Yippee Kay Yay… (The only movie that doesn’t depresses me in Xmas)

  • 🇰 🌀 🇱 🇦 🇳 🇦 🇰 ℹ️@yiffit.net
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    6 days ago

    My dad was arguing that it wasn’t because being set at Christmas isn’t enough, and said a bunch of things typical of a Christmas movie to have; while I countered with a list of things that happen in Die Hard that met his criteria.

    “Someone needs to receive a gift.”

    “McClane was gifted a machine gun.”

    “There needs to be a miracle.”

    “It’s a miracle John survived.”

    “It needs to capture the feeling of Christmas.”

    “Have you never spent time with your relatives at Christmas? It feels just like being held hostage at Nakatomi Plaza.”

  • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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    5 days ago

    This is such an exhausting topic. Anyone saying it isn’t a Christmas movie either hasn’t seen it recently enough to remember it or they’re being contraian. It takes place during Christmas, a Christmas party even. It has Christmas music woven into the soundtrack. The b plot is the main character fixing his marriage (a common theme of Christmas movies is fixing families).

    To be honest, I sort of would view people arguing that it isn’t a Christmas movie like people arguing Red One isn’t a Christmas movie because it is primarily an action movie. Red One is more obvious due to the marketing and the fact it’s literally about saving Santa after he is kidnapped, but it’s still very moreso an action movie than other similar titles (The Santa Clause also has a kidnapped Santa subplot and a team of elite elves rescue him, but it is much more minor).

    • kamenLady.@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      What We Left Behind made me feel idk. I loved seeing everyone again and some of the background info, but part of me wants to forget i ever saw it.

      I don’t know why, i love DS9. My next rewatch would be the 9th.

      I was hyped for the documentary and couldn’t wait to get to see it.

      Missed Sisko.

      Edit: on topic, i think Die Hard is Santa’s favorite christmas movie - but really only the first one.

      • Lem Jukes@lemm.ee
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        7 days ago

        I’m kinda in the same boat. I think Ira is a really talented creator and producer but he’s got that tried to hard theatre kid vibe at times. Like, love him and don’t doubt his sincerity in the slightest but yeah, bit navel gazey.

        I think Die Hard 1 & 2 both qualify for Christmas films but the first one is obviously superior for sure.

  • Altima NEO@lemmy.zip
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    7 days ago

    I mean if a movie like It’s A Wonderful Life can be a Christmas movie, despite most of it not having anything to do with Christmas, then so can Die Hard.

  • adarza@lemmy.ca
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    7 days ago

    subtract chrismas from the plot: you have no chrismas party filling a finished floor of the office tower with future hostages; you have no cross-county traveling hero to save-the-day. becomes a six page script and an easy in-and-out for snape and co.

  • Bashnagdul@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    There are 2 kinds of people, those who say die hard is a Christmas movie, and those who are wrong.

  • ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.one
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    7 days ago

    Gremlins is also a Christmas movie.

    So is Mortal Kombat from the 90s. It’s all about people fighting to be number 1. Just like Christmas shopping.

    • makyo@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      Every time I watch it I am surprised at how well Xmas and Halloween go together. And mostly because Xmas is sort of a spooky holiday too yet no one ever acknowledges it.

      • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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        5 days ago

        And mostly because Xmas is sort of a spooky holiday too yet no one ever acknowledges it.

        A Christmas Carol features four ghosts (six if you’re being weirdly technical about the book) and is a very traditional Christmas story people are familiar with.

  • Sergio@slrpnk.net
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    7 days ago

    Why Die Hard is a Christmas Movie:

    • there’s a grinch who spoils the party
    • “You’re, uh…?” “Clay. Bill Clay.” (checks directory to see if naughty or nice)
    • need help? call a plump do-gooder (the cop at the donut shop)
    • anxiously expecting a vehicle to land on the roof
    • “It’s Christmas, Theo! It’s the time of miracles, so be of good cheer!”
    • a good guy climbs down the chimney / elevator shaft
    • Susaga@sh.itjust.works
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      6 days ago

      Also, it’s about a man attending a party in order to fix his family, and he needs to learn to let go of his pride. Classic Christmas movie message.

      • rwtwm@feddit.uk
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        6 days ago

        Jumping on here, because this is often overlooked. If you didn’t know the title of the film, and someone played the first 20 mins to you you’d expect a hallmark film. Going to see the estranged wife, trying to repair a relationship, the awkwardness at the Christmas party.

        The whole thing subverts Christmas movie tropes. It’s not just an action movie set at Christmas. It’s a Christmas movie which gets hijacked.

        Even the final scene plays on the parody with the ‘snow’ falling, the comedy comeuppance for the nuisance bad guy, and then they kiss and drive off as ‘let it snow’ plays.

    • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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      5 days ago

      Real reasons:

      1. Happens during a Christmas party.
      2. Christmas music in the score.
      3. B plot involves family mending which is a common trope of Christmas movies.
    • metaStatic@kbin.earth
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      7 days ago

      You NEED to download the 35mm scan.

      Fucking distributors did Stanley dirty cleaning it up for release. It was under exposed and overdeveloped on purpose to make the film grain pop.

    • Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      I’d say they both have equal standing. Diehard couldn’t happen. If it wasn’t for the corporate Christmas party and Grimlin’s because of the poorly thought out, last minute Christmas gift.

  • IngeniousRocks@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    6 days ago

    Diehard is 100% a Christmas movie, however, Die Hard 2 which also takes place at Christmas time, is NOT a Christmas movie, as the fact that it’s Christmas is coincidental and not at all integral to the plot.

    • LovableSidekick@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      Christmas being part of the plot is irrelevant - The Wizard of Oz is a Christmas movie. I think what makes Diehard a Christmas movie is simply that people like to watch it at Christmas.

        • LovableSidekick@lemmy.world
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          6 days ago

          About 75 years of tradition - until the 3 major TV networks lost their dominance it was always on during Christmas season. I don’t watch them anymore so I don’t know if they still play it.

          • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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            5 days ago

            Oh, hard disagree, I don’t believe playing a movie at Christmas time is what makes a movie a Christmas movie.

  • chillinit@lemmynsfw.com
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    7 days ago

    The last thing it seemed like many perceived they had in common was Tiger King.

    Now it’s support for murder as a necessary means of change.

    This is progress.

    Yippee Kai Yay, motherfucker.

    • Isoprenoid@programming.dev
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      7 days ago

      Now it’s support for murder as a necessary means of change.

      Violence wasn’t necessary, it was the only means available. If those in power want to peacefully negotiate, then they must make it possible.

      “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

      • chillinit@lemmynsfw.com
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        6 days ago

        Violence wasn’t necessary, it was the only means available

        Right. The alternative to murder is to be murdered indirectly.