Count Down to the New Year By Syncing These Epic Movie Moments at Midnight

Because this is 2020, we know most of us will likely be spending our New Year's Eve at home--but that doesn't mean we can't do something special to celebrate the death of this foul year of our Lord. So here's a list of our favorite movies that sync up to ring in the new year with a big, epic moment and what time you should start watching them on New Year's Eve. 

For the best results, we suggest starting the movie, pausing it, setting it to 0:00:00 and unpausing at the time suggested. We also suggest watching these movies on DVD or BluRay if possible because even the most insignificant streaming blips can throw off the timing completely.

Cabin in the Woods - 10:30:07 PM

If you want to ring in the new year with the Old Gods rising again, hit play on Drew Goddard's modern classic Cabin in the Woods at 10:30:07 PM (10:30 and 7 seconds) and at the stroke of midnight, the giant hand will come crashing down.

Fight Club - 9:44:19 PM

Perhaps you prefer a more anarchist anti-capitalist countdown. In that case, start watching Fight Club at 9:44:19 PM and the buildings of all the major credit card companies will explode at exactly midnight.

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King - 9:14:49 PM 

(or 8:17:45 or 10:33:10)

This one gets a little complicated. Here's the deal if you want to ring in the new year with the One Ring being destroyed...

If you're watching the theatrical version: start the movie at 9:14:49 PM

If you're watching the extended edition on any platform but DVD: start the movie at 8:17:45 PM

If you're watching the extended edition on DVD: this is where it gets a little bit complicated--you're going to want to start disc two at 10:33:10 PM which means you'll want to start disc one around 8PM in order to give yourself a little bit of an intermission in between discs without too much pressure to change discs quickly.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope - 10:02:43 PM

A true classic way to ring in the new year. If you want the Death Star to explode at the stroke of midnight, start the movie at 10:02:43 PM

The Matrix Revolutions - 10:06:15 PM (10:05:30)

This one is slightly complicated but probably not that much. To sync up the exact moment when Neo's martyrdom begins with the stroke of midnight, start the movie at 10:06:15 PM. If, on the other hand, you'd rather time it up with all the Smiths exploding, start a little earlier: 10:05:30 PM

The Fifth Element - 10:01:05 PM

There's also an interesting issue at play in this one. If you start the movie at exactly 10:01:05, there's actually a countdown from 10 that will sync up almost exactly and at midnight the "ignition" sequence (for lack of a better term) of the "Ultimate Weapon Against Evil" will begin. However. If you want to sync up midnight with the exact moment when the huge beam of energy shoots out of Leelu and destroys Mr. Shadow, start the movie at exactly 10:01 PM.

2023 UPDATE

Here's a few more...

Beau is Afraid - The Execution - 9:07:22

After Midnight - Monster - 10:42:26

Class of Nuke 'Em High - School Explodes - 10:42:02

Host - Final Demon - 11:05:22

The Spine of Night - "Tremble before the immensity of the night!" - 10:31:20