Lazy Night In? Here Are The 23 Best Winter Movies To Have On Your Radar
Snow looks so much prettier in the movies.
Regardless of how you feel about the holiday season, it's hard not to romanticize winter, with its snuggly sweaters and magical snowstorms. But if, like me, you hate navigating snow in real life, then watching snowscapes onscreen is the perfect solution. From Chris Evans' iconic sweaters in Knives Out, to Jennifer Lawrence's career-making performance in Winter's Bone, there are a plethora of movies set during the coldest season that just have to be watched. Here, we round up our favorite winter movies to prepare you for the months ahead.
After the sudden and mysterious death of novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) arrives to find out what really happened. This popular whodunnit has already spawned a sequel, but nothing can complete with Chris Evans' gorgeous cable knit sweaters in the first film.
To escape their disastrous love lives, Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda (Cameron Diaz) decide to house swap for the holidays. While Amanda finds herself in the seriously snowy English countryside with Jude Law, Iris is transported to sunny California.
Jennifer Lawrence's breakout performance in Winter's Bone earned her an Oscar nomination, and it's easy to see why. Lawrence plays Ree Dolly, a young woman living in poverty and forced to care for her sick mother and two younger siblings. To avoid eviction, she embarks on a desperate search for her missing father.
While Love Actually might be classified as a Christmas movie, Richard Curtis' ensemble rom-com is perfect for the entire winter season. In hindsight, the film may have some major problems, but there's still something irresistible about the star-studded flick that takes place throughout the holidays.
Greta Gerwig's Little Women brings together an all-star cast including Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Meryl Streep, Saoirse Ronan, Laura Dern, and Timothée Chalamet. Based on Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, Gerwig's adaptation is the perfect movie to watch while it's snowing outside.
The adorable Dreamworks animation Abominable follows teenager Yi and her friends as they attempt to reunite a Yeti with his family. After escaping from a scientific compound in Shanghai, "Everest" is terrified, but Yi accompanies him on a long journey to find his home.
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As snowy landscapes in movies go, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has one of the best. Based on the classic C.S. Lewis book, the film follows a group of four children who are evacuated to the English countryside during the Blitz. There, they find a magical wardrobe which leads to the world of Narnia. Tilda Swinton and James McAvoy star.
Frozen needs zero introduction, but it's literally the perfect winter movie. Princess Anna embarks upon a quest to find her sister, Elsa, to save their kingdom from an eternal winter. Elsa's special powers allow her to freeze everything around her, and create the most beautiful ice sculptures imaginable. And as you already know, the soundtrack is incomparable.
Winter's Tale is a magical story of star-crossed lovers in New York in the early 20th century. Colin Farrell stars as thief, Peter, who falls in love with Beverly, a woman he meets when he breaks into her Central Park mansion. However, she's dying of consumption, and Peter is on the run from his nemesis. Can he find a way to save her?
Don't let the title fool you, as The Snowman is anything but cute. Michael Fassbender stars a detective who's on the hunt for a serial killer. Based on Jo Nesbø's dark thriller of the same name, The Snowman follows a homicide detective searching for a missing woman whose scarf is found wrapped around an ominous looking snowman.
The Family Stone may take place at Christmas, but this romantic drama isn't your average holiday movie. Sarah Jessica Parker stars as an uptight businesswoman who accompanies her boyfriend home for the holidays. However, it quickly transpires that his family don't support the relationship. Much comedy, and many tears, ensue.
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This musical follows teenager Langston, who spends the holidays with some estranged relatives in New York City, but struggles to follow their strict and imposing rules. Instead, he embarks on a journey home to his mom, who is played by Jennifer Hudson. Forest Whitaker and Angela Bassett star.
The Best Man Holiday may be a Christmas movie, but as the sequel to popular comedy The Best Man, it deserves a spot on this list. A brilliant ensemble cast featuring Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, and Melissa De Sousa makes this a must-see during the winter season.
A war erupts between Freya (Emily Blunt) and her evil sister, Ravenna (Charlize Theron). Freya gathers a group of huntsman for protection, including the dashing Eric (Chris Hemsworth). Freya has the ability to control ice and snow, which she can use as a weapon.
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Wes Anderson's dreamy film takes place at a popular ski resort in Europe in the 1930s. Ralph Fiennes plays the concierge, Gustave, who takes a lobby boy called Zero under his wing. But when Gustave is framed for the murder of a wealthy visitor, he must embark on a quest to find the truth. The jaw-dropping cast includes Tilda Swinton, Owen Wilson, and Saoirse Ronan.
Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) has been raised in the frozen wilderness by her father (Eric Bana), who has trained her to be a stealthy killer. When Hanna is sent on a mission, she travels across Europe and is stalked by a former colleague of her father's (Cate Blanchett). An epic cat-and-mouse game starts. The film has since been adapted into a three-season TV series.
This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR US.