Everyone needs an escape from the real world from time to time, even if it’s just for a few minutes, to rejuvenate from the craziness of every day life. A good movie can “encapsulate” a person, and take them to a place they’ve never been before and inside characters that are nothing like themselves.

To get the ultimate viewing experience, it’s best to be in a dark, quiet room, with surround sound, which is why most of us go to the movie theater. But why make a trip to the movie theater when you can have one in your own home!

There are a few items that are essential to any home theater, starting with movies! Consider having a movie collection with a wide variety of options that appeal to everyone, keeping in mind the different age groups. With today’s technology, your movie collection doesn’t have to include physical DVDs; you can stream them from your cable provider, Netflix®, Amazon Instant Video®, or any online media streaming source.

Once you pick a movie, the next order of business is snacks! The most popular move night snack, of course, is popcorn. You can make a traditional bag of popcorn in the microwave or in your very own popcorn maker. Other healthy snack options might include trail mix, granola, or fruit.

The final step to making your home theater every bit as good as the real thing is by implementing a way to control everything without juggling multiple remotes and light switches. Home automation takes movie watching to an entirely different level by integrating all the systems into one seamless, awe-inspiring experience. To learn more about how you can automate your home theater, please visit SLH Home Systems’ partner Control4® website.

Now that your home theater is automated and stocked full of movies and snacks, you can save yourself a trip to the movie theater. So go ahead, sit down and enjoy the show – right in your own home!