1. White Christmas (1954)
The promise of snow is right there in the title of this classic from the golden age of Hollywood musicals. Bing Crosby and company sing and dance their way through the winter, almost willing the snowstorm that sends powder falling over the final scene.
2. Happy Feet (2006)
This is a sweet tale of a penguin struggling to find his voice. In a penguin society where everyone has to have a song, the worst singer of all the penguins attempts to attract a soulmate through dance.
3. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
It’s A Wonderful Life is a classic for any and all seasons, but the film is largely set in winter and features a number of famous snow and ice scenes. Any film that makes you want a blanket is a cold weather classic.
4. Frozen (2013)
The Disney animated film was an instant hit, with relatable characters and memorable songs. The film spawned a sequel and is still one of Disney’s most popular films of all time.
5. The Grey (2012)
Liam Neeson versus a pack of wolves…who you got? If you’re a movie fan, you put your money on Neeson, who has to lead a group of plane-crash survivors through wolf country to an area where they might be rescued.
6. Snowpiercer (2014)
All of humanity is dead, save for those that fit aboard a single speeding train that only stays warm by racing around the globe over and over. That is one hell of a setup. Fortunately, Snowpiercer the movie over-delivers on that setup, creating an original and memorable experience.
7. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
In the dead of Chicago’s windy winter, a transit worker pulls a man from certain death. While the man lies in a coma, she allows a misunderstanding to turn into a lie, and everyone comes to believe she is the man’s fiancée. This romantic comedy has the usual Sandra Bullock charm, but keep an eye out for how charming Bill Pullman is, as well as the supporting cast of family members.
8. The Revenant (2015)
One man left for dead crawls across the snowy tundra in pursuit of those that killed his son. Come for the natural light cinematography or for Leonardo DiCaprio’s engrossing and engaging performance, but stay for the glorious one-shot sequences!
9. Wind River (2017)
On a Native American reservation in Wyoming, an expert tracker discovers a dead body. Flashbacks and conflicting accounts create a mystery as to the circumstances of the death, and then another body shows up. This is a taut, well-acted mystery set against the hard winter of the American north.
10. The Cutting Edge (1992)
A pair of Olympic hopefuls try to win a medal in pairs figure skating. She’s a spoiled princess that drives away all her partners, and he’s a former hockey player that thinks figure skating is silly. As the pair slowly fall for each other, you might be surprised to find yourself falling for them, as well.
11. Fargo (1996)
Snow and freezing temperatures set the stage for some cold-hearted shenanigans, as a car salesman tries to hire some common thugs to pretend-kidnap his wife for ransom. A persistent pregnant sheriff attempts to unspool the criminal conspiracy.
12. A Simple Plan (1998)
Sam Raimi’s snowstorm thriller involves a trio of bumbling farm community bros that come upon a downed plane containing oodles of cash. Their attempt to keep the cash and the subsequent cover-up spiral out of control until no one can be declared the winner.
13. The Edge (1997)
The Edge is an actor’s film, giving Sir Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin some of the best dialogue ever, courtesy of David Mamet. Set in a wilderness tundra after a plane crash, the winter elements play just as much a role in the story as our characters’ central conflict.
14. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Some movies about romances leave you warm and fuzzy, while others leave you cold and distant. Eternal Sunshine is a film that attempts to do both at once, and succeeds, leaving the viewer both exhausted by love yet ready to chase after it again.
15. Groundhog Day (1993)
It’s a comedy classic that riffs on the nature of repetition. Bill Murray gives an all-time performance as a man stuck living the same day over and over again. Winter and snow underscore the monotonous dread of the main character, serving as more than just a backdrop or a setting.
16. Winter’s Bone (2010)
Jennifer Lawrence’s breakout Oscar-nominated role sees her playing a 17-year-old looking after a mentally ill mother and her two siblings. When told her absentee father’s debts will fall to her and the family if he’s not brought to justice, she goes after him.
17. Cool Runnings (1993)
Based on a true story, this family film follows four Jamaican athletes, who have never even seen snow, as they try to become the first Olympic bobsled team from their Caribbean island nation. This cold-weather sports movie will warm your heart right up.
18. Miracle (2004)
The story of the 1980 U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team is already legendary in its own right. Set during the (duh) Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY, the film recreates the magical rise and victory of an unlikely group of amateur hockey players.
19. Grumpy Old Men (1993)
Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon are an all-time classic comedy duo, but none of their work is as famous or popular as Grumpy Old Men, a film that takes the Odd Couple and makes them next-door neighbors in the upper Midwest.
20. Last Holiday (2006)
Queen Latifah plays a woman mistakenly told she has terminal cancer. She decides to spend her savings splurging on a vacation full of things she’s always wanted to do, spending several days at a fancy ski resort hotel in Europe. Will she find out her diagnosis was wrong before spending all her money? Will her crush, LL Cool J, find out where she’s gone and why? Overlooked by many, this movie is a fun time sure to leave you smiling.
There’s more to movies than meets the eye. Parade has partnered with CinemaSins to help you see some of the elements you might have missed when it comes to movies and the people who make them. Every month, the guys behind CinemaSins, Jeremy, Chris and Barrett, will be giving you an unfiltered look at the film industry.
Next, check out the best movies about food.
