What is your favorite Christmas movie? When I was a kid, it was A Christmas Story, with Ralphie and the BB gun. As an adult, my favorite Christmas movie is It’s a Wonderful Life, which I usually watch as I’m wrapping presents. I also enjoy Love Actually, because I’m NOT dead inside. I’m kind of “over” The Holiday at this point, although I’ll give some credit to that film: it arguably features some of the best and most relatable performances by Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet.
This entire time, I’ve never really cared about “the debate” about whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie. OF COURSE it’s a Christmas movie – it takes place during a Christmas party and the whole movie has a holiday theme. I’ve never really paid attention to the Die Hard Christmas memes, but it feels like this is a tempest in a teapot: are there really people arguing that Die Hard doesn’t belong in the Christmas-movie canon? If those people do exist, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau got the last word on Die Hard: Trudeau says DEFINITIVELY that of course Die Hard is a Christmas movie!
Confirmed by PM @JustinTrudeau: Die Hard is indeed a Christmas movie. @KevinFrankish #TrudeauOnBT pic.twitter.com/mwi4cG3MGq
— Breakfast Television Toronto (@BTtoronto) December 15, 2017
So there you go. It’s official now. Justin Trudeau says it is so and it is.
… But isn’t the REAL debate about whether Hans Gruber is actually a better Christmas villain than Grumpy, Unfaithful Harry in Love Actually? Both villains are played the late, great Alan Rickman. Rickman’s Harry is like a punch to the gut, where Hans Gruber is deliciously villainous. Which is better?
PS… Yes, Gremlins IS a Christmas movie too!!!
Let 2017 be the year we stop debating Die Hard as a Christmas movie and start celebrating Gremlins as a Christmas movie. pic.twitter.com/RrPkH7mqfY
— Maggie Serota (@maggieserota) December 13, 2017
Photos courtesy of WENN, ‘Die Hard’.
Gremlins is a Christmas movie for children and Die Hard is a Christmas movie for grown-ups. I do not mind at all watching hunky Bruce Willis in a tank top for the better part of two hours. Those two movies are like decades old now. If you want to binge watch a TV show that happens during the holidays then you should watch Stranger Things. The story line takes place in between Halloween and Christmas. It is a very nice show.
Die Hard and Gremlins are amazing Christmas movies. I also love to watch The Long Kiss Goodnight during Christmas. Nineties fashion glory and Geena Davis + Samuel L Jackson. <3
Fun fact: In German The Long Kiss Goodnight is called Tödliche Weihnachten (Deadly Christmas).
And I agree: it is an excellent Christmas movie.
Ha. I am German. And while I always watch the movie in OV I actually had to google the english title because in my head it’s always ‘Tödliche Weihnachten’.
It’s a great movie, Christmas or no. The Long Kiss Goodnight never gets the credit it deserves. I grew up wishing I could be as cool as Geena Davis coming up from the waterwheel with a gun in her hand.
The Ice Harvest is a Christmas movie too. John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielsen
Love that movie. A great little noir caper film.
Also: Bridget Jones is a Christmas movie.
Alan Rickman is so damn sexy in this movie. It feels like Christmas every time I watch it, le sigh 😭
+1
When Die Hard came out in the theaters I rooted for Hans and the terrorists over Bruce Willis (Alexander Godunov anyone?) My college friends were appalled and wanted to move away from me during the movie. However, I still love Hans Gruber.
I always loved the scene where Rickman is on the phone giving his demands (prisoners to be released in exchange for hostages being let go). Rickman refers to one group and Godunov’s character gives him a WTF? look. Rickman covers the phone receiver and whispers “I read about them in Time Magazine!” It was classic Rickman!
A shout out for Alexander Godunov in that movie as well. He was the most incredible ballet dancer–overshadowed by Baryshnikov but the same level of talent.
He was very attractive in Witness.
Alexander Godunov in Witness was everything. Perfect comic timing in a deadly serious movie. Another Witness bonus – Viggo Mortensen’s first film.
He was also very funny in “The Money Pit” as a vain orchestra conductor.
“The union forces me to give you an hour for lunch regardless of how you play. Those of you with consciences will not be able to eat.”
Died quite young after a battle with alcoholism.
There are three movies I will watch simply because of Alan Rickman-never would have seen them otherwise-Die Hard, Robin Hood, and Quigley Down Under. His villians steal all of them.❣️❣️❣️
PTB-Release Truly, Madly, Deeply on dvd. Do it NOW!!
Loved him as the Metatron.
This was his make-or-break role. He said if he hadn’t gotten it, he was going to go back to England and continue his career as a graphic artist.
My favourite Christmas movie along Gremlins is Scrooged, Bill Murray is amazing in it.
Scrooged is a GREAT movie…last scene with the “God Bless us, everyone” gets me teary every time.
A movie about terrorists is not a Christmas movie, it just happens to occur at Xmas time.
They weren’t terrorists, they were robbers.
“After all your posturing, all your little speeches, you’re nothing but a common thief.”
“I am an exceptional thief, Mrs. McClane.”
Did Hard is not a movie about terrorists. They’re thieves PRETENDING to be terrorists, and we watch it every Xmas season.
Yes! Finally.
And Scrooged is the best.
Loved it.
My partner is from Spain and he recently dropped the little tidbit on me that there, the film isn’t called “Die Hard” but translates to “Crystal Jungle”. Which I find hilarious for reasons I can’t really explain.
It is true, but I don’t think it was the worst translated title ever, this goes to The Sound of Music, translated in Spain as “Smiles & tears” , simply awful…
A bit of a b&w throwback, but The Bishop’s Wife is a great Christmas movie. Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven. Cary is the sexiest angel ever.
I love The Bishop’s Wife! Why it is not on continuous repeat during the holidays is a complete mystery. If I’m ever visited by an angel, they better look/talk/move like Cary Grant.
LOVE that movie. It’s on YouTube.
I recently read that Italians who grew up in the 80s and 90s consider Trading Places, with Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd, a Christmas movie. What?
For some reason I can totally see that and it makes sense to me. There were a number of winter scenes so maybe Christmas featured more prominently than I recall.
it takes place at Christmas. as does Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Gremlins, etc…not Xmas movies in the traditional sense, but Xmas movies nonetheless.
And Ackroyd is dressed as Santa in one sequence.
I’m Irish-Canadian, and I consider it a Christmas movie.
Alan Rickman is everything. Hans Gruber is the best villain of all time.
I vote for the Ref, although, i am not sure i will love it as much now with all that has come out about Kevin Spacey.
oh, that is a great xmas movie but…yeah, now ruined. ugh. spacey was in SO MANY of my favorites. Usual Suspects? also ruined.
I like reading about the different translations for these movie titles. It’s fun! And thank you PM Trudeau for settling the Die Hard Christmas movie debate.
Speaking of A Christmas Story, this is my desktop background:
http://www.pmslweb.com/the-blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/16-funny-a-Christmas-story-with-Trump-and-Putin.jpg
Enjoy!!
“The Family Stone” is one of my fave Christmas movies.
OF COURSE it’s a Christmas movie. I’ve been saying this for YEARS. Why is this even still debated??
Its always been a Christmas movie to me. It takes place on Christmas Eve, they play Christmas music in it…theres the “Now I have a machine gun, Ho-Ho-Ho” line. Now on the other hand I was playing a quiz the other day on Christmas movies and they had Frozen on this list. Just because there is snow in it, does not mean Christmas.
First time I saw Frozen (in theater) was shortly after it came out; on or just before Christmas so I believe it was released at Christmas time, for whatever that’s worth.
My favourite is the 1951 B&W version of ‘A Christmas Carol’ – Awesome performance by Alistair Sim.
Not many people bother with it now, but the acting is great, it’s not too long, great ending.
I love the 1984 George C. Scott version.