Tag Archives: movies

Movie Night: Backyard Edition!

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For as long as I can remember, movie nights have been one of my favorite pastimes when it comes to spending quality time with my loved ones. As we slowly approach the end of daylight savings and inch our way back towards those warm summer nights, I cannot wait to enjoy it to the fullest by hosting movie nights in my backyard with friends and family. Today I’ve decided to break down the must-haves for all your backyard movie night ventures!

For today’s breakdown, I’ve decided that the four main pieces to your perfect outdoor movie nights are – snacks, seating arrangements – blankets and/or chairs to get comfy, a streaming device, and last but not least a way to watch or broadcast your movie!

Snacks

What better snack for movies than popcorn? But why don’t we spice it up a bit. My most recent go-to movie snack is Hawaiin Popcorn! This is a simple Hawaiin-style popcorn that mixes in furikake (seaweed bits), crunchy arare (Japanese rice crackers), and a little extra butter to top it off! Luckily you can find this mix premade by the Hawaiin Hurricane Company and most wholesale Costcos carry their delicious product!

Seating Arrangements

You can round up your favorite outdoor blankets and camping chairs to get your backyard movie night ready or if you want to take it to the next level,  check out Intex’s inflatable furniture arrangement! My personal favorite has to be the inflatable couch which you can find on their company site along with way more options for chairs, sofas, beds, and even pillows!

Link: https://intexcorp.com/products/air-furniture/chairs/ 

Streaming Device

My all time favorite streaming device has to be Amazon’s Fire-TV Stick. It’s affordable, extremely portable, and includes all of your favorite streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Disney+, and many more!  (your own subscription is needed of course) You can find this product at almost any Target, Best Buy, or even on Amazon’s very own digital store. 

Ways To Watch

Considering we’ll be enjoying our flick outdoors for this particular movie night my top pick will have to be a battery powered projector! You can find a variety of battery powered projectors on sites like Amazon, Best Buy, and Target! If you want to take it one step further, buying a projector screen would also do you wonders but even just a plain white bed sheet can get the job done filling in as your makeshift screen. 

Best Projectors for Camping and Outdoor Movies 2021

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So, you love hiking and you are a movie lover, what’s more ideal than watching a movie with your family and friends by the campfire? The idea is brilliant yet you might be hesitant to host an outdoor movie night during your trip since the gears you need might add extra weight. The good news is that in 2021, we have seen new portable projectors which are lightweight enough for a fantastic movie night under the stars! Below are the 4 best portable projectors for outdoor movies that we like

  1. XGIMI Halo True 1080p Portable Projector ($799)
Halo

At 1080P Native Full HD Resolution and 800 ANSI Lumens brightness, the XGIMI Halo portable projector is perfect for streaming content and watching movies while camping. The XGIMI Halo Projector is also equipped with 10W Harman Kardon Speakers that would be decent for an indoor movie night. The battery of the XGIMI Halo Projector is advertised to last for 2 hours at maximum. Equipped with Android TV, the XGIMI is capable of providing various streaming apps to the viewers such as Hulu, YouTube, Disney +, HBO Max, and so on. However, this smart feature will not come in handy if you camping in a location where wifi is not available.

Cons: expensive ($799), bulky (4.47 x 5.71 x 6.75 inches), and heavy (3.53lbs)

AAXA Tech M77 Mini Projector Full HD 10180p 20" DIsplay

Like the XGIMI Halo Projector, the new movie projector by AAXA Technologies called M7 Mini Portable Projector is also equipped with Native 1080 Full HD Resolution and it is also 4K FPS Ready. The AAXA M7 also has a better battery life at 3-hour runtime in ECO Mode, and a better brightness at 1200 LED Lumen (650 LED Lumens on battery). At half the price of the XGIMI Halo Projector, the AAXA M7 Projector is smaller (7.3″ x 6.4″ x 1.85”) and lighter (2.99”). The price of the AAXA M7 Mini Projector is fantastic for what it offers. However, the AAXA M7 Projector has less competitive speakers (4 Watts) and no wireless mirroring technologies nor smart features. Hence, you might want to load your movie to a media player such as a flash drive, USB Stick, MicroSD/ TF Card and connect it to the M7 Mini Projector. The AAXA M7 Mini Projector is compatible with HDMI devices such as laptop or Nintendo Switch.

Cons: not “smart”, no horizontal keystone (it has 40-degree vertical keystone)

The AAXA P7 Mini Projector is probably one of the most popular projectors in its category. Measures just 4.7″ x 4.4″ x 2.7″ and 1.48 lbs – the P7 projector fits nicely in your laptop bag or briefcase for business travel and outdoor camping.  This is the most compact projector in our list that has native 1080P Full HD Resolution for an outdoor movie. The AAXA P7 Mini projector has multiple inputs: USB, USB, USB—C for Mirroring, HDMI, Composite AV, and TFCard/ MicroSD. The AAXA P7 projector is cheaper than the AAXA M7 Projector for a reason: its battery lasts only 90-minute and its brightness is also lower (600 LED Lumen).

Cons: not “smart”, no horizontal keystone (it has 40-degree vertical keystone)

Creativity Scene 3

Weighing just 104lbs, the Anker Nebula Capsule is the smallest truly portable projector for an outdoor movie in our least. The Anker Nebula Capsule is also slightly more affordable than the other projectors as it costs only $299.99 on Amazon. Notice that its native resolution is quite humble at 480P and its image brightness is just 100 Lumen. Regardless, the Anker Nebula Capsule has various connections: HDMI, USB, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

Cons: low brightness, low resolution

Editors Picks: Christmas Movies

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It’s time to grab your AAXA Technologies Projectors and watch some Christmas movies. Here are our picks for Christmas movies.

Elf

This Will Ferrill movie has become a classic. It follows Will Ferrill, who was raised by elves, as he finds his true father. Along the way he spreads Christmas Joy to all. Elf is a family friendly movie that will become a yearly viewing experience.

Streaming on Hulu Live TV, FuboTV, and Sling TV

Available for rent on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Vudu

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

What could go wrong when having a traditional family Christmas? Chevy Chase answers this question in this hilarious Christmas film. Watch Clark Griswold pick “the Griswold Family Christmas Tree”, deck the halls with an unhealthy amount of Christmas lights, and watch as everything falls apart. This PG-13 movie will make you appreciate your family. 

Streaming on HBO Max

Available for rent on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, and Vudu.

A Christmas Story

We “triple dog dare you” to watch “A Christmas Story”. This 1983 movie focuses on 9 year old Ralphie’s desire to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.  Several ridiculous shenanigans such as Leg Lamps, Bunny Costumes, and dares create a fantastic Family Christmas comedy.  You will want a Red Ryder BB gun by the end of this movie.

Streaming on HBO Max.

Available for rent on Amazon Prime, Vudu, Google Play, YouTube, and Apple TV

For the best viewing experiences for these amazing movies we recommend using AAXA Mini, Pico, and Micro Projectors. In particular, projectors such as the AAXA P7, AAXA M7, and AAXA 4K1 will provide excellent viewing experiences.

We hope you Have a great Holiday season!