Cozy Classics and Chilling Characters: My Guide to Winter Movies
‘Tis the season… to get cozy and watch a good movie. Here are five recommendations, so grab a blanket, some popcorn, and hot cocoa, and get ready to enjoy yourself.
- The Holdovers
At a preppy boarding school in New England, one obstinate professor must stay on campus over break with a misunderstood teenage troublemaker and a grieving cook. The characters don’t get along until they understand that they’re not so different after all.
This movie feels like “Good Will Hunting” and “Dead Poets Society” all wrapped up in one. The characters feel real, with relatable issues and motivations. The movie is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, a perfect film to watch this season.
- The Polar Express
Hero Boy (Tom Hanks) has a serious lack of belief in Santa Claus (Tom Hanks) until a train picks him up outside his house on Christmas Eve. Along with other children, he travels to the North Pole to see which child will receive the first gift from Santa that year.
Famous and a classic for a reason. With its delightfully creepy animation, this movie is perfect for a snowy night at home. Tom Hanks voices many of the characters, adding to the comforting and nostalgic vibe.
- Fargo
A debt-ridden car salesman hires two men to kidnap his wife to get ransom money from his wealthy father-in-law. Things go disastrously wrong when the men kill a state trooper, bringing a persistent, very pregnant police chief into the picture.
This movie is set in Minnesota. It’s cold, snowing, and everyone has a huge jacket on. It practically feels like you’re there. This movie moves quickly and keeps you engaged the whole time. You’ll never look at a wood chipper the same.
- Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) is an intelligent surgeon, but he is an arrogant man. He uses corpses to reanimate a body, thus creating the Creature (Jacob Elordi). He is unprepared for what happens when he no longer wants the responsibilities of the life he has created and cannot kill the Creature.
Starring Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac, Guillermo del Toro’s latest movie is stunning. Elordi put on an excellent performance as the Creature, his facial expressions and movements really stealing the show. The movie begins and ends on icy, snowy terrain, the cold seemingly seeping through the screen.
- Last Holiday
When a woman is told that she only has a few weeks left to live due to a terminal illness, she sells all of her possessions to go on the trip of a lifetime. She lives it up in Europe, meeting new people, befriending the chef of her hotel, and going on every excursion possible.
As she enjoys her newfound freedom and the finer things in life, she also grapples with the fact that her life is ending soon. Or is it?
Queen Latifah stars in this 2000s comedy, with LL Cool J as her love interest. It’s a fun watch and Latifah puts on an absolutely lovable performance. This movie is truly a 2000s warm hug. Perfect for a cold winter night.
