As the clock ticks towards midnight on December 31st, 2025, the options for celebration are plentiful. You could brave the crowds for fireworks, join friends for drinks, or watch the iconic chimes of Big Ben. But for many across the UK, the ideal way to welcome 2026 is from the comfort of the sofa, immersed in a seasonally perfect film.
From Heartbreak to Celebration: Films That Capture New Year's Eve
Cinema has a long history of using December 31st as a backdrop for drama, romance, and comedy. Whether you're seeking heartwarming sing-alongs, chaotic parties, or poignant moments of reflection, there's a movie to match your mood for a quiet night in. Here is a selection of celluloid classics and modern favourites, all available to stream or rent, to help you ring in the new year vicariously.
Romantic Classics & Festive Feel-Good Films
For many, New Year's is synonymous with romance and new beginnings. When Harry Met Sally (streaming on BBC iPlayer) delivers one of cinema's most joyous climaxes as the friends-turned-lovers finally kiss as the new year arrives. Similarly, the interconnected stories of New Year's Eve (Amazon Prime Video), directed by Garry Marshall, feature a star-studded cast including Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert De Niro discovering love on the big night.
The festive season isn't complete without Bridget Jones's Diary (BBC iPlayer), where Renée Zellweger's iconic character first meets Colin Firth's Mark Darcy at a hilariously awkward family New Year's party. For a warm, cosy meet-cute, The Holiday (BBC iPlayer, Disney+, Netflix) sees its main characters first connect over New Year's drinks.
Other romantic staples with pivotal December 31st moments include About Time (Now), where Domhnall Gleeson's time-traveller tries to secure a midnight kiss, and the delightfully bizarre While You Were Sleeping (Disney+), featuring a charming NYE scene with Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman.
Drama, Glamour & Cult Favourites
If you're in the mood for elegance and drama, look no further than Phantom Thread (Amazon Prime Video). Daniel Day-Lewis's Oscar-winning performance is set against the stunning backdrop of a 1950s Blackpool ballroom New Year's Eve party. For timeless heartache, An Affair to Remember (rent on Amazon/Apple) with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr begins its tragic romance on December 31st.
The 1950s also provide the setting for the cult coming-of-age classic Diner (rent on Apple/Amazon/Sky), where a group of friends navigates life and a New Year's Eve wedding. In a more modern but equally stylish tale, The Age of Adaline (rent on Amazon/Apple) stars Blake Lively as a woman who meets a potential love on December 31, a night where "anything's possible".
For a powerful story of friendship and catharsis, Waiting to Exhale (Disney+, Netflix) features an iconic scene where Angela Bassett's character burns her cheating husband's possessions on New Year's Eve. The beautiful, yearning romance Carol (Amazon Prime Video), starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, also shares its first kiss as the new year arrives.
Comedy, Music & Supernatural Cheer
If laughter is your preferred resolution, start with the Academy Award-winning The Apartment (Amazon Prime Video). Billy Wilder's masterpiece builds to a hilariously eventful New Year's Eve party. For outright silliness, the newly released The Naked Gun reboot (rent on Amazon/Apple), starring Liam Neeson, centres its plot on the New Year's Eve ball drop, with critics calling it "outrageously amusing".
Musical fans have several options. The first act of the beloved rock musical Rent (Now) takes place between Christmas Eve and New Year's, bursting with hope. The Golden Age spectacle of An American in Paris (rent on Amazon/Apple) reaches its show-stopping climax in a dazzling New Year's sequence. And who could forget the 'Start of Something New' at a ski lodge party in High School Musical (Disney+)?
For a supernatural finale, Ghostbusters II (Amazon Prime Video) sees the original team, including Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, save New York with the help of the Statue of Liberty on New Year's Eve. And for a classic heist, the original 1960 Ocean's 11 (Now), starring Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, times its Vegas casino robbery perfectly for December 31st.
So, as 2025 draws to a close, consider turning down the party invite, dimming the lights, and letting these films provide the perfect backdrop for your cosy welcome to 2026.
