5 classic movies to ring in the new year from your couch

The crowds. The expense. The crowds. The stress. And did I mention the crowds?

For those of you who’d rather bid farewell to 2017 from the comfort of your couch, here’s a look at five movies that will help you do just that:

“Ocean’s 11” (1960)

Swing in the new year at the Desert Inn, Flamingo, Sahara, Sands and Riviera as Danny Ocean (Frank Sinatra) and his Army buddies rob all five casinos simultaneously, just after the clock strikes midnight. Remembered as much for the antics of the Rat Pack during its production than its plot, the movie introduced much of the world to Dean Martin’s “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head.” Odds are, though, it isn’t as good as you remember, but it does serve as a remarkable time capsule of those casinos.

“When Harry Met Sally …” (1989)

It takes more than a decade, and a little “Auld Lang Syne,” for Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) to realize they’re attracted to each other. But it’s not until another New Year’s Eve gala, and some fairly major bumps in the road, that they finally cement their relationship. “I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out,” Harry tells her on the big night. “I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. … I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” You’ll get all that and Carrie Fisher, too.

“The Poseidon Adventure” (1972)/“Poseidon” (2006)

A luxury ocean liner capsizes on New Year’s Day, but not before the passengers celebrate the changing of the calendar with a party and traditional countdown. The participants in the original include Oscar winners Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters, Red Buttons and Jack Albertson. In the remake, Fergie hosts the festivities in front of Kurt Russell, Richard Dreyfuss, Andre Braugher and Jacinda Barrett from “The Real World: London.”

“200 Cigarettes” (1999)

Long before Garry Marshall made 2011’s star-studded “New Year’s Eve,” there was this ensemble comedy, set entirely on Dec. 31, 1981, that was crammed full of even more big names — at least by today’s standards. Look for Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson and Christina Ricci. Elvis Costello portrays himself. Dave Chappelle plays a character called Disco Cabbie. And, if you are staying home, you’ll particularly enjoy Paul Rudd’s anti-New Year’s Eve rant to Courtney Love while Ben Affleck does a bad Tom Cruise-in-“Cocktail” shimmy behind the bar: “Every year, it’s the same desperate scrambling around to surround yourself with as many people as possible and go to some stupid party and pretend to be happy.”

“Terror Train” (1980)

A fraternity celebrates New Year’s Eve by renting a train, hiring a magician and throwing a costume party — then the guests are murdered one by one. Unless 1980 was much different than I remember, what fraternity would have hired a magician? Even if he is played by David Copperfield, that’s just weird. The filmmaking debut of “Turner & Hooch” and “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot” director Roger Spottiswoode also stars “The Last Picture Show” Oscar winner Ben Johnson, the singer Prince dubbed Vanity, Hart Bochner (“Die Hard’s” Harry “Hans, Bubby” Ellis) and Jamie Lee Curtis, two years after “Halloween” and three years before she’d end up wearing a costume on a train on New Year’s Eve in “Trading Places.”

Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567. Follow @life_onthecouch on Twitter.