Best Sunday Movies: 7 Slept-On Picks for a Lazy Afternoon

1. For a lighter Sunday: Sgt. Bilko (1996)

Time: about 94 minutes. Best for: comic schemes and Steve Martin energy without a disaster-movie mood.

Sgt. Bilko is our first editorial Sunday pick because it gives the day a manageable comic shape. Steve Martin’s scheming character creates problems that are fun to watch from a comfortable distance. The military setting is a playground for the comedy; we are choosing it here for that energy rather than for combat or suspense.

The hosts place the film in a daytime frame, including Grobe’s midafternoon Saturday and late-morning channel-surfing description. Moving it to Sunday is our suggestion, not a new quote from them. That distinction still leaves a strong reason to choose it: it feels like a movie you can make time for while the rest of the day remains open. The episode’s iced-Americano pairing is available if you want a small ritual. Keep it optional and keep the afternoon easy.

Read our Sgt. Bilko reviewListen to the Sgt. Bilko episodeEpisode drink pairings

2. For Sunday with sports fans: Celtic Pride (1996)

Time: about 90 minutes. Best for: a broad 1990s comedy about fandom getting wildly out of hand.

Celtic Pride is for the room that already knows how a team’s fortunes can reorganize a person’s day. Its Boston fans take that devotion into an absurd scheme involving an opposing player. You do not have to follow every basketball reference to recognize the emotional logic: an ordinary sports disappointment becomes somebody else’s terrible plan.

In the episode, Stan’s first Draft pick is Damon Wayans, a useful reminder that the opposing star is more than an obstacle for the fans. The BOLOs include basketball-era details and an after-credits scene, so leave the credits running. Our Sunday placement is editorial and suits viewers who want broad comic chaos; the kidnapping premise is still the premise. Choose Bilko for a lighter-feeling setup or this one when the group enjoys sports rivalries and actors committing to a ridiculous idea.

Read our Celtic Pride reviewListen to the Celtic Pride episode

3. For the shortest comedy slot: Spy Hard (1996)

Time: about 80 minutes. Best for: Leslie Nielsen fans who enjoy quick jokes and straight-faced spoofing.

Spy Hard is our short Sunday choice when you do not want the movie to occupy the whole afternoon. Leslie Nielsen’s deadpan delivery gives the parody a center even as another gag races into the frame. The pleasure is the pace and commitment, not waiting for every joke to work equally well.

The Slept-On Cinema conversation with guest Gus Tate makes that straight-faced quality part of the defense. Stan’s first Draft pick is the Weird Al opening-credits song, which is a good reason to settle in before the titles rather than treating them as setup time. Sunday is our editorial assignment. Choose it when the group already likes broad spoofs and pop-culture references; skip it if you would rather follow a quieter character story. The compact running time makes the choice practical, but the comedy includes adult jokes.

Read our Spy Hard reviewListen to the Spy Hard episode

4. For a different sports-comedy discovery: Birdies (2022)

Time: about 105 minutes. Best for: adult viewers curious about an indie golf comedy and its ensemble.

Birdies is the 2022 golf comedy directed by Troy Carlton. Its washed-up golfer and country-club world give this list a smaller-scale alternative to the studio adventures. Choose it for adult comic energy and the pleasure of trying a film that may not already be on everyone’s shortlist. It is not being presented as a gentle family golf movie.

Our original episode with guest Lily Nicole is unusually useful here: Grobe explains discovering the film through a personal connection and being surprised by its editing, cinematography, and sense of a larger world. Stan also singles out the music. The episode is an exception to the usual poorly-reviewed-film format; the hosts explain that it did not yet have a Rotten Tomatoes review when they recorded. The later special gives another route into the production conversation. Sunday is our editorial home for the discovery, not a host quote.

Read our Birdies reviewListen to the Birdies episode

5. For a Sunday adventure without a marathon: The Shadow (1994)

Time: about 102 minutes. Best for: pulp atmosphere and viewers who want a complete, distinctive movie world.

Choose The Shadow if the afternoon wants to leave the living room without taking on a giant franchise assignment. Alec Baldwin’s performance and the period-adventure styling give it a recognizable atmosphere. It is more energetic than the comedy route, with action and menace, but it still feels like an approachable detour into a specific world.

The hosts explicitly call it a Saturday afternoon movie; our Sunday placement borrows that daytime-adventure quality without relabeling their recommendation. Stan’s later discussion of the film as a gateway to older styles gives the rewatch a good question: which parts of its look make you want to try another period adventure afterward? If you like that route, our Saturday guide builds it out alongside longer spectacle picks. If the aim is to keep Sunday quiet, return to Bilko instead.

Read our The Shadow reviewListen to The Shadow episode

6. For bright, nostalgic adventure: Scooby-Doo (2002)

Time: about 86 minutes. Best for: cartoon-adaptation fans and a group happy with knowingly broad comedy.

Scooby-Doo is a different sort of Sunday nostalgia: Mystery Inc. reunites on Spooky Island, and the live-action cast gets to carry familiar character habits into a very heightened resort mystery. Pick it when the room wants color, recognizable personalities, and cartoon logic rather than a realistic thriller.

The hosts and guest Kai discuss the performances and odd island details as reasons to enjoy the adaptation. Their BOLOs include the Pamela Anderson appearance and adult jokes tucked into the adventure. That is a reminder to check suitability for your household even with a film marketed to families; our Sunday mood category is not a parental guide. This placement is editorial. At around 86 minutes, it is also a useful option when the day has room for a film but not a two-hour spectacle.

Read our Scooby-Doo reviewListen to the Scooby-Doo episode

7. Horror wildcard: keep this in its own lane: Urban Legend (1998)

Time: about 95 minutes. Best for: slasher fans, campus suspense, and a Sunday that welcomes scares.

Urban Legend is the direct Sunday connection in our transcript archive, and the least appropriate title here to describe as gentle comfort viewing. It is a 1998 campus slasher built around familiar stories turning threatening. Choose it only when the people watching actively want horror, violence, and suspense.

Around 13:11–15:32 in the episode transcript, the drink-pairing conversation leads Grobe and Stan into a Sunday-morning viewing occasion and the urge to rewatch. That gives the placement a real source while leaving the content warning intact. It does not make a slasher equivalent to a lazy comedy. If you want more of this particular feeling, our nineties-horror guide is the next stop. If you want to finish Sunday with fewer alarms, pick Bilko or a broad comedy above and save the campus danger for another day.

Read our Urban Legend reviewListen to the Urban Legend episode

Give Sunday a finish time

Choose the end of the film before choosing its start. A shorter option can leave time for dinner and tomorrow’s preparation without making those things part of the viewing experience. Put the podcast’s later discussion on afterward only if you want the conversation to continue. For a seasonal alternative, Ernest Saves Christmas is a holiday-specific detour rather than an all-year Sunday claim.

Sunday movie questions

What is the most relaxed choice here?

Sgt. Bilko is our lighter comedy starting point. Spy Hard is shorter, but its rapid-fire spoof style creates a different kind of energy.

Is Urban Legend a comfort movie?

Only if familiar slashers are your personal comfort lane. It remains a horror film with violent danger, and we keep it separate from the gentler picks.

Which films leave the most afternoon free?

Spy Hard and Scooby-Doo are listed at approximately 80 and 86 minutes. Celtic Pride is about 90 minutes. Your edition and any breaks can change the finish time.

Keep the movie night going

Start with the episode’s spoiler-free introduction and BOLOs—our little things to Be On the Lookout for—then watch the movie before returning for the full Draft. Follow Slept-On Cinema on Spotify or Apple Podcasts for the next reappraisal.

For a broader shortlist, try our movies to watch tonight by mood or 25 underrated movies of all time. Want to wear your movie optimism? Browse Movie Optimist gear.