The Best Winter Movies
THE BEST WINTER MOVIES | Winter is forever the most perfect of seasons. It’s that time when hygge is in full swing, snow falls several days a week, fires rage in the hearth, and hot chocolate warms on the stove. Winter is a vibe.
Every year I have a good list of movies that I watch in the winter, and in the winter only. Any movies that have snow scenes, ski scenes, and the cozy feels that I love are on this list. The movies that best encapsulate winter are generally older films, the classics.
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Looking back at Slim Aarons photographs of skiers lounging on the European slopes, soaking in the alpine sun, you start to realize that back in the day, people knew how to do winter. Old films perfectly capture the style and delights of the cold weather; they are romantic, fun, and slightly over-the-top…which is exactly what winter needs, and something we have lost through the years. We tend to look at winter as a long slog we are trying to survive, instead of putting in the efforts to make the season fun and even, dare I say, slightly ridiculous. Why don’t we have waiters in ice skates bringing you warm drinks on the outdoor ice rink anymore?…and wouldn’t that make winter more exciting if we did?
To give you that little bit of inspiration that will get you in the winter spirit, here are my favorite winter movies:
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Not only is this one of my favorite movies of all time, but it is also winter perfection! The whole thing is art, from the grand hotel settings in somewhere Europe, to the downhill ski/sled chase through the forest. This film by Wes Anderson is a masterpiece.
WATCH FOR the frigid gondola ride to the monastery in the snow-capped mountains, ending in a wild ride through a bobsled run and a ski jump.
Charade
This classic Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant vehicle is a must see! It involves a murder, stolen government money, a rich widow, he love interest, and the three men threatening her life. And while this exciting tale is all set against the backdrop of Paris, the story begins in the French Alps on a ski holiday.
WATCH FOR Audrey Hepburn eating for ten on the hotel terrace overlooking the ski runs in Megève.
Grumpy Old Men
Another classic, starring Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, and Ann-Margret, all living a snowy, small town in the dead of winter. Jack and Walter are feuding next-door neighbors, and when the free spirited Ann-Margret moves in across the street, the race is on to see who can win her affections.
WATCH FOR a very public brawl on the ice during ice fishing season.
SPECTRE
Bond films and snow scenes go very well together. The most recent Bond, Spectre, has beautiful scenes in the mountains of Europe, complete with a car and plane chase…as is the Bond way…
WATCH FOR Q outwitting a couple of evil villains on the ski lift. Love Q.
Lucy Goes To Sun Valley
If you like I Love Lucy, you will enjoy the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour just as much! Hour long episodes of our favorite Hollywood couple can be found in the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, including my favorite episode “Lucy Goes to Sun Valley”. Lucy + Snow + a Hollywood star…you can just imagine how that goes.
WATCH FOR Lucy and Ethel’s attempt to capture and incognito photograph of actor Fernando Lamas in the lodge restaurant on the side of the ski mountain.
I Met Him in Paris
Funny, adventurous, ridiculous, sweet, wintery…perfection! I Met Him in Paris stars Claudette Colbert as an American woman trying to escape her overbearing suitor and find herself on a solo trip to Paris. The solo doesn’t last two long when she meets two gentleman, a bet is made, and the three of them end up vacationing in the alps where they get up to all sorts of wintery adventures.
WATCH FOR the moment when Claudette finds herself trapped in the bobsled run with a bobsled speeding toward her uncontrollably.
Hit the Ice
Abbott and Costello accidentally help rob a bank, and then end up in Sun Valley as waiters with dangerous criminals nearby. The duo is always hilarious, and this fun film is a great slapstick winter watch!
WATCH FOR some very Abbott and Costello misshaps on the beautiful Sun Valley ice rink.
The Pink Panther (1963)
This film is the antithesis of luxury ski vibes. The movie begins against the backdrop of the Italian Alps, with royalty, disappointing nephews, thieves, and bumbling police inspectors mingling on the slopes and in cozy chalets. The elegance and style of the film is balanced fantastically with the slapstick comedy and ridiculous situations that the characters find themselves in.
WATCH FOR David Niven chasing after a dog thief on skis. Classic.
And there you have it, the complete guide to the best winter movies! Don’t forget to watch all of them with a good cup of hot chocolate in hand. If you have any favorite winter movies, comment below and let me know, I would love to hear about them!
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