Across all streaming platforms, Christmas movies enjoy a seemingly endless budget. Every year a new cast of quirky, snow-covered rom-coms come out, all set around a holiday that most people don’t even celebrate. This year, Netflix released Single until the end, I love very much, and Princess Switch 3. It’s a wonder why the same attention isn’t given to New Year’s Eve.
Fortunately, many great films have taken on the setting of a new year that is approaching, tackling themes of change, growth, friendship and loneliness. They evoke wild glitter party tropes, with the main man racing to get the perfect midnight kiss and the dramatic pressure of a crowd chanting “10! 9! 8!…”
ten Dinner (1982)
This classic 1980s film revolves around a group of old friends dealing with the late 1950s and their plunge into adulthood. With its recognizable cast and clever commentary on the transition from childhood to adulthood, dinner maintained its reputation as a New Year’s classic.
Barry Levinson’s semi-autobiographical writing brings an honest tone backed by performances from a fresh-faced Mickey Rourke and a pre-Free from all ties Kevin Bacon. Although some fans claim this film ages badly due to its lack of diversity and outdated “humor”, the relatable story of old friends clinging to their youth as long as they can reflects the uncertainty. of each new year.
9 Strange Days (1995)
From a story by James Cameron, strange days is set in the final days of 1999 and sports an overly relevant plot surrounding virtual reality technology and corruption within the LAPD. What better way to ring in the new year than with a long-haired Ralph Fiennes and a gun-toting, ass-kicking Angela Bassett making their way through the nighttime streets of 90s LA ?
This action-packed thriller directed by Kathryn Bigelow was snubbed at the box office due to the Y2K panic, but went on to earn a cult following and huge fan appreciation. It combines several genres together to create an exciting ride with something for every viewer, a crime drama about a government conspiracy fueled by a passionate romance that leads to a satisfying last kiss at the end of the film as the characters are thrust back into the years. 2000. Although not available for streaming even on Amazon, this incredible film serves as a time capsule of the political conflict raging in Los Angeles as the world celebrates a new millennium.
8 More American Graffiti (1979)
As with most sequels, this film exists in the shadow of its beloved prequel, american graffiti. Although George Lucas hasn’t returned to direct, this intertwining tale of four New Year’s Eve parties in the late 1960s still has a lot to offer, including the return of most of the iconic actors directed by Ron Howard.
The ultimate goal here is to use the characters already loved and tackle the social and political unrest of the late 1960s. Each year is distinguished by a distinct style reflecting classic 60s events like Woodstock and Vietnam, reminding the audience of an uncertain time in history. Most online reviewers from Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes dismiss this film as overambitious, hard to follow, and lacking a central theme, but the clever use of ’60s pop music and memorable experimental scenes give the film a feel. cult-classic.
seven 200 cigarettes (1999)
Released at the end of the millennium but set in 1981, 200 cigarettes is a wild ride of a comedy starring an all-star cast as they navigate a New Year’s Eve night in New York City.
It almost feels like a precursor to 2011 new year’s eve, combining so many big names into one film: Kate Hudson, Paul Rudd, Christina Ricci and Ben Affleck, to name a few. It’s a lovable classic that unites the recognizable charm of the 1980s with the smarts of 1990s pop culture, and it’s a fun way to experience a complicated and lively night in 80s New York.
6 Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Generally speaking, New Year’s Eve conjures up images of crowded parties covered in confetti and drowned out by paper blowers. sunset boulevard turns that idea on its head by inviting audiences to an intimate night between a lonely, washed-up ex-Hollywood starlet and an unsuspecting reporter.
This Oscar-winning classic has stood the test of time thanks to Gloria Swanson’s haunting performance. Her increasingly unbalanced demeanor culminates when she utters the iconic line, “Okay, Mr. Deville, I’m ready for my close-up,” and walks towards the camera as Franz Waxman’s powerful score plays. With its parody of old Hollywood, this film serves as a nostalgic reminder of times past, perfect for reflecting on another year gone by.
5 Boogie Nights (1997)
While Paul Thomas Anderson boogie nights, a journey through the porn industry of the 70s, doesn’t take place entirely on New Year’s Eve, it features one of the greatest New Year’s Eve scenes in movie history. As the crowd sings the 10-second countdown at Jack Horner’s (Burt Reynolds) late ’70s party, Little Bill (William H. Macy) shoots and kills his cheating wife and lover.
Not only does this suddenly and violently end the fun of the party, but it means the fun is over in their entire lives, each taking a dark turn one by one as they enter the 80s. With their iconic floating camera , its endlessly memorable one-liners, and clever character names like Dirk Diggler and Rollergirl, this film is endlessly fun to watch from start to finish and serves as a cautionary tale for anyone heading into a new year.
4 Fruitvale Station (2013)
Sundance Grand Jury Prize Winner Fruitvale Station tells the tragic story of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old shot and killed by a transit police officer in 2009.
A film that sadly seems to have gotten out this year, it’s a harrowing but important watch with incredible performances from Michael B. Jordan and Octavia Spencer. Mirroring cellphone videos taken during the actual incident, writer and director Ryan Coogler chose to shoot the film at the BART station where Grant was filmed, using Super 16mm format, according to studiodaily . It’s a great watch for pondering the political conflict we’ve seen over the past year.
3 Four Bedrooms (1999)
What’s better than four New Year’s Eve parties? Four shorts combined into one movie after a night out in Hollywood’s weirdest hotel. In Four bedrooms, Tim Roth plays a bellhop working his first night at the Mon Signor Hotel who gets drawn into four separate encounters with hotel guests, AKA four short films written and directed by different artists, including Quentin Tarantino.
His quarter of the film closes the night in typical Tarantino form: fast-paced dialogue, cash-fueled crime, and a severed little finger. While most are drawn to this movie by that unforgettable name, the other three quarters also offer gripping stories and strong characters played by familiar faces like Madonna, Antonio Banderas and Jennifer Beals. With its brilliant structure connecting four distinct stories with the new year and a groom, this film takes audiences on a New Year’s Eve journey like no other.
2 Snowdrops (2013)
In a post-apocalyptic world where surviving humans live on an ever-moving train separated by class status, Curtis (Chris Evans), leads a revolution from the back of the train to the front on this world version of New Year’s Eve. New Year.
snowdrops is a masterclass in cultural collaboration. It is based on a French graphic novel by Jacques Lob, directed by the pre-Parasite Bong Joon-ho, and produces primarily in English for American audiences. This perhaps reinforces the film’s gloomy themes of a post-climate disaster world, a problem to be faced on a global scale. From start to finish, or from the back of the train to the front, this film offers an incredibly thrilling journey that leaves the viewer with a motivation for revolution.
1 Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1986)
For decades, Charlie Brown and his quirky cast of friends have been synonymous with the holiday season. This 24-minute special follows the gang through New Year’s Eve as they deal with holiday must-read, unrequited love and Peppermint Patty’s can’t-miss party.
Even as adults, we can appreciate the timeless humor: Charlie dragging his copy of War & Peace, Rerun inflating square balloons, blushing cheeks greatly animated. And while ringing in the year 2022 during a tumultuous time in world history, it’s refreshing to watch a classic cartoon with soothing background music and genuinely sweet children’s voices.
