What to watch during the holidays according to Montreal's Cinema du Parc

If you want to watch something that has more substance, panache, artistry, and history than what Hallmark and Netflix are screening this holiday season, you talk to experts.

That's why we asked Montreal's Cinema du Parc for a curated collection of what they thought people should be cozying up to during Christmas and the holidays.

This guide is the result: It pulls together an expertly curated lineup of films that trade saccharine cheer for raw emotion, unfiltered humanity, and a touch of seasonal magic.

Expect everything from snow-drenched dramas and coming-of-age epics to irreverent comedies and unconventional Christmas tales, all capturing the messiness and beauty of the holidays without the clichés.

While you're at it, don't miss these movies coming out at Cinéma du Parc during the holidays :

December 13

• The End by Joshua Oppenheimer
• Flow by Gints Zilbalodis
• Queer by Luca Guadadigno

December 25

• Babygirl by Halina Reijn
• Nosferatu by Robert Eggers

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Cinéma du Parc’s picks for best holiday movies

THE HOLDOVERS

"An instant Holiday classic when it came out in 2023, this heartwarming movie showcases Paul Giammati as his best curmudgeon-with-a-heart-of-gold self."

Set against the biting chill of a New England winter, The Holdovers is a slow-burn dramedy that thrives on its sharp wit and emotional heft. Paul Giamatti plays an acerbic boarding school teacher reluctantly stuck supervising a misfit student over the Christmas holidays. What begins as a battle of wills morphs into a surprisingly tender exploration of grief, connection, and second chances. Payne’s direction is unflinching yet compassionate, capturing the loneliness of the season with a sly sense of humour and a dash of mid-century nostalgia. It’s a film that lingers like a snowy afternoon—quiet, reflective, and unexpectedly profound. (2023, dir. Alexander Payne) 

CAROL

"Who can resist the lusciousness of this movie? Longing stares, repressed desires…this is definitely the sexiest movie of the season."

Set in the muted tones of 1950s New York, Carol unspools a forbidden romance that feels both timeless and achingly specific. Cate Blanchett is magnetic as the titular character, a glamorous yet haunted woman navigating a messy divorce, while Rooney Mara plays the reserved shopgirl drawn into her orbit. Their connection builds in stolen glances and whispered conversations, unraveling in a society that refuses to let love break the rules. Todd Haynes crafts a masterpiece of restraint and longing, capturing every gesture and unspoken word with painterly precision. It’s a story as elegant as it is devastating. (2015, dir. Todd Haynes) 

TANGERINE

"Not your typical snowy Christmas. Sean Baker’s debut drops us right in the center of Hollywood Boulevard and surrounds us with characters that will take your breath away."

 Tangerine bursts onto the screen with the electric chaos of a sun-soaked Los Angeles Christmas Eve, spinning a raw and hilarious tale of friendship, betrayal, and resilience. Shot entirely on an iPhone, Sean Baker’s indie gem follows two trans sex workers—Sin-Dee and Alexandra—on a whirlwind day of revenge and self-discovery after a bombshell revelation about Sin-Dee’s boyfriend. With kinetic energy and unflinching authenticity, the film captures the grit and vibrancy of the city’s overlooked corners. At its core, it’s a story about chosen family and survival, told with equal parts humour and heart. (2015, dir. Sean Baker)

LITTLE WOMEN

"This 2019 remake of the literary classic gave us everything : gorgeous sets, inspirational monologues, and FloPugh."

Greta Gerwig’s Little Women breathes vibrant new life into Louisa May Alcott’s beloved classic, blending nostalgia with modern sensibilities in a richly layered exploration of ambition, sisterhood, and self-discovery. Saoirse Ronan commands the screen as Jo March, the fiercely independent writer determined to forge her own path, while Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, and Eliza Scanlen shine as her equally compelling sisters, each wrestling with their own dreams and limitations. Gerwig’s non-linear storytelling adds depth to the familiar narrative, creating a poignant tapestry of memory and desire. It’s a timeless tale told with fresh urgency and boundless heart. (2019, dir. Greta Gerwig) 

EYES WIDE SHUT

"Kubrick’s final masterpiece, this festive psychological thriller follows then-married couple Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise in a web of erotic games and mysterious figures."

 A labyrinthine dive into desire, secrecy, and the fragility of human relationships, Eyes Wide Shut lingers like a fever dream. Tom Cruise plays a Manhattan doctor whose marriage is thrown into existential crisis after a candid confession from his wife, played with icy vulnerability by Nicole Kidman. Stanley Kubrick’s final masterpiece peels back the veneer of civility to explore the surreal underbelly of elite privilege, culminating in a hypnotic journey through clandestine rituals and veiled temptation. Every frame drips with Kubrick’s meticulous control, creating a world that is at once alluring and deeply unsettling. (1999, dir. Stanley Kubrick)

FANNY & ALEXANDRE

"Both a miniseries and a film adaptation, this sweeping family odyssey is big, sprawling, gorgeous, sad, yet comforting. Sprinkle in a bit of magical realism, and you’re in for a treat."

Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny & Alexander is an epic portrait of childhood, family, and the collision of light and darkness that shapes human existence. Told through the eyes of two siblings in early 20th-century Sweden, the film begins in the glow of familial joy before spiraling into the stark oppression of their stepfather’s austere household. Bergman masterfully juxtaposes warmth and cruelty, weaving themes of art, spirituality, and resilience into a lush tapestry of stunning visuals and haunting performances. It’s a deeply personal and transcendent meditation on the forces that mold us, both tender and terrifying. (1982, dir. Ingmar Bergman) 

MON ONCLE ANTOINE

"If the holidays aren’t exactly your favourite time of the year, director Claude Jutra’s gritty story set in an impoverished mining town of the 1940s might depict the bleakest Christmas Eve committed to celluloid."

Claude Jutra’s Mon oncle Antoine captures the quiet turbulence of adolescence against the bleak, snow-laden backdrop of a 1940s Québec mining town. The film unfolds through the eyes of Benoît, a curious teenager working in his uncle’s general store, which doubles as the local funeral home. As Christmas approaches, the festive façade crumbles to reveal the harsh realities of poverty, mortality, and fractured dreams. Jutra’s naturalistic direction and poignant attention to detail create a vivid portrait of rural life, blending humour and heartbreak in a story that resonates long after the final frame. (1971, dir. Claude Jutra)

MEET ME IN ST-LOUIS

"Starring the one and only Judy Garland, this is a must for nostalgic types. Who can resist Garland’s rendition of 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas?'"

 A Technicolor ode to nostalgia and family, Meet Me in St. Louis is as effervescent as the turn-of-the-century World’s Fair it celebrates. Vincente Minnelli’s timeless musical follows the Smith family through the joys and heartaches of a year in their St. Louis home, anchored by Judy Garland’s luminous performance as Esther, a young woman navigating first love and looming change. Lavish set pieces like “The Trolley Song” and the hauntingly wistful “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” elevate the film into the realm of cinematic magic. It’s a bittersweet celebration of the moments that shape us. (1944, dir. Vincente Minnelli)

C.R.A.Z.Y.

"Christmas is at the center of several pivotal scenes in this coming-of-age classic. Coats on the bed, egg sandwiches, sloppy kisses from relatives…it’s like being a child again."

 Jean-Marc Vallée’s C.R.A.Z.Y. is a kaleidoscopic coming-of-age tale that pulses with the rebellious spirit of its title. Set in suburban Québec from the 1960s through the ’80s, the film follows Zac, a young man navigating his identity within a conservative, music-obsessed family. From Pink Floyd to Patsy Cline, Vallée weaves an electrifying soundtrack into Zac’s struggle for acceptance, particularly from his devout father. Equal parts tender, irreverent, and emotionally raw, it’s a visually lush exploration of love, self-expression, and the beautiful chaos of growing up. (2005, dir. Jean-Marc Vallée)

TOKYO GODFATHERS

"If you’re looking for a touch more escapism, this Japanese animated film follows a group of unhoused individuals who find a newborn baby in the trash on Christmas Eve, and band together to find its parents."

Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers is an offbeat Christmas tale drenched in humanity and urban grit, following three homeless misfits in Tokyo who discover an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve. What begins as a chaotic quest to reunite the infant with its mother morphs into a journey of redemption, family, and serendipitous connections. Kon’s dazzling animation blends the stark realities of city life with moments of surreal magic, crafting a story that’s as funny as it is deeply moving. It’s a modern fable wrapped in heartwarming absurdity and hard-earned hope. (2003, dir. Satoshi Kon)