What’s Westchester Watching? December Edition

“What’s Westchester Watching?” is ArtsNews’ guide to notable releases and special screenings for Westchester moviegoers.

As 2025 winds down, Westchester moviegoers can head to local cinemas to catch time-tested holiday classics and new releases. Below is a guide to these screenings, including a Robert Redford tribute, a new documentary about book bans in the U.S. and more.

*All screenings are current as of the publishing of this article but are subject to change. Check with the individual venue before attending.

New Releases

Eternity
Romantic comedy Eternity follows a woman named Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) who wakes up in the afterlife, where she is given a deadline to choose whether she wants to spend the rest of time with her deceased husband or her first love who died at a young age. Eternity began screening at Jacob Burns Film Center on December 5 and begins at Bedford Playhouse on December 19.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Starring Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is a psychological drama following a therapist pushed to the brink of a nervous breakdown as she cares for her daughter who is fighting a mysterious illness. The film features a dramatic turn for comedian Conan O’Brien. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You begins screening at Bedford Playhouse on December 13.

Is This Thing On?
Following 2023’s Maestro, actor-turned-director Bradley Cooper returns with Is This Thing On?. Will Arnett plays a middle-aged imminent divorcee who begins a new chapter as a standup comic. The cast also features Laura Dern, Andra Day, Cooper himself and more. Is This Thing On? begins screening at Jacob Burns Film Center on December 25.

Special Screenings & Holiday Movies

For a full list of holiday screenings, check our Guide to Holiday Movies in Westchester 2025.

Three Days of the Condor: A Tribute to Robert Redford
Bedford Playhouse
December 4
To honor the late Robert Redford, Bedford Playhouse will screen Sydney Pollack’s thriller Three Days of the Condor that features the beloved actor as a CIA agent on the run after his entire team is killed. At 7pm.

Elf
Bedford Playhouse
December 5
Starring Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel, holiday comedy Elf follows Buddy, a human raised as an elf in the North Pole who travels to New York City to find his real father. At 7pm.

It’s a Wonderful Life
Bedford Playhouse: December 7
Tarrytown Music Hall: December 21
Jacob Burns Film Center: December 21- December 24
Frank Capra’s holiday classic stars Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, a man considering suicide on Christmas Eve until a guardian angel shows George what the world would have been like if he never existed. Various times.

The Polar Express
Tarrytown Music Hall
December 9
As part of its classic film series, Tarrytown Music Hall will screen The Polar Express, which follows a young boy who receives an invitation to travel to the North Pole on a magical train—just as he is starting to not believe in Santa Claus. At 4pm.

The Nutcracker at Wethersfield
Bedford Playhouse: December 14
Jacob Burns Film Center (with Q&A): December 20
Documentary The Nutcracker at Wethersfield takes place on the grounds of a Hudson Valley estate as choreographer Troy Schumacher dreams of an immersive live experience that could put his New York City Ballet dancers back to work during Christmas 2020—at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The film shows behind-the-scenes moments with the dancers and “celebrates the joy and value of art in our communities.”  

Yentl with Special Introduction
Jacob Burns Film Center
December 15
Jacob Burns Film Center hosts a screening of movie musical Yentl with an introduction by film writer and critic Jordan Hoffmann. Directed by and starring Barbara Streisand, the film follows a young woman whose desire to study the Talmud inspires her to disguise as a man in order to study at an all-boys’ yeshiva. At 8pm. An additional screening of the film will take place on December 17 at 1pm.

The Librarians
Bedford Playhouse
December 16
New documentary The Librarians chronicles the current wave of bans in the United States targeting books that focus on race and LGBTQ+ issues as well as the librarians navigating this political moment. The documentary was an official selection at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, SXSW and the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. At 7pm.

Eyes Wide Shut
Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers
December 23
Starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, Stanley Kubrick’s (arguable Christmas movie) Eyes Wide Shut tells the story of two New York City socialites struggling in their relationship. This causes Bill (Cruise) to embark on an existential and absurdist odyssey through the city. At 7:15pm.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation with Jayni & Chevy Chase Q&A
Bedford Playhouse
December 23
In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Chevy Chase plays Clark Gliswold, a man who vows to make sure his family has the best Christmas ever, leading to disastrous and comedic consequences. A Q&A with Jayni and Chevy Chase will follow the screening, moderated by comedian Tony Deyo.

The Shop Around the Corner
Jacob Burns Film Center
December 21-24
Ernst Lubitsch’s romantic comedy The Shop Around the Corner follows two pen pals (played by Jimmy Stewart and Maragret Sullivan) who have never met. By day, the two are co-workers who loathe each other, not realizing they are one another’s intimate correspondent. Three showtimes: Sun. at 5pm; Mon. at 7pm and Wed. at 4pm.

You May Also Enjoy

• A Guide to Holiday Movies in Westchester 2025
• Ultimate Holiday Events Guide: 50+ Holiday Events in Westchester
• Nutcracker Holiday Guide: Classic Versions and Creative Twists
• An Important Message From the CEO of ArtsWestchester

_{Photos (top to bottom): It’s a Wonderful Life illustration by Julia Herceg created for ArtsWestchester; still from Eternity (photo source: A24); still from Eyes Wide Shut (photo source: Warner Bros.); still from Yentl (photo source: MGM and United Artists)}