New Year's Eve has some interesting symbolism. "Auld lang syne," (or "old long since") as the annual song goes, which is better translated as "long, long ago." The holiday means looking back on 364 days of one's life, being grateful for whatever goodness has occurred and mourning whatever's been lost. Yet, the constant countdown toward midnight around the world suggests that this 'looking back' is a way of letting go, a means of preparation for what's to come. With resolutions, late-night kisses, and friendly parties, New Year's Eve means that tomorrow (or the future) doesn't have to be like today (or the past). The sun will rise, the numbers will change, and we'll enter into a new year together.
New Year's celebrations also means alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol (or alcoholic Mountain Dew, if one needs help staying awake). Whether it's simply champagne at midnight or bold cocktails throughout the day, the festivities tend to drink themselves into next year, leaving the past behind like a distant hangover. There are many reasons to have a good drink — a quiet celebration on a job well done; a social shindig with one's closest friends; a mind-obliterating rager of a party; a date-night for the first time in ages; a way to endure the twilight of loneliness.
Whatever people drink, and why they do or don't, alcohol is a sure bet on New Year's Eve. Fortunately, there's a bevy of great films which pair well with wine, like a fine cheese; there are plenty of party-movies and a vast cinema of alcohol to accompany a cold beer. Here are some of the best movies to drink with on New Year's Eve.
10 When Harry Met Sally
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal co-star in this perennial favorite, a film with one of the best New Year's parties in cinema and one of the funniest yet heartwarming couples. Infamous for its suggestive, orgasmic diner scene, When Harry Met Sally is one of the all-time great romantic comedies of the '80s and '90s, along with the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan vehicles. Rob Reiner films it sentimentally but never without humor, and Billy Crystal is as charming as he's ever been or will be. With this feel-good film and excellent cast, people will surely want to have what they're having.
9 The Big Lebowski
The Coen Brothers' famous and aimless comedy The Big Lebowski follows a pothead bowling fanatic, The Dude, who is confused for someone else with the same name, Lebowski. Jeff Bridges gives one of the most iconic performances in film history as the laissez-faire protagonist, but the supporting ensemble is at the top of their game.
John Goodman is hilariously bellicose, Steve Buscemi is pathetically scrawny, Julianne Moore is wonderfully weird, and John Turturro is so good in such a small part (as the cocky bowler, The Jesus) that an entire film was made about him. Also, The Dude's favorite drink is the ubiquitous White Russian, so audiences can drink along by mixing together whole milk, cold brew coffee, Luxardo sambuca, vodka, and St. George Coffee Liqueur, and then garnishing with cocoa powder. The Dude abides, indeed.
8 Animal House
Animal House was one of the first modern sex comedies, a progenitor of films like Neighbors and American Pie. Made on a small budget and with a cast of improvisational geniuses, this classic film glorifies in college parties, excessive drinking, horndogs and John Belushi. Surprisingly still hilarious today nearly half a decade after its release, the influential movie from master comedian John Landis continues to inspire frat houses and late-night parties to this day.
7 Project X
Project X is somewhat of an updated variation on Animal House, but is extremely innovative in the ways in which it handles partying and comedy. Utilizing both a found-footage approach (which is still very rare for comedy) and an open, national casting-call in order to tap into a kind of realism, the film follows one small group of friends' party as it slowly and strangely becomes unmanageably out of control. Featuring some surprisingly creative stunts and nearly pyrotechnical set-pieces, the film is one of the most epic ragers ever captured on screen, and perfect for raging along to.
6 Leaving Las Vegas
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Some films about alcohol and partying are simply not fun, because sometimes drinking to excess is a problem. Leaving Las Vegas heartbreakingly captures this despair, with Nicolas Cage playing a lonely man who decides to literally drink himself to death in Las Vegas. He meets a melancholic, abused prostitute along the way who shows him some kindness, and the film follows them toward oblivion without ever judgin them; even James Bond was an alcoholic, after all.
Cage gives what may be his greatest performance ever, winning an Oscar for portraying despair and hopelessness better than almost anyone else has, and Elizabeth Shue is also excellent and empathetic. Eschewing happy endings, this is a rough, rough film, but one which is perfect for any sad nights of drinking alone, or for quitting drinking altogether.
5 Dazed and Confused
Richard Linklater's famous party of a film, Dazed and Confused follows a group of teenagers on the last day of school before summer break; some will move on to college, some will get left behind, all are looking to party. Matthew McConaughey created his immortal "Alright alright alright" line here as one of the many teenage males looking to score in this '70s-set comedy.
He's not the only young star breaking through here — Ben Affleck, Milla Jovovich, Renee Zelwegger, Adam Goldberg, and Parker Posey all make youthful appearances here in this vast, Robert Altman-esque ensemble of a film. Audiences for this classic keep getting younger, but the film stays the same age.
4 Climax
French provocateur Gaspar Noé is no stranger to hallucinatory, excessive imagery, and he outdoes himself here with Climax, a bizarre art film about a party which ends in horror. Essentially divided into two halves, the film progresses from an epic dance party to a bloody nightmare after people believe they've been slipped some kind of heavy psychedelic drug in their alcoholic beverages. What ensues is some disturbing carnage which mimics the terror of a bad trip. The first half is a perfect film to party along to; the second half is the nightmare which develops when the party never stops.
3 Beats
The delightful independent Scottish film Beats was one of the most endearing, touching, and exciting films of 2019. Following two friends from different social classes and backgrounds as they seek out a banned party in Scotland in 1994, when the country actually banned raves and outdoor parties. It subverts the standard "coming-of-age through one last party" trope of Superbad and Booksmart (both fun films in their own right) by embracing a kind of radical politics which matches its radical empathy. Filmed in stunning black-and-white and with truly moving performances from two first-timers, Beats was 2019's party of the year, and deserves to partied with.
2 The Hangover
The film which launched a franchise (and the popular careers of Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis), The Hangover remains one of the great party movies, even if its epic party is largely blacked out. Structured almost like a mystery film, the ribald comedy follows a group of friends after a bachelor party became seemingly insane; the problem is, nobody can remember what exactly happened, and it's hilarious to watch the results of this great ensemble attempting to piece together just what kind of party they had.
1 Another Round
A modern alcoholic masterpiece, Thomas Vinterberg's Oscar-winning Another Round is a truly unusual party-monster. The great Mads Mikkelsen (of Hannibal fame in the U.S.) gives one of his greatest performances as an uptight professor whose group of friends decide to subject themselves to a sociological and chemical experiment — alcoholism.
Of course, they don't initially call it alcoholism, but their plan to maintain a higher-than-average Blood Alcohol Content at all times (except, at first, the weekend) inevitably leads to full-blown day-drinking and wild parties. Veering expertly from comedy to drama and back, Vinterberg never judges his characters, but instead observes them in all their humorous, strange mistakes. One of the most entertaining endings in recent history (featuring a phenomenal dance-party and ecstatic joy) is also one with the highest-proof, inspiring viewers to toast a tall glass to the film and the New Year alike.