We’ve finally hit the under five-digit countdown, and the stores are overflowed with people. Whether you’re from the United States or Australia, where I’m from, the last few flakes of snow have fallen to the ground, or the heat has hit an all-time high. Now, this is one of our final articles for our Nerds Gets Cheery series at Nerds and Beyond. This time, we’re recommending a recently made classic which visits a genre that’s incredibly rare these days, teenage rom-com, in Let it Snow.
The film has the essence of a previous recommendation of mine, Love Actually, but set up for a teenage audience. Perhaps you’re an avid watcher of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina or YouTube is more your forte, either way, the cast is sprinkled with well-known names from Jacob Batalon to D’Arcy Carden. I always really love watching films where its casting list is like a high school yearbook of all of those I have seen somewhere else before, as not only does it feel a touch familiar, but it lets my imagination escape from solely seeing them in one role.
The characters in this film are easily identifiable. Even if you’re not particularly in love, there’s a character trait found in at least one which makes you go, “yeah, that’s me.” Or even there’s a few. Maybe there was a time where you fell for your best friend but didn’t want to break yourself from the friendship bubble as the unknown was scary, and so was the idea of not being able to return to what was before. If that’s never been you, then maybe you can see yourself in the eyes of someone who doesn’t love themselves as much as they should, so they instead chase the emotion as if it’s some prize metaphorical of their worth.
In turn, Let it Snow teaches us hard-earned lessons about ourselves. It shows us that the person we’ve always needed hasn’t been the cute boy who barely shows us any attention, but the best friend who has been by our side since day one. Then, there’s the notion that while we’re making sure the people in our lives are okay, we also have to do it for ourselves. When love sneaks up on us, we should let it in, no matter if we think our attention should be turned elsewhere or if we’re low key scared of the good looking singer’s manager. Of course, too, is the acceptance that comes in the form of not being afraid to be our true selves. In the film, it’s through coming out to your friends who you thought might’ve judged you for your sexual orientation, but if this particular example doesn’t resonate with you, it could very well be something as simple as liking something nerdy.
With a foreground set in the snowy woods, Let it Snow is an outstanding Christmas classic that immediately takes you back to your youth. In that comes the realization that while the years might’ve passed from our high school days, everyone is still finding themselves. Hopefully, you’re able to come to the same realization by watching this film. If not, there’s a slight mystery brewing through the Tin Foil Woman that might be able to catch your attention.
As Santa starts to leave the North Pole with his sack full of pop culture toys, make sure to check back tomorrow for our second to last festive recommendation. Merry Christmas!