OT: Watcha watchin'?

[LakeLivin]

ok, not "most" but many.

I may be going out on a limb, but I'm thinking it's not the "most" that Lempo is rejecting.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I may be going out on a limb, but I'm thinking it's not the "most" that Lempo is rejecting.

Then I'm confused, which is not unusual.

 

[LakeLivin]

Then I'm confused, which is not unusual.

BBA, I don't know you well enough to tell whether you're serious or doing some 3-d chess level trolling, lol.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

BBA, I don't know you well enough to tell whether you're serious or doing some 3-d chess level trolling, lol.

You clearly don't know me well enough if you have to ask if I'm serious.

Seriously though, I'm sure it will be obvious when you or someone else explains it, but it is going over my head right now.

 

[Lempo]

I'm not just that into Harry Potter myself. Never been. At all.

But then again, until half a hour ago, I thought Alan Rickman actually played Sheriff of Rottingham in Men in Tights and spoofed his own performance in Prince of Thieves, so I can't be said to be an any sort of authority on Alan Rickman.

I like his Metatron on Dogma.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I'm not just that into Harry Potter myself. Never been. At all.

But then again, until half a hour ago, I thought Alan Rickman actually played Sheriff of Rottingham in Men in Tights and spoofed his own performance in Prince of Thieves, so I can't be said to be an any sort of authority on Alan Rickman.

I like his Metatron on Dogma.

So I DID actually have it right as to what you meant. Wonders will never cease.

 

[LakeLivin]

You clearly don't know me well enough if you have to ask if I'm serious.

Seriously though, I'm sure it will be obvious when you or someone else explains it, but it is going over my head right now.

Not only would you generate debate as to whether Die Hard and Love Actually are two of the best Christmas movies (A Christmas Story, It's A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, etc.), but I'm pretty sure debate over whether Die Hard even is a Christmas movie is a thing (kind of like the debate over whether a hot dog is a sandwich).

So your original post could be viewed as trying to start an argument on two levels: the merits of those movies over some that are probably generally more highly regarded, as well as presenting them as de facto Christmas movies when some might argue that they're not.

Or, I could be way off.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

Even though most probably know him best as Severus Snape, Alan Rickman is in, arguably, the two best Christmas movies of all time.

DieHard and Love Actually.

I don’t know of this Snape…but not only is Love, Actually one of the best Christmas movies of all time, it’s simply one of the best movies.

 

[Lempo]

whether Die Hard even is a Christmas movie

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Not only would you generate debate as to whether Die Hard and Love Actually are two of the best Christmas movies (A Christmas Story, It's A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, etc.), but I'm pretty sure debate over whether Die Hard even is a Christmas movie is a thing (kind of like the debate over whether a hot dog is a sandwich).

So your original post could be viewed as trying to start an argument on two levels: the merits of those movies over some that are probably generally more highly regarded, as well as presenting them as de facto Christmas movies when some might argue that they're not.

Or, I could be way off.

Let me respond to this and prior posts to clear things up.

You first responded that Lempo may not be objecting to the word "most" which confused me, because the only line in my post he quoted when he said no was "Even though most probably know him best as Severus Snape, Alan Rickman". Thus, I was genuinely confused by your statement and not trolling. Thus, that's exactly what Lempo was referring to (most thinking of Rickman as Snape) as later confirmed, so setting that aside.....

Clearly rankings of movies is subjective, so here's my (100% scientifically correct) view. Movies like "A Christmas Story, It's a wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th street are indeed classics, but people think they are supposed to like those movies because they've been told they are great and classics. I've seen each one, but only once (although I played Scrooge in a school play). Reminds me of a girlfriend I had in high school that always raved about Gone with the Wind and how I had to watch it with her because it was a great movie and a classic. Finally, I broke down and watched it with her, only to have her fall asleep 1/2 way through the movie. It was a fine movie that I didn't sleep through, but it's the only time I've ever watched it. Those are fine Christmas movies indeed, but not ones I would ever seek out. I'm sure there are people out there that watch them every year, but I don't know a single person that watches those movies every year as a Christmas tradition. Not a single relative, not a single friend, etc... Yet I personally know dozens who seek out DieHard each Christmas. So thus my scientific controlled study shows that they can't be the best.

On to Christmas Vacation. Is this a movie that you stop when you see it on TV no matter what? I do that for a few movies (like My Cousin Vinny for instance), but Christmas Vacation isn't anywhere near that level of movie. It's funny an all, but again I don't know anyone that seeks out that movie as a Christmas tradition. It's also a sequel. Cross it off from the list based on these undeniable facts.

Home Alone is up there though, so I'll give you that, BUT:

It leads into the topic of "Is DieHard even a Christmas Movie"? The plot of main plot of Home Alone is a kid left alone in a house trying to outwit, out smart and defeat the bad guys (the wet bandits). The reason he is home alone is that his parents went away for Christmas. That, and other references to Christmas along the way is why it is viewed as a "Christmas movie".

The main plot of DieHard is a guy left alone in a a high rise building trying to outwit, out smart and defeat the bad guys (Hans Gruber and the terrorist/robbers). The reason he is in LA and in the high rise is that he's visiting his wife for Christmas. There are other references to Christmas throughout the movie. Thus, if you state that Home Alone is a Christmas movie (which you did above), then DieHard must also be viewed as a "Christmas movie". You can't claim one without the other as their general plots and association to Christmas are almost "identical".

As Wet Bandit Vincent Laguardia Gambino says, "The defense rests".

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I don’t know of this Snape…but not only is Love, Actually one of the best Christmas movies of all time, it’s simply one of the best movies.

Agree 100%.

As we watched it the other night, my wife says about Joanna, "no way is that girl 10 in real life when this was filmed" So we look it up and she was 11 when it was released so she may have been 10 when it was filmed, or at most 11. The thing that amazed us is that the little boy Sam, is actually 2 years older than her in real life, so he was 12-13 when it was filmed.

 

[Lempo]

It leads into the topic of "Is DieHard even a Christmas Movie"? The plot of main plot of Home Alone is a kid left alone in a house trying to outwit, out smart and defeat the bad guys (the wet bandits). The reason he is home alone is that his parents went away for Christmas. That, and other references to Christmas along the way is why it is viewed as a "Christmas movie".

The main plot of DieHard is a guy left alone in a a high rise building trying to outwit, out smart and defeat the bad guys (Hans Gruber and the terrorist/robbers). The reason he is in LA and in the high rise is that he's visiting his wife for Christmas. There are other references to Christmas throughout the movie. Thus, if you state that Home Alone is a Christmas movie (which you did above), then DieHard must also be viewed as a "Christmas movie". You can't claim one without the other as their general plots and association to Christmas are almost "identical".

If Home Alone is a Christmas movie, then Eyes Wide Shut is a Christmas movie. There is famously a Christmas tree in every scene of Eyes Wide Shut, except in the rich influential people's orgy mansion.

Home Alone is the only one of those not about bringing the family together for Christmas. Unless one wants to argue it's precisely the anti-Christmas element (forgetting the kid) that underlines it a Christmas movie, compare to H.C. Andersen's A Little Match Girl.

edit: correction: don't compare to A Little Match Girl, that was specifically set on the New Year's Eve.

 

[Lempo]

Is this a movie that you stop when you see it on TV no matter what? I do that for a few movies (like My Cousin Vinny for instance)

A side note. The actual lawyers have noted that of all court room films, My Cousin Vinny stands out as a master class in the cross-examination the opponent's witnesses.

 

[LakeLivin]

Let me respond to this and prior posts to clear things up.

You first responded that Lempo may not be objecting to the word "most" which confused me, because the only line in my post he quoted when he said no was "Even though most probably know him best as Severus Snape, Alan Rickman". Thus, I was genuinely confused by your statement and not trolling. Thus, that's exactly what Lempo was referring to (most thinking of Rickman as Snape) as later confirmed, so setting that aside.....

Clearly rankings of movies is subjective, so here's my (100% scientifically correct) view. Movies like "A Christmas Story, It's a wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th street are indeed classics, but people think they are supposed to like those movies because they've been told they are great and classics. I've seen each one, but only once (although I played Scrooge in a school play). Reminds me of a girlfriend I had in high school that always raved about Gone with the Wind and how I had to watch it with her because it was a great movie and a classic. Finally, I broke down and watched it with her, only to have her fall asleep 1/2 way through the movie. It was a fine movie that I didn't sleep through, but it's the only time I've ever watched it. Those are fine Christmas movies indeed, but not ones I would ever seek out. I'm sure there are people out there that watch them every year, but I don't know a single person that watches those movies every year as a Christmas tradition. Not a single relative, not a single friend, etc... Yet I personally know dozens who seek out DieHard each Christmas. So thus my scientific controlled study shows that they can't be the best.

On to Christmas Vacation. Is this a movie that you stop when you see it on TV no matter what? I do that for a few movies (like My Cousin Vinny for instance), but Christmas Vacation isn't anywhere near that level of movie. It's funny an all, but again I don't know anyone that seeks out that movie as a Christmas tradition. It's also a sequel. Cross it off from the list based on these undeniable facts.

Home Alone is up there though, so I'll give you that, BUT:

It leads into the topic of "Is DieHard even a Christmas Movie"? The plot of main plot of Home Alone is a kid left alone in a house trying to outwit, out smart and defeat the bad guys (the wet bandits). The reason he is home alone is that his parents went away for Christmas. That, and other references to Christmas along the way is why it is viewed as a "Christmas movie".

The main plot of DieHard is a guy left alone in a a high rise building trying to outwit, out smart and defeat the bad guys (Hans Gruber and the terrorist/robbers). The reason he is in LA and in the high rise is that he's visiting his wife for Christmas. There are other references to Christmas throughout the movie. Thus, if you state that Home Alone is a Christmas movie (which you did above), then DieHard must also be viewed as a "Christmas movie". You can't claim one without the other as their general plots and association to Christmas are almost "identical".

As Wet Bandit Vincent Laguardia Gambino says, "The defense rests".

I don't propose that any of the movies that I listed are better than the two you originally quoted; I should have made that clear. I just put them down as examples that I bet a lot of people list as among the best of all time. On that front, I just scanned some "best Christmas movies lists" and they all support that perspective. Not that that means all that much, since as you say, it's all subjective.

And I'm also not arguing that Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie, just pointing out that in my experience that isn't an uncommon debate.

So I wasn't (and am still not) debating the merits of your post, it just hit me that it could be trolling (intended to start an argument) just as much as a sincere opinion. But I will meet anyone who says that A Christmas Story isn't one of the best Christmas movies of all time at a Bojangles parking lot. Just note that I'm old, so I might try to shoot your eye out with a Red Ryder BB gun instead of engaging in a fair throwing of hands.

p.s. thanks to @Lempo for giving me license to revisit images of Nicole Kidman from Eyes Wide Shut

 

[Lempo]

p.s. thanks to @Lempo for giving me the license to revisit images of Nicole Kidman from Eyes Wide Shut

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Miracle on 34th street with Natalie Wood is the greatest xmas movie ever. It's a Wonderful Life is a close 2nd. Die Hard is not a xmas movie, neither is Home Alone. Come at me

 

[MrazeksVengeance]

Mad Max Fury Road is a Christmas movie. Just all THE TREES DIED OUT.

 

[Porvari]

Speaking of Christmas-themed entertainment, the new Hawkeye show is brilliant. I don't think I've been this giddy about an action scene since the original Die Hard.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Miracle on 34th street with Natalie Wood is the greatest xmas movie ever. It's a Wonderful Life is a close 2nd. Die Hard is not a xmas movie, neither is Home Alone. Come at me

No need to come at you. You’re entitled to your opinion no matter how wrong it is.

 

[MinJaBen]

So MrsJaBen and I and our boys all binged the first season of "Only Murders in the Building" on Hulu. Would highly recommend.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Youtube videos of Katie Strang talking about the Coyotes stadium issues....

 

[HisIceness]

Robbie the Reindeer

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Miracle on 34th street with Natalie Wood is the greatest xmas movie ever. It's a Wonderful Life is a close 2nd. Die Hard is not a xmas movie, neither is Home Alone. Come at me

Ok, I can see the argument for Die Hard not being a Christmas movie, but Home Alone?

The movie where the kid is left at home while his parents went on a Christmas vacation? With the robbers that robbed empty homes (because the owners are gone for Christmas)? And the kid uses (among other things) Christmas ornaments to combat said robbers? And he asks a Santa impersonator to bring his family back home for Christmas? And literally every song in the movie is a Christmas carol?

How is that not a Christmas movie?

 

[chaz4hockey]

Wisting
Succession
Family Business (French series about family that gets in the weed business....very funny)

 

[HisIceness]

Nightmare Before Christmas

Is this a Christmas film or nah?