What are some great winter movies?
September 4, 2009 9:48 AM Subscribe
With winter starting to appear on the not-so-distant horizon, I got to wondering what are some truly great winter movies? I'm not thinking of films that merely take place during the winter, but ones where the season itself becomes almost a character in the movie; where you can almost feel the cold wind blowing and the snow falling while you watch them.
A few that I've thought of that fit the bill are Fargo, Dr. Zhivago, Groundhog Day, and A Simple Plan. Christmas movies -- while still obviously related -- kind of evoke a uniquely Christmas-y feel to me, which is sort of a different thing altogether. Does anyone have any ideas? I want to plan a week long winter-movie-fest and I need your help!
A few that I've thought of that fit the bill are Fargo, Dr. Zhivago, Groundhog Day, and A Simple Plan. Christmas movies -- while still obviously related -- kind of evoke a uniquely Christmas-y feel to me, which is sort of a different thing altogether. Does anyone have any ideas? I want to plan a week long winter-movie-fest and I need your help!
How about Babette's Feast? Let the Right One In too.
posted by apricot at 9:54 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by apricot at 9:54 AM on September 4, 2009
The Thing.
posted by Oktober at 9:55 AM on September 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Oktober at 9:55 AM on September 4, 2009 [2 favorites]
The Ice Storm.
The Shining.
The Thing (granted, it's Antarctica).
30 Days of Night.
Smilla's Sense of Snow (terrible!)
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:56 AM on September 4, 2009
The Shining.
The Thing (granted, it's Antarctica).
30 Days of Night.
Smilla's Sense of Snow (terrible!)
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:56 AM on September 4, 2009
The non-memory scenes in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind channel winter pretty vividly.
posted by decagon at 9:57 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by decagon at 9:57 AM on September 4, 2009
The Ice Storm was the first thing to come to mind.
posted by cmgonzalez at 9:58 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by cmgonzalez at 9:58 AM on September 4, 2009
Not exactly a feel good movie, but Stalingrad is one.
posted by jmmpangaea at 10:00 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by jmmpangaea at 10:00 AM on September 4, 2009
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
posted by Midnight Rambler at 10:02 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by Midnight Rambler at 10:02 AM on September 4, 2009
March of the Penguins
posted by Diagonalize at 10:08 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by Diagonalize at 10:08 AM on September 4, 2009
Fargo
posted by arniec at 10:09 AM on September 4, 2009 [5 favorites]
posted by arniec at 10:09 AM on September 4, 2009 [5 favorites]
Seconding Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. You really can feel the cold and the snow. I could even make an argument for the winter being one of the characters, as it's an important part of Joel's memories.
posted by amethysts at 10:10 AM on September 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by amethysts at 10:10 AM on September 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
Whiteout comes out next Friday. It's based on this comic book, and takes place in Antarctica.
posted by mrsshotglass at 10:11 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by mrsshotglass at 10:11 AM on September 4, 2009
Winter is a big part of the comedy-drama "Why shoot the teacher?"
posted by Hardcore Poser at 10:12 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by Hardcore Poser at 10:12 AM on September 4, 2009
Battle of the Bulge
and of course The Shining, as mentioned.
posted by fluffycreature at 10:16 AM on September 4, 2009
and of course The Shining, as mentioned.
posted by fluffycreature at 10:16 AM on September 4, 2009
Dersu Uzala. Of course, it's set in Siberia, which might be a little more winter than you're looking for.
posted by Splificator at 10:26 AM on September 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Splificator at 10:26 AM on September 4, 2009 [1 favorite]
A lot of Ingmar Bergman movies, like Winter Light, are set in bleak, wintery seasons. If you prefer color, go with Bergman's "The Passion of Anna."
Also, "The Fast Runner," a brilliant, three-hour-long mythological epic (filmed in video) on ancient Inuit clans. It's got nudity, it's got violence, it's got snow to the gills.
posted by Gordion Knott at 10:46 AM on September 4, 2009
Also, "The Fast Runner," a brilliant, three-hour-long mythological epic (filmed in video) on ancient Inuit clans. It's got nudity, it's got violence, it's got snow to the gills.
posted by Gordion Knott at 10:46 AM on September 4, 2009
It's A Wonderful Life
(a short, but) The Little Matchgirl (YT)
posted by thread_makimaki at 11:00 AM on September 4, 2009
(a short, but) The Little Matchgirl (YT)
posted by thread_makimaki at 11:00 AM on September 4, 2009
The Empire Strikes Back.
posted by Cookiebastard at 11:00 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by Cookiebastard at 11:00 AM on September 4, 2009
the Last Samurai
posted by wayofthedodo at 11:01 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by wayofthedodo at 11:01 AM on September 4, 2009
I know exactly what you mean when you talk about Winter almost being a character in itself and A Simple Plan sprung immediately to mind before seeing you mention it yourself. I think it is the epitome of the sort of movie you seek. Anyway, you might also like to check out IMDB for the keyword winter with type set to movie. You get a lot of chaff in amongst the wheat but it might produce a few good leads. Other related keywords such as snow could be tried too.
posted by wannalol at 11:05 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by wannalol at 11:05 AM on September 4, 2009
Ravenous.
posted by hermitosis at 11:09 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by hermitosis at 11:09 AM on September 4, 2009
The Irony of Fate is a classic Soviet New Year's Eve comedy involving steam baths, vodka and lots of people being put out in the snow.
posted by rebekah at 11:17 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by rebekah at 11:17 AM on September 4, 2009
There's quite a bit of winter in "Jeremiah Johnson."
posted by OilPull at 11:18 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by OilPull at 11:18 AM on September 4, 2009
Here are a few other links that should aid you in your quest.
Top 5 Snow Films
EW picks nine notable films to chill with
Best Snow Movies
Films that best exploit the seasons
From my own recollection can I add Misery and Away from Her.
posted by wannalol at 11:18 AM on September 4, 2009
Top 5 Snow Films
EW picks nine notable films to chill with
Best Snow Movies
Films that best exploit the seasons
From my own recollection can I add Misery and Away from Her.
posted by wannalol at 11:18 AM on September 4, 2009
One of my favorite movies of all time fits that bill: The Winter Guest, based on a play by Sharman Macdonald (mother of Keira Knightley), directed by Alan Rickman, and starring Emma Thompson and her mother, Phyllida Law (also featuring Sean Biggerstaff in an early role). The movie takes place in Scotland on a day so cold the sea has frozen on the coast. The movie is rather slow-paced and contemplative, but lovely - really, really lovely.
posted by dilettanti at 11:21 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by dilettanti at 11:21 AM on September 4, 2009
Oh, and it's been years and years, but I seem to recall the tundra setting of Never Cry Wolf infusing the whole movie with a sense of cold and isolation.
posted by usonian at 11:25 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by usonian at 11:25 AM on September 4, 2009
Those portions of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe that were set in Narnia were extremely wintery!
posted by Pomo at 11:39 AM on September 4, 2009
posted by Pomo at 11:39 AM on September 4, 2009
2nding Bergman's Winter Light ... hard to get more wintry. Also a lot of the Chevy Chase comedy Funny Farm.
posted by mmw at 12:27 PM on September 4, 2009
posted by mmw at 12:27 PM on September 4, 2009
Response by poster: Wow, so many excellent responses. Thanks so much everyone. I can't believe I forgot The Shining and The Sweet Hereafter (another personal favourite). Other than those, there are a lot of movies that I'm not familiar with for me to look into.
posted by noboru_wataya at 12:55 PM on September 4, 2009
posted by noboru_wataya at 12:55 PM on September 4, 2009
Seconding Ravenous. It's a good example of a movie that could not really take place in summer.
posted by explosion at 1:38 PM on September 4, 2009
posted by explosion at 1:38 PM on September 4, 2009
The Lion in Winter
A Man for All Seasons
Doctor Zhivago
Home for the Holidays (for that Thanksgiving angst)
Holiday Inn (light fare)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Stepmom (not a great movie, but has pretty autumn and winter scenes)
Band of Brothers (technically a TV series, the Battle of the Bulge parts roughly midway through)
posted by SuzB at 2:29 PM on September 4, 2009
A Man for All Seasons
Doctor Zhivago
Home for the Holidays (for that Thanksgiving angst)
Holiday Inn (light fare)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Stepmom (not a great movie, but has pretty autumn and winter scenes)
Band of Brothers (technically a TV series, the Battle of the Bulge parts roughly midway through)
posted by SuzB at 2:29 PM on September 4, 2009
Frozen River
posted by WickedPissah at 2:37 PM on September 4, 2009
posted by WickedPissah at 2:37 PM on September 4, 2009
Yes, Runaway Train! Coldest damn movie I've ever seen.
posted by Bron at 3:30 PM on September 4, 2009
posted by Bron at 3:30 PM on September 4, 2009
A Christmas Tale
The Royal Tenenbaums
Better Off Dead
Igby Goes Down
posted by pxe2000 at 5:13 PM on September 4, 2009
The Royal Tenenbaums
Better Off Dead
Igby Goes Down
posted by pxe2000 at 5:13 PM on September 4, 2009
Black Robe is the coldest, wintriest film I've ever seen:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101465/
posted by Flashman at 6:41 PM on September 4, 2009
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101465/
posted by Flashman at 6:41 PM on September 4, 2009
McCabe & Mrs. Miller. The climactic scenes take place during a blizzard, and they are haunting.
posted by clair-de-lune at 7:56 PM on September 4, 2009
posted by clair-de-lune at 7:56 PM on September 4, 2009
A Christmas Story.
posted by SisterHavana at 9:00 PM on September 4, 2009
posted by SisterHavana at 9:00 PM on September 4, 2009
Iron Will
Touching the Void
One specific part of Akira Kurosawa's Dreams
posted by Demogorgon at 11:04 PM on September 4, 2009
Touching the Void
One specific part of Akira Kurosawa's Dreams
posted by Demogorgon at 11:04 PM on September 4, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by dortmunder at 9:53 AM on September 4, 2009 [5 favorites]