FOR many young people, each year on 31 December the challenge is to set out in the early evening and then stay out all night and party until the break of dawn to usher in the New Year.

At which point, 1 January is typically a write-off.

Growing up, however, my family instilled a very different kind of New Years tradition.

The movie marathon.

Those of you who grew up in the 80s and 90s may well resonate with the urge to settle in for extended periods of cinematic viewing.

The challenge was not just in seeing how many films you could stay awake watching, but in choosing films that would thematically tie together into a common experience.

The easiest way, at one time, was to pick movie series and watch them in order – so it was, for many years, the original Star Wars trilogy was the yearly go-to in my home.

I rarely made it past the Ewos before falling asleep.

As I grew more mature, the youthful delights of Star Wars gave way to more sophisticated viewing: The Lord of the Rings series.

The extended editions.

That’s about eleven hours of movie watching right there.

These can be fun ways of passing the New Year’s Countdown, but increasingly committing to a movie saga is an incredible time-sink.

For example, if you were to attempt a New Year’s marathon of, say, the Marvel cinematic universe, you would need to make some real space in your life because at 33 films and counting, that’s 72-and-a-half hours of viewing.

That’s not counting bathroom breaks.

For those who may be more inclined for a New Years at home, but not so keen on a pop-culture endurance test, we at News Of The Area thought we could suggest a sensible, manageable, three movie marathon that is tied together by the theme of the New Year itself!

Start your evening at about 7:30 with a viewing of Forrest Gump (1994, Dir. Robert Zemeckis).

A tour of Americana throughout the 20th century, Forrest Gump is all about watching a culture shift and change over time, from the perspective of a man who remains blessedly untouched by the forces that surround him.

From the rock’n’roll era of the 50s, through the burgeoning liberation and then horrific war of the 60s and 70s, into the hedonism that followed and the excess of the 80s, the titular character bounces from one major historic moment to another, always observing.

But look, if you’re not that crazy about an overload of the USA, play cards with your neighbours while the movie plays in the background.

It’s mostly about that brilliant soundtrack anyway.

Once you’re ready to get comfortable, it’s time for a real New Years movie in When Harry Met Sally (1989, Dir. Rob Reiner).

You don’t need to like romantic comedies to love this movie.

Boasting lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry between all the creative folk involved, this film sets out to answer the age-old question: “Can a man and a woman really just be friends?”

Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are impossibly likeable as they meet time and again over the course of years and find solace in sharing with one another how their lives are going.

Of course though the occasionally hysterical interactions and deep musings on life and relationships, When Harry Met Sally really hits at two New Years Eve parties where the title characters reunite, and it’s here that the film reveals the question it’s really asking: “Why not love the one you love?”

Finally, assuming you’ve had time between movies to stretch your legs and grab a drink, you’ll be past midnight and ready for one final show.

The Martian (2015, Dir. Ridley Scott).

While not necessarily a film about the passage of time (and, admittedly, one devoid of any actual New Year celebration) this stellar offering from one of the titans of modern cinema is about accepting the course that may take years.

When astronaut Mark Whatney (Matt Damon) is accidentally left behind on Mars when his team evacuates, he must find a way to survive until NASA can send another mission to retrieve him – which will take at least four years.

Alone on a planet where nothing grows and confined to a small habitat which is the only source of air and water, Whatney declares “I’m not gonna die here”…and we spend the film watching him, and his allies on Earth, get to work.

Whatney’s efforts to survive take patience and persistence, as well as requiring that he learn new skills and go well past his area of expertise.

The Martian is a film that explores just what it means to make a resolution – the will in the decision, the dedication to make it happen, and the strength to endure when early efforts fail.

If you are still awake by the end, you’ll start the New Year feeling like you could do anything.

By Lindsay HALL