With Christmas around the corner, families are already making holiday plans. The pandemic has prohibited us from gathering in large crowds, so we will likely spend the Christmas season at home. Thankfully, the internet has made it possible for us to see and experience the world outside even if we’re indoors.

One of the best ways to spend a holiday weekend is to watch great movies. Globe is recreating the cinema experience with GMovies through its partnership with video on demand (VOD) platform UPSTREAM. Now, you can stream new and classic movies, both local and foreign titles, from the comfort of your home.

Here’s how to make your family’s holiday bonding more special with GMovies and UPSTREAM:

1. Set up a cozy space. An advantage of having movie night at home is that you can design your space the way you want it. Work with what you have, whether it’s a bed, a couch, or a laptop to screen your films. Make it cozy by having a warm blanket, lots of pillows, and enough space to get comfortable.

2. Prepare snacks. What would movie night be without snacks? Recreate the cinema by microwaving some popcorn (with extra butter, of course), or create a grazing spread with all your favorite snacks. Make it fancy with some cheese and cold cuts, or keep it casual with your favorite chips, nachos, and soda.

3. Fun activities between movies. A movie marathon can be long and you’ll want time to stretch your legs and move around in between films. Use the time to bond with your family by having fun activities, like a board or card game, a chance to cook some snacks or refill drinks, or just sit around and talk about the last movie you watched.

4. Watch classic Filipino films. The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is a much-awaited annual cinematic event, made even more special this year by a pre-festival retrospective to be mounted byGMovies and UPSTREAM. MMFF has always been diverse with their offerings, so the pre-game will have movies for everyone. Comedy fans will love Die Beautiful (2016) and Enteng Kabisote: Okay Ka Fairy Ko… The Legend (2004), while those who love rom-coms can stream English Only, Please (2014). For horror fans, there’s Shake, Rattle & Roll 2K5 (2005), The Echo or Sigaw (2004), and Spirit Warriors (2000). The MMFF retrospective runs from December 7 to 24.

5. Welcome Christmas with the MMFF. This year’s MMFF will welcome Christmas yet again on December 25. This year’s lineup includes interesting titles, such as Antoinette Jadaone’s Fan Girl, which premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival; the rom-com and boy’s love film The Boy Foretold by the Stars; and Magikland, a big-budget sci-fi movie directed by the late Peque Gallaga.

To get movie night started, families can simply visit the GMovies website, select the movie they want to watch, and pay via GCash or debit or credit card. Make bonding time with the family more special during the holidays with a movie marathon with GMovies and UPSTREAM!

For more information, visit the GMovies website at gmovies.ph/ or follow GMovies on Facebook (facebook.com/GMoviesApp) and Instagram (@GMovies).