Have you already bought new New Year's decorations, baked cookies, listened to Sinatra's album, and yet the festive mood hasn't appeared? It's time to take emergency measures. Call your friends, brew some tea, wrap yourself in a warm blanket, and get ready to watch the most magical, uplifting, and heartwarming films.
"While You Were Sleeping"
A tender story about loneliness, deception, and salvation during the New Year. The main character of the film is a subway employee named Lucy (Sandra Bullock), secretly in love with one of her regular passengers. One fine day, the life of the mysterious stranger is in danger, and Lucy gets a unique chance to try her hand at being a savior. Unfortunately, the family of the guy, whose name turns out to be Peter (Peter Gallagher), mistakenly believes that Lucy is his fiancée. "While You Were Sleeping" is that semi-forgotten Christmas movie from the 90s that brings the atmosphere of long-awaited coziness and family warmth. There isn't much romance, but there are genuinely funny jokes.
"The Holiday"
Another New Year's classic that stubbornly remains relevant year after year. The plot of "The Holiday" revolves around two lonely women — Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Iris (Kate Winslet) — who decide to swap houses for the winter holidays. As a result, Amanda heads to a snowy English village, while Iris flies off to sunny California. As events unfold, each of the heroines finds long-awaited love and makes a sacramental — truly adult — life choice.
"The Family Man"
The fantastic comedy "The Family Man" can be considered an unofficial Hollywood adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" with a modern twist. The main character of the film — a successful businessman played by Nicolas Cage — is not much different from Scrooge. He is also obsessed with career, money, and other materialism that provides him with long-awaited stability and recognition, but unfortunately deprives him of the most important thing — true love. On New Year's Eve, the main character gets the chance to live another life — in a house where he has children and a beloved wife.
"Hello, Family!"
Each of us has celebrated New Year's holidays at least once in the company of annoying relatives. "Hello, Family!" is one of those films that makes you remember how and why you decided to forgo the traditional celebration in the circle of not-so-close, but still blood-related people. The main character of "Hello, Family!" — ambitious lawyer Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) — decides to spend Christmas with her fiancé Everett Stone's (Dermot Mulroney) family, but the problem is: absolutely all the Stones demonstratively hate her. As a result, what was supposed to be a warm family celebration turns into a real battlefield for Meredith.
"Love Actually"
One of the most famous New Year's rom-coms is an anthology of romantic stories, the main characters of which are ordinary people experiencing various life events. Christmas, in one way or another, influences the fates of all the characters, forcing them to step out of their comfort zones: re-evaluate past relationships, start new acquaintances, and even move to another country. A separate bonus of "Love Actually" is the stunning cast, featuring some of the most famous British actors, including Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, and many others.
"Something from Tiffany's"
In 2020, the whole world particularly needed a Christmas miracle. Perhaps that is why the release of the film titled "Something from Tiffany's" was perfectly timed. The main character — a bakery owner played by Zoey Deutch — repeatedly gets disappointed by her boyfriend, who keeps letting her down. Finding herself in yet another predicament due to her unfortunate fiancé, the girl meets Ethan (Kendrick Sampson) — the dream guy who suddenly becomes a reality. A charming and genuinely kind person, capable of loving others and being loved himself. Unfortunately, starting a new — healthier and more harmonious — relationship proves to be not as easy as she would like.
"Serendipity"
It’s hard to imagine a top list of Christmas romantic comedies without "Serendipity" featuring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. This film has definitely aged poorly, and some directorial and screenplay decisions raise questions, yet the chemistry between the characters Jonathan and Sara resolves everything. It’s impossible not to worry about their relationship, especially considering the fact that their fate depends on chance — will Jonathan find the book in which Sara wrote her phone number? Will Sara manage to meet her beloved before he completely loses hope for their mutual love?
"The Feast of Seven Fishes"
"The Feast of Seven Fishes" is probably the most underrated Christmas rom-com from our top list. Released in 2018, the film tells the story of a traditional Italian celebration that takes place on Christmas Eve. The main character — a high school student named Tony (Skyler Gisondo) — is convinced that his whole family wants to send him to business school — following in his father's footsteps. However, Tony feels his calling in the arts and secretly dreams of becoming an artist. A sudden infatuation helps the main character not only resolve his prolonged internal conflict but also find the strength to be himself.
"The Spirit of Christmas"
"The Spirit of Christmas" can confidently be categorized as a guilty pleasure. David Jackson's film is at times so cliché and silly that it inadvertently becomes enjoyable. The main character — a lawyer named Kate (Jen Lilley) — tries to evaluate and sell an old Victorian house. As the plot unfolds, it turns out that a rather attractive ghost named Daniel (Thomas Boduant) has been residing in the house for several years and clearly does not want to share his lifetime possessions with anyone else. Naturally, this acquaintance quickly turns into doomed romantic relations, which, however, are still interesting to watch.
"The Elusive Scent of Love"
Journalist Natalie from Los Angeles flies to meet her perfect virtual boyfriend to surprise him for Christmas, only to discover that he is not who he claims to be. The fraudster offers to help Natalie meet a real guy, but only if she pretends to be his girlfriend for the holidays.
