This time of year always brings up complicated emotions: the whirlwind of cooking, visiting family, finishing work, and endless events to attend. New Year’s Eve serves as an official end to the holiday season, and earns mixed reactions, whether it be relief or regret.
The range of moods is reflected in countless film adaptations, each with its own take on what the night represents. If you have a favorite New Year’s Eve scene, it’s sure to say a lot about what you expect for 2026.
Bridget Jones’ Diary
I suddenly realized that unless something changed soon, I was going to live a life where my major relationship was with a bottle of wine.
Bridget is highly relatable. She sets countless resolutions (that are sure to fail), such as smoke less, drink less, weigh less. We can leave her diet culture comments in 2001, but the self-improvement sentiment remains true.
If you feel a soul-connection to Bridget Jones’ Diary, you might share the lead character’s affinity for unrealistic yet well-meaning goals and a sharp sense of self-awareness. And let’s be real—you wouldn’t mind your 2026 ending with Hugh Grant and Colin Firth having a physical street brawl over their love for you.
IMDb: 6.8/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 79%
Where to Watch: Peacock
When Harry Met Sally
When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.
A top contender for the most iconic New Year’s Eve scene of all time, made especially bittersweet by the loss of director Rob Reiner this year, When Harry Met Sally represents the best feelings of the holiday: dramatic love confessions, hope for the upcoming year, and glittery tinsel decorations falling from the ceiling.
If you’re the type to relentlessly push play on When Harry Met Sally every New Year’s Eve at 10:30 p.m. to sync your countdown with theirs, you might be a chronic hopeless romantic. You have faith that despite countless mishaps and lost connections throughout the year, everything will turn out fine in the end.
Even if you didn’t find love this year, there’s always a chance in the next.
IMDb: 7.7/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Where to Watch: Philo
Carol
I always spend New Year’s alone. In crowds. I’m not alone this year.
What’s more perfect than a first kiss at midnight? Maybe a homophobic-free society. This is difficult to achieve for the main characters of Carol, two women who find it impossible to express their romance openly in 1950s New York. However, they manage to find a moment of freedom on New Year’s Eve – finally kissing after weeks of built-up tension, momentarily escaping their oppressive day-to-day lives.
If Carol is your idea of a New Year’s Eve viewing tradition, you probably yearn for a forbidden love (or perhaps just Cate Blanchett). Finding belonging in the most unexpected situations. Despite societal obstacles, they fought for their happiness—a hopeful reminder to hold in a troubling political climate.
IMDb: 7.3/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Where to Watch: HBO Max
Ocean’s Eleven
I made a cardinal rule: never to answer the phone in December.
You’ve probably seen or know of Ocean’s Eleven (2001), the epic Las Vegas heist movie with Brad Pitt and George Clooney. But did you know it’s a remake of a 1960 film with an equally iconic ensemble cast of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr? You might also be surprised that the original heist takes place on New Year’s Eve, adding an extra layer of tension to the already complicated plan.
If this deep cut is your preferred New Year’s Eve movie choice, you are either obsessed with the retro-glam holiday aesthetic of the 1960s or your dad has custody for the day. You’re probably craving some excitement in the new year, which you can hopefully achieve without committing a high crime.
IMDb: 6.5/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 47%
Where to Watch: Hoopla
Phantom Thread
I want to go dancing.
– When?
Now.
– You’re joking.
No I’m not. It’s New Years Eve.
Phantom Thread‘s ambiguous ending creates an uncertain tone. Is this a saved marriage, or confirmation of the continuation of a cycle of obsession? Is the scene set a year in the future, or some kind of confused fantasy? It’s a perfect example of how one might feel approaching a daunting New Year—a little questionable of the future, without having fully resolved problems of the past.
If your go-to film on NYE is Phantom Thread, your resolution should be to find a therapist. Yep, it’s time to re-examine your communication methods in relationships, and learn what a healthy attachment style looks like. It’s a sign that maybe a break-up should be your 2026 resolution.
IMDb: 7.4/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Where to Watch: Netflix
The hope of a New Year
These films might all be vastly different—in genre, tone, and settings—but they all share some form of hope: hope for financial success, a better relationship, improved self-control, or the discovery of true love. Whatever you may be wishing for this New Year’s Eve, keep in mind that you’re not alone. There’s a character to fit every resolution, and a movie to fit every theme.
