best movies that came out in 2019. Knives Out has the classic detective format with Detective Benoit Blanc played by Daniel Craig. The detective looks at the clues and you as the audience try to figure out the killer before the end of the movie. This is a fantastic movie with a star studded cast. The movie goes in one direction and when you think you have the movie figured out, it changes direction.
Murder Mystery (2019) – trailer
This movie title is very fitting of its name. Starring Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, this comedic duo go on a european vacation and end up in the middle of a murder mystery. Sandler plays a New York detective while Aniston is an avid murder mystery novel reader. With both their knowledge, they try to solve a murder mystery they happen to be in the middle of.
Last Night in Soho (2021) – trailer
Last Night in Soho stars the marvelous Anya Taylor Joy and Thomasin McKenzie. The trailer itself made me want to watch the movie because of the soundtrack and the intrigue. The movie follows Eloise, an art student in the present time and Sandie, an aspiring singer in the 60s. The vision of the story is wonderfully told through its stunning cinematography and amazing actresses. This is a movie that I recommend to everyone.
Game Night (2018) – trailer
Game Night is a comedic murder mystery movie with more comedy than murder. The movie stars Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman who are married and love hosting game nights. On this specific game night, they play an interactive murder mystery game and little do they know, not everything is what it seems. If you are looking for a murder mystery that is funny, then this may be the movie for you.
A Simple Favor (2018) – trailer
A Simple Favor stars, Blake Lively, Anna Kendrick and Henry Golding. The mystery has its twists and turns as you learn about what happened to Emily, the woman who seemed to have it all.
Family Friendly
Haunted Mansion (2003) – trailer
If you are looking for a murder mystery that your children can watch, this is the movie for you. The Haunted Mansion freaked me out as a child but there is nothing graphic in this movie that will scar your kids. This movie is based on the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland. Starring Eddie Murphy and Marsha Thomason, this movie, your kids are sure to have fun and participate in murder mystery movie nights.
TV Shows
The awesome part about watching tv shows is that they are shorter than movies. Another great part of tv shows is that the storyline can either be concluded within one episode, or it can be spread throughout the episodes, so that there can be more details given and add to suspense.
If your group wants to watch a tv show and not a movie, here are some suggestions.
Only Murders in the Building (2021) – trailer
This tv show is only 10 episodes long with Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short. It is about three individuals (Gomez, Martin and Short) who live in the same apartment complex and try to solve a murder that happened in their building. Hence, Only Murders in the Building. It is a great mix of comedy with learning about each character’s past. The concept and cast of the show brought me in, but the experience was enhanced by the show’s amazing cinematography. Watching each episode felt like watching a movie because that was how great the show was shot.
Murderville (2022) – trailer
Murderville is also a comedic murder mystery show but with a twist. Will Arnett plays Detective Terry Seattle and in each episode, there is a celebrity guest who plays the role as his partner. The celebrity guest is not given a script and has to improvise as the show goes on. Throughout the episode, they are given three suspects and by the end of the episode, the celebrity has to guess who the murderer is.
