The most asked question for the modern multimedia addict is, "What should I watch tonight?" If you're in the mood for a movie instead of a TV show, these sites will help you find the right pick. And that includes going to the theater too.

Largely though, you will be looking for streaming options. Even though Amazon Prime or Netflix do their best to deduce what you want to watch, they won't always get it right. These third-party sites do a great job of recommending a film based on your tastes, on finding common ground for date night or uncovering movies you may have missed.

What Movie Should I Watch Tonight (Web): One-Line Descriptions

what movie should i watch tonight film recommendations

Let's start with a website whose name is the question on your mind. What Movie Should I Watch Tonight (WMSIWT) has been around since 2010, providing quick one-line introduction to some of the most watchable films.

The idea of this site is that there are no bad movies listed on it. Each film is a recommendation from the editor, Kevin Yaun. Yaun's one-line descriptions take some time to get accustomed to, but once you get what he's going for, they're a treat. Take Deadpool for example, which is described as "The superhero of dark humor and spandex." You can click any movie to view the trailer or follow the Watch Now link to find which streaming service it's on.

You can also find similar movies by clicking or searching for any film. Yaun's "Collections" are an excellent way to narrow down choices too, with themes like "road trip movies" or "badass bank robbers". You will definitely find something to watch with this site.

Flickmetrix (Web): The Best Filters to Find Streaming Movies

flickmetrix movie recommendations cinesift

If you use Netflix or Amazon Prime (or both), then Flickmetrix is the best solution to find a film when you know exactly what you want to see. It has a ton of different filters to sort the list of recommended movies.

You can filter movies by their ratings on IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and Letterboxd. You can choose which streaming service you want to watch it on. And there are other options like genres to include or exclude, the year the film was released, or its primary language. Set it all up and you'll get a neat list of recommended films with essential information, like a short description, the director and the cast, and a link to the trailer.

If the site feels familiar, that's because Flickmetrix used to be called Cinesift. The name has changed and so have a lot of other things, including the ability to create an account and add movies to your watchlist, or mark them as seen so they don't pop up again.

Date Night Movies (Web): Find Common Ground Between Two Films

find common film to enjoy with date night movies

Don't go by the "Date Night" name. This web app works for any situation where you and someone else can't decide which movie to watch, and want to find something you will both enjoy. It's a unique way to find film recommendations.

Add two movies to the app and it will spit out a line of recommendations that are somewhere between the two choices. You can sort this line by source too, if you specifically want something that's available on Netflix (which has plenty of romantic movies perfect for a date) or Amazon Prime, or even if you want to watch a free film on YouTube.

Click on any movie to find out more information about it, like a description or the actors in it. Date Night Movies surprisingly skips mentioning the director, which can be a huge influencer at times.

Movie of the Night (Web): Only One Recommendation

simplest movie recommendation site movieofthenight

Once you set your parameters and search, all of the aforementioned sites give you a series of recommendations. That isn't really helping you quickly figure out something to watch. So Movie of the Night makes it simpler and gives you only one recommendation.

First, pick the genres you are interested in. It's fine to pick multiple genres. In fact, you will get better results if you do that. Next, say how old the movie can be, and how long it can be. Finally, if you want, add a few of your favorite directors or actors. One other filter lets you choose only English films, and there is an option to skip adult movies. You can skip any of these steps, or use them all.

Click the "Get Recommendation" button and Movie of the Night will give you a single film recommendation, with its description, cast and crew, and a link to its trailer. If you've already seen it, click the button again. It's simple and hassle-free.

Popcornic (no longer available) (Web): Endless Series of New Film Trailers

popcornic watch new movie trailers endlessly

If you want to watch something released recently, try Popcornic first. The website plays a series of trailers, one after another, showing films playing right now or released in the past few months. You're guaranteed something fresh.

It's a nice leanback experience, going from trailer to trailer to find new films that catch your attention. You don't have to remember any names, since the History tab tracks every trailer you played. Each movie also offers a link to its Metacritic page, in case you want to see what people had to say about it before putting down your money to go watch it.

Oh yes, for some of the films, you'll need to go to a movie theater. Others might already be available on some streaming sites, or released exclusively for them. But chances are, you are going to discover something that's still playing in a cinema near you.

Another Great Choice, and Something for Netflix Fans

Between these sites, you should be able to find a film to watch tonight that you will thoroughly enjoy. One of MakeUseOf's other favorites for recommendations is A Good Movie To Watch (AGMTW), which we have talked about a few times before, so don't forget to check that out too.

AGMTW has expanded its scope to include Amazon Prime as well, but for most people, Netflix still remains the king of good video streaming content. If you're a subscriber, try these ways to find good movies and shows on Netflix.

If you want to explore the finer points of filmmaking, visit these YouTube channels.