10 New York Family Editorial Staff’s 10 Favorite Holiday Movies
Fa la la la, the Holidays are here and so are the movies. Many are out there, so we are sharing New York Family’s editor favorites. We cherish these movies and hope you will add one or two to your watch list this season.
Psst..check out the Holiday Experiences Around New York 2022
Film: The Christmas Bunny (2010)
Description: Have the tissues ready for this heartwarming tale about a lonely foster child who finds an injured rabbit in the snowy woods. Wanting him to get better, she befriends an eccentric farm woman who vows to nurse the adorable bunny back to good health. Kids learn about kindness, compassion, friendship and how to care for pet bunnies.
Where to watch: Tubi and the Roku Channel.
Editor: Barbara Russo
Rated: PG
Film: Full-Court Miracle (2003)
Description: Alex Schlotsky wants nothing more than to make the basketball playoffs with his team at Philadelphia Hebrew Academy, but with a 20 game losing streak, the odds aren’t good. After a chance meeting with sidelined NBA player Lamont Carr, things start to look up for the boys when Carr agrees to coach them. Off the court, the team is studying the miraculous Chanukah story of Judah and the Maccabees and start to find similarities between Carr and Judah. Through hard work and dedication, the team might get their own Chanukah miracle.
Where to watch: Stream on Disney+, DisneyNOW, fuboTV, and DIRECTV or rent on Amazon.
Editor: Shara Levine
Rated: TV-PG
Film: Spirited (2022)
Description: A new Christmas classic, this movie fuses a modern day retelling of The Christmas Carol mixed with hilarity from Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds, and Octavia Spencer. The musical numbers will have you and your kids dancing and singing along with this revamped and comedic, modern version of Scrooge.
Rated: PG-13
Where to watch: Apple +
Editor: Serena Norr
Description: Eight-year-old Kevin is accidentally left home alone as he enjoys the novelties of going through his brothers’ room, unlimited ice cream, and violent movies. Reality gets all too real when he has to defend his home from a robbery from the nefarious Sticky Bandits. Hijinks, heart, and laughs, Home Alone is a fun movie for kids of all ages.
Rated: PG
Where to watch: Disney+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV
Editor: Serena Norr
Film: Yes, Virginia (2009)
Description: This animated film is more of a short, but it has all the heart of a full-length feature, and it’s even based on a true story. Like many kids her age, 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon isn’t so sure she still believes in Santa Claus. So she decides to write to the local newspaper in search of an answer to her burning question: Is there a Santa Claus? The newspaper’s editor responds with an editorial so inspiring and beautifully written, it could make a believer of anyone – adults and kids alike.
Rated: TV-Y
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Vudu
Editor: Jeannine Cintron
Film: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Description: The tale of Ebineezer Scrooge is a heavy one, but one that ends with a great lesson. In this light-hearted version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Bob Cratchit is played by Kermit the Frog and all of Jim Henson’s famous characters help guide Scrooge on his Christmas Eve journey to overcoming greed and finding the holiday spirit.
Rated: G
Where to watch: Amazon, AppleTV+, Disney+
Editor: Jeannine Cintron
Film: An American Tail (1986)
Description: This is the first film in the story of Fievel the mouse and his many adventures across the country. The movie opens on the Mousekewitze family’s Hannukah celebration in late-1800s Russia and follows them as they journey to America to start a new and better life.
Rated: G
Where to watch: Starz, Prime Video, Hulu Premium
Editor: Vered Ornstein
Film: Noelle (2019)
Description: When her brother, Nick, runs away to avoid the pressure of taking over his family’s business, Noelle Kringle goes on a journey to find him and bring him back in time for Christmas. Starring Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader as Kris Kringle’s adult children, this straight-to-Disney+ film is heart-warming, funny and perfect for the whole family.
Rated: G
Where to watch: Disney+, the Roku Channel
Editor: Kaitlyn Riggio
Film: Elf (2003)
This movie has become a Christmas tradition to watch with my family. The wildly entertaining Buddy (Will Ferrell) was raised at the North Pole as one of Santa’s elves. He ventures to NYC, where he makes friends and finds his not-very-welcoming father, a brother, and a warm-hearted stepmother. There are bumps along the way as Buddy with an engaging cast of characters who all, in their unique ways, realize that life is changing only for the better with this new Santa-obsessed family edition.
Rated: PG
Where to watch: HBO Max, Prime Video, Vudu, Apple, TV and Roku
Editor: Donna Duarte-Ladd
Film: The Family Stone (2005)
This movie is not for little kids, as it contains mild sexual references. It is more appropriate for kids aged 13 and up. My family has watched this movie(minus the youngest) more than a handful of times in our household; it still feels fresh on every watch. It opens with the oldest sibling Everett Stone (played by Dermot Mulroney), and his girlfriend, Meredith Morton (played by Sarah Jessica Parker), arriving at the picturesque Connecticut home to meet his family. Tension is met right away as Everett’s parents are way more laid back then than his uptight girlfriend. His sweet brother and his partner, free-spirited siblings paired with Meredith’s sister, make for one crazy yet realistic family movie that is heartwarming and funny, but there may be tears, so have the tissues nearby.
Rated: PG-13
Where to watch: Starz, Hulu, Sling TV, Roku, Amazon prime, Apple TV, Vudu
Editor: Donna Duarte-Ladd
