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Using data to determine if Die Hard is a Christmas movie

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Re: Using data to determine if Die Hard is a Christmas movie

#31

Post by breck »

porphyrogene wrote: post #7
ChrisSD wrote: post #2

I wasn't aware this was even an argument. Is this a joke or an American thing? I must admit my initial reaction was bof but now I'm slightly intrigued. Maybe it's a meme?

The joke was popularized by an American TV show. It’s become one of those things people know they can trot out for easy upvotes, likes, etc. Most Christmas movies are family-oriented but Die Hard is an action movie so saying it’s one’s favorite Christmas movie is meant to demonstrate the distinctiveness of one’s personality. It’s like how people made jokes about sporks and “le earth”. Maybe in a few years it’ll come…

Which show? I ask because it’s been a joke at my house for 25 years.

Re: Using data to determine if Die Hard is a Christmas movie

#32

Post by rzzzt »

isostatic wrote: post #25
cptaj wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also C: Its a christmas movie if we all decide it is. If it becomes one more of the christmas-centric traditions, then it becomes a christmas movie.

Great Escape is a Christmas movie to me, it was always on around Christmas or new year as a kid.

Italia 1 shows "Trading Places" each year in Italy: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086465/trivia?item=tr2330606

Re: Using data to determine if Die Hard is a Christmas movie

#33

Post by ineedasername »

StevePerkins wrote: post #28
ineedasername wrote: post #24

My initial sense is it's not a Christmas movie because the typical example of such is a movie that has something like "the joy of Christmas" as its core message or theme. But I'm hardly the most buff of film buffs, so I wonder: are the any movies with something of a negative message, or just any counterexample that is clearly a Christmas movie that doesn't meet this criteria of "joy" etc.?

" Bad Santa " is absolutely, unironically, my favorite Christmas movie of all time. And while Billy Bob Thorton's character does have a measure of redemption at the end, it overall is a dark comedy that is clearly the opposite of what you describe.

Okay, that has to be the most absolutely perfect counter example. Excellent choice, thanks!

Re: Using data to determine if Die Hard is a Christmas movie

#34

Post by klyrs »

porpoisely wrote: post #17
avar wrote: post #4

This is only an argument because of different ways of defining what a "Christmas movie" is, which aren't mutually exclusive: a) Whether the movie is unambiguously set during Christmas, and if so whether that's clearly an artistic choice, or as much of a coincidence as a movie that has nothing to do with the weather being set in the summer or winter. b) Whether the movie is aimed at the "Christmas movie market". I.e.…

Those are excellent points, but keep in mind that a lot of people define christmas movie as something that both adults and children can watch together. So that makes die hard a hard sell for a lot of families. For me, any movie set in or around christmas qualifies as a christmas movie and my favorite christmas movies are "die hard", "home alone 1 and 2" and "scrooged". They all represent the redeeming christmas spiri…

> Those are excellent points, but keep in mind that a lot of people define christmas movie as something that both adults and children can watch together

Rare Exports is undeniably a Christmas movie. One that you should definitely watch, but only after the little ones have gone to bed.

Re: Using data to determine if Die Hard is a Christmas movie

#36

Post by LukeShu »

breck wrote: post #31
porphyrogene wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The joke was popularized by an American TV show. It’s become one of those things people know they can trot out for easy upvotes, likes, etc. Most Christmas movies are family-oriented but Die Hard is an action movie so saying it’s one’s favorite Christmas movie is meant to demonstrate the distinctiveness of one’s personality. It’s like how people made jokes about sporks and “le earth”. Maybe in a few years it’ll come…

Which show? I ask because it’s been a joke at my house for 25 years.

Several discussions of Die Hard being a Christmas movie happen in the show Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) is obsessed with the movie.

Re: Using data to determine if Die Hard is a Christmas movie

#37

Post by nhebb »

paganel wrote: post #5
some_random wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seriously, does anyone actually think Die Hard _isn't_ a christmas movie?

The author lost me when he said that “Last Action Hero” is not a great movie, so I wouldn’t take anything he writes about movies as serious. John McTiernan is a genius.

I never understood why that movie bombed. 1993 was a huge year for blockbuster movies, so I think it just got lost in the shuffle. Anyway, underrated flick.

Re: Using data to determine if Die Hard is a Christmas movie

#38

Post by TeMPOraL »

cptaj wrote: post #12
avar wrote: post #4

This is only an argument because of different ways of defining what a "Christmas movie" is, which aren't mutually exclusive: a) Whether the movie is unambiguously set during Christmas, and if so whether that's clearly an artistic choice, or as much of a coincidence as a movie that has nothing to do with the weather being set in the summer or winter. b) Whether the movie is aimed at the "Christmas movie market". I.e.…

Also C: Its a christmas movie if we all decide it is. If it becomes one more of the christmas-centric traditions, then it becomes a christmas movie.

Yup.

In Poland, this makes Home Alone and Die Hard both Christmas movies. Ever since I was a kid, I remember both being on TV during Christmas days. Hell, people actually made quite a large uproar couple years ago, when the TV station showing Home Alone decided not to show it on Christmas, and AFAIR they eventually changed the programming to keep it.

Re: Using data to determine if Die Hard is a Christmas movie

#39

Post by combatentropy »

Talk about overthinking it! This thread highlights the recurrent conflict that arises because my Myers-Briggs personality type is INFJ, but most programmers are not.

To me a Christmas movie is a movie with the spirit of Christmas running through it, however weakly. Another definition I have is this. A Christmas movie is a movie that is fun to watch around Christmas. Die Hard meets both of these definitions.

Die Hard is not, however, a typical Christmas movie. It's a movie more for people who are sick of the normal Christmas movies and want a break. Because of this special status, people who think of Die Hard as a Christmas movie feel a greater camaraderie than people who think, say, White Christmas is a Christmas movie. For example, at a Christmas party one of my friends wore, as his "Christmas sweater," a gray sweatshirt with the words "Ho ho ho" written in red.

Another thing that makes Die Hard special is the thought and care that the director put into it, https://vimeo.com/76739972

Re: Using data to determine if Die Hard is a Christmas movie

#40

Post by dylan604 »

avar wrote: post #4

This is only an argument because of different ways of defining what a "Christmas movie" is, which aren't mutually exclusive: a) Whether the movie is unambiguously set during Christmas, and if so whether that's clearly an artistic choice, or as much of a coincidence as a movie that has nothing to do with the weather being set in the summer or winter. b) Whether the movie is aimed at the "Christmas movie market". I.e.…

C) Christmas movies can also be a theme where some moral achievement occurs that is in the spirit of Christmas. Scrooge realizes being an asshat is not a good way to live his life, or realizing that your presence in the world has definite impact on the lives of other people a la Miracle on 34th St, etc. Kids movies usually involve being good so Santa will bring presents. There's also the family coming together (whether that's good or bad, but still overcomes to good).

The conversations I've had about this with people that do not think Die Hard movies are usually based on this more than a release date or a winter time setting using Xmas deco in the movie. They don't know that's what they are getting at, but it's what I've come up with to explain it.

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