How to Make it Through a Movie Marathon

Yesterday I spent eleven and a half hours doing a Lord of the Rings marathon. It was the first Rings marathon I’ve done in over two years. Those films all fit so perfectly together, it’s impossible for me to watch one of them without the other two.

This got me to thinking about the process one goes through for a movie marathon in general, which is something I’ve done many times in my life. So here are ten things you should consider when embarking on a movie marathon day.

1. Make sure you’ve got nothing going on. Definitely choose a day where you don’t have work, school, appointments, or anything to do in general. For my Lord of the Rings marathon, I got up earlier than usual to write my Buzz Patrol articles, thus freeing the rest of my day to do absolutely nothing. It also helps if you don’t have anything planned early the next morning if you know your marathon’s going to run late into the night.

2. Food on hand. Food is essential for any movie marathon. I’d recommend going out and buying food beforehand so you’re properly stocked. I say this because I didn’t do it, so there was a period in my marathon yesterday where I was snacking on hamburger buns. Also, make sure you’ve got your favorite pizza joint’s number on hand. It’s not a marathon without pizza.

3. Find a comfy spot. You’re going to be in that exact spot for the rest of your day, so best get comfortable. I recommend a bed or a couch, or possibly a blanket and pillow fort if you have the time. This is especially true if you plan on doing a Rings marathon, which means sitting in the same spot for 11.5 hours (unless you’re a loser and have the non-extended editions).

4. Decide if you’d like other people to be there. I think this one really depends on what you’re watching. For the most part, I think movie marathons are enhanced with friends (and alcohol). However, there are exceptions, and Lord of the Rings is mine. I’ve found that I have a better time watching these films by myself. So going into your films, make sure you know if you’re okay having people around or not.

5. Know your limits. Some people can easily last ten or more hours sitting in a single spot watching a screen, while others can’t. Best know which one you are before you begin.

6. Don’t marathon too often. I’m talking both the material you’re watching and marathons in general. You shouldn’t marathon on a regular basis because, well, it’s probably not great for your health. As for the material, I make sure to only watch Lord of the Rings once a year, at the most, because if I watched it more often I’d fear it’d lose some of its magic.

7. Coffee it up. It’s natural for your body to want to take a nap if you’re reclined on your bed and going on your eighth hour of movie watching. This is where I suggest coffee, tea, or energy drinks to wake you up.

8. Not gonna feel great. Take into consideration that your eyes will be glued to a screen all day, you’ll be shoving pizza and fudgesicles in your face, and you’ll only ever get up a couple times to use the bathroom or grab more fudgesicles. So, by the end of your marathon, you probably won’t feel well, but that’s a sacrifice you’ll have to live with.

9. Turn off the phone. Nothing ruins a marathon quite like someone from your community calling to know if you’d like to support a politician you’ve never even heard of. Trust me. I would know.

10. You should probably already be super lazy.

You Might Like These

Share and Enjoy