People are saying Die Hard is a Christmas film and the internet is baffled

One modern holiday tradition is dealing with people telling you that Die Hard is their favourite Christmas Film.

A few of the undisputed 'Christmas films' include Love Actually, Home Alone, It's A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, and Muppet Christmas Carol.

These are not just films set at Christmas; they are about Christmas and the spirit of it all.

Yet, the idea that the 1988 action movie Die Hard is in fact a 'Christmas film' gathers momentum year-on-year.

The debate is already at the handclap emoji stage.

Are films set at Christmas always Christmas films?

To investigate, we are used an unofficial survey of people sat near my desk to suggest films which are set at Christmas.

Here are four films you should watch this Christmas, to add to your Die Hard 'Christmas but not' collection.

1. The Long Kiss Goodnight(1996)

Geena Davis is unforgettable in this thriller about an amnesic assassin, it also stars Samuel L. Jackson and Brian Cox (not the science one), and it's set over the Christmas holidays.

Cons: Lots of murder.

Pros: The murder is festive and involves Christmas lights.

Conclusion: Not Christmassy enough. Davis' character has not forgotten the true meaning of Christmas, she has forgotten basically everything.

2. Brazil (1985)

Terry Guilliam's nightmarish, bureaucratic fever dream Brazil is also set during Christmas.

Like Die Hard it involves gift giving, guns, swat teams, and, explosions.

Pros: Christmas gifts are exchanged on screen, and Christmas parties are attended.

Cons: The ending. Not Christmassy at all.

Conclusion: Nope, but still a beautiful and bleakly funny film.

3. Batman Returns (1992)

Pros: Snow, deadly mistletoe, and exploding Christmas trees.

Cons: It's a Batman film in which neither Batman, nor Penguin learns to love Christmas.

Conclusion: Nope, but still a good dark old-school Batman flick.

4. L.A. Confidential (1997)

Guy Pearce looking beautiful, Russell Crowe looking like Russell Crowe and Kim Basinger star in this classic, set in post-war Hollywood, and during the Christmas holidays.

Pros: Guy Pearce. And it's Christmas, including a moody snowing scene with Russell Crowe.

Cons: Murderousness and other cast members.

Conclusion: Not Christmassy, but still great for any noir fans, and fans of Guy Pearce.

So does Die Hard count?

For one thing, Ode to Joy, which plays over one of the film's most famous sequences, is associated with many things (the EU anthem for one), but it is not a Christmas Hymn.

The point we are all forgetting is this one, made by Twitter user @_ElizabethMay, who summed up this debate.

This being the people's indy100 what do you think?

HT BBC Three

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