Our Favourite Movie Homes, in Honour of TIFF Opening Day

The 47th annual Toronto International Film Festival returns to a full in-person event after two years of drive-in and virtual screenings. It runs today until September 18th with over six venues. In honour of opening day we wanted to share some of our favourite on-screen homes.

The Notebook

“I want a white house with blue shutters and a room overlooking the river so I can paint…I want a big ole porch wrapped around the whole house. We can drink tea and watch the sun go down.” Same Ally, same. We’re not sure the plantation-style home that Noah builds in The Notebook needs any more explanation.

The Proposal

While the size of this home is definitely one of the reasons it’s on this list, it’s not the main reason. Just look at those views! In the movie this house was supposed to be located in Sitka, Alaska, but it’s actually in Massachusetts. Not sure how we feel about having to take a boat just to get home, but seeing Mountains out your windows kind of makes up for it.

Big

Was your inner child as jealous of Josh Baskin’s Manhattan apartment as ours? We can’t decide if it was the bunk beds, trampoline, arcade games, or the vending machine. Our inner adult argues that it was the 50-foot ceilings and all the windows.

Poltergeist

This might be an unpopular opinion due to the nature of the movie but you have to admit the mock-Tudor-style home from Poltergeist looks pretty cool. Okay maybe it has a creepy vibe, but it wasn’t really built on a graveyard…we think.

The Holiday

Who do you think got the better end of the deal in the house swap between Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz’s characters? It’s hard to choose between a cozy and relaxing cottage with two fireplaces to drink hot chocolate by, or the L.A. mansion with a pool, media production room and automatic black-out blinds. Why not both?

Rick’s Pick: Yesterday

“The Malibu Wave House from the Beatles themed movie Yesterday. It’s fantastic; right on the water, spectacular architecture, tons of space, and it’s on the water.” – Rick DeClute Rick, you forgot to mention it’s on the water. According to a Universal Pictures rep the home featured in the movie is called the Cooper Wave House, built in the late 50s by architect Harry Gesner. Did you know it served as the inspiration behind the Sydney Opera House in Australia? Talk about iconic, great choice Rick!

Rochelle’s Pick: Mrs. Doubtfire

“I would say, it’s an oldie but a goodie: Mrs. Doubtfire. So, I think it’s in San Diego, nicely appointed on the street up on a hill, and there were two gorgeous bay windows on either side. I think there was a wrap around veranda and when you went inside the front there were these vast soaring ceilings. It opened up to a centre hall staircase, I loved that floor plan. That house was stunning.” – Rochelle DeClute Nostalgia anyone? Rochelle said it perfectly, this turreted Victorian home on a hill is breathtaking. Flowers are often left on the sidewalk to honour the late Robin Williams, whose performance in Mrs. Doubtfire touched so many.

Honourable Mention: My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Although the movie itself is set in Chicago, you can find this home in our very own neighbourhood, East York! 73 Glenwood Crescent, just north of Taylor Creek, has so much character, including many Greek inspired elements which made it the perfect setting for the Portokalos family in the movie.

Is your favourite movie home on the list or did we miss it? Let us know!

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