Too Chilly Outside? Watch A Movie Instead!

Image courtesy of Ginny

The short days of winter can leave anyone feeling sluggish. With less sunlight and colder weather it can be difficult to get the drive to venture outside somedays - but are you to do with all that downtime?

A movie night is the perfect way to beat the winter chill and enjoy time with friends, or even alone if you need a break from your social schedule. So snuggle up with a blanket, grab a bowl of popcorn and cue up one of these great winter-themed flicks listed by writer, Tess Wilson on Apartment Therapy - they're sure to please.

1. Mystery, Alaska: a hilarious Little Richard, a hilariously leonine Burt Reynolds, and oh so many sweaters. I think of Mary McCormack saying, "This is not an easy place to be a woman, John" every time it's -20ºF/-29ºC here in Illinois.

2. Save The Last Dance: This is one of the few (only?) movies that captures what winter in Chicago feels like to me. I have a soft spot for it because I was once an aspiring teen ballerina living on the South Side, but it doesn't hurt that this film features the most gorgeous smile/laugh combination in the entire world, thanks to one Mr. Sean Patrick Thomas.

3. Blades of Glory: I watch this movie purely to hear Will Ferrell singing "Lady Humps" and exclaiming, "No one knows what it means!"- but the rest of the movie is pretty solid, too.

4. The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew: Have you ever seen anything more majestic than that poster? Nobody has. Be sure you have enough beers and donuts to last 90 minutes- and the rest of the winter.

5. Groundhog Day: The epic battle of Bill Murray vs. The Icy Puddle fortunately distracts me from the less glorious but more annoying struggle, Tess vs. Andie MacDowell's Acting.

6. Touching The Void*: I watched this fascinating "docudrama" in a total panic, despite the fact that it was narrated by the two mountaineers in question. Watch 30 Rock's "Into The Crevasse" afterwards to help yourself calm down, and resolve to stay in the house where there aren't any freaking ice cliffs.

7. Grand Budapest Hotel: My very favorite movie of last year, included here for the snowy sugar-dusted wonderlands in which much of the film takes place.

8. The Gruffalo's Child*: This film is achingly beautiful, and so full of love. The winter forest is rendered in painstaking, magical detail.

9. Help!: Most of this movie does not take place in a wintry clime, but since the skiing/curling scenes are my favorite and since this is my list, here it is.

10. Cool Runnings*: Is this movie still any good? I haven't seen it since I was 13 and all I remember is that I adored Doug E. Doug fiercely.

*= streaming on Netflix

What are your favorite wintery movies?