8 Lesser-Known Movies to Watch on New Year's Eve, Ranked by IMDb

There are many ways to celebrate the new year. Sometimes, the best option is to stay home in a cozy atmosphere with loved ones and a good movie.

If you're tired of traditional holiday comedies and big-name blockbusters and want to discover something unique, check out our list.

8. 'Surviving Christmas', 2004

IMDb Score: 5.5/10

Drew, a successful advertising executive, breaks up with his girlfriend on Christmas Eve and now has no one to celebrate the holiday with. He offers $250,000 to random people to play his relatives. However, Drew stumbles upon a less-than-pleasant family.

Surviving Christmas is a typical 2000s comedy with offensive jokes and a naive plot. So it's best to lower your expectations and turn off your brain before watching.

However, it features Ben Affleck on the verge of a nervous breakdown and a sense of humor that is rarely seen in Christmas movies.

7. 'Silent Night, Deadly Night', 1984

IMDb Score: 5.8/10

Billy Chapman's parents were murdered by a criminal dressed as Santa Claus. The young man grew up in a monastic orphanage under the supervision of a strict abbess, and he now hates Christmas.

At age 18, Billy gets a job at a toy store. On Christmas Eve, he is forced to dress up as Santa Claus, causing him to lose his mind and pick up an axe.

Unlike traditional slasher films, where the killer is usually portrayed as a monster or terrifying maniac, the villain in Silent Night, Deadly Night is a simple, traumatized man in a holiday suit.

6. 'Anna and the Apocalypse', 2017

IMDb Score: 6.1/10

Anna, a British high school student, dreams of flying to Australia after graduation. However, her father wants her to go to college.

Just before Christmas, the walking dead appear on the streets. Armed with weapons, teenagers fight back and try to save their loved ones. And sing and dance along the way.

Anna and the Apocalypse is a unique horror movie. It combines the seemingly incompatible genres of a zombie apocalypse and a Christmas musical – teenagers joyfully exterminate the walking dead while singing about family struggles.

5. 'Bright Young Things', 2003

IMDb Score: 6.5/10

Every evening, young aristocrats dress up in tuxedos, dance, and debate lofty topics in posh Manhattan apartments.

One evening, a poor, redheaded student named Tom accidentally finds himself at one of these events. To fit in with his peers, he buys a used tuxedo with the last of his mother's money.

4. 'Serendipity', 2001

IMDb Score: 6.8/10

Jonathan meets Sara on Christmas Eve. Despite being married, they decide to go on a date at a restaurant. Sara believes in fate, so the two rely on chance.

They wrote their phone numbers on the flyleaf of a book and on a banknote, hoping that one day these items would fall into the right hands.

Serendipity is structured like a fairy tale, with the characters constantly talking about miracles and relying on chance – it's the perfect movie for anyone looking for a little happiness and good fortune during the Christmas season.

3. 'The Family Man', 2000

IMDb Score: 6.8/10

Jack once left his girlfriend for his career. Years later, he has a business, money, and one-night stands. However, he has become hardened and unwilling to be intimate with others. He even refuses to give his employees Christmas off.

One day, he meets a mysterious man. The next morning, he wakes up as a simple salesman, without expensive cars or suits.

However, he has a beloved wife and two children. Now, Jack must choose which life is best for him.

2. '8 Women', 2002

IMDb Score: 7.0/10

On Christmas Eve, a murder occurred in the French countryside. The owner of the house was stabbed and eight women were also in the mansion.

The telephone lines were cut, and the cars were broken, so the women can't call the police or reach the nearest town. They are left to wonder who killed the only man in the house and it was definitely one of them.

François Ozon's retro detective story is set in the 1950s. The director brings together a brilliant cast of French actresses, including Catherine Deneuve and Isabelle Huppert.

1. 'The Apartment', 1960

IMDb Score: 8.3/10

CC Baxter is an accountant at a large insurance company. He rents an apartment near his office in New York City and lives alone.

In hopes of securing a promotion, he rents out his apartment to his superiors for a few hours so they can take their mistresses there. Meanwhile, Baxter is forced to sit outside on a bench.

He tries to ask elevator operator Fran out on a date, but she consistently refuses for some reason. One day, CC discovers the truth: she's having an affair with his boss.