What to stream: Make it a party with ‘It’s What’s Inside’ and other game night films

The dizzyingly entertaining thriller “It’s What’s Inside” debuted on Netflix last week, a head-spinning body-swap romp directed by Greg Jardin that features an appealing cast of newcomers working through their long-term friendships through a party game that results in a collective identity crisis. Having premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, “It’s What’s Inside” is now available to stream on Netflix.

Starring Brittany O’Grady, James Morosini, Gavin Leatherwood, Nina Bloomgarden, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Reina Hardesty, Devon Terrell, David Thompson and Madison Davenport, “It’s What’s Inside,” the debut feature of writer/director Jardin (who also edited the film), is a thoroughly modern one-setting mystery about a game night that goes sideways the night before the wedding of Reuben (Terrell) when he gets his college pals together for a reunion.

It’s a lightning-fast and highly stylized project that requires a whiplash-inducing set of skills from the talented young cast, but it’s also a film that speaks to other familiar favorites from the past. So after you check out “It’s What’s Inside,” revisit these other films about games and game nights that take unexpected turns.

With it’s single setting and ensemble cast, “It’s What’s Inside” calls to mind “Clue” (1985), the cult comedy based on the iconic board game. Starring Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren and Colleen Camp, this murder mystery from Jonathan Lynn concerns a party where the host turns up dead and the guests have to work with the staff to find the murderer. Colonel Mustard in the dining room with a candlestick? Stream it on Paramount+ or rent it elsewhere.

The recent horror flick “Bodies Bodies Bodies” (2022) also calls to mind “Clue,” as a group of friends ride out a hurricane in a palatial mansion and play the Mafia-style game Bodies Bodies Bodies. Then actual bodies start turning up, and everything goes haywire with paranoia and accusations. Directed by Halina Reijn and written by Sarah DeLappe and Kristen Roupenian, this is a fun flick for spooky season. Stream it on Max, Paramount+ or rent it on other platforms.

The 2019 horror film “Ready or Not” also concerns a game gone wrong in a mansion, as a young bride (Samara Weaving) is introduced to the wedding night ritual of her wealthy soon-to-be in-laws that quickly turns bloody. Directed by “Scream” team Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, this snarky, bloody flick is an entertaining, class-conscious horror film. Stream it on Hulu or rent it elsewhere.

There’s also the action-comedy “Game Night” (2018) for something less spooky but still thrilling about a game night among friends that takes a turn after someone is kidnapped. Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (who also tackled the classic tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons), the incredibly charming “Game Night” stars Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams. Rent it on iTunes.

And for more body-swap fun in a family friendly film, check out the game-inspired “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan, directed by Jake Kasdan. While the original “Jumanji,” based on the game, is also a ’90s favorite, this one leans more into the body-swap elements that make “It’s What’s Inside” so entertaining. Stream it on Hulu or rent on other platforms.