Movies for Midwinter
Every season is a season for cinema, but winter aids itself to staying in — even dimming the lights early enough for a double feature!
Here’s my watch list this season, ordered by watch time in case you get sleepy.
Frances Ha
2012 • R • 1h 26m
Greta Gerwig’s portrayal of a young woman (but aging dancer) drifting through New York feels tailor-made for winter. The stark cinematography mirrors the emotional bareness of the season, while Frances’ restlessness captures the familiar sensation of taking stock of your life. Noah Baumbach’s black-and-white film captures something colorfully bittersweet about friendship, uncertainty, and learning how to stand still long enough to grow.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
1996 • G • 1h 31m
Gothic architecture, echoing bells, and snow-dusted rooftops make Hunchback a natural winter watch. Let the stunning score lift up your spirits. Beneath the darkness, the film offers an enduring story about isolation and kindness, and a reminder that God will help the outcasts (even when we refuse to).
Cool Runnings
1993 • PG • 1h 38m
“If you’re not enough without the gold medal, you’re never going to be enough with it.”
And you thought I didn’t watch sports movies! On icy Olympic tracks, Cool Runnings contrasts perfectly with snowy visuals with sunny humor. The CLASSIC film is about resilience, teamwork, and true success.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
2014 • R • 1h 39m
Wes Anderson’s aesthetic reaches peak snow-globe in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Pastel mountains, frosted funiculars, and wintry escapades create a storybook vision of the season as the story explores nostalgia and melancholy, with a good dose of wit and silliness.
Past Lives
2023 • R • 1h 46m
Quiet and contemplative, Past Lives unfolds like conversation & lingering eye contact. Stillness and emotional restraint mirror the introspective nature of the season. As winter encourages us to sit with unanswered questions, Celine Song’s film explores time, distance, and the lives we don’t live.
Pan’s Labyrinth
2006 • R • 1h 59m
Pan’s Labyrinth is a Spanish-language dark fantasy movie by Guillermo del Toro. Considered one of the best fantasy films ever made (especially by me), del Toro’s masterpiece captivates through rich storytelling and world-building. I always reach for this movie in midwinter for a reminder of what is “visible only to those who know where to look.”
The Wind Rises
2013 • PG-13 • 2h 6m
Hayao Miyazaki’s film follows a fictional, decades-long journey of Japanese aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi, designer of the Japanese Zero fighter plane used in World War II. The piece asks questions around pursing passions that enable destruction, while gently meditating on the futility of war. The reflective pace and muted color palette make it an ideal winter watch.
Into the Wild
2007 • R • 2h 28m
This one I haven’t watched in ages, so I hope I’m making a good choice in recommending it. Winter plays both a literal and symbolic role in Into the Wild, where the stark Alaskan landscapes remind us of nature’s beauty and danger. Written, co-produced, and directed by Sean Penn, the film is an adaptation of the 1996 non-fiction book of the same name.
Frankenstein
2025 • R • 2h 30m
Two Guillermo del Toro movies on one list? Sue me.
This long-awaited Frankenstein adaptation was destined to become a winter classic, just look at that ship!! The story’s themes of loneliness, creation, and moral responsibility ask us to confront what it means to be human.
Hope I could save you some scrolling through titles with these winter movies.
I hope one (or more!) of these films keeps you company this season. Make some tea, turn your phone face-down, and let the dark do what it does best: help the light stand out.
