Snow-Themed Movies
February 14, 2015 2:05 PM Subscribe
As we await Boston's snowy apocalypse, I'd like to queue up some movies prominently featuring snow, to get us through those hours when "travel will be virtually impossible and potentially life-threatening."
Please help us weather the storm with snowy distractions that are safely confined to the silver screen.
I'm looking primarily in two categories:
* Romantic (for ms. alms and me)
* Family friendly (for 4yo, 8yo, ms alms, and me)
I'd be happy to have recommendations outside these categories as well, as long as they feature lots of snow.
MeFi, give us your best!
Please help us weather the storm with snowy distractions that are safely confined to the silver screen.
I'm looking primarily in two categories:
* Romantic (for ms. alms and me)
* Family friendly (for 4yo, 8yo, ms alms, and me)
I'd be happy to have recommendations outside these categories as well, as long as they feature lots of snow.
MeFi, give us your best!
Rise of the Guardians is snow themed and family friendly. I liked it.
I think it is appropriate for your 4 year old? I'll let others weigh in on that. A character dies, but it's sad and not violent. I think it would be OK.
posted by jbenben at 2:14 PM on February 14, 2015
I think it is appropriate for your 4 year old? I'll let others weigh in on that. A character dies, but it's sad and not violent. I think it would be OK.
posted by jbenben at 2:14 PM on February 14, 2015
The Day After Tomorrow!
There are wolves on a boat in the middle of Manhattan. What more could you possibly want?!
WOLFBOAT !
posted by phunniemee at 2:20 PM on February 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
There are wolves on a boat in the middle of Manhattan. What more could you possibly want?!
WOLFBOAT !
posted by phunniemee at 2:20 PM on February 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
Groundhog day!
Frozen
Golden Compass
March of the Penguins
posted by BoscosMom at 2:26 PM on February 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
Frozen
Golden Compass
March of the Penguins
posted by BoscosMom at 2:26 PM on February 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
Atanarjuat! Has a beautiful spring scene to break up the snowy bits.
posted by saucysault at 2:29 PM on February 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by saucysault at 2:29 PM on February 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
There's a lot of snow in Fargo, and if you ignore the whole kidnap plot, it's actually a very sweet story about Marge and Norm Gunderson's happy, supportive marriage.
posted by phunniemee at 2:30 PM on February 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 2:30 PM on February 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
Groundhog Day is the closest I can think of to meeting all your criteria.
I'm afraid they're not romantic or very family-friendly, but Smilla's Sense of Snow and Ice Station Zebra are both good snowy thrillers. The latter is G-rated but it might bore kids. The Edge is a good survival drama set in Alaska.
The snowiest movies I can think of are horror, and there some excellent ones--The Grey, The Thing, The Shining, Misery...
posted by heatvision at 2:30 PM on February 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'm afraid they're not romantic or very family-friendly, but Smilla's Sense of Snow and Ice Station Zebra are both good snowy thrillers. The latter is G-rated but it might bore kids. The Edge is a good survival drama set in Alaska.
The snowiest movies I can think of are horror, and there some excellent ones--The Grey, The Thing, The Shining, Misery...
posted by heatvision at 2:30 PM on February 14, 2015 [3 favorites]
I refused to see the movie because the book is so incredibly dear to me, but Winter's Tale ought to suit the romantic theme, if it's remotely true to the book (the synopsis makes it sound... not true to the book, but still quite romantic).
posted by amelioration at 2:30 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by amelioration at 2:30 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you like bad disaster movies, The Day After Tomorrow represents its genre well and has an enormous freezing blizzard. Appropriately, it is "the highest-grossing Hollywood film to be made in Canada." It would be quite scary for little ones - lots of death and destruction.
One of my favorite movies is Happy People: A Year in the Taiga, a slow, contented documentary in an endlessly snowy landscape. The dubbing was done somewhat badly, so I'd recommend subtitles instead.
posted by congen at 2:35 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
One of my favorite movies is Happy People: A Year in the Taiga, a slow, contented documentary in an endlessly snowy landscape. The dubbing was done somewhat badly, so I'd recommend subtitles instead.
posted by congen at 2:35 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
The kids will get bored, but the 'rents may enjoy the romantic beauty of Dr. Zhivago.
posted by oceanview at 2:38 PM on February 14, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by oceanview at 2:38 PM on February 14, 2015 [4 favorites]
Baby Boom for the adults. It's been awhile since I've seen it so I can't remember how many snowy scenes there are but one scene with Diane Keaton falling into a snowbank comes to mind, and I think there were several other snowy scenes.
posted by Lay Off The Books at 2:44 PM on February 14, 2015
posted by Lay Off The Books at 2:44 PM on February 14, 2015
Encounters at the End of the World, a documentary by Werner Herzog about the McMurdo Station in Antarctica; Werner's occasionally hilarious narration is a bonus.
Nthing "Antanarjuat: The Fast Runner" -- stunningly gorgeous picture.
posted by holborne at 2:59 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nthing "Antanarjuat: The Fast Runner" -- stunningly gorgeous picture.
posted by holborne at 2:59 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
New in Town, with Renee Zellweger and Harry Connick, Jr.
posted by stampsgal at 3:13 PM on February 14, 2015
posted by stampsgal at 3:13 PM on February 14, 2015
Snowpiercer is dark, dark, dark. Not for the kids or the faint-hearted—still, an interesting film worth watching. Available for streaming on Netflix. (Confession: I was prompted to watch it yesterday because there were a few Snowpiercer jokes about the MBTA in this Boston snowstorm thread.)
On a happier note, Ice Age is family-friendly. I loved the first one, not so much the sequels. I think a 4-year-old should be just fine with them.
posted by The Girl Who Ate Boston at 3:19 PM on February 14, 2015 [4 favorites]
On a happier note, Ice Age is family-friendly. I loved the first one, not so much the sequels. I think a 4-year-old should be just fine with them.
posted by The Girl Who Ate Boston at 3:19 PM on February 14, 2015 [4 favorites]
Are you interested in extremely cheesy children's movies about iceskating and magical snowman spirits, staring real life figure skating Olympians? When I was a kid I loved Snowden On Ice, available in full on youtube.
posted by wrabbit at 3:32 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by wrabbit at 3:32 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was thinking of a perfect kid's movie with lots and lots of snow and then I realized, damn, I was actually thinking of The Dark is Risingand that's a book. There is a movie which is supposed to be awful, but it'll probably have some evil, prescient snow in it as well.
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe? Unending winter is a major theme.
posted by theweasel at 3:37 PM on February 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe? Unending winter is a major theme.
posted by theweasel at 3:37 PM on February 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
Eight Below: Antarctic, heroic rescue, dogs
Big Miracle: Arctic, heroic rescue, whales
posted by SLC Mom at 3:41 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Big Miracle: Arctic, heroic rescue, whales
posted by SLC Mom at 3:41 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
March of the Penguins
Happy Feet
Cool Runnings
Groundhog Day (appropriate for February)
Mystery, Alaska (a bit of rekindled romance between husband and wife)
Polar Express
Home Alone
Elf if it's not too late for Christmas movies
An IMDb 100 list here and here
Outside your categories but I'll always recommend Pathfinder and The 13th Warrior is entertaining with some great wintery scenery (I actually always watch this when it's blistering hot outside.)
Stay warm and safe!
posted by Beti at 3:44 PM on February 14, 2015
Happy Feet
Cool Runnings
Groundhog Day (appropriate for February)
Mystery, Alaska (a bit of rekindled romance between husband and wife)
Polar Express
Home Alone
Elf if it's not too late for Christmas movies
An IMDb 100 list here and here
Outside your categories but I'll always recommend Pathfinder and The 13th Warrior is entertaining with some great wintery scenery (I actually always watch this when it's blistering hot outside.)
Stay warm and safe!
posted by Beti at 3:44 PM on February 14, 2015
For the family: the gentle, dreamy, totally engaging The Snow Man. Seriously, one of the rare animated kids' films I was happy to co-watch for the hundredth time.
(Fun little fact: David Bowie narrates the intro... )
posted by third rail at 4:08 PM on February 14, 2015
(Fun little fact: David Bowie narrates the intro... )
posted by third rail at 4:08 PM on February 14, 2015
Balto is an animated film about a heroic sled dog saving the children of Nome, Alaska.
posted by Adridne at 6:03 PM on February 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Adridne at 6:03 PM on February 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
Have you seen the documentary series "Frozen Planet"? It's fantastic for young and old. It took 4 years for them to make this film. Gorgeous photography. Fantastic animals who live in the polar climate. Narrated by David Attenborough. It's a 7 part series. It's just beautiful to watch.
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/frozen-planet/videos/living-with-criminal-penguins/
posted by Ella Megalast at 6:22 PM on February 14, 2015
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/frozen-planet/videos/living-with-criminal-penguins/
posted by Ella Megalast at 6:22 PM on February 14, 2015
Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart is AMAZING. Streaming on netflix. Kinda dark themes but still kid friendly. Might be a bit scary for the 4 yr old so maybe save it till a bit later.
posted by Crystalinne at 6:25 PM on February 14, 2015
posted by Crystalinne at 6:25 PM on February 14, 2015
Definitely not romantic, and probably not for kids, but Robert Altman's Quintet has all the snow you'd ever want. And Paul Newman.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 7:23 PM on February 14, 2015
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 7:23 PM on February 14, 2015
Never Cry Wolf
There's a lot of snow in Fargo
But it's the opposite of family-friendly.
posted by Rash at 7:39 PM on February 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
There's a lot of snow in Fargo
But it's the opposite of family-friendly.
posted by Rash at 7:39 PM on February 14, 2015 [2 favorites]
Chronicles of Narnia (maybe scary for the 4 yo?)
Northern Exposure episodes set in winter season
Snow Dogs for the whole family
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:00 PM on February 14, 2015
Northern Exposure episodes set in winter season
Snow Dogs for the whole family
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:00 PM on February 14, 2015
As much as I hate to admit it, Holiday in Handcuffs is pretty entertaining.
posted by jabah at 8:32 PM on February 14, 2015
posted by jabah at 8:32 PM on February 14, 2015
You want snow and romance and no one's mentioned Dr. Zhivago yet? There's a sleigh ride and everything.
posted by maggiepolitt at 9:32 PM on February 14, 2015
posted by maggiepolitt at 9:32 PM on February 14, 2015
Runaway Train is neither romantic nor family-friendly, but since you're open to other categories I can recommend it as a pretty tight adventure thriller.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 10:39 PM on February 14, 2015
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 10:39 PM on February 14, 2015
OMG, how did I forget The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe ?
Thanks theweasel !!
posted by jbenben at 10:51 PM on February 14, 2015
Thanks theweasel !!
posted by jbenben at 10:51 PM on February 14, 2015
It looks like somebody has already made a list of snow themed movies specifically for your purpose. - some not already mentioned above.
posted by rongorongo at 2:57 AM on February 15, 2015
posted by rongorongo at 2:57 AM on February 15, 2015
What?!? nobody has mentioned Planes, trains & automobiles?
posted by ouke at 7:50 AM on February 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ouke at 7:50 AM on February 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Akira Kurosawa's Dreams has a memorable snow-related segment. And the movie is arguably kid friendly.
posted by neutralmojo at 10:13 AM on February 15, 2015
posted by neutralmojo at 10:13 AM on February 15, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
White Christmas might be nice.
How about The Snowman for the kids? This is apparently the UK equivalent of Charlie Brown Christmas for That Thing You Must Watch Every Year. I really enjoyed my first watch a couple years ago -- it's beautifully done.
posted by olinerd at 2:12 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]