The Five Best Movies About New Years Eve, Just In Time For New Years Eve

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New Years Eve: it always feels beforehand like you’re supposed to be having the best night of the year, or you’ll end up sitting at home staring at a loganberry scented candle, wondering where it all went wrong. NYE carries a lot of expectation  – the chance for a new beginnings and the ushering out of the year that was, as chronicled in many brilliant films. To help you prepare, we’ve collected a handful of the best for your viewing pleasure.

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Boogie Nights

Arguably PT Anderson’s greatest moment as a director comes with the single tracking shot which captured a New Years Eve party in full, lascivious splendour. 1980 is ushered in with a literal bang, when Little Bill (played with brilliant moroseness by William H. Macy) discovered his wife gettin’ it on with another man in the driveway. Teenage Mark Wahlberg gets discovered by porn director Burt Reynolds, who reimagines him into a pornstar called Dirk Diggler.

Fellow sexy actors Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly and Heather Graham round out the cast, as Dirk’s dual struggles with drugs and his oversized…ego ultimately become his downfall. As the swinging 70’s fade into the distance, and the characters have to make peace with what the hell is going on in their lives. The film’s soundtrack also remains one of the best for NYE pre-gaming.

 

200 Cigarettes

Back in the days when Paul Rudd was still likeable and Courtney Love was still coherent, 200 Cigarettes perfectly captures NYE ennui — jaded New Yorkers crossing paths on the countdown to midnight, trying to find just the right party and just the right people to fulfil unrealistic expectations and unmet desires.

The cast is an embarrassment of riches that includes Christina Ricci, Ben and Casey Affleck, an Elvis Costello cameo, Janeane Garofalo and Dave Chapelle playing a disco-driving cabby.

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Ocean’s 11 (Original)

Not the very handsome but ultimately lukewarm Brad Pitt and George Clooney remake, but the 1960 Frank Sinatra masterpiece is what we’re dealing with here. The Rat Pack assembled, with Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop, and Sammy Davis Jnr at their very suavest, pulling together a major heist in Las Vegas on New Years Eve.

The grand Auld Lang Syne singalong in the Vegas casino is rudely interrupted by an explosion and a blackout, as Danny Ocean and the gang go to work gathering up the cash. It’s a heist! It’s a caper! It will distract you from the fact that you are alone for at least an hour forty-five!

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The Godfather II

Michael Corleone kissing the traitorous Fredo at the New Years eve party in Havana is a the most chilling moment in a most chilling film. Part II of the epic trilogy, oft regarded as the superior film to the first instalment, follows parallel storylines of Michael’s ascension as the Don of the family, and also his father Vito’s journey from Sicily to New York City.

It’s the ultimate mob film, following Michael’s evolution into a brutal man who will sacrifice just about anything to remain powerful. As a character study, it’s grim, but as a New Years Eve film…well it’s also grim. But golly it’s good.

 

When Harry Met Sally

Controversial: I don't think Sally's character would be outgoing enough to loudly fake an orgasm in a restaurant.

— ali waller (@imaliwaller) November 28, 2015

Billy Crystal’s New Year’s Eve declaration of love to Meg Ryan in the closing scenes remains the touchstone for every romantic comedy that has passed since. Sure, the outdated questioning of ‘can men and women ever actually be friends!?’ and the concept of the ‘high maintenance girlfriend’ will have you eye-rolling at large chunks of the movie.

But at the time it was a fairly odd plot for a romantic comedy – the decade-long friends finally realising that they belong together — and many comedy writers, including Lena Dunham, cite it (and the movie’s writer, the late Nora Ephron) as an incendiary influence on their current work. Also, #neverforget Meg Ryan’s orgasm in Katz’s Deli.

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Talking about movies, don’t forget Telstra customers can enjoy movies for only $12.50 including Moonlight cinema tickets. Go to www.telstra.com.au/thanks/movies to find out more.