7 movies whose plot takes place on New Year’s Eve, and not always for the better

For many New Year’s Eve is a time of celebration. It is the end of one year and the (almost) beginning of another, in which everyone has the opportunity to say a proper goodbye to the last 12 months and, possibly, start from scratch for the next 12. 

That may mean dressing to the nines, uncorking champagne, and going out until dawn, or it may mean curling up in cozy pajamas, lots of popcorn, and a great themed movie. 

One of the annual traditions of many people is to watch Christmas movies , especially at Christmas. However, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are often forgotten festivities.

With this in mind, we have prepared this list of movies set on New Year’s Eve or that have a mythical scene that happens on that date so that you do not lack entertainment in this party of endings and beginnings. 

Whatever your plans for this New Year’s Eve, the following 7 movies are ideal to watch while preparing for a night out, at midnight or even while curing your hangover on New Year’s Day.

New Year’s Eve (2011)

On New Year’s Eve, Josh Duhamel, Michelle Pfeiffer, Halle Berry, Jessica Biel and Zac Efron, among others, meet on December 31. And it is that, if Love actually is a classic of Christmas movies, New Year’s Eve should be its equivalent for that day. 

A choral, beautiful and romantic film in which its protagonists desperately fight against the inevitable to see their wishes fulfilled before the end of the year.

Filmmaker Garry Marshall certainly loves the holidays. It is the only logical conclusion after taking a look at his works that follow one another on all kinds of big dates: Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve … You can see it on AppleTV+.

Ocean’s Eleven. Match Up (2001)

In this remake, considered by many to be somewhat weaker than the 1960 original, Danny Ocean, this time fresh out of jail, starts with the idea of ​​stealing 150 million dollars from three casinos. The only problem is that the vault that keeps all his future money is an almost unbreakable security system.

But Danny thinks that if he can get together some good equipment and money, he can make it work, Mission Impossible style. Danny contacts his old partner Rusty (Brad Pitt), and they assemble a team of men with diverse criminal talents.

This charismatic movie brain will choose New Year’s Eve to start one of his most ambitious heists. It is available on HBO Max.

Calendar Love (2020)

Sloane (Emma Roberts), our protagonist, is going to have to spend the Christmas holidays alone again. On the other hand, we have Jackson (Luke Bracey), who hates these dates. They constantly find themselves single, sitting at the children’s table or involved in horrible dates. But when these two strangers meet during Christmas everything changes.

And it is that, both will make a pact to be the “companion” of the other in all the festive occasions of the following year and of course, as you already know, the spark will jump.

From New Year’s Eve to Valentine’s Day, Sloane and Jack (Luke Bracey) spend the holidays together. Until, finally, they realize they also want to spend time with each other outside of that pact. You can watch it on Netflix.

He godfather. Part II (1974)

One of the most chilling scenes in the Godfather sequel, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, takes place during a New Year’s Eve celebration. If New Year’s Eve stands out for something, among many others, it is because everyone shows their affection towards the rest. The same is certainly not true of The Godfather: Part II, the cinematic sequel that could be even better than the original. 

And it is that, at a New Year’s Eve party, Michael (Al Pacino) tells his brother, Fredo (John Cazale), that he knows about his betrayal. They kiss on New Year’s Eve, but he is charged with anger and intensity.

“I know it was you, Fredo. You have broken my heart” , is the phrase that will mark a whole story. A frightened Fredo will rush to leave before Michael wreaks havoc at the New Years celebration. He is available on HBO Max.

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Few movies have as iconic a New Years scene as this rom-com starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan . The two actors play the main characters whose friendship is based on the discussion of whether men and women can be friends. 

Unsurprisingly, this issue is complicated when the two end up sleeping together and eventually break up.

Often considered the best romantic comedy of all, Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron’s masterpiece has a great mythical scene in which the two meet at a New Year’s Eve party and Harry confesses his love for her. After the clock strikes midnight, it all culminates in a big kiss accompanied by Frank Sinatra’s background music from him. It is available on Filmin.

Charles (2015)

It might be hard to argue that Todd Haynes’ incredible 2015 film is strictly a movie for these dates. This tells the story of a young woman named Therese (Rooney Mara) who begins an intense relationship with Carol (Cate Blanchett), an elegant woman who shops at the store where she works, but is set during a Christmas in the 50s, and that Enough already. 

Based on the Patricia Highsmith novel, The Price of Salt, the film follows what happens to Therese and Carol when they embark on a road trip and arouse the suspicions of the man Carol is trying to divorce. 

Y es que, sera en Nochevieja cuando por fin consigan dar rienda suelta a la pasion. Te mantendra pegado a la pantalla todo el rato y tiene ese espiritu navideno tan tierno por detras que no te va a dejar indiferente. Puedes verla en Prime Video.

Rompenieves (Snowpiercer) (2013)

Basada en la novela grafica francesa La Transperceneige, Rompenieves de Bong Joon-ho comienza en un futuro no muy lejano en el que la humanidad lanza un ultimo intento para detener la propagacion del calentamiento global de una vez por todas.

Logicamente el plan fracasa, como no podia ser de otra forma, y el mundo se sume en una nueva edad de hielo que provoca la extincion de todas las formas de vida. Antes de que todo esto ocurra, Wilford construye un tren de lujo de alta velocidad que puede dar la vuelta al mundo sin detenerse ni sufrir los efectos del clima exterior. 

Aqui es donde entra en juego la locura, ya que el tren esta habitado la gente rica vive comodamente en los vagones de delante, mientras que las masas pobres y oprimidas estan atrapadas en la parte de atras.

La hemos incluido en esta lista porque su Nochevieja tiene mas significado que unas simples fiestas con fuegos artificiales y ropa elegante. Mas bien, los pocos supervivientes que estan confinados en la locomotora a toda velocidad celebran un nuevo ano cada vez que atraviesan el globo.

Pese a ser de 2013, en el 2020 su director, que recordamos que ha dirigido tambien Parasitos, anuncio nueva serie original de Netflix basada en esta pelicula. El enlace a la pelicula te lo dejamos por aqui.