It’s cheesy holiday movie season, with classic tropes, like, "big city girl returns to her hometown and runs into her old flame" — aka the most wonderful time of the year. As you know, Utah serves as the background to many Hollywood flicks. Here’s a guide to some holiday film locations in and around Salt Lake.
❄️ The Mistle-Tones
Locations: Trolley Square, Avenues, Pleasant Grove, and Ogden’s 25th Street
Last year, a Hey Salt Lake reader wrote in saying, “You guys are maybe too young to appreciate an angry Tori Spelling belting out Christmas tunes on stage in Trolley Square, but if not, check out ‘The Mistle-Tones.’ Tia Mowry is the cutest and it actually is sweet but still ridiculous. My family loves this terrible/wonderful made-for-TV movie and my kids get excited to watch it every year. Enjoy?”
❄️ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Location: Solitude Mountain Resort
This is many people’s favorite holiday movie for a reason — it’s some of Jim Carrey’s best work, and the Cindy Lou Who/Faith Hill classic “Where Are You Christmas?” is the epitome of the 🥺 emoji.
❄️ Better Off Dead
Locations: Brighton, Alta, Snowbird
A rom-com featuring John Cusack as a teenager and avid skier with a death wish right before Christmas. Controversial, but would you say John Cusack was the Timothée Chalamet of the ‘80s? (You may fight me on this.)
❄️ Jingle Belle
Location: Brigham City and Ogden
Starring Tatyana Ali, who's best known for her role on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," as a songwriter who comes back to her small hometown (I told you so) to write music for the Christmas Eve Pageant — only to discover her ex is the show director.
What’s your favorite holiday movie?
