New Year’s Eve Movie Picks

Happy New Year everyone! And since I did a Christmas post, I thought…A New Year’s Eve Movie Picks post will be a great follow up. Just to end this year on a cinematic note.

Christmas Movie Picks VS New Year’s Eve Movie Picks

Indeed, the Christmas movie pick post was such a success. A rather unconventional movie picks I agree, but such was this year. 2020 was an unconventional, weird and hard year for all of us. So, I felt the movie picks were very fitting. Oh, and a disclaimer right here upfront. Not all of the movies on this list are set on New Year’s Eve. Some of them have New Year’s Eve theme in just a few scenes, but yeah. New Year’s Eve is the main theme in all of them.

But what about the New Year’s Eve Movie Picks?

Well, I’m keeping up with the theme of this year. As we’re planning to say goodbye to 2020 and welcome 2021, I’m filled with optimism and hope. And optimism and hope you will find in my New Year’s Eve Movie Picks too. Granted the list will also have some unconventional, but with a dash of hope. There are 6 very different movie picks on this list and I do hope you’ll like them.

However, I simply can’t go on with this post without mentioning some of the cool holiday games we have at IndieGala.

First and foremost there’s the Scratchy Winter Sale. And over there you’ll find dozens of fantastic deals and of course. Dozens of fantastic games. From the Borderlands game series to The Mafia trilogy, and everything you fancy in between. RPGs, simulation games and so much more.

But in regards to the New Year-themed video games, there’s Crazy Machines 2: Happy New Year DLC. Check it out. And of course enjoy it.

A game that lets you celebrate the New Year. City to city. From Sydney, Shanghai, Mumbai, Paris, London, Rio de Janeiro, to New York!

But back to the theme of the movie. The movie picks!. New Year’s Eve Movie picks. Which 6 movies made the cut here? Well, scroll down and find out.

  • New Year’s Eve Movie Picks

Strange Days, Four Rooms, Bridget Jones’ Diary, New Year’s Eve, Poseidon Adventure

New Year’s Eve

I simply can’t have a New Year’s Movie Pick post, without mentioning the New Year’s Eve movie. Yes, the Gary Marshall 2011 romantic comedy, with a bunch of A-listers in the cast. Furthermore, this is the second movie of the Gary Marshal trilogy (after Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day movies). And yes, the movie follows a group of people (in interconnected stories) on New Year’s Eve. This is not one of Gary Marshall’s finest movies, but it does has some charm and warmth. Plus it has an incredible list of actors in the cast. From Oscar winners Halle Berry and Robert De Niro to screen legends like Michelle Pfeiffer and Cary Elwes.

Fun fact: Sarah Jessica Parker (Kim) and Matthew Broderick (Mr. Buellerton) are real-life husband and wife.

The Poseidon Adventure

Probably the oldest movie on this list. And yes, I’m talking about the 1972 disaster movie and not the 2006 remake. Indeed, The Poseidon Adventure is about a SS Poseidon. A fictional luxury liner on a final voyage. However on New Year’s Eve, the liner will get hit by a tsunami, and one preacher will attempt to lead the survivors into safety. The Poseidon Adventure is a fantastic nail-biting movie with incredible performances. And a fine production design too. Oh, and it has 5 Oscar winners in the cast. Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Albertson, Shelley Winters, and Red Buttons. Not bad right? I thought so too. Even though it’s a rather older movie, I would highly recommend it. Especially on New Year’s eve.

Fun fact: Shelley Winters trained with an Olympic swim coach. So that her character, who is a former award-winning swimmer, would come across more realistically in the underwater scenes.

200 Cigarettes

A late 90’s movie that’s set in the early ’80s. And much like The Poseidon Adventure, 200 Cigarettes has a ton of great actors too. Starting with Ben and Casey Affleck. And of course with Kate Hudson, Martha Plimpton, Christina Ricci, Paul Rudd, Janeane Garofalo and Dave Schappelle. Among others.

The movie follows the lives of several characters on New Years’ Eve 1981. Set in New York, 200 Cigarettes is a hidden gem that I discovered just a few years ago. And I know it’s not one of the best movies out there, but it does have some fantastic qualities. The characters are outrageous, it has killer wit and it’s a decent little movie. Very similar to New Year’s Eve, but set in a different decade.

Fun fact: In reality, Elvis Costello spent New Year’s Eve, 1981 playing a concert with his band the Attractions. At New York’s Palladium theater on East 14th St. Some blocks north of where “200 Cigarettes” takes place.

Bridget Jones’s Diary

A true classic. A movie about New Year’s resolutions, wishful thinking and constantly improving. Or so thought Bridget Jones. It’s also a movie in which the Holiday spirit lives with humor and the incredible performances from Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth.

And yes. Renee is Bridge Jones in the 2001 movie. A 28-year-old single woman with terrible habits, and even worse taste in men. But that’s all going to change, with the help of her parents and friends. This movie is almost 2 decades old but feels fresh and modern nonetheless. It’s also the only movie from the trilogy that I can stand to watch. So, I’m recommending it here as a good New Year’s Eve pick.

Fun fact: The snowy scenes at the end of this movie were filmed during summertime.

Four Rooms

To finish this post on a high note I’m going with 2 movies from the ’90s. The first is of course Four Rooms. A movie directed by 4 separate directors, and a movie divided into four separate segments. And of course, all of them are set on New Year’s Eve in the fictional Hotel Mon Signor in Los Angeles.

As you can probably imagine, the movie is filled to the brim with fantastic actors. Starting with Tim Roth, Quentin Tarantino’s frequent collaborator. But there are plenty of other great actors too. Marisa Tomei, Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Beals, Lilli Taylor and so many others. The Misbehavers” segment is my favorite segment from the entire movie, but I can’t wait to find out yours. Let me know in the comment section.

Fun fact: Before “The Misbehavers” turn to the “porno” channel, they are watching the short film Bedhead (1991). A movie that’s also written and directed by Robert Rodriguez.

Strange Days

Strange Days came out in the same year as Four Room.1995. And it’s also set during New Year’s Eve celebrations. But it couldn’t be different from the predecessor. First and foremost it’s directed by Kathryn Bigelow and co-written by her ex-husband James Cameron. Secondly, it’s a science-fiction thriller set in the last two days of 1999. It involves memories, illegal electronic devices and society in shambles. Not to mention it’s also one of the few good techno-thrillers of the ’90s with plenty of noir elements to spare.

And of course, thanks to the great performances from Ralph Fiennes, Angela Basset and Juliette Lewis it’s a timeless, yet underrated classic from the ’90s. A must watch if you’re looking for a rather different New Year’s Eve experience.

Fun fact: The movie’s title comes from the Album “Strange Days” by The Doors and a cover version of the album’s title track is played in the movie.

Tell Us Your New Year’s Eve Movie Picks

What are some of your New Year’s Eve Movie Picks? Which movies do you enjoy on New Year’s Eve? Let us know in the comment section. We’d love to know your picks too.

Oh and on behalf of IndieGala’s team, I’d like to wish you a Happy New Year.

new year GIF

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