Staying In On New Year's? Here Are The Best Movies To Watch On New Year's Eve!

Although set on Christmas Eve, Eyes Wide Shut is the ultimate movie to watch any day during the holidays. The master Stanley Kubrick’s last film — arguably his magnum opus — is an erotic-mystery psychological drama that finds a place on almost every top-movies-of-the-twentienth-century list. With a sneak peek into the mysterious worlds of the super elite and wealthy, and an incredible commentary on the complicated, dramatic dynamics of relationships, it’s the perfect movie to watch with a glass of wine on a cold night.

Pro-Tip: Find out all our favourite thriller movies. 

This one’s a no-brainer. There’s nothing we can say about Home Alone that’s not been said already. It’s the world’s favourite holiday season movie. But if you’re someone who hasn’t been introduced to the lore of Home Alone, it is the first in a series of incredibly fun movies that follow the adventures of a kid who’s left alone at home for the holidays after his family forgets to take him on vacation, while he tries to keep his home safe from burglars!

In some ways, the idea of every year passing and every New Year’s has always been associated in our minds with coming-of-age and innocence lost, with becoming a new person, with making resolutions to be better. The 400 Blows, first in the Adventures of Antoine Donnel film series by French New Wave pioneer Francois Truffaut, pays an ode to coming of age and the passage of innocence. Set in 1950’s France, the film follows 13-year-old Antoine Donnel, who feels a misfit at home and school, runs away and is sent away to juvenile care. What’s more interesting is that Antoine’s adventures were based on Truffaut's own experiences, and is a must-watch for everyone. And if you like it, there are four sequels following Antoine’s journey into adulthood, which make him one of the most popular and beloved characters in cinema history.

This one is for all the sci-fi fans out there. Directed by Academy Award-winner Bong Jon Hoo, Snowpiercer is set in a dystopian future where the Earth has frozen, and all of humanity has been taken to a train called Snowpiercer. With a solid star cast featuring Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton and Song Kang-Ho, the movie follows a class revolution that takes place on the train on New Year’s Eve — so get your popcorn ready!

From the co-creator of Despicable Me, Klaus is one movie that will make you laugh, cry, and then cry a bit more with tears of joy. This wholesome, slice-of-life, animated comedy film is an ode to friendship, following the adventures of a postman who travels to the ice-cold North, where he meets Klaus, a reclusive toymaker. As the duo sets out to donate Klaus’s old toys to children during the festive season, pandemonium ensues.

Pro-Tip: Check out our list of the best Disney movies. 

You don’t always need to be in 'cinephile' mode or be watching avant garde films to enjoy movie night. It can also be about easy, fun movies, especially on a night like New Year’s Eve, and no surprise here that New Year's Eve is the perfect movie to watch on the ocassion. The film follows the lives of a bunch of characters as they find themselves in trouble and end up being connected to each other on New Year’s Eve. With a huge cast full of talented actors that makes it almost like a rom-com Avengers movie, this one is a no-brainer choice for a light-hearted celebration at home. 

Simply put, The Summit Of The Gods is the most beautiful animated film I have seen in recent years by a mile. This French film, based on a Japanese manga series of the same name, which in turn was based on a Japanese novel of the same name, follows the obsessive journey of a photojournalist to find out the truth behind the first ever summit to Mt Everest after he finds an old camera with film in it. While we love animated films for the beautiful break from real life that they are, the plot of The Summit Of The Gods is more realistic than most live-action feature films out there. Say what you will, the French filmmakers know their drama.

There are few films that never get old no matter how many times you watch them, and ZNMD is always going to be on that list for us. If you’re looking for a film to watch on New Year’s Eve with your friends, this film about three friends reconnecting on a bachelor’s trip to Spain is the most obvious choice for a watch party. It’s beautiful, it’s Bollywood, it’s got a killer soundtrack, and some of the finest acting we’ve seen in modern Indian cinema.

In his recent review of SRK’s Pathan, Japanese video game writer Hideo Kojima said, 'Movies these days think too hard. This is a pure entertainment film!' After ZNMD, the next on our list is Polite Society, a recent British film that’s a love letter to good-old Indian masala films, a film that doesn’t 'think too hard'. The film revolves around a high-school girl who’s an aspiring stuntwoman and wants to save her sister from getting married to the heir of an evil rich family. Polite Society is desi, fun, goofy, and one of the better diaspora films we’ve seen that do a good job of representing South Asian culture. 

Jallikattu is a Malayalam film that follows the frenzy that takes place in a village when a bull escapes slaughter. Most of the movie is set in the chase of that one night and takes place in the dark, with flaming torches being the main source of light in the village, making the film a cinematography marvel. With visuals this stunning, it’s the perfect film to watch on any night with the lights turned off. Be advised, however, the film has graphic, violent scenes that could be triggering.

Any Irrfan film is a film we can watch any day, and Karwaan is no different. When Avinah (Dulquer Salman) receives the posthumous body of another woman instead of his father who died in a road crash, he ventures on a road trip across South India with his friend Shauqat (Irrfan) to exchange bodies. In a comedy of errors, they are joined by a teenager Tanya (Mithila Parker) on the way, and what follows is a wholesome, funny, rollercoaster ride. 

As mentioned above, we love a coming-of-age film to watch on New Year’s Eve and Wake Up Sid’s always been a go-to. Although we must admit we can’t help but feel so old when we realised this movie came out 14 years ago! But that being said, it’s still as good to watch as it was the first time around. Starring Konkona Sen and Ranbir Kapoor, Wake Up Sid deals with the lives of a young photographer who’s lost in his life. Also worth mentioning here is that it’s definitely one of those movies you should watch if you’re someone who’s moving or has just moved to Mumbai. 

Pro-Tip: Looking for more Bollywood rom-comes? Head here for a comprehensive list.