There’s something about a movie with a white winter background that makes it perfect to watch in December.
I live in Los Angeles and have had the air conditioning on for the past week, but watching these movies always puts me in the winter mood and I really enjoy seeing how the frigid winter is used in storytelling.
Today I’d like to share with you some snow movies that I think make perfect use of white materials to highlight different genres and situations.
Let’s dive in.
1. Fargo (1996)
Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Screenplay: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Starring: Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi
I love this darkly comedic crime thriller set in the rugged, snowy landscapes of Minnesota and North Dakota. Seeing the blood hit the snow gives me an eerie feeling. We follow a car salesman’s clever plan to kidnap his wife. Of course, it fails, leading to an increasingly bizarre and violent series of events. And when it snows, things get even worse.
2. Shining (1980)
Director: Stanley Kubrick Screenplay: Stanley Kubrick, Diane Johnson (based on the story by Stephen King) Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd
Long before the ending shot became a meme, this psychological horror masterpiece used snow to trap the author and his family in the secluded Overlook Hotel for the winter. A persistent snowfall cuts them off from the world, turning the Grand Hotel into an insane, claustrophobic cage filled with ghosts.
3. Snowpiercer (2013)
Director: Bong Joon-ho Screenplay: Bong Joon-ho, Kelly Masterson (based on the graphic novel “Le Transperceneige”) Cast: Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton
I love post-apocalyptic genre movies. This movie depicts a world covered in ice. The last survivors of humanity are trapped in a perpetually moving train called the Snowpiercer. The outside world is a deadly frozen wasteland, and the snow serves as a constant, relentless reminder of the catastrophe that has created this class-divided society on the rails.
4. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
Director: David Lean Screenplay: Robert Bolt (based on the novel by Boris Pasternak) Cast: Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin
If you have 4 hours to kill, watch this movie. An epic romance set against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution. And the inter here is no joke, with stalagmite icicles and snowstorms happening every few minutes. The endless snow is a beautiful yet terrifying force that reflects the harshness and loneliness of the times.
5. Groundhog Day (1993)
Director: Harold Ramis Screenplay: Danny Rubin, Harold Ramis Cast: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott
Being from Pennsylvania, I’m definitely a fan of this movie set in Punxsutawney during a blizzard. The main character of The Weatherman, Phil Connors, is literally covered in snow, unable to escape from his small town, and his monotonous fate ends up repeating the day and learning a lot about the people around him.
6. The Hateful Eight (2015)
Director: Quentin Tarantino Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh
It’s a great idea for Tarantino to play the criminal in a snow-covered haberdashery store. The howling winds and blinding snow outside create an incredibly tense and isolated atmosphere, forcing a group of dangerous strangers against each other in a confined space. And Tarantino’s dialogue brings warmth throughout.
7. Misery (1990)
Director: Rob Reiner Screenplay: William Goldman (original by Stephen King) Cast: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth
This could be the perfect snow movie. As Blizzard continues to drag its feet and write, there’s a guy trapped by a fanatic. Snow acts as the perfect accomplice for the captives, sealing off isolated houses and making any possibility of escape or rescue nearly impossible.
8. Let the Right One In (2008)
Director: Tomas Alfredson Screenplay: Jon Ivide Lindqvist (based on his novel) Cast: Cole Hedebrand, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar
A beautiful and chilling horror film set in the snowy suburbs of Stockholm in the 1980s, about the unusual friendship between a bullied 12-year-old boy and a vampire girl. In this movie, snow is used to reflect dark light so they can sneak into the forest and hide their victims.
9. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Director: Michel Gondry Screenplay: Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, Pierre Bismuth Cast: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst
Now, this is a leap. I know it’s not technically a “snow movie,” but the scene on Montauk’s frozen, snowy shores is one of the most iconic and emotionally resonant scenes in the film. They broached the theme of memories frozen in time.
10. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Director: Andrew Adamson Screenplay: Anne Peacock, Andrew Adamson, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely (based on the novel by C.S. Lewis) Starring: Georgie Henley, Skander Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell
As a child I loved these books. And this was a lot of fun imagining the snows of the Cold Ages melting and the White Witch melting away as new arrivals enter the realm to challenge her and Aslan returns. Also, how cruel is it that winter continues and Christmas never comes?
bring it all together
These wintery movies will make you feel warm even when it’s cold. They all use snow as another character in the movie and have great cinematography to highlight it.
Are there any cold, snowy movies you think should be on this list?
Let us know what you think in the comments.
