It’s the end of another year, and believe it or not, ringing in the new year doesn’t have to include big parties or even leaving the house. This year, consider inviting a few friends over and have New Year’s Eve-themed movies on deck.
With that in mind, I’m sharing my picks for New Year’s Eve movies to keep you stocked with entertainment that highlights the holiday from romantic comedies to family-friendly options, to action and a musical. There is something for everyone, and they are all available to watch on Prime Video.
If you’re looking for the quintessential New Year’s Eve movie about finding love, this movie is it. The movie features big-name stars who race the clock to find love and peace in New York City on the big night. Ashton Kutcher, Halle Berry, Jon Bon Jovi and others star in this holiday movie — but the kicker is the sweet friendship between Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Efron.
If you’re not in the mood for a romance, go with this classic starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy as two men caught up in an experiment about nature vs. nurture. Murphy’s character Billy Ray Valentine is plucked off the street of New York to become a commodities broker. It is Eddie Murphy at his best, but it’s also a thought-provoking commentary on generosity, poverty, and redemption.
The Godfather: Part Two (1974)
New Year’s Eve is usually associated with champagne, celebration, and a lot of kissing. Well, not so much in The Godfather: Part Two (where the sequel is better than the original). At a New Year’s Eve party, Michael (Al Pacino) tells his brother, Fredo (John Cazale) that he knows of his betrayal. They do have a New Year’s Eve kiss alright, but it’s laced with that good ole’ Corleone anger.
How do you measure a year? Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. This Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning show remains one of the most popular musicals of all time — even thought it debuted nearly 30 years ago. It was made into a film in 2005, starring Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel, Rosario Dawson, and more, and kicks off on New Year’s Eve.
Okay, this movie is the one — when you invite the girls over and have the perfect ladies’ night. It is still that movie for my girlfriends and I. This was Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker’s directorial debut. It stars an amazing foursome in Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, Lela Rochon, and Whitney Houston, who each play a strong woman trying to find a good man — or get rid of a bad one. They each have a stark realization on — what else? — New Year’s Eve.
A heart-breaking drama based on the true story of the shooting of Oscar Grant III, Fruitvale Station was Ryan Coogler’s catalyst film that led him to Black Panther. But more than that, it’s a stunning retelling of the real-life shooting that stole the life of a 22-year-old Oakland man who was unarmed and on his way home from a party in San Francisco on New Year’s Eve 2008.
If all you want is to sit back and watch something lighthearted — or you need to entertain the kids this New Year’s Eve — this will not disappoint. The premise is simple: A man (Ice Cube) is trying to impress a woman he likes, so he agrees to take her kids to the airport for her. What ensues, however, is not so simple. There are injuries, lost luggage, missed flights, and even a false kidnapping. Better yet: It all takes place on New Year’s Eve.
The combination of Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson just works. Banking on the magic they made in 1992 with White Men Can’t Jump, the two play a pair of rogue cops who concoct a plan to rob a train loaded with transit fares on New Year’s Eve. But where does J.Lo come in, you ask? She plays Officer Santiago, the only thing that can distract them from money.
The film version of the HBO series chronicling the misadventures of sex, love, and friendship covers all the seasonal bases, from February’s Fashion Week to December’s final day. But the scene for me was Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) battling the snow to ring in the new year with Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) while “Auld Lang Syne” plays in the background.
Everyone’s favorite supernatural crime-fighters return in this sequel with all the same players: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson; New York City is the setting. But this time, there is no Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Instead, the Statue of Liberty comes to life and slime is oozing all over the streets, just as the New Year’s Eve celebration kicks off.
