Matt Rainnie's top holiday movie picks

This is the time of year to gather around the television with family and friends and catch up on those holiday classics, and perhaps even make new film traditions of your own.

CBC's Matt Rainnie said the best ones present the same nostalgia factor that an old Christmas tree ornament would. He shared his picks for classic and not-so-classic films that make for a perfect festive gathering.

The classics

Rainnie said anyone looking to get into the holiday spirit can't go wrong with classic, lovable films like A Charlie Brown Christmas, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Santa Claus is Comin' to Town, Frosty The Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and It's a Wonderful Life.

He said one of his essential films is one that has been done over and over but remains a staple: A Christmas Carol.

"Some version of A Christmas Carol has to be watched this time of year and, for me, it's the Alastair Sim 1951 version. I think he was the best Scrooge, but you cannot go wrong with The Muppet Christmas Carol with Michael Kane as Scrooge. You've got Kermit and Fozzy and you've got those songs by Paul Williams."

The perfect setting

Rainnie said some of the best Christmas movies aren't intended to be Christmas movies at all.

1. Die Hard

"A lot of people might not think of Die Hard as a Christmas movie because it's not about Christmas, but it's set around Christmas," Rainnie said.

He cited the 1988 film starring Bruce Willis as the perfect action alternative to any regular holiday movie.

2. Sound of Music

"It's one that a lot of people turn to that has Christmas as a theme, a lot of people like to sing about their favourite things, and it's such a long movie, too, that I think a lot of people like to gather around the TV and sing those songs," he said.

Rainnie said it's kind of like a nice cup of eggnog – people look for comfort food during the holidays and these types of classic films induce those same feelings.

3. Catch Me if You Can

This movie starring two of Hollywood's biggest actors is one Rainnie said is another not many may think of, but Christmas certainly looms in the background.

"Christmas is a recurring theme throughout that, but it's a really cool movie with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, so that's a movie where Christmas is part of the setup."

4. Trading Places

Rainnie said this "hilarious movie" from "when Eddie Murphy was at his peak" is another film with Christmas as a recurring theme, and one worth including in your personal holiday lineup.

The new classics

1. Elf

Rainnie said this star-making performance for Will Ferrell has become a movie no one can go without during the holiday season.

"I actually walked out of that in the theatre … and I said that's one that people are going to turn to year after year that's gonna be in heavy rotation," he said. "Elf is one of those that people flip on every year, gives them a smile."

2. Love Actually

Rainnie said this movie with a huge Hollywood cast is one that some people love and some people hate.

" I'm somewhere in between. There's all kinds of intersecting story lines and I like about 60 per cent of the stories. I would watch those stories just for Emma Thompson's performance alone, and how can you go wrong with a movie that has Hugh Grant … Alan Rickman and Colin Firth, a really good cast in that one. So I like enough of it to watch Love Actually, but for a lot of people, it's one of their favourites."

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