movies The Great Question: Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?

Since there are zero Christmas threads and it's the 22nd, I thought I'd toss in this classic debate. What are the criteria for a "Christmas Movie"? And while we're at it, what is your favorite Christmas movie?
 
I know that the consensus will be that Die Hard is a Christmas movie but I completely disagree. In my opinion, the movie needs to be ABOUT Christmas, not merely take place on/around/during Christmas.

My favorite (which will get plenty of hate) is Love Actually, which I'm due to watch again very soon :) I've also become a huge fan of The Holiday, especially the small-ish role by Eli Wallach. The first time I watched it I felt like it was just 2 movies stapled together, and it kind of is but I love it anyway. Both have great writing and amazing casts.

For me, a good Christmas movie is about finding your place in the world - in the guise of finding your way/place to celebrate Christmas.
 
I like a number of Christmas movies, they tend to be kind of upbeat and positive, which is a nice change from my typical diet. I also think that only christmas themed movies like "A Wonderful Life" or "A Christmas Story" are legit. I think I'll also start a "worst Christmas movies of all time" thread just for fun, since there are so many terrible ones.
 
Just last night (Dec21) we were sitting around waiting to shoot
the fireworks show and this topic came up.

There are movies set at Christmas time and there are Christmas
movies. But they are different genres.
There are crime movies and movies that have a crime in them.
There are musicals and movies that have songs in them.

There are so many Christmas movies that I love so I've never even
tried to make a list of my favorites.

I'll go to extremes: White Christmas and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
 
According to Merriam-Webster:
Christmas Movie:
Christ·mas Mov·ie | \ ˈkris-məs ˈmü-vē \
Whatever the f### movie I want to watch on Christmas (on multiple Christmases 😉).
 
That's funny, because that's actually what I do at Christmas. I just watch my favorite movies, which typically, are not about snow. I think last year I watched Army of Darkness, and Casino. This year I'm watching the new season of Dexter all in one shot. One year I watched the Twilight Zone. The whole thing almost. Just back to back for 3 days. I think Rod Serling epitomizes my version of the Christmas spirit, lol.
 
Yes, "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie. He's going to see his (ex) wife and kids for Christmas, and look what happens. :rofl:



There are a number of non-Christmas movies that fit the mood of the season for me.

Going My Way (1944) (It does end on Christmas)
The Bells of Saint Mary's (1945) (the first true sequel)
Come to the Stable (1949) (Opening scene is an artist painting a Nativity)

And a few Xmas films that somehow fall under the radar:

It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)
A Holiday Affair (1949) (this one was a family friendly vehicle for Robert Mitchum to repair his image after his Marijuana conviction in 1949.)


A number of years ago I was quite ill prior to Xmas and watched a lot of those Hallmark type Christmas movies while lying on the couch in a stupor. For some reason I really liked "Dear Santa" with Amy Acker. I always wondered what it could have been if it had a much more substantial budget.

And, of course, all of the usual holiday fare

The Santa Clause
A Christmas Story
A Christmas Carol (I watched about 30 different versions last year)
The Santa Clause (2 was almost passable, 3 was bleh)
Home Alone
Miracle on 34th Street
Holiday Inn
White Christmas
Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer
A Charlie Brown Christmas
The Shop Around The Corner
The Holiday
How The Grinch Stole Christmas (original TV version)
The Family Man (sort of depressing)
The Bishops Wife
 
The question isnt really about diehard.
The question is about what makes a chrsitmas movie, being during christmas time or being about the spirit of christmas.

Some people feel it has to be a heartwarming story about the spirit of christmas to be a christmas movie.
If that were the case then my film Christmas Fire isn't even a christmas movie... but hey maybe its not? After all it was originally written as the girls birthday party and then i changed it to christmas later on :lol:

But the whole movie is covered in christmas time colors and decorations and the main character is dressed as a christmas elf.
I'd say that it's a christmas movie... it has a vibe. You can't watch it and not be reminded of christmas.

And if that is the case.. then yes die hard is a christmas movie too.
 
The question is about what makes a chrsitmas movie, being during christmas time or being about the spirit of christmas.
ANY movie a network decides to loop on Christmas eve/day is a Christmas movie. Perhaps THEY made it one with this gesture, but what else do you call a movie that loops on Christmas? You will find Die Hard on loop on some channel.
 
Very late to this, but I'm always talking about this topic because it makes me wonder what makes a holiday movie? Halloween movies, for instance, rarely take place on the day. We just watch movies that give us the spooky feeling associated with it. Yet, we're not watching feel-good cheery movies on Christmas that DON'T take place during Christmas. People aren't watching The Wizard of Oz around Christmas, even though it's got all the good feelings associated with it. We want to watch movies that take place during Christmas! So, since that's the case my verdict is: Die Hard is a Christmas movie because it takes place during Christmas. But ONLY if you want to watch it during Christmas. Otherwise, it's not! Very ground-breaking opinion, I know.

Also, I get cozier feelings watching Die Hard than I do It's a Wonderful Life. That might be my own problem.
 
But, why do people need labels? For the purpose of debate only?
 
Let's talk about Planes, Trains & Automobiles being the best Thanksgiving movie ever!
 
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