Today really was the perfect day to watch New Year's Eve.

Story 

New Year's Eve tells the interconnected story of several couples and singles in New York City over the course if New Year's Eve.

This movie is the second in the unofficial trilogy, the first being Valentine's Day. And even though there isn't really anything extraordinary about the story, it's heartwarming in its simplicity. It shows how different lives are a lot more intertwined than we think.

Acting 

There is an ensemble cast and an ENSEMBLE CAST. The cast in this movie is the latter. Everywhere you turn there is a recognisable face. I am not kidding. I would list them all but it would take FOREVER. From the main characters to the supporting characters and cameos, this movie is filled with famous people.

Now onto the acting, it's okay. There is no performance I am going to praise but there isn't one I am going to and I don't really watch movies like this for the acting. It's more about the feel-good factor and how the movie made me feel. 

Writing/Direction 

This is probably the weakest part of the movie and it's because this movie doesn't actually do anything. 

Given the somewhat confined nature of the plot and the large cast, there isn't a lot of depth because you have to factor in a lot of stories. Some of the stories aren't as heartfelt  (or good) as others, while some are really beautiful and should have had more time. Robert de Niro and Hilary Swank's is by far my favourite as there is a lot of emotion there especially when the movies reveals how the two are connected. 

I also have to say that at 118 minutes, this movie is too long. I didn't actually realise it was this long because it has been a while since I watched it. 30 - 45 minutes could easily have been removed from it and it would not have made a damn bit of difference. And a lot of that time is spent with uninteresting characters which slows down the pace of the movie considerably.

CGI/Set Design 

This is one of those movies where I don't pay attention to the CGI or Set Design. Visually, this film is pretty normal and somewhat basic, and that is okay. The film is not meant to blow you away with visuals. It's about the story and about what the characters feel.

I will say though that there are so beautiful shots of New York City in this movie and coupled with the feel-good nature of the movie makes you feel what you are supposed. 

Score/Soundtrack 

There are some pretty iconic songs in this movie from New York by Frank Sinatra to What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong and I feel like it encompasses the tone of the movie perfectly. Even the song Raise Your Glass by Pink playing in the credits. It really is the perfect song to ring in the new year. So raise your glass to 2021!

Overall Thoughts

Like the title suggests, today is the perfect day to watch this movie, seeing that it is New Year's Eve (at the time I wrote this) and it's Thursday is the day dedicated to reviewing old movies. 

One thing I didn't expect to while watching this was... melancholy. And I think I felt like that because I saw people celebrating New Year's in a way that we cannot. Seeing crowds of people gather together made me nostalgic for a time when we could go to concerts and spend time with family and friends. 2020 has been a lot for a lot of people and if there is one thing to take away from this movie, it is a message of hope. Hilary Swank's character has a speech in the middle of the movie and as cliche, as it sounds, it kinda stuck out to me. 

That's what New Year's is all about, getting another chance. A chance to forgive, to do better, to do more, to give more, love more, and stop worrying about what if and start embracing what will be. 

Her words perfectly reflect a lesson I have learnt this year. And that is basically to live each day like it could be your last because honestly? It could be. 

So with that being said, going into 2021, I'm going to try and do more and be more. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!