Strange Holiday Movies

[Lord Manhammer]

So not a strange movie so to speak but the everlasting question, is Die Hard considered a Christmas movie or not??

Sorry @Lord Manhammer for taking your thread on a little detour around Nakatomi Plaza.

Alot of my peers in the film community consider Die Hard a Christmas movie.

My other fave is Gremlins.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Alot of my peers in the film community consider Die Hard a Christmas movie.

My other fave is Gremlins.

Both definitely qualify.

 

[Rogue1677x]

I loved Fatman.

I did too. Violent Night was pretty good too.

 

[shh]

Alot of my peers in the film community consider Die Hard a Christmas movie.

My other fave is Gremlins.

Yeah - a lotta arguments on this one. I'm firmly on the side of NOT a Christmas movie. To me, just because christmas is mentioned or a scene is set during christmas does NOT make it a christmas movie. A "Christmas movie" directly reflects or is relevant to the meaning of the holiday itself or the theme.

Most of you probably already know this, but fun fact for those that may not: "A Wonderful Life" was never marketed or released as a christmas movie. It actually didn't do all that well the year it was released and only became a christmas classic years later.

 

[tony67]

Last year's "Violent Night" became a favorite and it will be an annual must watch!

View attachment 810464

Yeah I am planning to watch it this year - heard a lot of good things about it

 

[tony67]

So not a strange movie so to speak but the everlasting question, is Die Hard considered a Christmas movie or not??

Sorry @Lord Manhammer for taking your thread on a little detour around Nakatomi Plaza.

Yeah its a Christmas movie in out house - we watch it every year. The second one as well.

Not so much weird but others we really like that people may have missed:
Jingle all the way - BTW make sure you watch the credits - I've seen it many times and a year or two ago was the first time we saw the extra scene at the end.

Deck the Halls with Danny DeVito and Mathew Broderick - we happened upon this in desperation for a Christmas movie after trying to watch Trapped in Paradise (Nick Cage Christmas Movie) and giving up after 10 minutes. Was very surprised how good it was.

 

[HopperFan]

Yeah I am planning to watch it this year - heard a lot of good things about it

Die Hard, Home Alone and Christmas Vacation. Never slowed down.

 

[BrianL]

Alot of my peers in the film community consider Die Hard a Christmas movie.

My other fave is Gremlins.

People always talk about Die Hard, but Lethal Weapon also takes place at Christmastime and opens with Jingle Bell Rock. I don't really consider either of them to be "Christmas Movies" however I think it's interesting that only Die Hard gets mentioned. Lethal Weapon even came out first!

 

[Kennywood]

So not a strange movie so to speak but the everlasting question, is Die Hard considered a Christmas movie or not??

An actual movie poster

 

[tony67]

Peopel always talk about Die Hard, but Lethal Weapon also takes place at Christmastime and opens with Jingle Bell Rock. I don't really consider either of them to be "Christmas Movies" however I think it's interesting that only Die Hard gets mentioned. Lethal Weapon even came out first!

Its been a while since I have watched Lethal Weapon - yeah it takes place at Christmas - but I'm not sure its as much part of the story line - ill have to go back and watch it.

Die Hard is more the hero's journey back to his family at Christmas time.
It takes place on Christmas eve - "a night of miracles".
The Christmas party is a key part of it.
Christmas references are a key part of it.
His wife is named Holly.
The use Christmas decoration and Santa hats on the bad guys.
Its also a good popcorn movie in its own right - so early in the season when you are not quite ready to go all in on the Christmas theme - its a nice way to start the season..

In the end its subjective and a standard topic for discussion on radio shows (if people even listen to radio anymore - so maybe podcasts today)

 

[mjkacmom]

Santa Claus, 1959. My mom took me to see it a decade later when I was a toddler, and I still have mental scars from it. I don’t think she had any idea that it was going to be so surreal. Santa lives in outer space, the Devil is involved, and there is a telescope with a big eyeball attached that gave me the creeps.

My husband makes us watch it every year, I’m sure it was more traumatic when the kids were little. Rare exports in another one.

 

[MissStitch626]

The Night They Saved Christmas - this and One Magic Christmas were staples in my house growing up (and One Magic Christmas is still a favorite). I hadn't seen The Night They Saved Christmas in years so tracked it down last year - a heartwarming story of drilling for oil in the North Pole Still the nostalgia was strong for this one!

 

[elgerber]

Not really strange, but The Holdovers is a beautiful Christmas movie, among many other things.

Agreed, not strange, but a WONDERFUL movie.

Oh yeah, I've seen some strange and they are mostly gory.

The Fatman
Violent Night
Anna and the Apocalypse
The Mean One

I saw the Star Wars holiday special too and I'm good with not seeing it again.

Last year's "Violent Night" became a favorite and it will be an annual must watch!

View attachment 810464

Violent Night is my new favorite! Saw it twice in the theater, and have watched two more times.

recently watched 'krampus'-it's was enjoyable.

Krampus is another favorite. It has been my first Christmas movie viewing of the season, but this year it got bumped to the second, since Violent Night took the top spot.

 

[rowan1813]

Well since the thread says "holiday movies", I'll throw in something non-Christmas: Son-in-Law. My favorite Thanksgiving movie. It's a little wacky but it always makes me laugh.

 

[barkley]

Well since the thread says "holiday movies", I'll throw in something non-Christmas: Son-in-Law. My favorite Thanksgiving movie. It's a little wacky but it always makes me laugh.

LOVE this movie (and i'm also a big proponant of the idea of pauly shore portraying richard simmons ) but THE top thanksgiving movie honor has to go to 'home for the holidays'. so wierd and twisted-no matter how messed up your own family is, watching this (or reruns of old roseanne thanksgiving episodes) can assure you it could always be worse.

 

[dcassetta]

Its been a while since I have watched Lethal Weapon - yeah it takes place at Christmas - but I'm not sure its as much part of the story line - ill have to go back and watch it.

Die Hard is more the hero's journey back to his family at Christmas time.
It takes place on Christmas eve - "a night of miracles".
The Christmas party is a key part of it.
Christmas references are a key part of it.
His wife is named Holly.
The use Christmas decoration and Santa hats on the bad guys.
Its also a good popcorn movie in its own right - so early in the season when you are not quite ready to go all in on the Christmas theme - its a nice way to start the season..

In the end its subjective and a standard topic for discussion on radio shows (if people even listen to radio anymore - so maybe podcasts today)

Die Hard even has a Hallmark movie theme to it. A family wants to be reunited for Christmas and forces beyond their control are keeping them apart. However, everything works out in the end and they get to enjoy a Merry Christmas. Ho Ho Ho.

 

[SpaceMan5]

An actual movie poster
View attachment 810664

That's awesome!

 

[tony67]

Well since the thread says "holiday movies", I'll throw in something non-Christmas: Son-in-Law. My favorite Thanksgiving movie. It's a little wacky but it always makes me laugh.

hmm, never thought about it as a holiday movie, but it is one of my favorites.

I am embarrassed to say I enjoy many of his movies. Bio-Dome, Jury Duty, In the army etc...

Ill be watching this next week now - thanks.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

Here are two more oddities: Santa Claus the Movie and The Odessa File. Santa Claus is just obnoxious but it has a delightfully goofy John Lithgow. The Odessa File is about hunting a former member of the SS, and while it takes place in late November, the film's opening song, Christmas Dream sung by Perry Como kind of establishes the timeframe and is a song I've always found very unsettling.

 

[tetera]

This should've been a good movie. It was...bizarre, IIRC.

Yeah...I had high hopes for that one and it really seemed like it would have been great but it...wasn't....