As the year ends, everyone in the Northern Hemisphere starts to experience a quick transition into winter; it's the perfect time of year to spend indoors, snuggled up, and watching various perfectly suited films for the season.
Whether it be the likes of some festive classics such as Home Alone and The Nightmare Before Christmas, or some films that give off a pleasant and cozy aesthetic like Little Women, there are a number of great winter films to dive into during the holiday season.
'The Climb' (2019)
The Climb is an extremely underrated buddy comedy film that tells the story of a dysfunctional friendship between Kyle (Kyle Marvin) and Mike (Michael Angelo Covino), spanning many years of their shared liking, sorrow, and hatred toward one another. It's a very fun experience, especially if you like dark comedies.
The film is witty and confidently made, and the charisma shown by the two main actors (who also directed and wrote the film) is very amusing and watchable. They have a hilarious dynamic that takes some wild turns and truly tests the fragility of their friendship. The Climb is a great indie comedy to slap on for a good laugh.
'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (2004)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of the greatest romance stories ever told, following the relationship between Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet). The story takes place from Joel's perspective as he mistakenly takes a procedure to erase the memories of Clementine after a heartbreaking breakup; however, as his memories fade away, Joel realizes his mistake and yearns to keep these precious moments.
While the film takes place during Valentine's time of the year, it still is a wonderful winter film with some very emotionally powerful messages. The film highlights the importance of memories and their great personal connections, the film comments on how it's worth keeping the good memories, even if there are also bad ones along the way. It is a great love story with some truly relatable and genuine characters, making this an intimate comfort film, depending on how you choose to interpret its subtextual themes.
'Happy Feet' (2006)
Happy Feet is one of those childhood films that holds up surprisingly well, following a young penguin (Elijah Wood) who is born with an inability to sing in a society revolving around finding a soul mate through song. Despite being a film targeted primarily towards children, it still is successfully entertaining and has some surprisingly meaningful themes.
The film has a lot to say about global warming and environmentalism, and even some hidden darker messages when you look beneath the symbolism. However, on the surface, this film works well as a heartfelt story about a charming little penguin. It's a fun film; you're guaranteed a good time.
'The Grand Budapest Hotel' (2014)
Many of Wes Anderson's films feel like they could be correlated with the different seasons. Moonrise Kingdom has a blooming presence and represents many aspects of spring; The Life Aquatic and The Darjeeling Limited give off a warm summer vibe, and Fantastic Mr. Fox is just one of the best films oozing with a fall aesthetic. However, it's The Grand Budapest Hotel which is Anderson's ultimate winter film, taking place in a lovely winter wonderland and telling the story of a prestigious hotel and its quirky owner's across the years.
This film is a perfect amalgamation of Anderson's style, with each aspect of the presentation, humor, drama, tone, and purpose all falling into place flawlessly. This is a charming visual achievement, with very engaging and humorous characters to follow.
'Home Alone' (1990)
Home Alone is one of those perfect Christmas classics that's fun for the whole family. It's filled with a whimsical charm that makes it a delight to rewatch every couple of years. The story follows a young boy who has to defend himself and his house against two burglars after his family leaves him behind during Christmas vacation.
The film is amusing, starring a young Macaulay Culkin as the very charismatic and mischievous protagonist Kevin. He has a ton of charm which makes watching his antics against the sleazy burglars very satisfying and enjoyable. All in all, it's just a fun little time that makes for a great winter treat.
'Klaus' (2019)
Klaus is one of the best festive films from recent years, telling a charming animated story of a fictionalized origin of Christmas. The film follows a postal student sent to a small isolated town with a declining social state. However, when he meets a gruff toymaker, the pair team up to liven up the town, spark some joy with local communication, and improve their postal system.
The film is such a delightful tale that takes a spin on presenting some familiar festive tropes. It has some beautiful animation and is a standout in terms of how it combines 3D and 2D animation, allowing for some beautiful imagery and memorable character design. This is a heartwarming and snug film that most people can easily connect to.
'Knives Out' (2019)
On the surface, Knives Out may not seem like a "comfort" or "cozy" kind of film. However, when you immerse yourself in the mystery, setting, and characters, it swiftly becomes a very joyous family drama. The film tells the story of a detective (Daniel Craig) who investigates the peculiar death of a famous novelist named Harlan Thormbley (Christopher Plummer). With the help of Thrombley's nurse and closest friend, Marta (Ana de Armas) have to figure out which dysfunctional family member could have committed the crime.
It's a riveting mystery at first glance, but it slowly becomes very relatable as you get to know the characters. It gives off a cozy feeling as it feels familiar but in a unique way, diverting the tropes of a typical whodunit narrative. Also, a film where almost every character wears a sweater makes it hard to feel warm and snug. Now would be a perfect time of year to catch up on this film, especially considering that the sequel is coming out soon.
'Little Women' (2019)
If there's a film that fully meets the "cozy" criteria, then it's Little Women. The highly praised feature from Greta Gerwig chronicles the lives of four sisters growing up during the 19th century in post-civil war America. Each character in this film is charming and relatable, and their family dynamic makes for such a pleasant viewing experience.
This film feels like a perfect winter watch because of its setting and aesthetic. There are plenty of scenes where the family spends time with each other, and it's made authentic because of the warm and cozy atmosphere. It is a great ensemble piece where you truly care for every person on screen.
'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993)
The Nightmare Before Christmas is an endlessly rewatchable film, and while it works well as a Halloween movie, it's suited much better as a Christmas film. This is because the film primarily centers around the holiday season, as it follows Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon/Danny Elfman), who starts to become tired of the monotonous holiday of October 31st. However, he soon discovers the likings of Christmas after discovering a magical door and begins a spooky rendition of traditional Christmas festivities.
This film has so many special qualities that make it a delightful viewing experience—consisting of some fantastic stop-motion animation, striking and memorable character design, and some truly amazing and unforgettable songs that will stick in your head for days. All of these elements blend to create a perfect filmmaking marvel that is always a blast to re-visit.
'The Muppet Christmas Carol' (1992)
Nothing else screams joy and cheerfulness like The Muppets, which makes their excursions in The Muppets Christmas Carol a pure delight to watch during the festive season. The film is a playful retelling of the story of Ebenezer Scrooge by including our favorite puppet friends within the classic tale.
The Muppets will always provide a warm and cozy experience due to their joyous appearances and memorability. They will always feel iconic and lively in any situation, and their friendly nature works perfectly in a festive-themed film. Like Home Alone, this is a perfect family film to savor during these holidays.