Struck by a mad urge to play Cupid, you’re throwing a Valentine’s party. First head over to Blockbuster and pick up an appropriately themed DVD—preferably a romantic favorite like When Harry Met Sally, Casablanca, or An Affair to Remember. Come party time, pop it in the machine, press Play, then mute the sound so the film can serve as a quiet but not-too-subtle backdrop for the evening. Bonus: If a partygoer gets tired of small talk, he can zone out and tune in to the on-screen romance until he makes his own love connection with bachelorette number three.

Other Themes for Not-Quite Movie Nights

Saint Patrick’s Day

The Quiet Man (1952)

Waking Ned Devine (1998)

Halloween

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

Dracula (1931)

Christmas

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

A Christmas Story (1983)