10 Romantic Movies with a New Year’s Eve Theme

The holidays are the perfect time to catch up on all of our favorite movies, and the New Year boasts some of the best festive flicks of all time. Below are ten New Year’s Eve themed films that will get you in the mood for celebrating.

1. Holiday (1938) – Johnny (Cary Grant) seems the perfect match for Julia (Doris Nolan), the socialite daughter of Edward Seton (Henry Kolker), and even Edward approves of the couple’s relationship. Eventually, Johnny begins to wonder if he might be a better match for Linda (Katharine Hepburn), Julia’s outspoken younger sister, with whom he has much more in common.

2. An Affair to Remember (1957) – According to AFI this film is one of the most romantic movies of all time. Deborah Kerr falls for the always adorable Cary Grant in this classic tear-jerker. The two share a sweet kiss on New Year’s Eve, but they’re both engaged to other people. They decide to meet six months later at the top of the Empire State Building if they’re still interested.

3. The Apartment (1960) – Insurance worker C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) lends his Upper West Side apartment to company bosses to use for extramarital affairs. When his manager Mr. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray) begins using Baxter’s apartment in exchange for a promotion, Baxter is devastated to learn that Sheldrake’s mistress is Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), the elevator girl at work whom Baxter is very much interested in. Soon Baxter must decide between the girl he loves and the advancement of his career.

4. When Harry Met Sally (1989) – This romantic comedy stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The story follows Harry and Sally from the time they meet just before sharing a cross-country drive, through approximately twelve years of chance encounters in New York City. The film raises the question “Can men and women ever just be friends?”

5. Someone Like You (2001) – Jane Goodale (Ashley Judd) seems to have everything going for her. She’s a producer on a popular daytime talk show and is in a hot and heavy romance with the show’s charismatic executive producer Ray (Greg Kinnear). But when the relationship soars, Jane begins an in-depth study of the male species, including her womanizing roommate Eddie (Hugh Jackman). Jane puts her studies and romantic liaisons to use as a sex columnist and becomes a hit.

6. Sleepless in Seattle (1993) – After the death of his wife, Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) moves to Seattle with his son, Jonah (Ross Mallinger). When Jonah calls in to a talk-radio program to find a new wife for his father, Sam reluctantly gets on the line to discuss his feelings. Although she’s engaged, Annie Reed (Meg Ryan), a reporter in Baltimore, hears Sam speak and falls for him. Unsure of where it will lead, she writes Sam a letter asking him to meet her at the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day.

7. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) – At the start of the New Year, 32-year-old Bridget (Renée Zellweger) decides it’s time to take control of her life, and start keeping a diary. Her journal turns into a funny, witty, and sexy bedside book, and a life-changing adventure.

8. About a Boy (2002) – This comedy-drama stars Hugh Grant as Will, the mid-thirties gigolo who’s rich, child-free, and irresponsible. One day he invents an imaginary son and starts attending single-parent meetings. As a result of one of his conquests, he meets Marcus, an odd 12-year-old boy with problems at school. Gradually, Will and Marcus become friends, and as Will teaches Marcus how to be a cool kid, Marcus helps Will to grow up.

9. The Holiday (2006) – The story is about two women, one (Cameron Diaz) from America and one (Kate Winslet) from Britain. They swap homes at Christmastime after bad breakups with their boyfriends. During the holiday, each woman finds romance with a local man (Jude Law, Jack Black) but realize that their return home may be the end of their respective relationships.

10. Sex and the City: The Movie (2008) – If you’ve ever seen the Sex and the City TV series then you’ll know that you’ll need to put the kids to bed before you watch this flick. This film adaptation of the HBO comedy series centers around four female friends: Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis), and Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), dealing with their lives as single women in New York City.