Three things are unavoidable in life; death, taxes, and debating whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie over the holiday season. The debate has strangely taken on a life of its own and it has become bigger than the film itself at this point. The argument will cause huge fights with relatives, and there's no changing anyone's mind once it's made up.
However, Die Hard isn't the only debatable "Christmas movie," as so many films have been given that label even though they might not deserve it. Whether the film simply has a Christmas setting and none of the holiday spirit, because it was released in summer, or because it's more of a Halloween film, these debates will cause riots during Christmas dinner.
Gremlins (1984)
A deleted user points to the debate surrounding Gremlins, noting, "when Warner Bros. realized it didn’t have a 'summer movie' to put up against Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom or Ghostbusters, it moved up the release date." Though it isn't clear if the movie's release date was moved up, WB did want it released in the summer to rival those two movies, which is why it was released in June (via Metro).
Because of the summer release, many argue that Gremlins isn't a Christmas film. However, its UK release skews things further, as it was delayed by six months and released during the Holiday season. If anything, Gremlins might be an anti-Christmas movie, as not only is it full of violence, but it ruins the truth about Santa in the most morbid way possible.
Batman Returns (1992)
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Batman Returns is also commonly debated over whether or not it's a Christmas movie. BZenMojo hilariously sits on the fence, noting, "Insomuch as it's about the angst of lonely villains and lonelier heroes missing their family on the holidays with a bunch of holiday-themed crimes and everyone constantly talking about Christmas, I would say... maybe." But Batman Returns is a case of being set during Christmas instead of being about Christmas.
There's no Santa Claus, it isn't another version of A Christmas Carol where Bruce Wayne learns the true meaning of Christmas, and there's no Holiday spirit. Instead, it features a villain who lives in the sewer and bites off people's noses, people getting electrocuted until they're nothing but a skeleton. and Batman breaks his only rule several times over. But it's snowy and there's a pretty big Christmas tree sitting in Gotham Square.
Trading Places (1983)
Trading Places is a classic Christmas movie, as it sees rich stock broker Louis involuntarily switching places with a homeless person. But some argue that it isn't a Christmas movie at all. The film spans a broad December timeframe, including Christmas, and it even features Louis crashing a party dressed as Santa and stealing meat by shoving it down his trousers.
Despite this, this deleted user doesn't think it's a Christmas movie. The Redditor argues, "The second half of Trading Places takes place on New Years' eve. It's a New Years' movie." The user is not wrong, as the bulk of the movie is set throughout NYE, but Christmas is a big part of the film, and it's what makes Louis' downward spiral that much more grueling and unbearable.
Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Batman Returns isn't the only Tim Burton movie that's hotly debated over whether or not it's a Christmas movie, as Nightmare Before Christmas goes through the same rigmarole every single year. Though "Christmas" is in the title, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a Christmas film, and many have argued that it's more of a Halloween movie, including _Yen.
The Redditor mentions, "Henry Selick has always said it’s a Halloween Film. And he did make it after all. It was also released on October 29th, 1993, in time for Halloween and not at Christmas." After all Nightmare Before Christmas was not directed by Burton but by Selick, and the director would know better than anyone. However, the film is about Jack Skellington learning the true meaning of Christmas, and Halloweentown is simply the setting.
Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard is undoubtedly the most debated film of all time when it comes to what is and what isn't a Christmas movie, and it'll cause heated arguments amongst families that get left unresolved. Corky83 is in the camp that it definitively is not a Holiday movie, noting, "I think a Christmas movie is about Christmas. Die Hard just takes place during Christmas, it could just as easily be set during the summer without any major changes to the plot."
The fans who think Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie make the argument that it's simply set during Christmas, but the Holiday season carries the whole plot. John McClane travels to Los Angeles for the Christmas party, Hans plans the heist around the holiday season because it's the quietest time, and after all, it's about spending time with family.
Lethal Weapon (1987)
Just like Die Hard, Lethal Weapon is another macho action flick that devoted fans would call a Christmas film, but few others would. Soik90 doesn't think the movie is a Christmas film, positing, "I'd honestly have to say no. The holiday is not an important part of the plot. It's just happening in the background."
The Christmas setting doesn't exactly drive the plot forward in Lethal Weapon, but the holiday season certainly affects the characters on a deep, emotional level. As the movie takes place just after Martin Riggs' death, the holiday season makes him lonelier and more depressed. And that's what always makes it hard for viewers to argue for or against the 1987 release being a Christmas movie.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Edward Scissorhands is yet another movie that combines Tim Burton's love of gothic aesthetics with his love of the holiday season to create one beautiful but a bleak film about an introverted monster. The movie follows a young man who has scissors and knives for fingers, and he's finally taken in by a suburban family during Christmas.
Crystalistwo doesn't think Edward Scissorhands is a Christmas movie because of how much of a tragedy it becomes by the end. The Redditor explains, "Christmas movies not only take place during Christmas but also have themes revolving around family and redemption. Edward Scissorhands shows that Edward's expulsion is ultimately a good thing." While the user is right, the ending wouldn't have had as much of a lasting and bittersweet impact if it wasn't for the Christmas setting.
Die Hard 2 (1990)
Because Die Hard gets all of the attention when it comes to the Christmas debate, many forget that Die Hard 2 has a Christmas setting too. StreetHawkGV reminds users about it and genuinely believes it's a Christmas film. To make their argument, the Redditor uses the line from the film, "Just once, I'd like a regular, normal Christmas. Eggnog, a f*****' Christmas tree, a little turkey. But, no. I gotta crawl around in this motherf*****' tin can."
Though it might not be the most creative sequel, as it's Die Hard in an airport, it's because of the bad weather that McClane can't get his flight, which keeps him from his family on Christmas. But this time around, that isn't quite enough to call it a festive film.
The Harry Potter Series (2001-2011)
Bad4Business points to how Harry Potter is often hotly debated over whether the films are Christmas movies. The Redditor thinks they are, commenting, "The first is especially Christmas-y, before the story gets too dark. They take place over a school year, with Christmas placed right in the middle. Getting the invisibility cloak for Christmas is one of the most significant parts of the whole series."
The Harry Potter series always had a Christmas aesthetic, and most of the movies in the franchise have had at least one major scene revolving around the students getting Christmas gifts. However, in films that are generally around 2.5 hours long and span the whole year, it's hard to call any single Harry Potter to release a Christmas movie based on one or two scenes.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
No filmmaker loves the Holiday season more than Shane Black. The writer penned the screenplay for Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, and The Long Kiss Goodnight, and he wrote and directed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3, and The Nice Guys, all of which take place during Christmas, but that doesn't exactly mean that they're Christmas movies.
The Long Kiss Goodnight is often called into question more often than any other, as the events that unfold are unrelated to the Holiday season, and that's why Velifer is adamant that it isn't a Christmas movie. The Redditor emphatically states, "'Happens during Christmas' is insufficient for a movie to be a 'Christmas movie.'" To some people, simply being set during Christmas and having shots full of reds and greens is enough to be called a holiday film. But just like most of these movies, the jury's still out.