How do we know? Because if two rival police departments on opposite coasts can come together on one of the most polarizing debates in cinema, then it must be true.
Over Christmas Eve, the New York police department and the Los Angeles police department mutually agreed to set aside who has the best beaches or bagels and came to the conclusion that “Die Hard,” the 1988, Bruce Willis action classic, is a Christmas movie.
“We’d like to acknowledge our partners at @LAPDHQ who have been working with us to protect Christmas since Hans Gruber’s 1988 attack on Nakatomi Plaza,” the New York cops said in a tweet.
And the Angelenos were quick to respond: “We too would like to acknowledge our partners at @NYPDnews for their continued partnership,” the LAPD wrote. “They’ll always be more than welcome to follow in McClane’s footsteps & come to the (better) coast & have a party. Yippie Ki Yay & ho ho ho. #YesItsAChristmasMovie
Now, a moment to weigh both sides of the debate:
In the film, John McClane (Willis) is trying to get home to his family over the holidays, and he stops over at a company Christmas party before it is hijacked by terrorists. McClane even taunts the bad guys with a dead guy wearing a Santa hat and a shirt that says “Ho Ho Ho.” Even the screenwriter has discussed some of the film’s parallels to the nativity story. What’s more, 20th Century Fox decided themselves it’s a Christmas movie, recently releasing a new trailer for the film that specifically brands it as a holiday classic.
Counterpoint: don’t be stupid. It’s not “It’s a Wonderful, Life,” which by the way is only barely set at Christmas. But if every movie set in December was a Christmas movie, then the list would be endless. And Bruce Willis himself trolled everyone at his Comedy Central Roast and declared himself that “Die Hard” is not a Christmas movie.
If you’re still torn though, you can always pick up the book “A Die Hard Christmas” written in the style of the classic “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and decide for yourself.
On this Christmas Eve, we too would like to acknowledge our partners at @NYPDnews for their continued partnership-they’ll always be more than welcome to follow in McClane’s footsteps & come to the (better) coast & have a party. Yippie Ki Yay & ho ho ho. #YesItsAChristmasMoviepic.twitter.com/yAKpZK7eIa
14 Christmas Movies That Definitely Aren't for Kids (Photos)
Sure, Christmas is a time of joy for children of all ages, but that doesn't mean that grown-ups can't have the cinematic equivalent of a spiked egg nog. After you've packed the little ones off to bed, enjoy these movies, from the hilarious to the horrifying, that are aimed at adult audiences.
"Black Christmas" (1974)
A decade before making the classic "A Christmas Story," director Bob Clark invented the holiday slasher with this still-chilling cult fave about sorority sisters fending off an obscene phone caller. (A new remake slays in theaters in December 2019.)
Warner Bros.
"The Silent Partner" (1978)
Bank teller Elliott Gould and robber Christopher Plummer play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse; this twisty thriller was an early success for the late Curtis Hanson, who scripted.
Pan-Canadian Film Distributors
"Christmas Evil" (1980)
John Waters' favorite Christmas movie involves a man obsessed with Santa (Brandon Maggart) who takes his naughty list to homicidal extremes.
Pan American Pictures
"Some Girls" (1988)
Long before he was McDreamy, Patrick Dempsey played a horny college student bewitched by three sisters (played by Jennifer Connelly, Sheila Kelley and Ashley Greenfield) in an early Sundance hit that's still underappreciated (and still sexy).
MGM
"Metropolitan" (1990)
Writer-director Whit Stillman scored a dynamite debut -- and made a low-budget indie look great by shooting in holiday-decorated Manhattan -- with this smart and sprightly tale of young debutantes in love.
New Line Cinema
"The Ref" (1994) Cat burglar Denis Leary is forced to play marriage counselor to bickering spouses Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis in this pungently hilarious farce.
Buena Vista
"Go" (1999)
Writer John August and director Doug Liman keep the twists and the wisecracks coming in this ensemble piece about young L.A. types chasing down ecstasy. The cast is full of before-they-were-famous folks.
Sony Pictures
"Eyes Wide Shut" (1999)
If you don't think of this as a Christmas movie, you haven't seen it lately; director Stanley Kubrick inserts twinkle lights and trees all over his sexual thriller starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.
Warner Bros.
"Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2005)
One of Robert Downey's best pre-Marvel roles was as a struggling actor caught up in a Christmastime conspiracy, trading quips with scene-stealers Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan.
Warner Bros. Pictures
"A Christmas Tale" (2008) Catherine Deneuve isn't the usual mom-with-cancer; this matriarch demands her kids give her a bone marrow transplant in this biting, brilliant family story.
Bac Films
"Better Watch Out" (2017)
This clever holiday horror-comedy takes the youthful sadism of "Home Alone" and ratchets it up a few notches, with teenage Luke (Levi Miller, "Pan") hiding some real darkness behind that sweet face.
Well Go USA
"A Bad Moms Christmas" (2017)
The bad moms just want to have fun, even when their own bad moms come rolling into town to celebrate the season. Santas will strip, and the egg nog will be spiked.
STX
"Anna and the Apocalypse" (2018)
It's Christmastime! But thanks to a zombie outbreak, it's also the end times, and our high school heroes dispatch the undead with bloody fervor. And did we mention this is also a musical?
Vertigo Releasing
"Violent Night" (2022)
David Harbour stars as a rough-around-the-edges Santa Claus in this action-comedy that finds Santa going toe-to-toe with a group of mercenaries led by a man who goes by the code name "Mr. Scrooge" (played by John Leguizamo). As the title suggests, violence abounds.
Universal Pictures
1 of 15
”Black Christmas“ isn’t the only film that brings an R-rated sensibility to the holiday season
Sure, Christmas is a time of joy for children of all ages, but that doesn't mean that grown-ups can't have the cinematic equivalent of a spiked egg nog. After you've packed the little ones off to bed, enjoy these movies, from the hilarious to the horrifying, that are aimed at adult audiences.