Hey, everybody! Reader here, and we’re knee-deep in Christmas movie season.
There are all the classics, like “A Christmas Carol,” “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and “White Christmas,” to name a few.
Then there are the newer favourites, such as “Elf,” “Home Alone,” and one of my favourites, “The Christmas Chronicles.” (Speaking of that one, Kurt Russell plays one of the best screen Santas ever!)
And of course there’s the Hallmark Channel movies. They have an entire channel devoted to them. You know the ones… There’s some sort of the variation of the theme in which two people come together through fate, rediscover their love for Christmas, and discover a love for each other along the way – usually after a conflict that threatens to tear their newfound love apart. But the spirit of the holidays and love conquers all!
But then, there’s those movies that everyone argues over. And that argument is: “Christmas movie or not?”
Those include “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Gremlins,” and “Die Hard.”
I think they all qualify for various reasons. But I want to mention “Die Hard” for one particular reason.
If the exploits of Bruce Willis’ John McClane, as he saves the Christmas partygoers at Nakatomi Plaza from terrorist Hans Gruber (memorably played by the late, great Alan Rickman) allow that flick to be considered a Christmas movie, what about the film I consider to be both better and more Christmassy…
“Lethal Weapon.”
“Lethal Weapon” is considered one of the ultimate “buddy cop” movies, and it happens to be set over the holidays.
And to me, is has some parallels to “It’s A Wonderful Life,” namely the similarities between Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey and Mel Gibson’s Martin Riggs.
They’re two characters that begin their respective movies wanting to end it all.
George Bailey encounters guardian angel Clarence Odbody, who’s assigned to keep watch over George. Clarence sees flashbacks of George’s life to the point when they cross paths, and when George wishes he’d never been born, Clarence shows George an alternate timeline of what his life would be like if he was never born. In the end, George finds peace and happiness, and learns that “no man is a failure who has friends.”
Meanwhile, Riggs is a cop at the end of his rope. A former Special Forces soldier in Vietnam, he recently lost his wife, and feels despondent without her. So much so, that he wants to die, however that may happen. He winds up getting paired up with Danny Glover’s Roger Murtaugh, a happy family man, nearing retirement. When the daughter of a friend of Murtaugh’s winds up dead, he and Riggs are on the case, and as they investigate, Riggs is welcomed into Murtaugh’s family, during the Christmas season. Ultimately, the pair takes down the bad guys, rescue Murtaugh’s kidnapped daughter, and Riggs finds a feeling of peace and family he’d been missing, while regaining his will to live.
Plus, as a fun Christmas easter egg, Murtaugh’s wife? Played by none other than Darlene Love, who sang one of of the greatest Christmas songs of all time…
Throw in a classic fight scene between Riggs and Gary Busey’s Mr. Joshua, another staple of 80s and 90s action flicks, Al Leong, and a tone of Christmas music throughout the film, and I will always love “Lethal Weapon!”
Of course, everyone will argue until the cows (or reindeer) come home, but everyone’s definition of a Christmas move differs.
But who says a Christmas movie has to be all about mistletoe, romance and snowflakes? Sometimes, the best holiday magic comes wrapped in the most unexpected packages
The untraditional holiday flicks offer a refreshing twist on the festive season. It’s not always about the classic tales – sometimes it’s the unexpected stories, unique settings, or unconventional characters that make a film feel like Christmas in a whole new way.
Do you have a favorite untraditional Christmas movie that you love to watch every year?
Whether it’s the action-packed excitement, the unusual plot, or the offbeat humor, share your top picks with us and let’s celebrate the diverse ways we enjoy the holiday season!
