Family movie night is supposed to be a bonding experience. In reality, it is often a negotiation hostage situation.

You have a 7-year-old who only watches animated dogs. You have a 12-year-old who thinks anything made before 2020 is "cringe." You have parents who just want to stay awake past the opening credits.

Trying to choose a movie for family night that satisfies everyone is mathematically impossible—unless you change the rules of engagement.

1. The "Veto" System

This is the fairest way to handle a wide age gap.

Select 3 potential movies (one suggested by a parent, one by an older kid, one by a younger kid).
Every family member gets One Veto Card.
If Mom hates horror? Veto. If the teen hates musicals? Veto.
Usually, one movie survives the purge. That is the winner.

2. The Genre Rotation

Stop trying to find a "perfect" movie every week. Instead, rotate the genre.

Week 1: Comedy (Kids' choice).
Week 2: Adventure/Action (Dad's choice).
Week 3: Classic/Nostalgia (Mom's choice).

When kids know their turn is coming next week, they are much more willing to sit through an "old" movie (like Shrek or The Lion King) today.

3. The "IMDb Parents Guide" is Your Friend

Nothing ruins family night faster than an unexpected awkward scene. Before you commit to a suggestion, quick-check the "Parents Guide" on IMDb. It will tell you exactly why a movie is rated PG-13, so you can decide if it's "Marvel violence" (okay) or "Scary violence" (nightmares for a week).

4. The Movie Roulette (The Zero-Argument Method)

If the debate is getting heated and nobody wants to back down, it’s time to bring in a neutral third party.

Using a Movie Picker tool removes the "blame." If Dad picks a boring movie, everyone blames Dad. If the Wheel picks a boring movie, it’s just bad luck—and actually kind of funny.

How to play:

Ask every family member to shout out one movie title.
Type them into The Decidr Movie Picker.
Gather around the screen.
Spin it.

The anticipation of the spin is often more fun than the movie itself. Plus, it teaches kids (and stubborn adults) to accept the luck of the draw.

Save your popcorn for the movie, not the arguments. Use our Movie Picker to settle the debate instantly and get the show on the road.