‘Die Hard’? ‘Love Actually’? Consider these your new Christmas classics

What makes a good holiday movie?

Maybe it’s always been hard to generalize Christmas movies, but this seems especially true in 2017, when films like “Die Hard” are essential watching in some households – and when there’s a new “Star Wars” film every holiday season.

So I got curious. What are y’all watching instead of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?” In my household, my girls and I watch “Star Trek IV” (yes, the one with the whales), and that translates beautifully as a holiday film.

I reached out to a few folks who know theater, cinema and pop culture for help creating a list of holiday movies, especially the oddball or more unexpected ones.

My panel features Raleigh Little Theatre Executive Director Charles Phaneuf, A/V Geeks owner Skip Elsheimer and Carrboro comic book writer (and rabid VHS enthusiast) Brockton McKinney. They helped me create this list of what some consider must-see holiday movie classics.

This is not a comprehensive list by any stretch – and it doesn’t attempt to be, either.

I’ll start with my list. Let me know what you and your family watch.

▪ “Home Alone” (1990): The nostalgia angle makes a ton of sense here. If you’re the same age as Macaulay Culkin, you were 10 the year this movie was released. Culkin is now 37, so how old does that make you?

▪ “Love Actually” (2003): I’ll confess I didn’t know that this had become a holiday favorite, which is why it’s on my list. This romantic comedy, starring some of the best-known British actors of this generation (Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, among many), tells several interrelated love stories within the Christmas season.

▪ “The Star Wars Holiday Special” (1978): This inescapable franchise has embedded itself in the Christmas season, both in terms of merchandising and film placement. Before it was such a juggernaut, though, there was this incomprehensible holiday special. Did you know Chewbacca’s son is named Lumpy?

▪ “Star Trek IV” (1986): What a brilliant and optimistic film. There’s not even a villain!

Brockton McKinney

▪ “Die Hard” (1988): While this one wasn’t on McKinney’s holiday viewing list, per se, it is his favorite movie of all time (just barely topping “Jaws” – barely). Officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) fights terrorists and rescues hostages taken at a Christmas party. ’Tis the season!

▪ “Gremlins” (1984): Evil puppets, excellent practical effects and Phoebe Cates’ horrifying recounting of a Christmas memory make this ’80s horror-comedy (set during Christmas) one of McKinney’s go-to holiday films.

▪ “Batman Returns” (1992): “Michael Keaton and Michelle Pfeiffer fight Danny DeVito and his army of penguins in the holiday snow of Gotham City,” McKinney explains. “Enough said.”

▪ “Lethal Weapon” (1987): At least half of screenwriter Shane Black’s films, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” “Iron Man 3” and “The Nice Guys,” take place during Christmas, McKinney said. That includes this one.

▪ These Christmas-themed slasher films – the kind of nightmarish stuff he adores – also make the list of holiday favorites. These include “Elves,” “Silent Night, Deadly Night” and “Black Christmas.” Don’t show these to your mother, he warns – that is, unless she loves slasher movies.

Charles Phaneuf

▪ “Meet Me in St. Louis” (1944): The original second line to “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which first appeared in this film, was “It could be your last.” Judy Garland protested this depressing verse, and we have her to thank for the more optimistic version that’s still sung today.

▪ “Mame” (1974): Set during the Great Depression, this musical-turned-movie provided us with the cheer-up-and-celebrate song “We Need a Little Christmas,” sung by Angela Lansbury on Broadway and then by Lucille Ball in the film.

▪ “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” (1982): Phaneuf notes that this Dolly Parton film includes the tune “Hard Candy Christmas.”

Skip Elsheimer

▪ “Santa Claus” (1959): In this Mexican film, Santa Claus must fight the devil.

▪ “Magic Christmas Tree” (1964): What do a witch and a magic ring have to do with Christmas? Nothing, but they’re in this incredibly schlocky film anyway. The so-bad-they’re-good films Elsheimer mentions were made to capitalize on the Christmas season and were shown during children’s matinees.

▪ “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” (1964): Christmas won’t come to Mars unless the Martians kidnap Santa Claus. Spoiler alert: That happens. It’s a Christmas movie after all.

▪ “Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny” (1972): This one, which was a European children’s film repackaged with inept Santa footage, is so bad it’s good.

▪ “Brazil” (1985): This is one of Elsheimer’s favorite films, and it takes place during Christmas. Unlike the others he mentions, there’s no schlock to it.

This story was originally published December 21, 2017 at 10:46 AM with the headline "‘Die Hard’? ‘Love Actually’? Consider these your new Christmas classics."