These New Year’s Eve Movies Pair Well With A Glass Of Champagne
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Everyone knows what to do once the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve: Party like it’s 1999… well, 2024. But what do you do in the hours leading up to the big moment? With only a couple more days of that sweet, sweet time off, you’ve just about exhausted your list of post-holiday to-dos. It’s not the time for running errands, hitting the gym, or making plans for the week ahead (save all that for January 2, right?). Instead, why not curl up on the couch, throw on your newly-gifted pair of cozy loungewear, and do what you do best: a movie marathon.
There might be entire film genres devoted to holidays like Christmas and Halloween, but there's no shortage of movies with pivotal New Year's Eve (and New Year's Day) scenes. Maybe you're nostalgic enough to stream High School Musical, or maybe, a classic rom-com like When Harry Met Sally or While You Were Sleeping will help you feel all kinds of hopeful about the new year. Or, if horror's your thing, you can try the New Year's Eve slasher flick New Year's Evil. In short, there's something for everyone.
From New Year’s classics to party favorites to resolution inspiration and winter preparation, here are 43 movies to watch for any and every New Year’s Eve mood. Oh, and all of them are available to stream on Netflix, Hulu, and more.
New Year's Eve (2011)
Sure, this pick may be a little on the nose, but there’s no better time to watch the New Year’s Eve movie to end all New Year’s Eve movies. With a star-studded ensemble cast, this film follows dozens of unique characters (and platonic and romantic couples alike) as they navigate life and love on the last day of the year.
Rent (2005)
Adapted for the screen from Jonathan Larson’s award-winning Broadway production, Rent follows a group of queer artists and friends living in NYC during the height of the AIDS epidemic. In my humble opinion, belting out the lyrics to the titular opening number of this movie musical is the best way to start the new year off right.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
C’mon, is there a better New Year’s Eve scene in the history of New Year’s Eve scenes than the one in Nora Ephron’s When Harry Met Sally? This iconic rom-com follows two unlikely friends as they navigate meet-cutes, heartbreaks, New York City winters, and their reluctant feelings for each other.
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
Okay… are Nora Ephron and Meg Ryan just the queens of New Year’s Eve at this point? (Yes.) Follow an engaged Ryan and recently-widowed Tom Hanks as they fall in love (from across the U.S.) all because of one fated talk-radio interview.
Mermaids (1990)
Based on a novel by the same name, Mermaids follows an eccentric mother living on the Massachusetts coast raising two equally eccentric daughters. Can I hear a little commotion for the dress? And by the dress, I mean Cher’s mermaid get-up in this ’90s NYE classic?
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
When a Chicago transit worker saves her unrequited love after a train station accident puts him in a coma, she is mistaken by his family for his fiancé. She spends the holiday season with these strangers while her crush is on the mend, only to come to the realization that his brother may be a better match for her instead. Slight spoiler: The turning point of this OG Sandra Bullock flick comes at a New Year’s Eve party.
High School Musical (2006)
The opening New Year’s Eve karaoke scene of this classic Disney Channel Original Movie was a cultural reset. Take a trip down memory lane with a cast of musically younger versions of celebs you know and love in this family-friendly film about finding your passions and steering clear of the status quo.
A Long Way Down (2014)
With a morbid plot concerning a cast of characters who accidentally come together when they all plan to end their lives on the same night, this dark comedy begins and ends on New Year’s Eve–with plenty of twists and turns in between.
About a Boy (2002)
An unethical womanizer’s life is turned upside down when he’s blackmailed into dating an awkward young boy’s mother in this New Year’s classic featuring Hugh Grant in full-blown daddy mode.
Waiting to Exhale (1995)
Gather the girls and get ready for this one. Four lifelong friends support each other through life changes, career troubles, affairs, and budding romances in this star-studded NYE staple.
Carol (2015)
A sapphic period piece that just so happens to have a stellar New Year’s scene? Say no more. Based on the novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, this movie follows a forbidden romance between an aspiring photographer and a mysterious divorcée.
Sex and the City: The Movie (2008)
Set approximately four years after the events of the television series, this movie follows the Sex and the City cast in new stages of their metropolitan lives. Everyone thinks they want to spend NYE in NYC, but let’s be real, watching Carrie Bradshaw and crew count down to the new year from the comfort of your couch is much better.
In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007)
Indie films more your style? This award-winning romantic comedy is the one for you. A man posts a Craigslist personal ad after a tough year, only to be connected by fate with a woman set on finding the perfect New Year’s Eve date.
Trading Places (1983)
Merry New Year! Sometimes, you just need to laugh out loud—Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd play vastly different characters who swap lives in the name of a bet in this ’80s comedy classic.
Phantom Thread (2017)
Ever wonder what New Year’s Eve used to look like before the light shows and ball drops? Get a glimpse into the glamorous (and not-so-glamorous) life of a haute couture dress designer from the 1950s with the beautiful cinematography of Phantom Thread.
Are We There Yet? (2005)
Take a trip back to 2005 with this New Year’s Eve family classic. A whirlwind road odyssey, Are We There Yet? follows Ice Cube as he tries to get his love interest’s two energetic children from point A to point B.
New Year's Evil (1980)
Did you know there’s a New Year’s-themed horror movie? This campy flick features a killer who strikes at midnight, dead set on collecting a victim to represent the New Year in every time zone.
Happy New Year Charlie Brown (1986)
Did you really even celebrate New Year’s if you didn’t watch Happy New Year Charlie Brown? The timeless classic depicts the always anxious Charlie Brown as he (justifiably) laments over a difficult book report assigned to him for the holiday break.
Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
A group of well-to-do teens gets a bit too interested in illegal activity. With the bulk of this crime drama taking place on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Better Luck Tomorrow is the perfect action movie to add to your holiday roster.
About Time (2013)
A man travels through time to try and fix his past mistakes. Crack up and cringe at this movie’s NYE scene before crying (happy tears…) by the time the end credits roll.
Boogie Nights (1997)
Note to self: Add a Boogie Nights-themed party to the list of things to do in 2024. In this retro-inspired ’90s hit, a run-of-the-mill busboy is transformed into a popular porn star.
Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976)
Rudolph has a whole new holiday to save in this stop motion animation film. You probably haven’t seen this since you were six—but that just means it’s time to refresh your memory, right? But be warned, visions of Baby New Year may haunt you all the way until next NYE.
The Age of Adaline (2015)
A woman survives a car crash on a stormy night only to be revived by a chance lightning strike that gives her the power of immortality. Hop through many a New Year’s Eve of Blake Lively's past with this timeless romance.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
An awkward teenager trying to navigate high school while grappling with his traumatic past is taken under the wing of two unconventional, yet charismatic, upperclassmen. A major plot point of this coming-of-age book-turned movie occurs on NYE, making this the perfect watch if you want to have some big feelings (and belt out some Bowie) before midnight.
Can't Buy Me Love (1987)
A boy pays his popular classmate to pretend to date him so he can finally be cool. It’s an ’80s teen dramedy, so you can pretty much guess where it goes from there, but is there anything more soul-crushing than the New Year’s Eve scene in this movie? At least the idea of riding off into the sunset on the back of Patrick Dempsey’s lawn mower makes up for it in the end.
The Holiday (2006)
Is there anything better than a Christmas movie you can watch after Christmas? Featuring two of the most iconic movie couples of all time (Cameron Diaz and Jude Law, and Kate Winslet and Jack Black), this classic rolls the entire holiday season into one fantastic rom-com when two women down on their luck decide to trade homes—and lifestyles—for the holidays.
Bridget Jones' Diary (2001)
This twist on Pride and Prejudice is a bit too relatable when the titular character, Bridget Jones, makes a New Year’s resolution to find a sensible beau and steer clear of romantic attachments to the classic, toxic archetypes. Will she end up with her exciting, troublemaking boss played by Hugh Grant, or the supposedly boring, yet ever intriguing Mark Darcy played by none other than Colin Firth?
Holidate (2020)
The main characters of this Netflix original movie meet while returning Christmas presents and make a deal to be each other’s dates to a New Year’s Eve party—and every holiday excursion thereafter. Is there a way to sign up for this kind of setup IRL?
Booksmart (2019)
Every New Year’s Eve is kind of like the plot of Booksmart: Realize you forgot to be social the entire year, and instead try to pack all the partying into one crazy night.
Girls Trip (2017)
Four best friends decide to turn a work trip into a long overdue girls' trip when one of them is invited to attend a music festival in New Orleans. Think: The Hangover, but for the ladies. And honestly? Just better.
Rough Night (2017)
With a star-studded cast, Rough Night chronicles a bachelorette party reunion among college friends in the one and only Miami. Watch this movie while practicing some self-care and hydrating before the night ahead so you don’t find yourself in a situation remotely similar to the chaos of this film.
The Great Gatsby (2012)
Based on the classic novel, this movie depicts the life and times of a mysterious millionaire seen through the eyes of his curious next-door neighbor. Let’s be honest, you’ll never see a party quite as extravagant as Gatsby’s. You might as well live vicariously through Tobey Maguire instead.
House Party (1990)
In this 1990 hit, two best friends attempt to plan the house party of the century—and what results is arguably one of the best party movies of all time. This flashback to what you wish your high school New Year’s Eves looked like is the perfect film to get you amped up for the night ahead.
Wild (2014)
Reflection, growth, and a 1,100-mile hike across the Pacific Crest Trail: the trials and tribulations Cheryl faces in this film (based on true events) are an inspiration that'll inspire your new year's resolutions, to say the least.
Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong (2016)
It’s love at first sight when a man living in Hong Kong and a Chinese-American businesswoman meet out on the town. There’s just something about movies that take place in the span of one night that makes them special. Although this isn’t a New Year’s specific watch, it will have you yearning for a midnight romance.
Little Women (2019)
Yes, Louisa May Alcott’s classic about the lives of four sisters— imagined for a new generation by Greta Gerwig—has entered the chat. When you look up wholesome, winter vibes in a dictionary, there’s actually just a picture of the cast of Little Women underneath it.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
A quirky murder mystery at a surreal ski resort—a.k.a. escapism at its finest. One can only dream of being in a wintery Wes Anderson wonderland as January rears its chilly head.
Snowpiercer (2013)
A climate apocalypse via ice and snow has caused the entire human population to take refuge on a train. The only problem: This new society has taken the class disparities and labor exploitation of our present-day to a whole new level. Apparently, the events of Academy Award winner Bong Joon-Ho’s dystopian horror flick take place on New Year’s Eve, making this the perfect watch for NYE. Plus, who doesn’t want to watch a snowy adventure starring Chris Evans on the last day of the year?
Knives Out (2019)
Chris Evans again. But this time, in a cable-knit sweater. Need I say more? When a wealthy, writerly patriarch is murdered in the middle of the night, his family brings in a private detective (Daniel Craig) to get to the bottom of this who-done-it mystery.
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