Winter can feel incredibly long when school is intensifying and the weather isn’t showing any signs of warmth or sun. Engaging with different types of media can be a great tool to romanticise the winter and inspire creativity and joy within yourself. These are my favorite films to watch during the dead of winter to help me find more of the beauty of the season.Â
Although some associate this film’s winter elements with the holidays, I believe the 2019 Little Women is truly a movie to inspire during any season. The film follows four sisters growing up during the Civil War era in America and each of their coming of age. The cast is excellent, the story telling is beautiful, and the film provides the perfect cozy backdrop for a bit of warmth during a long winter. The march sisters are no strangers to embracing the beauty of a seemingly harsh season, and they never fail to inspire me to do the same. From the atmosphere, costumes, sleigh rides, dances, and ice skating, all set in New England, Little Women will make you want to take a bundled walk in the snow.Â
Another film that I believe is perfect anytime of year, featuring the best of all four seasons, is the classic 90s rom-com When Harry Met Sally. This film follows Harry and Sally over the span of their friendship while together they face the trials of adulthood and romance. Although the film is most prominently set in autumn, the movie’s iconic ending features New York City in the dead of winter, leaving the viewer inspired to embrace their very own chilly atmosphere. Harry and Sally are so beloved and funny, bound to entertain and move anyone. Wintery elements featured in the film include the snowy city, cozy apartments, 90s winter fashion, and lots of winter festivities, including its heart-warming New Year’s Eve Finale.
For something philosophical and bound to lead to a heavy heart try Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind, the 2004 science-fiction/romance. This film is set in a world in which memory altering technology exists. Two characters, Clementine and Joel, are followed through their tumultuous relationship and the film begs questions of identity, free will, love, and the human experience. Featuring an ice covered river, beaches in the dead of winter, general themes of wintery isolation, and a “cold” atmosphere, Eternal Sunshine will cause you to look out across your own snowy landscape and self reflect. Truly, a mind-bending film perfect for a cold day indoors when you need a bit of pick-me-up which combines both philosophy and emotion.
When looking for a primarily aesthetic film with a bit of drama and familial mystery I would recommend Wes Andersen’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. This movie is set at a 1930s ski resort. When a lover of the Hotel’s Concierge mysteriously dies, he finds himself a suspect for murder. Because Andersen seems to prioritize lighthearted humor and highly stylized visuals over intense plots, the movie is a casual watch with the winter as a central visual theme. Dazzling snow scenes, gorgeous cinematography, mountainous landscapes, and a downhill ski chase scene are all icy visuals you can expect from this gorgeous, playful film.Â
Whether the winter is starting to feel a little too long or you just want something to raise your spirits and help romanticize this chilly time of year, hopefully these seasonal recommendations will inspire you to watch something new or revisit an old favorite.Â