Russian

Yeah my list was a bit loose on the sports theme. Agreed that Die Hard ain't a Xmas movie, seems to be a thing nerds love to bring up every Christmas.

I remember a film from the 90s called Mystery, Alaska (starring Russell Crowe) that I enjoyed.

I mean the whole premise of Home Alone is based around his family going away for Christmas and the wet bandits doing what they do because everyone is away for it.

Kevin puts up a Christmas tree, goes to midnight mass, sings Christmas songs and talks to Santa.

comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 21 seconds ago
I mean the whole premise of Home Alone is based around his family going away for Christmas and the wet bandits doing what they do because everyone is away for it.

Kevin puts up a Christmas tree, goes to midnight mass, sings Christmas songs and talks to Santa.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The premise of Die Hard is a guy coming home at Christmas to see his family. There is Christmas music, his wife is called Holly, they have Santa hats in it, it snows etc

comment by Kobbie The King Mainoo (U10026)
posted 47 minutes ago
No Mighty Ducks or Space Jam? Get in the bin.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Didn’t even mention escape to victory

Its not strictly a sports film, but can I throw Basketball Diaries in here? One of DiCaprio's best performances and a film that no-one ever seems to mention when discussing him. Fantastic film.

Field of Dreams - Kevin Costner
Brian's Song - James Caan
Rollerball - James Caan
This Sporting Life - Richard Harris

Worst ever - Escape to Victory.

comment by Robb #teamlineker (U22716)
posted 7 minutes ago
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 21 seconds ago
I mean the whole premise of Home Alone is based around his family going away for Christmas and the wet bandits doing what they do because everyone is away for it.

Kevin puts up a Christmas tree, goes to midnight mass, sings Christmas songs and talks to Santa.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The premise of Die Hard is a guy coming home at Christmas to see his family. There is Christmas music, his wife is called Holly, they have Santa hats in it, it snows etc


----------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm with Robb on this. If Home Alone is a Xmas movie then Die Hard is too. The reason John is there is because he's going to see his wife at a party.

comment by Robb #teamlineker (U22716)
posted 4 minutes ago
comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 21 seconds ago
I mean the whole premise of Home Alone is based around his family going away for Christmas and the wet bandits doing what they do because everyone is away for it.

Kevin puts up a Christmas tree, goes to midnight mass, sings Christmas songs and talks to Santa.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The premise of Die Hard is a guy coming home at Christmas to see his family. There is Christmas music, his wife is called Holly, they have Santa hats in it, it snows etc

----------------------------------------------------------------------

In Home Alone, Christmas is central: the poignancy of Kevin's situation and the narrative tension of the plotline of his mum racing back to Chicago revolve around the jeopardy of the unthinkable of being separated on Christmas day. Meanwhile, there's the whole Christmas spirit epiphany element to Kevin's encounter in the church.

In Die Hard, the Christmas backdrop is superficial. It's an action movie (which is set at Christmas).

Die Hard is a Christmas move, every other opinion is wrong.

comment by Kobbie The King Mainoo (U10026)
posted 1 minute ago
Die Hard is a Christmas move, every other opinion is wrong.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Much better than Con Air

Funny how the first Lethal Weapon based around Christmas time is not considered a Christmas movie.

comment by Diafol Coch 77 (U2462)
posted 5 minutes ago

I'm with Robb on this. If Home Alone is a Xmas movie then Die Hard is too. The reason John is there is because he's going to see his wife at a party.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Parties famously don't ever happen for reasons other than Christmas.

How about The Jungle Book? I know it has nothing to do with sport but neither do Home Alone and Die Hard. Another thread has been hijacked from the initial subject.

comment by Kobbie The King Mainoo (U10026)
posted 3 minutes ago
Die Hard is a Christmas move, every other opinion is wrong.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

If Richard Littlejohn and Gary Glitter had a child together, this is the kind of opinion it would have.

Die Hard’s writer confirmed it’s a Christmas movies. It’s not an opinion.

comment by Diafol Coch 77 (U2462)
posted 32 minutes ago
I remember a film from the 90s called Mystery, Alaska (starring Russell Crowe) that I enjoyed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Class film. True story too.

Purely from a sports excitement perspective:
Futuresport (1998, Dean Cain, Wesley Snipes)
Days of Thunder (1990, Cruise, Kidman, Duval)
Ping Pong Playa (2007, bunch of nobodies)

But in general I think it's hard to replicate/explain what makes a particulair sport exciting in just 1 movie due to lack of buildup and I've seen much better examples in TV series. Especially the Japanese are masters of introducing 'obscure at the time' sports to their own audience with manga/anime with legendary pieces in Slam Dunk (basketball), Haikyuu! (volleyball), Eyeshield 21 (American Football).

comment by Kobbie The King Mainoo (U10026)
posted 3 minutes ago
Die Hard’s writer confirmed it’s a Christmas movies. It’s not an opinion.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The writer doesn't get to tell us how to interpret his text. You're surely aware of the concept of Intentional Fallacy. Even if he wrote the script with 'Christmas movie' in mind, must we accept his definition of the genre? And if for argument's sake he did *write* a Christmas movie manuscript, there's a difference between a text and a movie, and the sum creative decisions of the actors, director, editors, etc can easily turn a Christmas movie manuscript into a movie which any functioning brain can understand is an action movie (which is incidentally set at Christmas).

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 24 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 (U2462)
posted 5 minutes ago

I'm with Robb on this. If Home Alone is a Xmas movie then Die Hard is too. The reason John is there is because he's going to see his wife at a party.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Parties famously don't ever happen for reasons other than Christmas.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Christmas parties generally happen at Christmas though...
https://i0.wp.com/bestentertainmentreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Die-Hard-Christmas.png?resize=640%2C399

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Kobbie The King Mainoo (U10026)
posted 3 minutes ago
Die Hard’s writer confirmed it’s a Christmas movies. It’s not an opinion.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The writer doesn't get to tell us how to interpret his text. You're surely aware of the concept of Intentional Fallacy. Even if he wrote the script with 'Christmas movie' in mind, must we accept his definition of the genre? And if for argument's sake he did *write* a Christmas movie manuscript, there's a difference between a text and a movie, and the sum creative decisions of the actors, director, editors, etc can easily turn a Christmas movie manuscript into a movie which any functioning brain can understand is an action movie (which is incidentally set at Christmas).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I mean, what exemplifies Christmas, peace and goodwill to all, more than a bloke rampaging around, shooting, blowing up, and killing dozens of people.

The writer doesn't get to tell us how to interpret his text.
———
Yes he does.

Generally don't like sports movies, most of them use the generic plot of underdog facing a much tougher opponent - no one gives them a chance but they dramatically win it in the last minute. (Space Jam is the obvious exception in that it's still good. I also like the Adam Sandler basketball film from last year - can't remember what it's called).

So Million dollar baby is probably the best - having the main character break her neck and live the rest of her life in misery was a better ending.

As for Xmas movies, I especially don't get the ones where no one believes in Santa but it turns out he's real. Who do the parents think has been buying their kids presents? And if it is the parents than what is Santa doing exactly?

Joe is my go to publication to prove Red Russian* wrong...

https://www.joe.ie/movies-tv/10-reasons-why-die-hard-is-the-greatest-christmas-film-of-all-time-479242

*in truth I'm starting to doubt now whether Red Russian's seemingly insightful contributions on a variety of topics aren't just waffle.

I watched Miracle on Disney not long ago. That’s a pretty good movie - obviously because it has Kurt Russell in it. It’s based on the ‘Miracle on Ice’ hockey match between the Americans and Soviets in 1980.