What’s Your Favourite Holiday Movie?

We’ve moved into the infinite era of holiday viewing. There was a time when we were content to sit down in front of the TV and watch the once-a-year airings of scratchy holiday staples featuring Rudolph, Frosty, Charlie Brown, George Bailey and Scrooge.

Those days are long gone, and beginning the day after Halloween, we’re invited to dive into an endless stream of holiday films and TV shows airing across any number of platforms and services.

To celebrate the season, Now & Next reached out to a few holiday-loving creators to ask them about their favourite holiday programs, viewing traditions, and for some, what kind of holiday project they would love to create.

JENNIFER PODEMSKI

Actor, writer, director, producer Little Bird

I will always love Elf. There are so many others that I love but if I have to choose, it’s definitely Elf.

It’s hilarious. Pee my pants funny. That said, I will always and forever love Jim Carrey as the Grinch. Love that movie! Also — I am a sucker for any romantic Christmas movie, and I watch them all. I’m so excited for all the new ones coming out!

I’m Jewish so growing up we didn’t have Christmas. But later in my teens my mom got into it, and it became a big thing for us. She loved watching It’s a Wonderful Life so that became our thing. The holidays became our time to be together and eat the best meal of the year. Then when I had kids, we made an even bigger deal of Christmas and Chanukah and it’s truly my favorite time of year. This year Chanukah and Christmas aren't at the same time so that’s gonna be fun!

I would 100% make an Indigenous-themed rom-com! Hallmark style! That would be a dream!

R.T. THORNE

Writer, director 40 Acres

I love Home Alone and Die Hard.

As a kid there is nothing better than dreaming about saving your family's house from criminals during the holidays. Die Hard is the same movie but played with real stakes, for the older relatives but just as fun. I remember watching with my older cousins and uncles and laughing along.

There wasn’t a formalized tradition when I was growing up although as a family, we’d gather at my Uncle Ven’s place in New York with all the cousins on my mom’s side of the family and watch movies, and basketball and play 16-bit video games. We're just now establishing our own traditions with our son so watching movies will definitely be one of them.

Honestly, I don’t know what kind of holiday movie I’d make, but probably a little bit of all of those since I like to blend genres, but the key to a great holiday movie is rewatchability. You gotta be able to just put it on, curl up with family and laugh. It should feel like a warm blanket that you just pulled out of the dryer.

SHABNAM REZAEI

Children’s television creator, director, and co-founder of Big Bad Boo Studios

My favorite of all time is Frank Capra’s 1946 film It’s a Wonderful Life, followed closely by Love Actually. 

This one for me has all the feel-good elements: George Bailey, the guy who doesn’t believe in anything and wants to end his life, suddenly meets his guardian angel, Clarence, a broken-down old man, striving for his angel wings. The two are an odd couple, trudging through the details of George’s life and discovering that in fact, he does have a wonderful life. It’s got snow, despair, love, family, hope, karma, a grumpy scrooge type character, a smart woman, cute kids, more snow, and the hint of death. What’s not to love!

We have a big tradition of watching It’s a Wonderful Life and Love Actually every year, with the grown-ups. With the kids, we watch Elf.

Here at Big Bad Boo, we love holiday content and have pioneered showcasing holidays like Norooz (Persian New Year) with our first cartoon Babak & Friends - A First Norooz and later in 1001 Nights. In 16 Hudson we have holiday episodes for Indigenous Day, Diwali, Lunar New Year, Harvest, and a Winter episode packed with Christmas, Yalda and Hanukkah. 

ROMA ROTH

Writer, producer Virgin River, Sullivan’s Crossing

My favorite holiday film is The Family Man starring Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni. It's a modern-day retelling of It's a Wonderful Life and is the perfect balance of heartwarming drama and comedy. The writers did a sensational job, and I've always thought the script and dialogue were sensational.

 When I was growing up, my twin sister and I would watch all the stop-motion and animation shows every Christmas, shows like Rudolph and Frosty. As an adult, I love curling up with my husband, kids, and dogs on Christmas Day to watch old-time favorites such as White Christmas, A Christmas Carol, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas while we drink eggnog and eat homemade shortbread cookies in our matching pajamas.

BLAKE MAWSON

Writer, director I Hate People, People Hate Me

I have a few holiday favourites and they’re all a bit different genre-wise, but I’d have to say Tim Burton’s Batman Returns is my favorite.

It’s pre-CGI-era Tim Burton, and for me, it’s so much more than just a typical superhero movie. I vividly remember seeing it with my mother and grandmother in theaters when I was eight — it was probably the only time the three of us shared that kind of outing. It still holds up in so many ways and I’ve come to appreciate it even more as I’ve grown older.

Snow-covered, gritty Gotham, with its scattered Christmas decorations, perfectly highlights the tension between superficial holiday cheer and the city’s deep corruption — a contrast that feels eerily familiar in today’s world.

When I was a kid, I loved classic animated films from the ’60s like Rudolph the Red-Nosed

Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and of course, Home Alone! These days, I make a point to watch The Snowman, the 1982 animated film narrated by David Bowie — it still melts my heart each time. 

As for my holiday film, I think Holiday Horror still is a huge niche that’s waiting to be filled. It would very likely live within that.

Ingrid Randoja

Freelance writer Ingrid Randoja is the former film editor of Toronto’s NOW Magazine, the former deputy editor of Cineplex Magazine, and a founding member of the Toronto Film Critics Association.

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