YES!

My sisters and I watch it every Christmas. It's must-see for the holiday season in my family.

hmmmm....if we can consider Die Hard a Christmas movie, does the Gremlins make it a same level, more or less of Christmas movie than Die Hard?

Well, going by the criteria laid out in the video...

1) Does it take place around Christmas?

Yes Gremlins takes place at Christmas.

2) Do you learn something about the Christmas spirit?

If you really stretched you could argue that you learn that you shouldn't buy Christmas gifts in back alley stores in Chinatown...but overall, I'd say, no, you don't learn anything about the Christmas spirit.

3) Are there visual or musical references?

Yes. There are Christmas decorations all over town. Christmas movies are shown on TV. If I remember correctly there are Christmas Carols heard. So yeah, that one's definite.

4) Is Christmas absolutely essential to the plot?

I'd argue that yes it is. Gizmo is a Christmas gift. Also, a huge point is made about the main girl not liking Christmas because of a traumatic event in her childhood, so the romantic subplot wouldn't have the same punch without it being Christmas.

5) Do people watch this around Christmas?

Yes. TV channels do show it around Christmas time, and I have known people who watch it around Christmas as a family tradition. I myself was thinking about moving it closer to the top of my Netflix Queue so I could watch it around Christmas.

So I'd say it definitely at least 3 out of 5 (the same ones that Die Hard fits) and strong leanings towards being 4 out of 5. If you really stretch it, you could argue it has 5 out of 5, but that really is a stretch.

Incidentally, I would say that It's a Wonderful Life only fits 3 out of 5 criteria. I don't think it really has anything to say about the spirit of Christmas (it's message is more about someone's life can touch other people's lives in more positive ways than you realize. There's nothing particularly Christmasy about that). And Christmas is not really essential to the plot, it could be any other day of the year that Clarance appeared to him and it wouldn't change anything in the least. So you could argue that Gremlins is more of a Christmas movie than It's A Wonderful Life, and that Die Hard is just as much a Christmas movie as It's a Wonderful Life.

Wow. I just noticed that the officer was played by Reginald VelJohnson. Him as a cop in Die Hard must have had him type casted in Family Matters.

You JUST noticed? When I first saw Family Matters I was like, "Oh, it's that cop from Die Hard...playing a cop...that's funny."

Some people watch Die Hard as an alternative Christmas movie. Some people, like my mother, don't even watch movies during the Christmas season.

My brother, for the last 10 years or so, has watched Groundhog Day on Groundhog Day without fail. Some movies accompany tradition with some people more than with others. In any case, I find it interesting that the tipping point on this highly subjective argument was the MOST subjective point.

I really enjoyed this argument of whether or not this is a Christmas movie... I've always had a hard time with the idea of DIE HARD being a Christmas movie, but I excepted it last Christmas when my brother and I were watching this in our garage and smoking cigars... Especially hit home when an orchestral score that had a haunting version of "Jingle Bells" started to play...

But I had an argument with him about how the Russel T. Davis DOCTOR WHO Christmas "Specials" really weren't Christmas specials... Especially when I see them air at random times of the year. I find that only 2 of the criteria for Christmas "themes" were in those episodes. It's funny that I think that the only Christmas "Special" Russel T. Davis ever did wasn't even a Christmas Special, and that was the one with the 9th doctor and Charles Dickens.

It may be debatable on the the Next Doctor or Christmas Invasion, but The Runaway Bride, Voyage of the Damned, and the End of Time are, IN MY OPINION, not Christmas Specials.

Oh and does that make "Die Hard 2" a Christmas movie as well?
Last I remember that also took place around Christmas, just in D.C. this time.

True, the RTD specials rarely had anything to do with Christmas but some Christmas themed junk tossed in like a fricking killer Christmas tree...

The Moffat ones are on the other hand very Christmassy.

Frankly, I hate both (Although a Christmas carol was pretty good). I have no Christmas spirit and I'm sick of the universe of television twisting everything around holidays, especially if they're about aliens. I did not like how the tenth doctor had both his first and last adventure at Christmas. Why must his life revolve around this holiday???

I don't think anyone watches Die Hard 2: Die Harder around Christmas, and I don't remember any visual or musical references to it being Christmas (I could be wrong about that one because I haven't seen it since I originally saw it in the theater when it came out). So it only matches one (or two if I'm wrong about there not being any visual or musical references to it being Christmas). I'd say it isn't a Christmas movie.

Well, John and Holly *did* learn something, but they went and forgot it between 2 and 3.

FUCK YOU, IT'S DIE HARD!

Is that Some Chords by deadmau5 playing in the background?

Yes.

I just knew it as the music from the end of Attack the Block... (shame)

Different song. The Deadmau5 song played in the background of the episode proper. The song from Attack the Block was in the entrance and exit bits.

Love the show. I agree completely with all of your points and have made the very same arguments to people debating this just about every year, at this time of year.

BTW here are my top 5 Xmas movies:
5.The Nightmare Before Christmas (I refuse to watch this for Halloween, it's a Xmas movie)
4.How the grinch stole Christmas
3.Gremlens
2.A)Black Christmas B)A Christmas Story (Made by the same guy and I watch them back to back)
1.Die Hard

Clearly there is something wrong with me...
@Glib Criticisms for more of my awesome opinions

Yes: It's a movie set during christmas time for people who hate actual christmas movies.

No: It has to be about christmas or have a christmas related subplot, not mere set during christmas, in order to be a christmas movie.

Religion was shoehorned into Winter Solstice. To me, christmas is about debauchery, visual distractions, a change of scenery, selective memory, not giving fucks, dropkicking the old year, & looking toward the future.

The current date for Christmas is based on winter solstice because it just makes sense. The date isn't all that important. As to the various pagan traditions about mid-winter festivities, they are just as shoehorned-in as any other weirdness. Including yours.

He wasn't JUST talking about religion. He was talking about the charity and helping those less fortunate, being with family, friends, or whoever you're closest to, and not letting the consummerism of the holidays blind you to what's really important. Not every Christmas film's message needs to be a religious one (in fact, many films might avoid that to try and be more inclusive).

Personally, I think Bad Santa is the alternative Christmas movie, but that's just me.

As a non Christian, Die Hard is the perfect Christmas movie.

OK, 5 separate factors, Die Hard has a majority, so it's a Christmas movie. Cool, I can get behind that, I describe this as my favourite Christmas movie as it happens. But, wait... Question 1 is "Does it take place around Christmas?", while question 3 is "Are there visual or musical references?"

Aren't there, fundamentally, the same thing (or at least with so much overlap as to make no difference)? Films are a visual medium, "show don't tell", so the method by which you'd inform the viewer of the former is by making use of the latter.

Let's say you script a film to take place at Christmas. But you include no decorations, no Christmas music, no presents, no carol singers, no parties, no nothing. The viewer would have no idea, in the finished product, that it was at Christmas; if you were to ask these questions of that film, they would answer "no" to both. Likewise, if you had a film set at another time of year that, inexplicably, contained various Christmas-related elements, I think it's safe to say the viewer would come away with the strong feeling that this was set around Christmas. Why else the big scene with the guy in the Santa outfit?

While I'm sure there are one or two minor exceptions out there (a film which has characters repeatedly say it's Christmas but otherwise acting as though it's any other time of year is about the only way), these two are basically one question; does the film show, musically or visually, that it takes place around Christmas. This means Die Hard is tied; 2 for, 2 against. The debate continues, I guess!

That's something I noticed, too: the criteria can really be divided into aesthetic and thematic categories. It can be argued that, aesthetically, it is, whereas thematically it isn't.

I would even further contend that the only reason people watch it around Christmas is because of the visual and audio cues; without those, no one would consider it a holiday movie at all. So really, 1, 3, and 5 really are all the same.

Now onto the all-important question: Is Hellraiser an Easter movie?

I don't like that you basically called cops murderers, but still a great video.

No.

The only legal term I used was "justifiable homicide" meaning he was forced to shoot the criminal in the line of duty at the end of the film. I said roughly the opposite of what you are suggesting.

I think I understand what rayhs1984 is getting at, and it was the same reaction I had while watching. I never considered Officer Powell's actions regarding shooting the kid as a "murder". It was a tragic mistake that a lot of cops in real life experience, but killing someone in the line of duty, whether deliberate or by accident is not the same thing as murder. However, I also agree with Leon saying that he isn't "redeemed" at the end. He simply reverts back to his original training as a cop and took the necessary shot in order to save other lives, even if it means killing in order to do so.

I love this vid. My wife and I have had this argument for YEARS, and I'm glad to see the scales tipped in my favor! Merry Christmas, and yippee kay yay motherfuckers!

The term "justifiable" means that, no, it's not murder. I distinctly recall Leon using the term "justifiable." The only negative thing Leon said about it was that it really isn't much of a redemption for Officer Carl, and what Officer Carl really needed was redemption.

God, I love the arguments you bring up X) I'm still waiting to watch Citizen Kane for the first time so I can hear what you have to say about this supposed plot hole. Can't wait!

Best Christmas movie ever. =w=

Lol'd a bit when you said not everyone celebrates Christmas with a decorated tree, eggnog and depression. xDDD

I am torn. To me "Die Hard" does not feel like a Christmas movie, but "Die Hard 2" certainly does.

I guess that can make "Die Hard" a Christmas movie by proxy, but 3, no way!

My housemates and I feel that the best five Christmas movies should be viewed every year, them being:

Die Hard
Lethal Weapon
Gremlins
Nightmare Before Christmas
Home Alone

Home Alone actually does have some Christmas-related themes, though. The kid learns about the importance of loving one's family, something that the creepy old man learns as well.

Well I saw Die Hard in July of 1988 (when it came out) at the age of 11. How could I watch an R rated movie at such a tender age? Let's just say it pays to have cousins working Summers at the movie theater.

Did it rock my world? (aspires) FUCK YEAH!

Do I associate it with Xmas? Um,nope. I'd be lying if I say it does.

Just for fun, I'm going to apply your 5 criteria to Brazil.
1. Absolutely, it does.
2. Maybe. There is a point about the pointlessness of commercialism when the same corny office toy keeps popping up as a present. Perhaps it's also a point about how little people really know each other, and how they think they can buy one another's love with meaningless, stupid gifts that the recipients won't enjoy. So it's a point about the emptiness of commercialized Christmas.
3. Certainly. Brass bands, carolers, Christmas stories, decorations, presents...
4. Not really, no. It's there for the purpose of making satirical points, but the story could take place any time of year. There isn't even snow on the ground, so it could be any season. It's really easy to forget that it's the Christmas season altogether.
5. I think some do.
I guess it's a Christmas movie. And that surprises me.

Remember, the proper text for interpreting the movie is the movie itself. Sequels do not necessarily count. Midi-chlorians are a theory, not a fact.

General nit-picky criticism here:

I love how for the "Christmas absolutely essential to the plot" argument he basically says: "If you completely re-coat and rewrite chunks of the movie, it doesn't need to involve Christmas."

The term "absolutely essential" I think it way too strict. There are many Christmas movies that can carry a lesson or theme that people associate with Christmas without that needing to be about Christmas itself. It would just be about commercialism, faith, family, charity, etc. etc. etc. The holiday acts as something to solidify the air around the story or lesson. Look at A Christmas Story, with some reworkings that could had taken place during another holiday or Ralph's birthday. Some sections would need to be reworked, but it could had been done.... But what's the point? Same thing goes for A Christmas Carole. Scrooge is an asshole who learns not to be an asshole. But is Christmas required for that story? Nope. It could had been removed too.

The point should be "Does Christmas act as a strong influence on the story's atmosphere and tone?" In those cases, the answer for these films is yes. It is a wrapper that adds a certain feeling to the context in which everything in those stories are being told.

The same goes for Die Hard, but in a subversive manner.

Basically shifting the party to another holiday, even New Years, would had also shifted some of the tone and atmosphere of the film and it wouldn't had worked quite as well. It might not be 100% instrumental to the overall plot-line point by point, but it helps set up the feeling and gives a hard contrast to the horrors of the events going on. If it were New Years... eh. Not so much.

"Oh my God! How can such a thing happen on New Years Eve!" doesn't have the same punch at all.

finely stated, Mr Thomas. which reminds me: i'm surprised more people don't have Narnia LW&W in their Christmas lineup. the final battle may suck, but everything up to and including "the part you should know already" is, at worst, decent.

I say if it's not about Christmas, it is not a Christmas movie/song/story/etc.
'Let it Snow' and 'Winter Wonderland', in my opinion at least, are not Christmas songs, merely winter songs. The reason they're normally associated with Christmas is because Christmas takes place in winter for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. I doubt people in Australia are listening to songs like that around Christmas, because for them Christmas is in the summer.
In short, just because 'Die Hard' takes place around Christmas and people watch it around Christmas, doesn't make it a Christmas movie.

For our family, Die Hard is a "Christmas Movie". This year we will prob wait to watch it with my younger brother since it's his favorite x-mas movie (mine being "Nightmare Before Christmas")and he needs to graduate from basic first. I agree with what someone said earlier that if this movie was set during a different holiday, the tone would be different thus changing the impact of the movie. So, in that, having it at x-mas was imporate. Either way, whether it is or isn't an x-mas movie for you, here it always be our Action Christmas Movie.

This is probably now my most favourite series on this website.

Every episode contains something that makes me think something anew of old things I hadn't considered before.

Thank you, sir.

You're welcome. :)