What makes a Christmas Movie?

[M.10rda]

I have no horse in the "Defining A Christmas Movie" horse race -  but for the record/for Rev....... the first DIE HARD is a nicely executed man-against-the-odds action thriller w/ predictable but satisfying character beats. Each sequel was diminishing returns, however, and I honestly kind of hated DHWAV. After DH2, which was known colloquially (and briefly officially) as DIE HARDER, naturally I was expecting a.) DIE HARDEST, and b.) a film at least remotely in the same league as the first two. I actually think DHWAV is weaker, lazier, and less exciting than A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD! Sadly the producers were only ever interested in occasional cash-ins, not in delivering an ultimate/culminative outing for John McClane. And sadly we'll never see a DIE HARDEST now, at least not w/ Bruce.

Anyway I used to like to watch old epic war films (KELLY'S HEROES, DIRTY DOZEN, etc) at Christmastime, or otherwise FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS (snowy locale, jingling bells, so festive!), or otherwise SHOCK TREATMENT (bright neon, jingling synths, so festive!). So yeah, my input is no help whatsoever.

[bob]

2 things:

1 - if the movie takes place around Christmas

examples: Die Hard, Eyes Wide Shut, Batman Returns, Trading Places

2 - if it is a more traditional Christmas movie where Christmas it is central to the plot

examples: It's a Wonderful Life, The Nightmare Before Christmas, A Christmas Story, Elf

[RCMerchant]

I don't consider DIE HARD a Christmas movie. I dunno.

I like ERNEST SAVES CHRISTMAS, and NATIONAL LAMPOON's CHRISTMAS VACATION! and of course the Karloff Grinch.

[Rev. Powell]

[RCMerchant]

Here ya go- if you dare! (I seen it. Holy f**king Christmas.)

[Trevor]

Photographed by a mentor of mine 😳😳😉

[bob]

Here ya go- if you dare! (I seen it. Holy f**king Christmas.)

I did see this last year

that thing is unusually awful

[Alex]

It does look to me like some people only want replies that say what a great alternative to christianity is. Christmas is a celebration that owes so much more than the comparatively recent attempts to coopt the entire religion?

For myself, I prefer to indulge the older religions over newer ones that like to pretend that hey have more to offer. Still, violence and hatred are buried so deeply into the faith of those who like to falsely complain otherwise that I'd rather die than pretend to accept some false offer and be forcibly absorbed than take the chance that I'd be allowed to practice my faith freely.

[M.10rda]

Here ya go- if you dare! (I seen it. Holy f**king Christmas.)

I did see this last year

that thing is unusually awful

It does capture a certain dreamlike quality... those dreams one sometimes has that are inexplicable yet largely innocuous... not really unpleasant yet completely pointless... frustrating  primarily in their refusal to resolve and end quickly!

[Rev. Powell]

Here ya go- if you dare! (I seen it. Holy f**king Christmas.)

I did see this last year

that thing is unusually awful

It does capture a certain dreamlike quality... those dreams one sometimes has that are inexplicable yet largely innocuous... not really unpleasant yet completely pointless... frustrating  primarily in their refusal to resolve and end quickly!

Say what you want about it, but it gifted us some memorable new Christmas songs!

https://youtu.be/UI0b_68fzLE?si=R3SeubN4NnaU4dXY

[Cult_Moody_Movies]

Here ya go- if you dare! (I seen it. Holy f**king Christmas.)

It's sad we have two versions of this film (one version tells Thumbelina and the other tells Jack and the Beanstalk) but we don't have a legal unaltered original Star Wars Trilogy. XD

[HappyGilmore]

I agree it should be about Christmas, not merely set around Christmastime, to be a "real" Christmas movie.

I have no idea about DIE HARD because I've never seen it and actually hope to go to my grave without seeing it. Didn't interest me in the slightest and all the casual cinephiles coming out every December insisting it's a Christmas movie have turned me against it.

Die Hard 1 is really, really fun to watch, despite the amount of people who hype it up. For an action flick from the 80s, it's got some good acting and anything with Alan Rickman gets a big plus.

I understand where you're coming from though. People told me how GREAT The Hangover was. And I HATED it. But, that's just me.

[M.10rda]

I also found THE HANGOVER underwhelming after all the hype.

Family is visiting and by majority decree we watched GREMLINS yesterday. Yep - that's a Christmas movie! Christmas is the setting, Christmas is the subtext and often the supertext. Christmas is all over GREMLINS. In some ways one might say it appropriates structural elements from IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE... in a much smarter and more understated way than IT'S A WONDERFUL KNIFE, surely.

I hadn't watched it in at least 30 years. It really holds up... Joe Dante was still in peak form, particularly at the suspense/horror elements. More proof of a steady directorial hand: he coaxes a highly natural, authentic performance out of Zach Galligan, who (based on the WAXWORKS duology I recently revisited) was not an innately gifted nor inherently warm and compelling actor...