We’ve been stuck at home due to fear of government orders. And it’s been months! Those random coffee dates, the excitement for the next Marvel movie, and the impromptu movie dates. All of which we can now only dream of in our wildest dreams. The worst thing about it is without your friends.
But we live in the digital era! The real-time virtual connection will always come to your rescue when you miss your gang. All you need are-
- An internet connection,
- a laptop/desktop computer,
- And your friends!
The pandemic is an opportunity to span out and learn to do the fundamental things differently. The best part? You can learn and do everything (except fitness) while being lazy and comfortable in the comfort of your home.
So, here’s five tools you can use to watch movies online with your friends!
Zoom
This is my personal favorite! A lot of us have been introduced to Zoom during this pandemic. But it is only famous for how it can facilitate your professional and academic needs. Did you ever think about how it can be the key to kill boredom?
You accommodate ALL of your friends in a single room. Connect through chatbox and video calls and share anything! Zoom supports many operating systems, along with iOS, Mac, Android, and Windows.
A zoom movie date takes only five steps
- Sign-up on zoom.us (it’s free)
- Download the app
- Set a date with your friends
- Play the movie on your device
- Share the screen and enjoy it!
While using the zoom, you don’t need much other than any movie source and food to get the party started.
But there is one drawback. Unless the host has a premium subscription (which has to be bought by the way), the calls can only be 40 minutes long at once. You can connect again in the same room, but it will be an interference in the experience.
Netflix Party
Our weekends are not complete without “Netflix and Chill,” and sometimes we don’t plan on investing money in Netflix and looking for a workable solution like borrowing from a friend or getting a Netflix account for free but that is a lost luxury during this global crisis, or is it?
It is not! To have a lazy weekend with Netflix and your friends, use Netflix Party. It is a Chrome extension that allows you to sync your video playback on Netflix.
Five steps to start a Netflix party-
- Install Netflix Party and the extension in Chrome
- Start a movie/show
- Click on “start a party” in the extension
- Choose who gets playback controls
- Share the URL with your friend!
It’s simple because all you have to do is click, click, click, and you’ll have yourself a party. But this has three drawbacks.
- All your friends need to have a Netflix account to join in.
- The only real-time communication is through a chatbox.
- It is a Chrome extension, so it cannot be used on devices that do not have the browser.
The latter can be solved, connect your device to your TV with an HDMI cable, and voila!
Gaze
Loving someone is fantastic, until the two of you are stuck, miles apart, with no way out!
Those date nights that you took so lightly? Those cozy nights in front of the TV? You can’t savor the basics anymore.
But why should the serene feeling of a cozy movie night with your boo disappear completely because somebody chose to eat a bat? The Gaze is your pal when the pandemic disrupts your love life.
Five steps to screen-gaze together-
- Go on letsgaze.com
- Allow the site access to the microphone and webcam
- Click on start gazing
- Share the URL with your partner
- Watch any file on Youtube or your device together!
There exists a HUGE glitch here, though. The website works in theory and practice, but sometimes, it gets stuck. Though not for many people, it is frequent, so beware!
Also, there are only two sources you can use on Gaze for movies: Youtube or a file on your device.
Two seven
This extension allows you to share and watch practically anything from online streaming spaces like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Fmovies, etc. You can watch the reactions of your companions, connect with a text-based chat box or video call-like features, and view any show or movie online.
Five steps to two seven-
- Go to two seven.XYZ
- Install the extension
- Click on “Start Watching”
- Invite your friends using google or share the URL
- Select the platform and the video you want to watch!
It is the ultimate movie night platform that is essentially free. Only one person from your group needs an account of a paid streaming service! But the only drag here, you cannot share the files on your device.
Watch2gether
In the world of control by room creators, Watch2gether releases control of what to watch all the participants by default. You can use many online streaming platforms like Youtube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion.
This platform also came up with a beta version that allows you to stream from Netflix and share it in your room.
To watch together on watch2gether, follow these five steps-
- Go to watch2gether.com
- Click on ‘Create a room.’
- Invite your friends by sharing the generated URL
- Choose a video to share
- Add the URL of the video to your room
The user interface of this website could be a lot better, as it seems scattered and confusing to navigate through. Also, many platforms aren’t supported on watch2gether and might make a movie night very tough.
And that’s how you do it, folks! Those were my recommendations for 5 Tools You Can Use To Watch Movies Online With Your Friends!
Let know your experience of quarantine fun in the comment section below. And what are you waiting for? Go ahead, host your movie night party now!
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